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LECTURES    ON   THEOLOGY. 
 
 BY  THE  LATE 
 
 REV.  JOHN  DICK,  D.D. 
 
 MINISTER  OF  THE  UNITED  ASSOCIATE  CONGREGATION,  GREYFRIARS, 
 
 GLASGOW  ;    AND  PROFESSOR  OF  THEOLOGY  TO  THE 
 
 UNITED  SECESSION  CHURCH. 
 
 PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  SUPERINTENDENCE  OF  HIS  SON. 
 
 IN  FOUR  VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL.  IV. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 PUBLISHED  BY  WILLIAM  OLIPHANT  &  SON, 
 
 7,    SOUTH  BRIDGE  STREET. 
 
 SOLD  BY  W.  COLLINS,  M.  OGLE,  G.  GALLIE,  D.  ROBERTSON,  AND  J.  REID  &  CO. 
 
 GLASGOW;  HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  &  CO.  AND  JAMES  DUNCAN, 
 
 LONDON ;  AND  W.  CURRY  Jun.  &  CO.  DUBLIN. 
 
 MDCCCXXXIV. 
 
II.    &   J.    PILI.ANS,   TRINTERS,   7-  JAMES'S  COURT, 
 EDIVBIHIGH. 
 
CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  IV. 
 
 LECTURE 
 
 LXXX. 
 
 LXXXI. 
 
 LXXXII. 
 
 LXXXIII. 
 
 LXXXIV. 
 
 LXXXV. 
 
 LXXXVI 
 
 LXXXVII. 
 
 LXXXVIII. 
 
 LXXXIX. 
 XC. 
 
 XCT. 
 
 XCII. 
 
 XCIII. 
 
 XCIV. 
 
 XCV. 
 
 XCVI. 
 
 XCVII. 
 
 XCVIII. 
 
 Page 
 
 The  Death  of  the  Saints,  and  its  consequences,  1 
 
 The  same  subject, 18 
 
 The  Resurrection  of  the  Dead, 36 
 
 The  Final  State  of  the  Righteous, 55 
 
 The  External  Means  of  Grace :  The  Word  of  God,    74 
 
 The  same  subject,    92 
 
 _ The  Sacraments,     111 
 
 The  same  subject,  129 
 
 — —  The  Sacrament  of 
 
 Baptism, 148 
 
 ' The  same  subject,  166 
 
 1 The  Sacrament  of 
 
 the  Lord's  Supper,        1 84 
 
 The  same  subject,  203 
 
 The  same  subject,  222 
 
 Prayer,    .     .     .     241 
 
 The  same  subject,  260 
 
 The  same  subject,  279 
 
 The  Church, 297 
 
 Government  of  the  Church  :  Popish  form  :  Epis- 
 copacy,    . 314 
 
 Episcopacy :    Inde- 
 pendency and  Presbytery, 331 
 
IV  CONTENTS. 
 
 LECTURE  Page 
 
 XCIX.  Government  of  the  Church  :  Independency  and 
 
 Presbytery, 349 
 
 C.  Office-Bearers, 367 
 
 CI. Church  Power, 385 
 
 OIL  The  Law  of  God :   The  Decalogue,     ....  404 
 
 CHI. The  First,  Second,  and  Third 
 
 Commandments, 423 
 
 CIV. The  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth 
 
 Commandments, 442 
 
 CV. The    Seventh,    Eighth,    and 
 
 Ninth  Commandments :  Conclusion,    .     .     .  46 1 
 
 Appendix, 481 
 
 Index, 487 
 
LECTURES  ON  THEOLOGY. 
 
 LECTURE  LXXX. 
 
 ON  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS,  AND 
 ITS  CONSEQUENCES. 
 
 REASON  WHY  DEATH  BEFALS  BELIEVERS ITS  EFFECT  UPON  THEM THE 
 
 SURVIVANCEOF  THE  SOUL. ITS  IM3IORTALITY  DEDUCED  FROM  ITS  IM- 
 MATERIALITY, THE  NATURE  OF  ITS  POWERS,  THE  ANTICIPATIONS  OF 
 CONSCIENCE,  THE  PRESENT  IRREGULAR  DISTRIBUTION  OF  GOOD  AND 
 EVIL,  AND  FROM  UNIVERSAL  BELIEF. 
 
 "  He  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved."  '  That  every 
 genuine  believer  shall  thus  endure,  we  have  endeavoured  to 
 prove  by  a  variety  of  arguments  from  Scripture ;  and  are  per- 
 suaded that  although  temporary  professors  of  religion  may  apos- 
 tatize, and  the  most  flattering  hopes  may  be  disappointed,  yet, 
 wherever  the  work  of  grace  has  been  begun,  it  will  be  carried 
 on  and  completed.  The  salvation  which  is  reserved  for  be- 
 lievers at  the  end  of  their  course,  comprehends  the  perfection 
 and  felicity  of  the  whole  man,  of  soul  and  body.  I  proceed  to 
 consider  the  subject  in  its  several  parts,  and  shall  speak,  in 
 the  first  place,  of  the  death  of  the  saints  and  its  consequences. 
 
 "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die."  |  The  sentence 
 of  death  was  pronounced  upon  Adam  after  the  fall,  and  his 
 posterity  were  included  in  it,  because  he  was  their  federal  head. 
 Accordingly,  "  death  has  passed  upon  all  men,  because  all  have 
 sinned  ;"  and  that  it  is  not  their  personal  sin  which  is  the  cause 
 of  their  mortality,  is  evidentfrom  the  fact  of  which  the  Scrip- 
 •   Matth.  x.  22.  +   Heb.  ix.  27- 
 
 VOL.  IV.  A 
 
2  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 tures  take  notice,  that  "  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses," 
 and  we  may  add,  reigns  to  this  hour,  "  over  them  who  have 
 not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgression ;"  *  that 
 is,  over  infants  who  are  not  capable  of  actual  disobedience. 
 Some  affirm  that  death  was  natural  to  man,  or  that  he  was 
 mortal  by  the  constitution  of  his  nature,  and  that  it  is  there- 
 fore no  proof  of  original  guilt.  But,  besides  that  this  objec- 
 tion has  been  already  considered,  and  that  there  is  no  neces- 
 sity to  discuss  it  again,  it  is  almost  superfluous  labour  at  any 
 time  to  enter  into  an  elaborate  refutation  of  an  opinion,  which 
 does  not  even  possess  the  slightest  degree  of  plausibility,  as 
 it  directly  contradicts  the  most  explicit  and  solemn  declarations 
 of  Scripture. 
 
 It  cannot  therefore  excite  surprise,  that  all  men  are  subject 
 to  the  law  of  mortality,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  high  and 
 the  low,  the  young  and  the  old.  We  are  ignorant  of  the  rea- 
 sons for  which  some  are  cut  oif  as  soon  as  they  see  the  light, 
 while  others  arrive  at  extreme  old  age,  and  men  fall  at  every 
 period  of  life ;  but  we  are  in  no  uncertainty  with  respect  to 
 the  cause  of  the  general  doom.  Death  is  the  execution  of  the 
 righteous  sentence,  appointing  the  sinful  inhabitants  of  this 
 earth  to  return  to  the  dust  from  which  they  were  taken.  The 
 guilty  are  brought  forward  according  to  the  will  of  the  Supreme 
 Judge,  to  suffer  in  their  order  the  penalty  of  the  law.  Melan- 
 choly as  is  the  spectacle  of  a  race  of  rational  beings,  wasted 
 by  disease,  and  swallowed  up  by  the  grave,  we  can  account 
 for  it  consistently  with  the  goodness  of  the  Creator,  because 
 their  fate  is  not  an  arbitrary  exercise  of  his  power,  but  is  de- 
 manded by  his  justice.  He  has  no  pleasure  in  the  mere  de- 
 struction of  his  creatures,  and  would  neither  effect  it  by  his 
 own  agency,  nor  permit  it  to  be  effected  by  second  causes,  if  it 
 were  not  required  by  the  law  of  his  moral  administration. 
 
 Thus  far  all  is  plain  ;  but  when  we  proceed  to  observe,  that 
 from  the  law  of  mortality  even  the  righteous  are  not  exempted, 
 the  question  arises,  how  we  shall  account  for  the  indiscriminate 
 execution  of  the  sentence  ?  For  the  righteous  an  atonement 
 has  been  made,  by  which  their  guilt  was  expiated  ;  and  con- 
 sequently it  might  be  presumed  that  they  would  be  delivered 
 
 *  Rom.  v.  12,  14. 
 
AND  ITS  CONSEQUBNI  O 
 
 from  all  the  effects  of  the  curse.  How,  then,  comes  it  to  pass 
 that  they  are  subject  to  death,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be 
 the  penalty  of  sin  ? 
 
 Great  as  this  difficulty  may  seem,  it  is  not  the  only  one 
 which  occurs  in  the  history  of  the  saints.  It  is  not,  indeed, 
 a  solution  of  one  difficulty,  to  point  out  others  connected  with 
 the  subject  of  inquiry  ;  but  they  suggest  to  us,  that  if,  notwith- 
 standing these,  we  could  quietly  retain  our  belief,  we  should 
 not  allow  it  to  be  disturbed  by  an  additional  objection,  which  in 
 itself  is  not  more  formidable.  If  we  ask,  why  believers  undergo 
 temporal  death,  although  Christ  has  atoned  for  their  sins  ? 
 may  we  not  with  equal  reason  ask,  why  they  are  not  complete- 
 ly delivered  from  the  pollution  of  sin  as  well  as  from  its  guilt, 
 as  soon  as  they  believe  ?  Why  does  it  remain  in  them  to  taint 
 their  duties,  and  to  impede  their  consolation  ?  Why  are  they 
 still  exposed  to  the  malignity  of  Satan  ?  Why  are  they  com- 
 pelled to  carry  a  heavy  burden  of  affliction  ?  These  things 
 are  as  inconsistent  with  our  notions  of  the  effect  of  a  perfect 
 expiation  of  sin,  as  their  subjection  to  temporal  death ;  for  it 
 would  seem  to  us,  that,  as  soon  as  the  benefit  of  the  atonement 
 is  applied  to  them,  they  should  not  only  be  restored  to  the 
 Tavour  of  God,  but  completely  relieved  from  every  evil,  physi- 
 cal and  moral. 
 
 But  this  is  not  the  only  instance,  in  which  our  notions  of 
 what  is  just  and  fit  are  found  not  to  accord  with  the  Divine  dis- 
 pensations. It  is  certain  that,  if  justice  required,  when  an 
 atonement  had  been  made  for  sin,  that  the  guilty  should  be 
 fully  pardoned,  thus  far  its  demands  are  satisfied.  "  There 
 is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus ;"  *  and 
 consequently,  we  are  sure  that  whatever  may  be  the  proceed- 
 ings of  Providence  towards  them,  they  are  not  to  be  considered 
 as  effects  or  indications  of  wrath.  God,  in  stipulating  with 
 his  Son  the  remission  of  those  for  whom  he  was  to  shed  his 
 blood,  might  make  a  reservation  of  some  of  the  temporal  con- 
 sequences of  sin,  for  reasons  worthy  of  his  wisdom.  To  these 
 he  might  judge  it  expedient  to  subject  them,  but  with  a  mer- 
 ciful design ;  and,  with  this  exception,  might  promise  to  exempt 
 them  from  the  operation  of  the  penalty,   as  a  man  may  stipu- 
 
 *   Rom.  viii.  1. 
 
4  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 late  with  the  representative  of  another,  with  respect  to  the 
 time  and  the  degree  in  which  the  expected  benefit  shall  be 
 conferred. 
 
 The  procedure  of  God  towards  the  saint  has  been  compared 
 to  the  manner  of  proceeding  under  the  ceremonial  law,  in  re- 
 ference to  a  house  infected  with  leprosy.  "  The  priest  shall 
 break  down  the  house,  the  stones  of  it,  and  the  timber  thereof, 
 and  all  the  mortar  of  the  house ;  and  he  shall  carry  them 
 forth  out  of  the  city  into  an  unclean  place."  '  In  like  man- 
 ner God  destroys  the  earthly  house  of  our  tabernacle,  which 
 is  polluted  with  sin,  and  commands  it  to  be  carried  to  the  grave. 
 It  has  been  remarked  too,  that  under  the  ancient  economy 
 earthen  vessels  which  had  been  defiled  were  broken,  but  those 
 which  were  formed  of  a  more  solid  or  a  more  precious  sub- 
 stance, were  only  washed  with  water,  or  purified  by  fire.  Our 
 souls  are  vessels  of  gold,  and  for  this  reason,  although  polluted, 
 he  does  not  destroy  them,  but  he  reduces  our  sinful  bodies 
 to  dust.  These,  however,  are  merely  illustrations,  and  I 
 believe  fanciful  illustrations,  of  the  fact,  and  they  give  us  no 
 assistance  in  discovering  the  reasons  of  it. 
 
 The  death  of  the  body  is  sometimes  represented  as  neces- 
 sary to  the  complete  sanctification  of  the  soul.  To  do  so,  how- 
 ever, is  to  commit  the  mistake  of  confounding  the  conjunction 
 of  two  events  with  the  relation  of  cause  and  effect.  We 
 acknowledge  that  the  saints  are  not  made  perfect  in  holiness 
 till  they  die  ;  but  although  God  has  established  a  connexion 
 between  these  two  things,  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  it 
 is  a  necessary  connexion.  It  does  not  follow,  because  he 
 usually  produces  a  certain  effect  in  a  particular  way,  that  he 
 could  not  produce  it  in  a  different  way.  What  should  hinder 
 him  from  sanctifying  believers  wholly  in  the  present  life  ? 
 You  say,  perhaps,  that  the  present  constitution  of  the  body  is 
 an  obstacle.  It  would  not  be  easy,  however,  to  explain  this 
 point  satisfactorily  or  intelligibly  ;  to  shew  that,  great  as  is  the 
 influence  of  the  body  upon  the  mind,  almighty  grace  could 
 not  fully  counteract  it,  so  far  as  it  is  unfriendly  to  holiness. 
 But,  supposing  that  there  is  something  in  the  present  state  of 
 the   body   which   renders    perfect   holiness   unattainable,   we 
 
 *  Lev.  xiv.  45. 
 
AM)  ITS  (  0N8BQUBNCES.  •  > 
 
 may  a^l<  again,  what  should  hinder  God  from  now  effecting 
 such  a  change  as  would  fit  the  body  for  co-operating  with  the 
 soul  in  its  purest  exercises  ?  That  the  separation  of  the  soul 
 from  the  body,  and  the  dissolution  of  the  latter  in  the  grave, 
 are  not  necessary  to  the  complete  purification  of  the  soul,  is 
 evident  from  the  cases  of  those  who  were  translated  to  heaven 
 without  undergoing  temporal  death.  There  have  been  only 
 two  who  enjoyed  this  privilege,  Enoch  and  Elijah ;  but  two 
 examples  establish  the  conclusion  as  fully  as  a  thousand  would 
 do.  They  shew,  that  it  is  not  from  any  necessary  connexion 
 between  the  death  of  the  body  and  the  perfection  of  the  soul, 
 that  believers  are  not  exempted  from  the  former.  This  posi- 
 tion is  farther  corroborated  by  what  we  know  will  take  place 
 at  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  "  Behold,  I  shew  you  a 
 mystery,  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed, 
 in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump  ;  for 
 the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incor- 
 ruptible, and  we  shall  be  changed."*  It  is  commonly  said, 
 that  although  some  of  the  saints  shall  not  die,  they  will  under- 
 go a  change  equivalent  to  death.  I  suspect  that  these  are 
 words  without  any  distinct  meaning ;  but  if  they  do  mean  any 
 thing,  it  is  this,  that  upon  those  saints  the  same  effect  will  be 
 produced  by  the  immediate  power  of  God,  which  is  produced 
 upon  the  saints  at  present  by  temporal  death.  But  this  is  to 
 give  up  the  point ;  it  is  to  acknowledge  that  men  may  be  fully 
 sanctified  without  undergoing  dissolution,  for  such  will  be  the 
 fact  with  respect  to  the  last  generation  of  the  saints. 
 
 These  remarks  are  intended  to  shew  you,  that  we  are  not 
 able  properly  to  assign  the  reason  why  the  sentence  of  tem- 
 poral death  is  not  revoked  in  favour  of  the  righteous.  It  has 
 been  said,  that  the  design  is  to  inspire  them  with  abhorrence 
 of  sin,  which  is  followed  by  such  fatal  effects ;  to  keep  them 
 humble,  and  to  give  them  an  opportunity  to  display  their  faith, 
 and  patience,  and  hope.  Without  inquiring  whether  these  pur- 
 poses are  sufficient  to  account  for  the  fact,  wTe  remark  that  there 
 is  one  thing  which,  if  it  should  not  solve  the  difficulty,  will  at 
 least  shew  that  an  end  is  accomplished  which  is  in  unison 
 with  the  general  tenor  of  the  moral  administration  of  God. 
 •  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52. 
 
6  ON  THE   DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 In  the  present  state,  we  must  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight, 
 or,  in  other  words,  we  are  to  be  regulated  in  the  choice  and 
 practice  of  religion,  not  by  the  evidence  of  sense,  but  by  the 
 evidence  of  testimony.  It  is  not  given  to  us  to  see  the  reali- 
 ties of  the  world  to  come  ;  to  have  ocular  demonstration  of  the 
 glorious  reward  of  piety,  and  the  terrible  punishment  of  un- 
 godliness. Although  these  are  subjects  of  infinite  importance, 
 and  our  whole  conduct  should  be  influenced  by  them,  all  our 
 knowledge  comes  through  the  medium  of  revelation.  This, 
 as  some  would  say,  places  us  in  a  state  of  trial.  We  are  put 
 to  the  test,  whether  we  will  repose  such  confidence  in  the 
 word  of  God,  as  to  enter  upon  that  course  of  conduct,  with 
 all  its  privations  and  difficulties,  which  he  has  assured  us  will 
 lead  to  a  happy  result.  What  is  said  on  this  subject  would 
 require  to  be  guarded  and  qualified ;  and  therefore,  laying  it 
 aside  for  the  present,  I  observe,  that  it  appears  to  be  the  will 
 of  God,  that  faith  should  be  our  guide  in  the  pilgrimage  of 
 life.  But  it  would  be  subversive  of  this  design  to  give  an 
 open  and  regular  declaration  in  favour  of  the  good,  and  against 
 the  bad,  in  the  dispensations  of  Providence.  Were  it  known, 
 exactly,  who  are  the  objects  of  the  love,  and  who  of  the  hatred 
 of  God,  that  is,  were  it  known  in  any  other  way  than  by  the 
 testimony  of  Scripture,  the  province  of  faith  would  be  greatly 
 circumscribed,  and  we  should  then  see,  what  we  are  now  called 
 to  believe.  Had  the  righteous  been  exempted  from  temporal 
 death,  it  would  have  been  known  to  all  who  they  were,  and 
 that  their  piety  wTas  recompensed,  when  they  were  openly 
 translated  to  heaven.  No  person  could  have  doubted  of  a 
 future  state,  when  he  saw  his  acquaintances  and  neighbours 
 removed  to  it ;  or  have  called  in  question  the  truth  and  ad- 
 vantages of  religion,  when  he  was  himself  a  witness  of  the 
 performance  of  its  promises.  Hence  we  perceive  the  reason, 
 why  God  has  admitted  into  his  plan  the  temporal  death  of 
 those  who  are  interested  in  the  atonement  of  his  Son.  It  is 
 to  preserve  the  consistency  of  his  administration,  to  exclude 
 any  thing  which  would  have  broken  in  upon  its  uniformity, 
 and  defeated  its  design.  He  leaves  them  apparently  in  the  same 
 situation  with  other  men.  Like  them  they  are  afflicted,  and 
 like  them  they  die. 
 
\M)  us  (  0N8BQUBNI  7 
 
 But,  although  one  event  happens  to  all,  there  i->  a  Heal 
 difference  between  the  death  of  a  righteous,  and  that  of  a 
 wicked  man :  a  difference  not  in  the  nature  of  the  event  con- 
 sidered as  a  physical  fact,  but  in  it>  design  and  its  conse- 
 quences. In  the  case  of  the  saint,  it  terminates,  as  we  shall 
 afterwards  more  fully  see,  his  long  and  painful  struggle  with 
 sin,  and  completes  his  restoration  to  the  image  of  God,  which 
 has  been  carrying  on,  since  the  hour  of  his  conversion,  by  the 
 ordinances  of  religion  and  the  dispensations  of  Providence. 
 It  closes  also  the  scene  of  his  sorrows  ;  it  releases  the  weary 
 sufferer,  and  dismisses  him  to  rest ;  it  removes  the  veil  which 
 conceals  the  glories  of  the  eternal  w7orld ;  it  breaks  down  the 
 partition-wall  which  separated  him  from  his  God.  This 
 moment  he  feels  the  agonies  of  expiring  nature,  or  is  lying  in 
 a  state  of  insensibility;  the  next,  he  is  full  of  life,  and  joy, 
 and  activity.  We  behold  an  heir  of  glory  entering  upon  the 
 possession  of  his  inheritance  ;  and  death,  which  appears  so 
 dreadful  to  the  by-stander,  is  to  him  the  gate  of  life.  "  Mark 
 the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright ;  for  the  end  of  that 
 man  is  peace."  *  Often  his  latter  end  is  peace  in  respect  of 
 his  own  feelings.  His  body  may  suffer  pain,  but  his  mind  is 
 tranquil,  for  he  knows  in  whom  he  has  believed,  and  is  assured 
 that  he  is  able  to  keep  the  trust  which  he  has  committed  to 
 him.  He  is  parting  with  those  who  have  long  been  dear  to 
 him  in  the  bonds  of  nature  and  friendship ;  but  he  is  going 
 home  to  his  Father,  and  to  the  family  of  the  first-born  ;  and 
 he  leaves  the  objects  of  his  affection  to  the  care  of  Him  who 
 has  led  him  all  his  life,  and  will  take  them  under  his  protec- 
 tion. Natural  affection  remains  in  the  bosom  of  a  good  man 
 to  the  last,  for  it  is  the  work  of  God,  and  his  grace  has  refined 
 and  strengthened  it ;  but  he  is  actuated  by  a  higher  principle 
 of  heavenly  love,  and  his  soul  longs  for  the  enjoyment  of  his 
 God :  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is 
 none  upon  earth  whom  I  desire  beside  thee."  f  But  it  may 
 happen  that  the  Christian  shall  not  leave  the  world  in  the 
 full  assurance  of  hope.  Death  and  fears  may  haunt  his  mind, 
 and  a  cloud  may  rest  upon  his  closing  scene  ;  yet  still  his 
 latter  end  is  peace,  because  it  is  safe.  To  him  death  has  lost 
 *   Ts.  xx.wii.  37-  t   lb.  lxxiii-  23. 
 
8  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 its  sting ;  for  its  sting  was  sin,  but  through  the  blood  of  Christ 
 his  guilt  is  cancelled,  and  will  not  appear  against  him  in 
 judgment.  Through  the  weakness  of  his  faith,  the  king  of 
 terrors  may  wear  an  alarming  aspect.  But  he  is  the  messenger 
 of  his  Father,  and  comes  upon  an  errand  of  mercy.  Angels 
 are  waiting  to  receive  him,  and  as  soon  as  his  spirit  has 
 escaped  from  its  frail  and  falling  tabernacle,  his  fears  will  be 
 exchanged  for  everlasting  triumph. 
 
 The  death  of  the  righteous  is  sometimes  described  as  a  sleep. 
 This  is  an  example  of  euphonism,  or  that  figure  of  rhetoric  by 
 which  a  thing  unpleasant  in  itself  is  expressed  by  an  agreeable 
 name.  It  is  not  peculiar  to  the  Scriptures,  but  was  used  by 
 heathen  writers,  who  not  only  call  sleep,  mortis  si  mi  11  una 
 imago,  but  speak  of  death  under  the  notion  of  sleep  itself : — 
 
 —lepov  V7TVOV 
 Koifiarar  6vrj<riceiv  firj  \e<ye  toi/s  aryaOov?* 
 
 It  is  proper,  however,  to  remark,  that  the  metaphor  is  some- 
 times employed  to  denote  the  state  of  the  dead,  without  any 
 reference  to  their  character,  as  in  the  following  passage  : 
 "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
 awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
 lasting contempt."  f  Yet  the  more  frequent  use  of  the  term 
 in  relation  to  the  righteous,  and  the  connexion  in  which  it  is 
 introduced,  justify  us  in  considering  it  as  significant  of  the 
 peaceful  nature  of  their  end.  Speaking  of  the  five  hundred 
 disciples  to  whom  our  Saviour  appeared  after  his  resurrection, 
 Paul  says,  "  of  whom  the  greater  part  remain  unto  this  pre- 
 sent, but  some  are  fallen  asleep."  +  Luke  thus  describes  the 
 death  of  the  first  Christian  martyr  :  "  And  he  kneeled  down, 
 and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
 charge  ;  and  when  he  said  this,  he  fell  asleep."  |  And  those 
 in  general  who  have  died  in  the  faith,  are  represented  as  sleep- 
 ing in  Jesus  :  "  Them  that  sleep  in  Jesus,  will  God  bring 
 with  him."  §  Thus  the  weary  labourer,  when  evening  comes, 
 lies  down  upon  his  bed,  and  enjoys  profound  repose  till  the 
 return  of  day. 
 
 Before  I  proceed  to  consider  the  state  of  the  righteous  in 
 
 •  Kallimaclii  Epigramm.  cura  Blomfield,  p.  56. 
 +  Dan.  xii.  2.       £  1  Cor.  xv.  6.       II  Acts  vii.  60.       §  1  Thess.  iv.  14. 
 
AM)  its  CON8EQUBN4  !) 
 
 the  grave,  or  the  state  of  their  bodies,  I  shall  inquire  what 
 change  takes  place  in  their  souls,  and  how  they  are  dig- 
 posed  of.  What  makes  death  so  terrible,  is  not  simply 
 the  termination  of  the  present  life,  although,  even  from  this 
 event,  nature  instinctively  recoils  ;  but  the  consequences  in 
 another  state  of  being,  the  apprehension  of  a  future  reckon- 
 ing, and  of  the  punishment  which  conscience  anticipates  as 
 the  just  recompense  of  our  guilty  deeds.  When  this  fear  is 
 removed,  death  appears  in  a  totally  different  light ;  and  a  man 
 may  calmly  and  even  joyfully  submit  to  it,  if  he  has  the  hope 
 of  exchanging  this  frail  and  troubled  life  for  a  state  of  endless 
 blessedness.  But  it  is  presupposed  in  this  hope,  that  the  soul 
 survives  the  death  of  the  body,  and  carries  along  with  it,  into 
 the  new  region  which  it  is  appointed  to  inhabit,  its  conscious- 
 ness and  its  capacity  for  happiness.  It  is  necessary,  there- 
 fore, to  begin  this  part  of  the  subject  with  the  consideration 
 of  its  immortality. 
 
 You  all  know  the  doubts  entertained  by  the  ancient  hea- 
 thens upon  this  subject,  and  especially  by  the  learned  and 
 speculative  among  them.  It  is  from  them,  indeed,  that  we 
 know  the  opinion  of  the  vulgar ;  but  I  think  it  probable  that, 
 as  the  latter  felt  greater  reverence  for  the  established  mytho- 
 logy, so  they  were  more  steady  in  the  belief  of  the  future 
 existence  of  the  soul.  We  find  that  almost  in  every  nation 
 this  belief  prevails ;  and  it  is  less  likely  to  be  called  in  question 
 by  those  who  do  not  indulge  in  vain  reasonings,  and  who  rest 
 satisfied  with  the  authority  of  tradition.  I  do  not  mean,  that 
 the  more  the  subject  is  discussed  the  weaker  the  evidence  will 
 appear ;  but  that,  in  consequence  of  the  disadvantage  under 
 which  unassisted  reason  labours  in  investigations  of  this  kind, 
 the  result  of  its  exertions  has  been  rather  an  increase  of  doubt, 
 than  a  settled  persuasion.  It  is  owing  to  this  cause  that  the 
 most  celebrated  philosophers  of  antiquity  express  themselves 
 with  hesitation,  or  vary  their  tone,  using  at  one  time  the  lan- 
 guage of  confidence,  and  at  another  that  of  uncertainty.  The 
 arguments  brought  forward  by  modern  philosophers,  in  favour 
 of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  are  better  than  those  of  their 
 predecessors  ;  but  we  shall  greatly  err,  if  we  suppose  that 
 their  superiority  is  the  consequence  of  the  gradual  improve- 
 
10  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 merit  of  reason.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  reason  is  improved  ; 
 the  advances,  however,  which  it  has  made  are  not  the  fruits 
 of  its  own  unaided  efforts,  but  of  the  assistance  which  it  has 
 derived  from  revelation.  There  can  be  no  greater  imposition 
 attempted  upon  mankind,  than  when  Christian  divines,  or 
 Christian  laymen,  pretend  to  give  a  system  of  natural  religion 
 deduced  from  the  principles  of  reason.  What  they  call  reason, 
 is  a  compound  of  the  natural  suggestions  of  the  mind  and  the 
 truths  of  revelation ;  but  they  are  not  at  pains  to  separate  them, 
 nor  is  it  properly  in  their  power,  as  men  in  general  are  not 
 able  to  determine  how  much  they  owe  to  nature,  and  how  much 
 to  education.  It  is  sufficient  to  remind  you,  that  such  a  system 
 of  natural  religion  as  is  now  commonly  exhibited,  was  never 
 drawn  up  by  a  heathen.  Christian  countries  give  birth  to 
 the  authors,  and  Christian  instruction  furnished  them  with  the 
 most  valuable  materials. 
 
 The  first  argument  for  the  immortality  of  the  soul  is  founded 
 on  its  immateriality.  It  is  not  a  material  substance  ;  and,  as 
 it  does  not  consist  of  parts,  it  is  not  subject  to  dissolution. 
 We  learn  by  experience  what  are  the  qualities  of  matter,  which 
 is  extended,  divisible,  inert ;  and  we  are  led  to  believe  that 
 thought  is  not  one  of  its  properties,  because  we  observe  every 
 where  around  us,  that  it  exists  without  intelligence  and 
 without  feeling.  If  thought  essentially  belonged  to  matter, 
 every  part  of  it  would  think.  There  are  only  two  ways  in 
 which  it  can  be  imagined  to  acquire  the  property  of  thinking ; 
 by  a  new  modification  of  its  parts,  or  by  having  the  quality 
 superadded  to  it.  With  regard  to  the  latter  hypothesis,  al- 
 though it  has  been  adopted  by  some  persons  of  great  name, 
 it  is  questionable  whether  they  did  or  could  affix  any  distinct 
 idea  to  it.  To  endow  matter  with  the  faculty  of  thought,  is 
 to  give  it  a  new  power,  different  from  and  contrary  to  all  its 
 original  properties.  WTe  do  not  know  the  nature  of  substances, 
 and  can  observe  only  their  qualities ;  but,  having  ascertained 
 these,  wTe  naturally  conclude,  that  the  substance  to  which  they 
 belong  does  not  admit  properties  generically  different  from 
 them.  It  seems  to  be  as  contrary  to  reason  to  suppose  matter 
 to  be  made  capable  of  thought,  as  to  suppose  spirit  to  be  made 
 capable  of  figure  and  division.     It  avails  nothing  to  appeal  to 
 
AND  ITS  C0N8EQU1V<  1  1 
 
 the  almighty  power  of  God  ;  because  his  power  cannot  work 
 contradictions,  or  make  a  substance  susceptible  of  qualities 
 which  do  not  essentially  belong  to  it.  He  could  change  the 
 nature  of  things  ;  but  while  their  nature  continues,  their  pro- 
 perties are  fixed  and  immutable.  From  all  that  we  know  of 
 matter,  it  appears  to  be  a  substance  on  which  the  power  of 
 thinking  could  not  be  superinduced.  The  supposition  that  it  is 
 superadded  to  matter  is  absurd.  If,  then,  matter  could  not  be  the 
 substratum  of  a  property  essentially  different  from  all  its  known 
 qualities,  we  are  necessarily  led  to  the  conclusion,  that  where 
 the  power  of  thinking  exists,  there  is  a  substance,  different 
 from  matter,  in  which  it  inheres,  or,  in  other  words,  a  soul. 
 
 This  reasoning  is  equally  conclusive  against  the  hypothesis 
 that  thought  is  the  result  of  some  modification  of  matter. 
 "  Matter,"  says  Dr  Johnson,  "  can  differ  from  matter  only 
 in  form,  density,  bulk,  motion,  and  direction  of  motion.  To 
 which  of  these,  however  varied  or  combined,  can  conscious- 
 ness be  annexed  ?  To  be  round  or  square,  to  be  solid  or 
 fluid,  to  be  great  or  little,  to  be  moved  slowly  or  swiftly,  one 
 way  or  another,  are  modes  of  material  existence,  all  equally 
 alien  from  the  nature  of  cogitation.  If  matter  be  once  with- 
 out thought,  it  can  only  be  made  to  think  by  some  new  modi- 
 fication ;  but  all  the  modifications  which  it  can  admit  are 
 equally  unconnected  with  cogitative  powers."  * 
 
 The  argument  for  the  immortality  of  the  soul  from  its  im- 
 material nature,  is  thus  stated  by  the  same  celebrated  writer. 
 "  Immateriality  seems  to  imply  a  natural  power  of  perpetual 
 duration  as  a  consequence  of  exemption  from  all  causes  of 
 decay  ;  whatever  perishes  is  destroyed  by  the  solution  of 
 its  contexture,  and  separation  of  its  parts ;  nor  can  we  con- 
 ceive how  that  which  has  no  parts,  and  therefore  admits 
 no  solution,  can  be  naturally  corrupted  or  impaired. — He  w  ho 
 made  the  soul  can  destroy  it,  since,  howrever  imperishable,  it 
 receives  from  a  superior  nature  its  power  of  duration.  That 
 it  will  not  perish  by  any  inherent  cause  of  decay,  or  principle 
 of  corruption,  may  be  shewn  by  philosophy ;  but  philosophy 
 can  tell  no  more.  That  it  will  not  be  annihilated  by  Him 
 that  made  it,  we  must  learn  from  higher  authority."  * 
 •  Rasselas,  chap,  xlviii. 
 
12  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 Such  is  the  amount  of  the  first  argument.  The  soul  may 
 live,  and  will  live  for  ever,  if  such  be  the  will  of  the  Creator. 
 
 The  second  argument  for  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  is 
 founded  on  its  powers,  which  are  not  only  diiferent  from 
 those  that  we  observe  in  matter,  but  are  superior  to  the  powers 
 of  all  the  other  inhabitants  of  this  world.  Man  not  only 
 perceives  what  is  present  by  means  of  his  senses,  as  the  lower 
 animals  do,  and  recollects  the  past,  but  stretches  his  views 
 into  the  future,  anticipates  events  to  come,  with  greater  or  less 
 certainty  according  to  the  grounds  of  expectation,  and  regu- 
 lates his  conduct  with  a  reference  to  objects  which  he  has  not 
 seen.  His  mind  takes,  a  wider  range  than  this  earth,  to  which 
 his  bodily  presence  is  assigned,  contemplates  the  phenomena 
 of  nature  in  the  remote  regions  of  the  universe,  and  discovers 
 the  laws  by  which  other  worlds  are  governed.  By  a  process 
 of  reasoning  he  rises  from  the  effect  to  the  cause,  and  ascends 
 in  thought  to  that  mysterious  Being,  who,  himself  invisible, 
 is  seen  by  the  reflection  of  his  glory  in  his  works.  He  traces 
 the  relations  in  which  he  stands  to  that  Being  and  to  his 
 fellow  creatures,  ascertains  the  duties  arising  from  these  rela- 
 tions, and  feels  that  he  was  made  for  a  nobler  purpose  than 
 the  lower  animals,  which  are  ignorant  of  all  those  truths,  and 
 have  no  guide  but  their  appetites  and  instincts.  Is  it  con- 
 ceivable that  these  high  powers  were  conferred  upon  him 
 solely  for  a  temporary  use ;  that  these  lights  were  kindled 
 only  to  enable  him  to  look  around  him  during  the  short 
 journey  of  life  ;  that  after  having  blazed  for  a  few  years,  they 
 are  to  be  extinguished  for  ever  ;  and  that  the  being  on  whose 
 path  they  shed  so  much  brightness,  and  to  whose  eye  they 
 disclosed  such  sublime  and  interesting  prospects,  is  to  lie 
 down  in  everlasting  darkness,  and  mingle  with  the  clods  of 
 the  valley  ?  In  surveying  the  system  of  created  things,  we 
 do  not  observe  in  any  instance  such  a  disproportion  of  means 
 to  the  end.  The  inferior  animals  fulfil  the  purpose  of  their 
 existence  by  their  senses  and  instincts.  Why  was  man  made 
 capable  of  attaining  so  much  knowledge,  which,  on  the  suppo- 
 sition that  death  terminates  his  career,  is  manifestly  useless 
 to  him  ?  For  useless  certainly  is  the  knowledge  of  religious 
 and  moral  truths,  of  his  Maker,  and  of  his  duty,  if  there  is  no 
 
AND  ITU  c  0N8SQU1N<  1  .'5 
 
 state  beyond  the  grave,   In  which  die  consequences  of  that 
 knowledge  will  be  experienced,  and  He  who  is  now  dimly 
 
 perceived  in  his  works,  shall  be  clearly  seen  and  fully  enjoyed. 
 We  observe  too,  that  the  powers  of  man  are  progressive,  while 
 those  of  the  lower  animals  are  stationary.  It  is  not  found  that, 
 among  them,  the  species  is  more  improved  in  one  age  than  in 
 another,  or  that  the  individual  ever  advances  beyond  a  certain 
 point.  But  the  faculties  of  man  are  gradually  unfolded  from 
 infancy  to  manhood,  and  in  some  cases  continue  vigorous  and 
 active  to  extreme  old  age.  Yet  we  can  never  say  that  they 
 have  reached  perfection,  or  that  man  has  made  the  highest 
 possible  intellectual  effort,  and  attained  all  the  knowledge  of 
 which  he  is  capable.  Were  the  soul  to  die  with  the  body, 
 the  fate  of  man  would  be  an  instance  of  an  abortive  work  of 
 God,  a  work  made  for  no  intelligible  purpose  ;  and  it  is 
 therefore  more  consonant  to  our  ideas  of  Divine  wisdom  to 
 believe,  that,  as  it  is  capable  from  its  nature  of  perpetual 
 duration,  and  its  powers  admit  of  no  limit  which  we  know,  it 
 will  pass  into  another  state  of  conscious  existence,  and  ad- 
 vance in  an  interminable  career  of  improvement.  Whether 
 the  argument  be  considered  as  conclusive  or  not,  it  undoubt- 
 edly affords  a  strong  presumption  in  favour  of  the  immortality 
 of  the  soul ;  and  as  such  we  find  it  brought  forward  by  the 
 heathen  philosophers.  "  I  am  persuaded,"  says  Cicero,  in 
 his  treatise  de  Senectute,  "  since  such  is  the  activity  of  the 
 soul,  such  is  the  memory  of  the  past  and  the  foresight  of  the 
 future,  such  are  its  arts,  and  sciences,  and  inventions,  that  the 
 nature  which  comprehends  these  things  cannot  be  mortal." 
 
 The  third  argument  for  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  is 
 founded  upon  the  operations  of  conscience,  the  office  of  which 
 is  to  judge  of  right  and  wrong,  as  the  understanding  judges 
 of  truth  and  error;  to  enjoin  the  one  and  forbid  the  other;  to 
 acquit  or  condemn  us  according  to  our  conduct ;  to  summon 
 us  to  the  higher  tribunal  of  our  Maker ;  and  to  anticipate  the 
 consequences  of  his  sentence  in  another  state  of  existence. 
 To  evade  this  argument,  conscience  has  been  represented  as 
 a  factitious  faculty,  as  the  effect  of  education  ;  and  hence,  it 
 has  been  said,  it  is  not  uniform  in  its  dictates,  but  commands 
 and  prohibits  according  to  the  notions  of  morality  which  pre- 
 
14  THE   DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 vail  in  a  particular  country.  But  the  only  inference  which 
 should  be  deduced  from  this  fact  is,  that  conscience  is  liable 
 to  be  perverted  as  well  as  the  understanding.  If  it  would  be 
 absurd  to  deny  that  our  minds  possess  the  power  of  distin- 
 guishing between  truth  and  falsehood,  because  we  are  subject 
 to  innumerable  errors,  and  the  wildest  opinions  have  been  believ- 
 ed, not  only  by  the  vulgar,  but  by  philosophers  ;  it  would  be 
 equally  absurd  to  conclude,  that  there  is  no  such  principle  as 
 conscience,  because  virtue  has  been  sometimes  called  vice,  and 
 vice  virtue.  The  operations  of  conscience,  amidst  the  mani- 
 fold errors  into  which  it  has  been  betrayed,  are  a  proof  that 
 it  is  natural  to  the  mind.  It  may  be  misled,  but  it  still  exists. 
 It  is  found  in  all  ages,  in  all  nations,  and  under  all  religions ; 
 and  we  must  therefore  conclude,  that  it  is  an  essential  princi- 
 ple of  our  nature.  It  was  planted  in  our  bosom  by  the  hand 
 of  the  Creator,  and  its  clear  unbiassed  dictates  must  be  re- 
 garded as  his  commands.  If  it  point  to  a  future  state,  it  is 
 He  who  is  reminding  us  that  this  is  only  the  first  and  proba- 
 tionary stage  of  our  being ;  that  the  consequences  of  our  moral 
 actions  will  not  be  limited  to  our  present  circumstances ;  and 
 that,  when  our  course  is  finished,  a  retribution  will  take  place. 
 In  short,  the  anticipations  of  conscience,  which  are  common 
 to  heathens  and  to  Christians,  are  an  evidence  that  the  soul 
 will  pass  into  another  state,  where  those  anticipations  will  be 
 realized. 
 
 In  corroboration  of  this  argument,  I  proceed  to  mention  a 
 fourth,  which  is  drawn  from  the  unequal  distribution  of  good 
 and  evil  in  the  present  life.  That  God  is  the  moral  Governor  of 
 the  world,  we  may  assume  as  a  truth,  because  it  has  been  already 
 proved,  and  is  denied  by  none  but  atheists.  We  have  a  wit- 
 ness to  it  within  us,  in  the  operations  of  conscience,  which  not 
 only  reminds  us  that  he  has  given  us  a  law  for  the  regulation 
 of  our  conduct,  but  acquits  and  condemns  us  in  his  name,  and 
 refers  us  to  his  future  judgment  for  the  ratification  and  exe- 
 cution of  the  sentence.  But  the  present  state  of  things,  as 
 we  all  acknowledge,  does  not  accord  with  our  ideas  of  a  per- 
 fect moral  administration.  It  is  an  ancient  complaint,  that 
 "  all  things  come  alike  to  all :  there  is  one  event  to  the  righ- 
 teous and  to  the  wicked  ;  to  the  good  and  to  the  clean,  and  to 
 
IT) 
 
 the  unclean;  to  him  that  th,  and  to  him  that  sacri- 
 
 ficed] not  :  a^  is  the  good,  so  is  the  sinner  ;  and  he  that 
 sweareth,  as  he  that  leareth  an  oath."*  The  promiscuous 
 manner  in  which  men  of  different  characters  are  treated,  Beemi 
 to  confound  all  moral  distinctions.  But  great  as  this  disorder 
 may  be  accounted,  there  is  still  a  greater.  "  There  is  a  vanity 
 which  is  done  upon  the  earth  ;  that  there  be  just  men,  unto 
 whom  it  happeneth  according  to  the  work  of  the  wicked  : 
 again,  there  be  wicked  men,  to  whom  it  happeneth  according 
 to  the  work  of  the  righteous."  f  The  lot  of  the  righteous  is 
 such  as  that  of  the  wicked  should  be,  and  the  lot  of  the  wick- 
 ed as  that  of  the  righteous.  Exceptions  there  are  in  the 
 course  of  the  Divine  government ;  and  righteousness  is  some- 
 times rewarded,  and  unrighteousness  punished  in  the  present 
 life.  But  a  few  examples  of  this  nature  can  only  be  set  in 
 opposition  to  innumerable  examples  of  a  different  character, 
 in  order  to  shew  that,  notwithstanding  the  latter,  there  is 
 such  a  principle  in  the  Divine  nature  as  justice,  and  conse- 
 quently, that  there  is  ground  to  expect  its  full  development 
 under  another  dispensation.  It  may  be  objected,  that,  although 
 virtue  and  vice  are  not  visibly  recompensed,  yet  there  is  a 
 secret  retribution  in  the  satisfaction  which  flows  from  virtue, 
 and  the  uneasiness  which  is  the  consequence  of  vice.  But, 
 besides  that  the  want  of  visibility  in  this  retribution  does  not 
 answer  the  ends  of  God's  moral  government,  by  vindicating 
 his  character  and  upholding  the  authority  of  his  law  ;  it  may 
 be  remarked  that,  if  a  future  state  were  left  out  of  the  ques- 
 tion, both  the  pleasure  and  the  pain  would  be  greatly  dimin- 
 ished, if  not  annihilated.  Many  a  wicked  man  would  feel  no 
 uneasiness,  if  he  were  freed  from  the  forebodings  of  con- 
 science ;  and  in  many  cases  at  least,  the  pleasure  arising  from 
 virtuous  dispositions  and  actions  would  not  counterbalance  the 
 evils  with  which  they  are  accompanied.  The  state  of  the 
 case  then,  is  this,  that  God  has  given  a  law  to  the  human 
 race,  and  announced  his  intention  to  reward  obedience,  and 
 punish  disobedience  :  yet  we  find  that  there  is  no  regular 
 distribution  of  rewards  and  punishments  ;  that  there  is  no  re- 
 gular plan  according  to  which  affairs  are  conducted  ;   that 
 
 •  Eccles.  ix.  2.  f  lb.  viii.  14. 
 
10  THE  DEATH   OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 sometimes  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  are  placed  in  the  same 
 circumstances,  both  enduring  the  evils  of  life,  or  both  enjoy- 
 ing its  good  things  ;  and  that  at  other  times,  their  condition 
 exhibits  an  unexpected  contrast,  while  those  who  should  have 
 been  happy  are  involved  in  affliction,  and  those  who  should 
 have  been  miserable  are  surrounded  with  earthly  blessings.  If 
 we  believe  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he  is  just  and  good,  we 
 must  conclude  that  this  life  is  not  the  whole  of  man  ;  we  must 
 believe  that  it  is  only  a  state  of  discipline  and  trial,  and  that 
 his  treatment  according  to  his  desert,  is  with  manifest  pro- 
 priety deferred  till  he  have  finished  his  course.  We  must 
 believe  that  after  death  is  the  judgment,  when  he  shall  receive 
 according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body,  whether  they  have 
 been  good  or  evil.  Reason  assents  to  the  doctrine  of  revela- 
 tion, and  has  led  men  in  every  age  and  nation  to  expect  a 
 future  state  of  happiness  or  misery.  But  this  belief  implies 
 the  immortality  of  the  soul.  It  implies  that  it  will  survive 
 the  death  of  the  body  ;  and,  in  the  language  of  an  inspired 
 writer,  that  when  "  the  dust  returns  to  the  earth  as  it  was, 
 the  spirit  will  return  to  God  who  gave  it."* 
 
 The  last  argument  is  derived  from  the  universal  belief  of  the 
 immortality  of  the  soul.  Another  argument  has,  indeed,  been 
 founded  upon  the  desire  of  immortality  which  prevails  among 
 mankind ;  but  it  is  questionable  whether  it  possesses  much  soli- 
 dity. The  desire  has  been  considered  as  instinctive,  and  con- 
 sequently, as  an  indication  by  our  Creator  himself  of  our  con- 
 tinued existence ;  but  it  does  not  appear  to  be  different  from 
 the  love  of  life,  which  is  common  to  us  and  the  inferior  ani- 
 mals. It  is  simply  a  desire  that  we  may  not  be  deprived  of 
 the  precious  blessing  of  life  ;  and  we  may  say  that  the  same 
 desire  is  virtually  felt  by  every  living  creature.  But  because 
 God  has  implanted  in  us  a  strong  love  of  life,  it  does  not 
 follow,  in  our  case  more  than  in  theirs,  that  our  life  will  not 
 come  to  an  end. — The  belief  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul 
 can  be  traced  in  the  history  of  all  civilized  nations,  and  even 
 among  savage  tribes.  It  prevailed  among  the  Greeks  and 
 Romans,  the  Egyptians,  the  Chaldeans,  the  Persians,  the 
 Indians,  and  the  Gauls ;  and  wherever  modern  travellers  have 
 •  Eccles.  xii.  7- 
 
AND  ITS  CONSBQUBNI  18.  17 
 
 gonej  and  have  had  an  opportunity  to  inquire  into  the  opinions 
 of  the  nations,  it  has  been  found  that  an  idea  was  entertained, 
 
 more  or  less  distinct,  of  a  state  beyond  the  grave.  "  The 
 immortality  of  the  soul,"  as  Cicero  said  long  ago,  M  is  estab- 
 lished by  the  consent  of  all  nations."  The  argument  founded 
 upon  it  is  this  : — Either  this  consent  results  from  the  uniform 
 suggestions  of  reason,  in  every  country  and  in  everyt  age,  and 
 ought  therefore  to  be  considered  as  the  voice  of  God  himself 
 giving  notice  of  our  destiny  ;  or,  it  is  the  consequence  of  a 
 tradition  descending  from  the  first  parents  of  mankind,  who 
 were  taught  by  their  Creator  that  their  souls  should  never  die. 
 I  acknowledge  that  the  universality  of  an  opinion  is  not,  of 
 itself,  a  proof  of  its  truth,  because  there  are  some  notions  of 
 religion  in  which  men  have  agreed,  and  when  without  superna- 
 tural instruction,  still  agree,  but  which  we  know  to  be  erroneous. 
 But  when  an  opinion  is  neither  contradicted  by  reason  nor 
 revelation,  its  prevalence  among  nations  separated  by  time 
 and  place,  and  between  whom  there  was  no  communication, 
 necessarily  leads  us  to  the  hypothesis  of  a  common  origin,  and 
 demonstrates,  that  as  it  is  congenial  to  the  wishes,  so  it  is 
 consonant  to  the  natural  dictates  of  the  mind.  And  although 
 the  maxim,  Vox  populi  est  vox  Dei,  is  so  far  from  being  uni- 
 formly true  that  it  is  very  frequently  false,  yet  in  the  pre- 
 sent case  it  may  be  admitted  ;  and  there  seems  reason  to 
 think  that  it  was  the  Creator  himself  who  taught  man  to  be- 
 lieve that  he  is  made  for  immortality. 
 
 VOL,   IV 
 
LECTURE  LXXXL 
 
 ON  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 AND  ITS  CONSEQUENCES. 
 
 THE  DOCTRINE  OF    THE    IMMORTALITY  OF     THE  SOUL,    FOUNDED    ON    THE 
 
 TESTIMONY  OF  CHRIST. — COMPLETION  OF  SANCTIFICATION  AT  DEATH 
 
 DOCTRINE  OF  AN  INTERMEDIATE  STATE  :  OF  THE  SLEEP  OF  THE  SOUL  : 
 OF  PURGATORY. ARGUMENTS  AGAINST  PURGATORY. THE  BEST  ARGU- 
 MENT FOR  IT. 
 
 The  arguments  for  the  immortality  of  the  soul  which  were 
 stated  in  the  preceding  lecture,  have  been  considered  as  conclu- 
 sive ;  and,  although  they  do  not  all  possess  the  same  strength, 
 yet  their  united  evidence  has  been  deemed  sufficient  to  be 
 the  ground  of  a  rational  conviction.  But  I  must  remind  you 
 again,  that,  although  they  were  known  in  substance  to  the 
 wise  men  of  the  Heathen  world,  they  failed  to  give  satisfac- 
 tion. Let  us  not  be  surprised  at  this  fact,  and  wonder  that 
 they  did  not  clearly  perceive,  and  confidently  embrace,  a 
 truth  of  which  the  proof  seems  to  us  to  be  complete.  Not  to 
 say  that  it  is  more  fully  and  luminously  exhibited  by  Christian 
 Divines  than  by  Heathen  philosophers,  I  would  remark,  that 
 the  connexion  between  the  premises  and  the  conclusion  ap- 
 pears more  certain  to  us,  because  we  know  the  conclusion 
 beforehand,  and  are  persuaded  of  it  on  other  grounds.  The 
 demonstrations  of  reason  are  brought  forward  in  favour  of  a 
 point  of  which  we  entertain  no  doubt,  and  the  arguments 
 come  home  to  us  with  full  force,   because  we  are  prepared  to 
 
tin:  dk  \ni  <>!    i  in:  IAIS  19 
 
 arqnimMTi  in  them.  They  accord  with  our  previous  senti- 
 ments, carry  us  forward  in  a  train  in  which  we  have  heen 
 accustomed  to  move,  and  terminate  in  a  point  which  has  long 
 heen  the  resting-place  of  our  thoughts.  But  it  would  be 
 folly  to  suppose,  that  the  reasoning  would  impart  the  same 
 conviction  to  a  man  who  had  long  sought  in  vain  for  satisfac- 
 tion, and,  having  viewed  the  subject  on  all  sides,  and  been 
 tossed  up  and  down  between  hope  and  fear,  had  finally  aban- 
 doned the  expectation  of  arriving  at  certainty. 
 
 The  truth  is,  that  to  Christians  these  arguments  are  not 
 necessary,  except  when  they  are  contending  with  such  as 
 deny  revelation  ;  and  then  they  are  of  use,  not  to  satisfy 
 their  own  minds,  but  to  prove  to  their  opponents  that,  in 
 maintaining  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  they  are  supported 
 by  reason,  and  that  none  offend  against  reason  but  those  by 
 whom  the  doctrine  is  impugned.  Our  faith  in  this  funda- 
 mental article  of  religion  does  not  rest  upon  arguments,  but 
 upon  authority.  The  ground  on  which  we  are  assured  of  the 
 future  existence  of  the  soul,  is  the  testimony  of  our  Saviour, 
 — one  sentence  from  whose  lips  is  of  greater  weight  than  all 
 the  reasonings  of  philosophers,  whether  heathen  or  Christian. 
 Why  should  we  follow  a  circuitous  and  uncertain  path,  when 
 the  highway  is  before  us  ?  or  why  should  we  light  a  torch, 
 when  the  sun  is  pouring  around  us  the  full  splendour  of  his 
 beams  ? 
 
 "  Jesus  Christ  hath  abolished  death,  and  brought  life  and 
 immortality  to  light  through  the  Gospel."  *  To  bring  any 
 thing  to  light,  is  to  draw  it  from  its  place  of  concealment 
 into  open  day.  The  words  now  quoted  may  be  therefore 
 understood  to  import,  that  our  Saviour  was  the  first  who 
 discovered,  or  made  known  to  the  world,  the  doctrine  of  im- 
 mortality :  and  hence  the  accuracy  of  the  Apostle's  statement 
 may  be  questioned,  because  even  the  heathens  were  in  some 
 degree  acquainted  with  it,  and  the  Jews  unquestionably  en- 
 tertained the  hope  of  a  life  beyond  the  grave.  But  the  word, 
 p^-n^tt',  signifies  not  only  to  give  light,  and  to  make  manifest, 
 but  to  render  luminous,  by  shedding  greater  lustre  upon  an 
 object  already  seen  :  and  in  this  sense,  I  apprehend,  it  is 
 •  2  Tim.  i.  10. 
 
20  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 used  on  this  occasion  by  the  Apostle.  Jesus  Christ  has  illu- 
 minated, or  rendered  plain  and  perspicuous,  the  doctrine  of 
 immortality. 
 
 He  has  given  the  most  explicit  assurances  of  the  future 
 existence  of  the  soul.  He  has  spoken  of  it  as  a  subject  which 
 is  not  only  probable,  but  absolutely  certain.  He  has  assumed 
 it  as  a  fact  about  which  there  could  not  be  any  question,  and 
 which  those  whom  he  addressed  were  understood  to  believe. 
 The  object  which  he  had  in  view  was  not  to  prove  it,  but  to 
 give  such  information  respecting  it  as  should  have  a  practical 
 influence  upon  the  minds  of  his  followers.  His  aim  was  not 
 properly  to  convince  them  that  there  is  a  future  state,  but  to 
 exhibit  it  as  an  object  of  hope,  as  the  state  in  which  his  pro- 
 mises of  perfect  and  eternal  felicity  would  be  performed. 
 There  is  only  one  occasion  on  which  we  find  him  reasoning 
 in  support  of  this  doctrine,  namely,  when  he  was  contending 
 with  the  infidel  sect  of  the  Sadducees,  who  denied  the  immor- 
 tality of  the  soul ;  and  even  then  he  did  not  appeal  to  the 
 dictates  of  reason,  but  to  higher  authority,  the  writings  of 
 Moses,  which  they  acknowledged  to  be  divine.  It  would 
 not  have  become  him  to  have  spoken  of  it  in  a  different  man- 
 ner ;  to  have  treated  it  as  a  matter  of  speculation ;  to  have 
 seemed  for  a  moment  to  admit  that  the  evidence  was  not 
 complete  ;  to  have  entered  into  a  train  of  argumentation,  as 
 the  heathen  philosophers  had  done,  and  Christian  Divines 
 still  do,  in  their  treatises  on  Natural  Theology.  He  was 
 the  Son  of  God,  who  had  descended  to  the  earth  for  the 
 instruction  of  mankind  ;  and  his  words  were  oracles.  All  his 
 sayings  were  to  be  received  on  his  own  authority  ;  and,  to 
 those  who  believed  that  he  came  from  God,  his  authority  was 
 sufficient.  The  Lord  of  the  invisible  world  was  acquainted 
 with  its  secrets,  and  a  hint  from  him  wras  more  satisfactory 
 than  the  pretended  discoveries  of  all  the  wise  and  learned. 
 
 Now,  Jesus  Christ  has  assured  us  that  man  has  a  soul  dis- 
 tinct from  the  body  ;  that  it  is  not  annihilated  by  the  stroke 
 which  lays  the  body  in  the  grave  ;  that  after  its  separation  it 
 enters  upon  a  new  state  of  being ;  and  that,  as  those  who 
 die  in  impenitence  shall  be  plunged  into  darkness  and  misery, 
 so  his  faithful  followers  shall  be  admitted  into  the  realms  of 
 
AM)  ITS  eONSRQl  BN(  21 
 
 light,  and  enjoy  there  everlasting  felicity.  "  I  give  onto 
 them  eternal  lite,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall 
 any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place 
 for  you.  And  if  I  go  away,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive 
 you  to  myself,  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also." 
 "  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  in  the 
 kingdom  of  their  Father."  * 
 
 I  have  laid  before  you  the  evidence  which  reason  can  pro- 
 duce for  the  existence  of  the  soul  after  death,  and  have  shewn 
 you  that,  whatever  force  may  be  assigned  to  it,  it  is  upon  the 
 doctrines  and  promises  of  the  Gospel  that  the  hope  of  Chris- 
 tians rests. 
 
 When  we  speak  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul  in  reference 
 to  believers,  we  mean  not  only  the  continuance  of  its  con- 
 sciousness and  activity,  but  its  existence  in  a  state  of  perfec- 
 tion and  felicity.  As  it  is  subject  to  imperfection  and  infir- 
 mity to  the  last  hour  of  life,  as  the  believer,  even  when  lie  is 
 standing  on  the  verge  of  the  eternal  world,  is  still  sinful  as 
 well  as  mortal,  a  change  must  take  place  immediately  after 
 its  separation  from  the  body,  to  qualify  it  for  the  new  state 
 into  which  it  is  introduced.  This  change  our  Church  ex- 
 presses by  its  being  "  made  perfect  in  holiness ;"  and  it  pro- 
 ceeds upon  the  authority  of  Scripture,  for  the  souls  in  heaven 
 are  called  "  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect."  t 
 
 There  are  different  reasons  which  render  the  change  neces- 
 sary. First,  Although  God  is  pleased  in  the  present  state  to 
 hold  communion  with  men,  who  are  not  perfect,  through  the 
 mediation  of  his  Son,  yet  it  is  his  will  that  every  stain  of 
 impurity  should  be  removed  from  those  who  are  admitted  into 
 his  immediate  presence.  The  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly 
 paradise  must  be  holy,  as  Adam  was  in  the  garden  of  Eden. 
 The  image  of  their  Maker,  which  was  defaced  by  sin,  must 
 be  fully  restored,  and  shine  with  its  original  lustre,  that  he 
 may  again  look  with  complacency  upon  the  work  of  his  hands. 
 Were  there  any  remains  of  sin  in  heaven,  it  might  seem  that 
 his  own  purity  was  not  absolutely  perfect,  and  that  evil  mi^ht 
 dwell  with  him ;  but  the  complete  redemption  of  the  objects 
 of  his  love  from  the  slightest  moral  taint,  will  demonstrate  his 
 •  John  x.  28.     John  xiv.  2.     Matth.  xiii.  34,  43.  f  Heb.  xii.  23. 
 
22  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 holiness  as  well  as  his  goodness.  In  the  place  where  he  is 
 manifested  in  the  full  splendour  of  his  infinite  excellencies, 
 there  is  not  a  corner  which  is  not  illuminated.  "  There  shall 
 in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  what- 
 soever worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a  lie ;  but  they  which 
 are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life."  *  Secondly,  Unless 
 the  souls  of  the  saints  were  perfectly  pure,  they  would  be 
 unfit  for  the  society  into  which  they  are  admitted  in  the  other 
 world.  Heaven  is  the  original  abode  of  the  angels  ;  but,  in 
 consequence  of  redemption,  it  is  destined  to  be  the  habitation 
 also  of  men,  united  in  one  family  with  angels.  At  present 
 there  is  a  connexion  between  them,  for  the  angels  minister  to 
 the  saints  ;  but  what  passes  is  silent  and  unseen.  It  is  not 
 properly  a  correspondence,  but  a  series  of  good  offices  per- 
 formed by  the  one  party  to  the  other;  and  to  this  general 
 intercourse  the  imperfection  of  the  saints  presents  no  obsta- 
 cles. But,  were  the  disembodied  spirits  of  the  latter  to  mingle 
 with  the  holy  spirits  around  the  throne,  while  they  retained 
 the  darkness,  and  infirmity,  and  irregular  affections  to  which 
 they  were  subject  upon  earth,  we  cannot  conceive  that  the 
 intercourse  could  be  cordial  and  agreeable  upon  either  side. 
 The  celestial  spirits  would  be  often  offended,  and  the  human 
 spirits  would  be  abashed  and  dismayed.  There  would  be  an 
 overwhelming  superiority  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  humiliating 
 sense  of  inferiority  on  the  other.  There  would  be  wanting  an 
 entire  congeniality  of  sentiment  and  feeling.  It  is  necessary, 
 therefore,  that  men  should  be  as  the  angels,  by  possessing 
 faculties,  if  not  equal  in  strength,  yet  equally  free  from  the 
 pollution  of  sin,  and  equally  prompt  to  engage  in  the  sublime 
 and  fervent  devotions  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  This  leads 
 me  to  remark,  in  the  third  place,  That,  unless  the  souls  of 
 the  saints  were  rendered  perfectly  holy  at  death,  they  could 
 not  fully  enjoy  the  felicity  of  the  future  state.  They  could 
 not  enter  with  the  whole  heart  into  the  service,  and  might 
 occasionally  feel  a  reluctance  to  it,  when  the  unrenewed  part 
 of  their  nature  shed  its  malignant  influence  upon  them. 
 Their  love  might  at  one  time  burn  with  an  ardent  flame,  and 
 at  other  times  might  be  faint  and  languid.  For  the  diver- 
 *  Rev.  xxi.  27. 
 
and  ITS  I  0NSBQ1  i:n«  B8« 
 
 ftiiy  in  their  state  of  feeling  during  the  present  lite,  we  max, 
 in  some  measure,  account  by  the  influence  of  the  body,  and 
 we  are  totally  incapable  of  conceiving  the  operations  of  the 
 soul,  when  freed  from  this  incumbrance.  But,  although  it 
 might  be  exempt  from  some  affections  which  it  at  pn 
 experiences  by  means  of  the  body,  yet  its  temper  would  still 
 l>e  subject  to  fluctuation  while  it  was  actuated  by  two  differ- 
 ent and  opposite  principles,  and  it  could  not  feel  that  fervent, 
 sustained,  undivided  love  to  God,  which  is  at  once  the  duty 
 and  the  felicity  of  every  rational  creature.  Wherever  sin 
 exists,  there  cannot  be  pure  enjoyment.  Even  when  its 
 influence  is  circumscribed,  it  is  still  a  cloud  which  intercepts 
 some  portion  of  the  rays  of  the  sun,  a  foreign  ingredient 
 which  infuses  bitterness  into  the  cup  of  pleasure.  The  saint, 
 whose  most  delightful  hours  on  earth  are  spent  in  fellowship 
 with  God,  would  indeed  feel  himself  at  home  in  heaven  ;  but 
 the  faintest  trace  of  sin  would  cause  an  abatement  of  his  bliss. 
 The  work  of  sanctification  is  completed,  at  the  separation  of 
 the  soul  from  the  body.  We  have  reason  to  think  that  the  soul 
 does  not  remain  a  moment  longer  tainted  with  sin.  Angels 
 carry  it  into  the  presence  of  God,  and  it  appears  before  him 
 in  a  state  of  unsullied  purity.  If  to  the  question,  how  this 
 sudden  change  is  effected  ?  we  are  not  able  to  return  an  answer, 
 there  is  no  cause  for  surprise  ;  because  we  are  equally  ignorant 
 of  the  mode  of  its  initial  and  progressive  change  in  the  pre- 
 sent life.  We  may  think  that  we  know  more  about  it,  be- 
 cause we  are  acquainted  with  the  means  which  are  employed ; 
 but  the  truth  is,  that  the  means  are  the  limit  of  our  know- 
 ledge ;  and  this  will  be  manifest  when  we  reflect,  that  there 
 is  a  general  application  of  them,  an  application  where,  in 
 many  instances,  no  effect  is  produced,  and  no  man  can  per- 
 ceive the  reason  of  their  success  in  one  case,  and  of  their 
 failure  in  another.  We  are  compelled  to  have  recourse  to  a 
 supernatural  cause,  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
 exerted  or  suspended  from  motives  which  we  cannot  assign. 
 It  is  not  from  want  of  power  that  he  does  not  perfect  his 
 work  in  an  instant,  but  because  he  acts  conformably  to  a  plan 
 settled  by  divine  wisdom  :  and  when  the  time  comes  to  change 
 the   plan,    he  can   let  forth  at  once  such  a  measure  of  his  in- 
 
24  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 fluences  as  shall  ensure  its  immediate  completion.  In  this 
 world  believers  are  "  sanctified  through  the  truth,"  that  is,  the 
 power  which  sanctifies  them  is  exerted  by  means  of  the  truth, 
 agreeably  to  the  constitution  of  our  rational  nature.  The 
 soul,  on  its  entrance  into  the  other  world,  will  see  God  as  he 
 is,  and  by  the  contemplation  of  his  glory,  will  be  perfectly 
 transformed  into  his  image. 
 
 Perfect  holiness  implies,  that  there  are  no  errors  in  the 
 understanding,  no  waywardness  in  the  will,  no  irregularity  in 
 the  aifections  ;  that  the  mind  is  filled  with  light,  and  the 
 heart  with  love  ;  that  the  whole  soul  is  such  as  God  requires 
 it  to  be,  and  presents  a  spectacle  on  which  he  can  look  with 
 unqualified  approbation.  At  present  the  saints  cannot  form  a 
 distinct  idea  of  this  state,  because  they  have  not  experienced 
 it ;  but  they  may  judge  of  it  by  analogy,  because  they  are 
 already  the  subjects  of  the  sanctifying  operations  of  the 
 Spirit,  as  we  judge  of  any  object  by  seeing  an  outline  of  it. 
 The  nearest  approach  to  it  is  made  in  those  moments  of 
 elevated  devotion,  when  the  Christian,  abstracted  from  exter- 
 nal things  and  absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  the  Divine 
 glory,  can  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
 but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  in  earth  whom  I  desire  besides 
 thee ;"  when  the  motions  of  sin  are  suspended,  and  he  is  con- 
 scious only  of  love,  and  joy,  and  holy  desires. 
 
 I  have  only  one  remark  more  to  make,  that  the  perfect 
 holiness  which  the  soul  attains  at  its  separation  from  the 
 body,  is  not  mutable  like  the  holiness  of  Adam,  but  fixed  and 
 permanent.  The  saints  are  made  "  pillars  in  the  temple  of 
 their  God,  and  shall  go  no  more  out."  All  creatures  are 
 mutable  in  themselves,  but  the  power  of  the  Creator  can 
 establish  men,  as  it  has  established  angels.  The  saints  will 
 retain  freedom  of  will  in  the  heavenly  world,  but  liberty  is 
 not  inconsistent  with  an  immutable  state.  God  is  a  free 
 agent,  but  he  cannot  change;  angels  are  free  agents,  but 
 they  cannot  fall  into  sin  ;  and  the  saints  will  be  free,  although 
 their  inclinations  are  directed  to  one  object,  and  their  choice 
 is  for  ever  fixed.  Such  will  be  their  love  of  holiness  and 
 their  hatred  of  sin,  that  a  transition  from  the  one  to  the  other 
 will  be  morally  impossible.     Besides,  in  the  heavenly  state, 
 
AM)    ITS   CONSEQUENCES.  29 
 
 they  will  bo  exposed  to  no  temptation.  There  will  be  nothing 
 in  external  objects  to  allure  the  senses,  for  there  only  righte- 
 ousness dwells  ;  and  into  the  new  paradise  no  seducing  spirit 
 can  enter  to  make  trial  of  its  inhabitants.  The  season  of 
 trial  will  be  past,  and  the  state  which  succeeds  it  is  a  state 
 of  repose  and  enjoyment.  The  present  administration  of  the 
 divine  government,  so  far  as  they  are  concerned,  will  then  be 
 at  an  end ;  and  rewards  and  punishments  will  be  finally  dis- 
 tributed. There  will  be  no  call,  therefore,  for  the  anxious 
 vigilance  which  is  now  indispensably  necessary,  for  precau- 
 tions are  not  requisite  when  there  is  no  danger.  They  will 
 rejoice  in  their  perfect  security,  and  serve  God  without  fear. 
 
 To  the  doctrine  which  has  now  been  laid  down  respecting 
 the  state  of  the  soul  after  death,  different  theories  are  opposed, 
 less  or  more  remote  from  the  truth,  but  all  concurring  in  this 
 general  position,  that  the  disembodied  spirit  does  not  imme- 
 diately pass  into  its  ultimate  abode. 
 
 The  first  theory  is  founded  upon  the  terms  used  in  Scrip- 
 ture to  express  the  state  of  the  soul  subsequent  to  temporal 
 death,  and  not  a  little  critical  ingenuity  has  been  displayed  in 
 supporting  it.  On  the  subject  of  the  future  state,  a  variety 
 of  terms   are   employed   in   the   New   Testament,   as    a8rp>, 
 
 o    ko\7Tos   Afipaa/n,    7rapa£>euro'SJ      rapTapos,     <yeei>i/a,    and     ovpavov. 
 
 'Afy?,  which  corresponds  to  the  Hebrew  word  Sixty,  signifies 
 according  to  its  etymology,  (from  a  privative,  and  ei£c<c,  to 
 see),  the  invisible  state,  and  is  understood  to  be  the  general 
 name  of  the  region  into  which  human  spirits  pass  on  leaving 
 the  body.  It  consists  of  two  provinces,  separated  from  each 
 other  by  a  great  gulf  or  wide  interval — 6  koXtto?  A^paa/x  or 
 TrapaccuTo?,  and  raprapos — the  one  the  receptacle  of  the  righte- 
 ous, and  the  other  the  receptacle  of  the  wicked.  While  in 
 these  receptacles,  they  are  in  an  intermediate  state ;  for  when 
 the  final  judgment  takes  place,  the  righteous  will  enter  into 
 ovpavo?,  or  heaven,  properly  so  called,  and  the  wicked  into 
 r{c€wa,  or  hell.  It  is  supposed,  according  to  this  theory,  that 
 the  souls  of  men  possess  consciousness  and  activity  in  this 
 intermediate  state,  and  experience  happiness  or  misery  ;  and 
 thus  far  it  is  not  at  variance  with  the  doctrine  which  we  hold. 
 If  it  farther  implies,  that  they  are  not  as  happy  or  as  miser- 
 
26  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 able  as  they  will  be  in  heaven  and  hell,  it  accords  even  here 
 with  the  common  belief,  that  the  reward  of  the  righteous,  and 
 the  punishment  of  guilty  souls,  will  not  be  consummated  till 
 they  have  been  reunited  to  their  respective  bodies,  and  sen- 
 tence have  been  pronounced  upon  them  at  the  final  judgment. 
 All  the  difference  seems  to  consist  in  the  places  assigned 
 to  them  during  the  interval  between  death  and  the  resurrec- 
 tion. But,  in  speaking  of  places  in  the  invisible  world,  we  can 
 affix  no  distinct  ideas  to  our  words,  as  they  are  all  equally 
 unknown  to  us.  The  hypothesis,  therefore,  of  an  intermediate 
 state,  although  it  were  satisfactorily  established,  would  be  no 
 real  accession  to  our  knowledge ;  it  would  merely  make  us 
 acquainted  with  a  fact  which  we  could  not  understand  or 
 apply  to  any  practical  use,  and  which  would  be  to  us  a  matter 
 of  pure  speculation.  This,  indeed,  would  not  be  a  reason 
 for  rejecting  it,  if  it  were  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures ; 
 but,  however  plausible  is  the  reasoning  in  favour  of  it,  I  think 
 that  it  is  not  reconcileable  to  the  passages  which  represent 
 believers,  when  they  die,  as  entering  into  heaven,  and  into 
 the  place  where  Christ  is ;  and  it  rests  in  a  great  measure 
 upon  criticism,  the  value  of  which  scholars  alone  can  appre- 
 ciate, and  upon  descriptions  of  the  future  state,  which  are 
 confessedly  figurative.  I  shall  therefore  dismiss  it  without 
 farther  notice. 
 
 I  proceed  to  consider  another  theory,  which  is  directly 
 opposed  to  our  doctrine  concerning  the  state  of  the  soul  after 
 death.  Some  modern  Divines  have  contended  that  it  is 
 asleep  or  unconscious,  and  will  remain  so  till  the  resurrection. 
 It  may  be  objected,  that  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  spirit 
 to  be  in  this  state,  as  the  idea  which  is  always  entertained  of 
 it  is,  that  it  is  a  living,  thinking,  active  substance  ;  and  that 
 its  separation  from  the  body,  instead  of  being  an  argument  for 
 its  insensibility,  as  if  it  could  not  act  without  bodily  organs, 
 is  rather  an  argument  against  it ;  because,  being  no  longer 
 fettered  and  impeded  by  a  substance  dull  and  inert,  it  is  at 
 full  liberty  to  exert  its  native  energies,  as  smothered  fire 
 breaks  out  into  a  flame,  when  it  obtains  a  free  communication 
 with  the  atmosphere.  To  such  reasoning  they  reply,  by 
 appealing  to  passages  of  Scripture  which  appear  to  favour 
 
AM)  ITS  CON8KQ1  BN<  BS.  4J7 
 
 their  hypothesis,  and  quote  those  which  speak  of  the  dead  ss 
 asleep,  as  snowing  nothing,  as  incapable  of  praising  God, 
 and  lying  in  darkness  and  silence. 
 
 The  first  answer  is,  that  such  language  is  to  be  considered 
 as  figurative,  and  may  be  explained  by  metaphor  and  synec- 
 doche. When  the  dead  are  said  to  be  asleep,  a  metaphor  is 
 used,  founded  upon  the  striking  resemblance  between  death 
 and  sleep,  which  is  called  by  the  poet,  mortis  simillinui  imago  : 
 and,  at  the  same  time,  in  this  as  in  other  instances,  by  another 
 trope,  a  part  is  spoken  of  as  the  whole.  The  dead  are  said 
 to  sleep,  and  to  be  unconscious  and  inactive,  because  these 
 things  are  true  of  their  bodies.  It  is  worthy  of  attention,  that 
 similar  language  has  been  adopted  by  other  nations  besides 
 the  Jews,  and  is  in  common  use  among  us,  although  we 
 believe,  as  well  as  they  did,  that  souls  are  active  in  the  invisi- 
 ble state.  We  should  think  that  the  man  reasoned  very  incon- 
 elusively,  who,  when  he  heard  us  saying  of  the  dead,  that 
 they  are  ignorant  of  all  that  is  passing  on  the  earth,  that 
 they  are  motionless  and  without  feeling,  and  are  no  longer 
 capable  of  good  or  evil,  inferred,  that  we  supposed,  either  that 
 their  souls  had  died  with  their  bodies,  or  that  their  faculties 
 were  dormant  and  their  consciousness  was  gone.  Every  man 
 would  perceive,  in  this  case,  the  folly  of  making  common 
 language,  founded  as  it  evidently  is  upon  appearances,  the 
 standard  of  our  philosophical  or  metaphysical  opinions.  It  is 
 equally  improper  to  interpret  thus  the  language  of  Scripture, 
 which  adopts  on  this  occasion  the  style  of  common  conversa- 
 tion, as  it  is  acknowledged  to  do  in  speaking  of  the  apparent 
 motion  of  the  sun  around  the  earth. 
 
 The  second  answer  to  the  conclusion  drawn  from  the  pas- 
 sages cited  above,  is,  that  to  understand  them  as  importing 
 the  insensibility  of  the  soul  in  its  separate  state,  is  contrary 
 to  other  passages,  in  which  its  conscious  existence  is  most 
 explicitly  affirmed.  When  Stephen  said  with  his  dying  breath, 
 "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit,"*  he  manifestly  supposed  that 
 his  soul  should  immediately  pass  into  the  presence  of  his  Sa- 
 viour. Our  Lord's  promise  to  the  penitent  thief,  "  To-day 
 thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise,"  t  implies,  if  words  hare  any 
 
 •  Acts  vii.  50.  -f-  Luke  xxiii.  43. 
 
28  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 meaning-,  that  ere  that  day  was  finished,  his  soul  should  be  in 
 the  same  place  with  the  soul  of  Christ,  and  should  enjoy  the 
 blessedness  which  the  word    "  paradise"  suggests.      In  the 
 fifth  chapter  of  the  second   Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,   Paul 
 proceeds  upon  the  supposition,  that  believers,  as  soon  as  they 
 leave  this  world,  enter  upon  a  happier  state  :   "  For  we  know, 
 that,  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved, 
 we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
 eternal  in  the  heavens."*     The  one  event  immediately  follows 
 the  other, — the  entrance  into  the  heavenly  house,  the  removal 
 from  the  earthly.     The  same  thing  is  implied  when  he  says, 
 that  he  was  "  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,"  whether  to  remain  upon 
 earth,  or  "to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ,   which  was  far 
 better."  f     Certainly  he  believed,  that  as  soon  as  he  departed 
 he  should  be  with  Christ,  as  is  clear  both  from  the  words  them- 
 selves, and  from  his  strait ;  for,  if  he  had  known  that  he  was 
 to  remain  in  a  state  of  insensibility  for  thousands  of  years,  he 
 could  not  have  hesitated,  for  a  moment,  whether  it  would  be 
 better  to  sink  into  that  state,  or  to  continue  in  life,  engaged 
 in  the  most  important  services,  and  enjoying  the  delights  of 
 communion  with  God.     To  evade  this  argument,  a  distinction 
 is  made   between    absolute    and   relative    time ;    the  former 
 meaning  time  considered  in  itself,  independently  of  human 
 perceptions ;   the  latter,  time  as  perceived  by  us.     In  respect 
 of  absolute  time,  it  is  granted  that  the  saints  are  not  with 
 Christ  as  soon  as  they  depart  from  this  world ;  but  they  are 
 so  in  respect  of  relative  time,  for  however  long  the  interval 
 may  be,  they  are  not  conscious  of  it,  and  it  will  seem  to  them 
 but  a  moment.     "  But  does  the  Apostle,"  to  adopt  the  words 
 of  Dr  Campbell,   "  any  where  give  a  hint  that  this  is  his 
 meaning  ?  or  is  it  what  any  man  would  naturally  discover 
 from  his  words  ?     That  it  is  exceedingly  remote  from  the 
 common  use  of  language,   I  believe  hardly  any  of  those  who 
 favour  this  scheme  will  be  partial  enough  to  deny.     Did  the 
 sacred  penmen  then  mean  to  put  a  cheat  upon  the  world,  and 
 by  the  help  of  an   equivocal  expression,  to  flatter  men  with 
 the  hope  of  entering,  the  moment  they  expire,  on  a  state  of 
 felicity,  when  in  fact  they  knew  that  it  would  be  many  ages 
 *  Verse  1.  f  Phil.  i.  23. 
 
and  ITS  (  ON0BQUBN4  29 
 
 before  it  would  take  place?     But,  wen  the  hypothesis  about 
 
 the  extinction  of  the  mind  between  death  and  the  resurrection 
 well  founded,  the  apparent  coincidence  they  speak  of  is  not 
 so  clear  as  they  seem  to  think  it.  For  my  part,  I  cannot 
 regard  it  as  an  axiom,  and  I  never  heard  of  any  who  attempted 
 to  demonstrate  it.  To  me  it  appears  merely  a  corollary  from 
 Mr  Locke's  doctrine,  which  derives  our  conceptions  of  time 
 from  the  succession  of  our  ideas ;  which,  whether  true  or  false, 
 is  a  doctrine  to  be  found  only  among  certain  philosophers, 
 and  which,  we  may  reasonably  believe,  never  came  into  the 
 heads  of  those  to  whom  the  Gospel  in  the  apostolic  age  was 
 announced."* 
 
 The  distinction  between  absolute  and  relative  time  is  totally 
 inapplicable  to  the  following  words  :  "  We  are  confident,  and 
 willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present 
 with  the  Lord."  "  He  had  said  before,  "  Therefore  we  are 
 always  confident,  knowing  that  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the 
 body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord."  "|  I  do  not  conceive  it 
 possible  to  express,  in  a  clearer  manner,  the  immediate  tran- 
 sition of  the  soul  from  its  present  habitation  into  the  presence 
 of  Christ.  What  detains  us  from  his  presence,  is  our  contin- 
 uance in  the  body  ;  what  introduces  us  into  it,  is  our  depar- 
 ture from  the  body.  Our  absence  from  the  body,  and  our 
 presence  with  him,  are  closely  connected ;  the  latter  succeeds 
 the  former  without  any  interval.  Would  it  have  ever  entered 
 into  the  mind  of  any  person  of  common  sense,  if  there  had 
 been  no  theory  to  support,  that,  after  all,  hundreds  and  thou- 
 sands of  years  might  intervene  ?  and  would  the  Apostle  have 
 said,  with  any  regard  to  truth,  that,  when  "  absent  from  the 
 body,  we  should  be  present  with  the  Lord,"  if  he  had  believed 
 that  the  soul,  in  a  state  of  separation,  is  insensible,  and  does 
 not  recover  its  consciousness  till  it  is  reunited  to  the  body, 
 and  consequently  can  then  only  be  with  Christ  ?  It  is  evi- 
 dent to  every  reader,  that  the  doctrine  which  he  lays  down  in 
 this  passage,  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  the  theory  which  we  are 
 combating. 
 
 On  the  whole,   the   Scriptures  proceed  on  the  supposition, 
 that,   as  soul  and  body  are  distinct,    the  former  is  capable  of 
 •  Campbell  on  the  Gospels,  Diss.  vi.  part  ii.   §.  23.  f  2  Cor.  v.  8.  &  fi. 
 
30  THE    DEATH   OF  THE   SAINTS, 
 
 happiness  or  misery  in  a  separate  state.  The  story  of  the 
 rich  man  and  Lazarus  is  a  proof  of  it.  So  are  those  passages 
 which  speak  of  the  spirits  of  just  men  as  made  perfect ;  of  the 
 souls  of  the  martyrs  as  alive ;  and  of  the  departed  saints  as 
 assembled  in  heaven,  and  engaged  in  the  worship  of  God.* 
 Parables  and  prophetic  visions  are  not  to  be  literally  inter- 
 preted ;  but  the  substance  of  them  mus  tbe  true,  that  is  to  say, 
 the  general  instructions  which  they  convey  must  be  conform- 
 able to  fact,  or  they  wTould  be  no  better  than  fables.  It  is 
 unnecessary  to  trouble  you  with  any  more  quotations,  as,  I 
 presume,  you  are  all  satisfied  that  the  hypothesis  of  the  sleep 
 of  the  soul  is  a  wild  fancy,  founded  on  a  misapprehension  of 
 some  passages  of  Scripture,  and  directly  contrary  to  its  most 
 explicit  declarations.  I  have  only  to  add,  that  some  of  the 
 passages  to  which  we  have  appealed,  are  equally  conclusive 
 against  an  intermediate  state,  as  they  teach  the  immediate 
 entrance  of  the  soul  into  the  place  where  Christ  now  is, 
 which,  all  will  acknowledge,  is  the  heaven  of  heavens ;  for  he 
 ascended  far  above  "  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things." 
 We  come  now  to  the  last  hypothesis  respecting  the  state  of 
 departed  souls.  It  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 that  the  saints  do  not  immediately  pass  into  glory,  but  first 
 go  into  a  place  called  purgatory,  where  they  are  purified  by  fire 
 from  the  stains  of  sin,  which  had  not  been  washed  out  during 
 the  present  life.  This  doctrine,  Protestants  affirm,  was  unknown 
 to  the  Church  till  the  days  of  Gregory  the  Great,  as  he  is  called, 
 about  the  end  of  the  sixth,  or  the  beginning  of  the  seventh 
 century  ;  but  the  way  seems  to  have  been  prepared  for  it  by 
 certain  opinions,  which  prevailed  prior  to  that  period,  as  we 
 learn  from  the  writings  of  the  Fathers.  A  strange  notion  was 
 entertained  by  some  respecting  the  fire  which  will  burn  up 
 the  earth  and  its  works ;  that  all  should  pass  through  it,  that 
 it  would  completely  purify  the  bodies  of  those  who  were  to  be 
 glorified,  and  that  the  more  holy  any  person  had  been,  he 
 should  feel  the  less  pain  from  this  process.  With  regard  to 
 the  souls  of  the  righteous,  they  believed,  that  they  were  in  a 
 place  of  rest  and  enjoyment,  but  that  they  should  not  be  ad- 
 mitted to  the  beatific  vision  till  the  resurrection  was  past. 
 Hence  arose  the  practice  of  praying  for  the  dead.     Conceiv- 
 
\M)  its  (  0N8BQTJ  i-Ai  IS.  B  I 
 
 big  that  tliey  had  nor  yet  attained  full  felicity,  the  ancients 
 thought  that  they  might  be  benefited  by  then1  prayers,  which 
 Would  procure  to  thorn  a  greater  degree  of  enjoyment.  You 
 will  observe  that,  although  these  opinions  were  fit  materials 
 for  fancy  and  superstition  to  work  up  into  a  still  more  extra- 
 vagant form,  they  were  widely  different  from  the  doctrine 
 afterwards  established  by  the  Church  of  Rome  as  an  article 
 Of  faith. 
 
 The  prototype  of  the  doctrine  of  Papists  on  this  subject  is 
 to  be  found  in  heathenism,  from  which  they  have  borrowed  their 
 cumbersome  apparatus  of  ceremonies,  and  many  of  their  religi- 
 ous opinions.  The  existence  of  a  purgatory  is  plainly  taught 
 in  the  writings  of  both  poets  and  philosophers.  In  the  sixth 
 book  of  the  iEneid,  Anchises  explains  to  his  son,  who  had 
 visited  him  in  the  Shades,  the  process  which  souls  were  doom- 
 ed to  undergo,  before  they  could  be  admitted  into  the  Elysiau 
 iields,  that  they  might  be  freed  from  the  stains  of  sin  which 
 adhered  to  them  at  death  : 
 
 *  Ergo  exercentur  pcenis,  veterumque  malorum 
 Suplicia  expendunt."  * 
 
 Some,  he  says,  are  stretched  out  to  the  winds  ;  others  are 
 purified  by  being  plunged  into  an  immense  whirlpool  or  lake ; 
 and  others  are  subjected  to  the  operation  of  fire — 
 
 "  Infectum  scelus  exuritur  igni."  -f- 
 
 In  his  dialogue  entitled  Phsedo,  Plato  informs  us  that  when, 
 men  enter  into  the  invisible  state,  they  are  judged.  Those 
 who  are  neither  truly  virtuous,  nor  consummately  wicked,  are 
 carried  away  to  the  Acherusian  lake,  where,  having  suffered 
 the  punishment  of  their  unjust  deeds,  they  are  dismissed,  and 
 then  receive  the  reward  of  their  good  actions.  Those  who, 
 on  account  of  the  greatness  of  their  sins,  are  incurable,  are 
 cast  into  Tartarus,  from  which  they  shall  never  escape.  Those 
 who  have  committed  curable  sins — iaoip,a  a^apTy/pcna — and 
 have  repented,  must  also  fall  into  Tartarus,  but  after  a  certain 
 period  they  will  be  delivered  from  it. 
 
 In  both  these  passages,  we  have  a  very  exact  description  of 
 the  Popish  purgatory  ;  and,  as  there  is  no  trace  of  it  in  the 
 Bible,   we  conclude  that  this  is  the  source  from  which  it  has, 
 
 •  ;Eneid.  vi.  730,  740.  f  Ib-  "4:*« 
 
32  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
 
 been  derived.  The  resemblance  will  appear  more  striking,  if 
 you  reflect  that,  in  both  cases,  it  rests  precisely  upon  the  same 
 foundation,  the  curable  and  incurable  sins  of  Plato  answering 
 exactly  to  the  venial  and  mortal  sins  of  Papists.  By  mortal 
 sins,  they  understand  those  which  alienate  men  entirely  from 
 God,  and  are  worthy  of  eternal  death;  and  they  may  be 
 compared  to  those  bodily  wounds  which,  by  their  own  nature, 
 cause  the  destruction  of  life.  Venial  sins  do  not  turn  away 
 the  sinner  altogether  from  God,  although  they  impede  his 
 approach  to  him ;  and  they  may  be  expiated,  because  their 
 nature  is  so  light  that  they  do  not  exclude  a  person  from 
 grace,  or  render  him  an  enemy  to  God.  Mortal  sins  are  few, 
 if  I  rightly  remember,  only  seven,  and  even  these  are  so  ex- 
 plained away  by  their  casuists,  the  most  unblushingly  profli- 
 gate that  the  world  ever  saw,  that  the  number  is  still  farther 
 reduced,  and  scarcely  one  is  left  upon  the  list.  All  other  sins 
 are  venial,  or  pardonable  ;  or,  in  the  language  of  Plato, 
 ti/uapTr/fima  laaipa.  They  are  expiated  partly  by  penances  in 
 this  life,  and  partly  by  the  pains  of  purgatory,  the  place  ap- 
 pointed for  completing  the  atonement. 
 
 Another  distinction  has  been  contrived  by  the  Church  of 
 Rome,  with  a  view  to  support  its  doctrine  concerning  satis- 
 faction for  sin  in  the  future  state.  The  pardon  of  sin  we 
 understand  to  consist  in  the  full  remission  of  guilt  or  of  the 
 obligation  to  punishment,  so  that  to  the  pardoned  man  there 
 is  no  condemnation ;  but  they  take  a  different  view.  They 
 affirm  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  guilt,  reatus  culpa,  the 
 guilt  of  the  fault,  and  reatus  pcence9  the  guilt  of  the  punish- 
 ment. The  former  is  remitted,  and  the  latter  is  retained ; 
 or  in  other  words,  the  penitent  sinner  is  absolved  from 
 the  sentence  of  eternal  death,  but  is  still  subject  to  temporal 
 punishment.  Thus  speaks  the  Council  of  Trent :  "If  any 
 man  shall  say,  that  after  justification  the  fault  is  so  remitted 
 to  a  penitent  sinner,  or  the  guilt  of  eternal  punishment  is  so 
 blotted  out,  that  there  remains  no  guilt  of  temporal  punish- 
 ment to  be  endured,  in  this  life  or  in  the  future  life  in  purga- 
 tory, before  he  can  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven : 
 let  him  be  accursed."  *  Now,  purgatory  has  been  fitted  up  as 
 *  De  Justificatione,  Canon,  xxx. 
 
AM)  its  COWSBQUENI  83 
 
 ■  neat  penitentiary,  into  which  the  half-pardoned  culprits 
 arc  sent,  that  they  may  undergo   the  painful  but  wholesome 
 
 discipline,  l>y  which  they  will  be  qualified  for  full  restoration 
 to  the  favour  of  God. 
 
 The  notion  of  purgatory  is  so  gross  and  palpably  false,  that 
 the  common  sense  of  every  man  would  reject  it,  where  it  is 
 not  perverted  and  overpowered  by  authority  and  prejudice. 
 Can  a  person  have  any  idea  in  his  mind,  when  he  talks  of 
 souls  being  purified  by  fire  ?  Might  he  not,  with  equal  pro- 
 priety, speak  of  a  spirit  being  nourished  with  bread  and  wine  ? 
 The  soul  is  supposed  to  be  a  material  substance,  (upon  which 
 alone  fire  can  act,)  contrary  to  the  belief  even  of  the  abettors 
 of  purgatory,  who  admit,  as  well  as  we,  the  spirituality  of  its 
 essence.  This  single  remark  is  sufficient.  The  whole  fabric 
 tumbles  to  the  ground.  Purgatory,  as  explained  by  the  fol- 
 lowers of  Antichrist,  is  physically  impossible. 
 
 It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  minute  refutation  of  an 
 opinion  which  refutes  itself,  and  is  at  variance  with  the  dictates 
 of  reason  as  well  as  of  revelation.  It  were  easy  to  shew  that 
 it  is  subversive  of  the  atonement  of  Christ,  of  the  doctrine  of 
 justification  by  faith,  of  the  peace,  and  consolation,  and  hope 
 of  the  people  of  God.  The  testimonies  from  Scripture,  which 
 have  been  already  produced  to  prove  that  the  souls  of  be- 
 lievers immediately  pass  into  the  presence  of  Christ,  are  all 
 arguments  against  the  purgatory  of  Papists.  Yet,  as  those 
 who  profess  to  be  Christians  find  it  necessary,  or  at  least  ex- 
 pedient, to  have  some  appearance  of  support  from  Scripture, 
 they  allege  certain  quotations  from  it,  the  sound  of  which  seems 
 to  favour  their  sentiments. 
 
 They  appeal,  for  example,  to  the  words  of  our  Lord  concern- 
 ing the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  "  it  shall  not  be  for- 
 given him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come;"  * 
 from  which  it  is  inferred,  that  some  sins  are  forgiven  in  the  world 
 to  come.  It  is,  however,  a  little  hazardous  to  build  a  theory 
 upon  the  slender  foundation  of  a  solitary  expression,  espe- 
 cially when  it  admits  of  a  different  interpretation.  Our  Lord 
 may  be  conceived  to  have  adopted  the  current  language  of 
 the  Jews,  who  called  their  own  state,  the  present  world,  and 
 
 •  Matth.  xii.  32. 
 VOL.   IV.  i 
 
34  THE   DEATH   OF  THE   SAINTS, 
 
 that  under  the  Messiah,  the  world  to  come;  and  in  this  view- 
 lie  asserts,  that  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be 
 forgiven  under  any  dispensation  of  religion.  It  is  plain  that 
 his  design  is  to  assert  the  unpardonable  nature  of  the  sin  ;  and 
 for  this  purpose  he  uses  a  phraseology  which  excluded  all 
 hope,  as  we  say,  that  a  thing  will  not  be  done  either  now  or 
 hereafter.      It  shall  never  be  done. 
 
 Another  passage,  which  is  brought  forward  to  support  the 
 notion  of  purgatory,  is  in  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
 where  the  Apostle,  speaking  of  the  different  superstructures 
 which  men  might  erect  upon  the  true  foundation,  says,  "  Every 
 man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest,  for  the  day  shall  declare 
 it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire  ;  and  the  fire  shall  try 
 every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is."  "  If  any  man's  work 
 shall  be  burnt  he  shall  suffer  loss  :  but  he  himself  shall  be 
 saved  ;  yet  so  as  by  fire."  '  But  nothing  more  can  be  gained 
 from  this  passage  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  than  an  empty 
 sound.  This  fire  is  for  trial ;  the  fire  of  purgatory  is  for 
 punishment.  This  fire  tries  the  works  of  men ;  the  fire  of 
 purgatory  purifies  their  persons.  This  fire  tries  all  works 
 whether  good  or  bad  ;  the  fire  of  purgatory  is  kindled  only  for 
 the  latter.  It  is  a  figurative  description  of  the  effects  of  divine 
 judgments,  in  sweeping  away  the  false  opinions  which  even 
 good  men  may  hold  and  publish  in  connexion  with  the  great 
 truths  of  the  gospel;  or,  of  the  future  judgment,  when  every 
 work  shall  be  made  manifest,  and  some  of  the  views  and 
 practices  even  of  genuine  believers,  into  which,  although  they 
 hold  Christ  the  head,  they  were  betrayed  through  ignorance 
 and  prejudice,  will  be  disapproved,  although  they  themselves 
 shall  receive  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  their 
 souls.  The  fire  will  consume  the  wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  but 
 will  not  touch  their  persons.  Other  passages  which  are  referred 
 to  are  still  less  to  the  purpose. 
 
 The  best  argument  for  purgatory  is  the  immense  gain  which 
 it  brings  to  the  worthless  church  that  patronizes  it.  The 
 satisfaction  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  surplus  satisfaction  of  the 
 saints  who  suffered  more  than  their  sins  deserved,  are  dealt 
 out  by  the  Pope  and  his  underlings  for  the  benefit  of  the  liv- 
 
 *  1  Cor.  iii.  13,  15. 
 
and  ITS  CON8IQUBN4  35 
 
 ing  and  the  (load.  But,  although  freely  they  have  received, 
 they  are  not  disposed  freely  to  give.  They,  no  doubt,  think 
 it  reasonable,  that  a  treasure  so  precious  should  not  be  thrown 
 away,  and  that,  if  souls  are  to  be  relieved  from  excruciating 
 sufferings,  their  friends  on  earth  should  pay  for  so  valuable  a 
 favour.  Great  efficacy  is  ascribed  to  masses  and  prayers  said 
 for  them;  but  if  there  are  no  wages,  there  will  be  no  work. 
 The  miserable  beings  in  prison  may  remain  there,  and  be  tor- 
 mented for  ever,  for  aught  that  the  vicar  of  Christ  and  his 
 servants  will  do  in  their  behalf,  if  there  is  not  a  more  power- 
 ful motive  than  charity.  Great  sums  of  money  have  there- 
 fore been  given,  and  rich  endowments  have  been  founded,  to 
 secure  the  prayers  and  masses  of  the  priests ;  and  such  was 
 their  influence  in  past  ages,  that,  if  the  civil  power  had  not 
 arrested  their  progress,  they  w7ould  have  engrossed  the  greater 
 part  of  the  property  of  Christendom.  The  delusion  was  sup- 
 ported by  a  train  of  false  miracles,  and  visions,  and  revelations, 
 with  which  the  legends  of  the  Church  of  Rome  are  filled,  and 
 which  one  does  not  know,  whether  to  despise  for  their  silliness, 
 or  to  abhor  for  their  impiety. 
 
f] 
 
 LECTURE  LXXXII. 
 
 ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 
 
 STATE  OF   THE    BODY    AFTER    DEATH THE    RESURRECTION. PROOFS    OF 
 
 IT BELIEVED  BY  THE  JEWS. UNIVERSALITY  OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 IDENTITY  OF    OUR    PRESENT  AND  FUTURE    BODIES RESURRECTION, 
 
 THE  WORK  OF  DIVINE  POWER CONNEXION    BETWEEN    THE    RESURREC- 
 TION   OF    CHRIST     AND    THAT    OF    THE    SAINTS THE    NATURE  OF     THE 
 
 BODIES    OF    THE    SAINTS. — OPINION  RESPECTING  A  PARTIAL  RESURREC- 
 TION. 
 
 We  have  seen  that  all  must  die,  the  righteous  as  well  as  the 
 wicked,  for  the  grave  is  the  house  appointed  for  all  living. 
 Confining  our  attention  to  the  former,  we  have  inquired  what 
 becomes  of  their  souls ;  and  it  has  appeared,  that  as,  being 
 distinct  from  the  body,  they  survive  their  separation  from  it, 
 so,  they  neither  sink  into  sleep,  nor  enter  into  an  intermediate 
 state,  but  are  made  perfect  in  holiness,  and  immediately  pass 
 into  heaven.  Besides  the  explicit  assurances  which  are  con- 
 tained in  the  Scriptures,  we  are  led  to  this  conclusion  by  the 
 consideration,  that  the  sleep  of  a  disembodied  spirit  is  incon- 
 ceivable ;  that  the  purgation  of  it  by  fire  is  physically  impos- 
 sible ;  and  that  to  suppose  a  process  of  expiatory  discipline,  is 
 derogatory  to  the  perfection  of  the  atonement  of  Christ. 
 
 The  next  subject  of  inquiry  is  the  state  of  the  body  after 
 death.  It  may  seem  sufficient  to  say,  that  it  is  committed  to 
 the  grave,  in  which  it  putrefies,  and  after  a  certain  time  is 
 reduced  to  dust.  This  is  the  popular  view  of  the  subject ;  and 
 as  the  language  commonly  used  is  founded  upon  the  words  of 
 
THE    KKSIRRKI  TH)N.  37 
 
 Scripture,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  ' 
 so,  it  is  sufficiently  accurate  for  ordinary  purposes.  It  is  cer- 
 tain that  all  that  is  earthy  in  the  human  body  is  reduced  to 
 earth  ;  but  this  is  only  an  inconsiderable  part  of  it.  It  is  a 
 vulgar  error  to  suppose  that  the  body  is  a  solid  mass  of  mat- 
 ter. On  being  subjected  to  an  analysis,  it  is  found  to  be  a 
 compound  of  different  substances  ;  and,  when  the  air  involved 
 in  it  is  extricated,  and  the  fluids  are  evaporated,  the  residuum 
 is  much  less  than  is  commonly  imagined.  It  is  enough  to 
 have  adverted  to  this  subject  in  passing.  At  death,  the  body 
 is  committed  to  the  grave,  or  is  disposed  of  in  some  other 
 way  ;  and  what  of  man  is  mortal  perishes  to  our  apprehension. 
 
 When  speaking  of  the  death  of  the  saints,  the  Scriptures 
 say  that  they  "  die  in  the  Lord,"  and  "  sleep  in  Jesus ;"  t 
 and  from  these  expressions  it  has  been  inferred,  that,  as  there 
 subsisted  an  intimate  relation  between  him  and  them  during 
 life,  the  union  is  not  dissolved  by  the  separation  of  the  two 
 constituent  parts  of  their  nature.  As  the  relation  extended 
 to  their  whole  persons,  to  the  body  as  well  as  to  the  soul,  it 
 is  supposed  to  continue  in  reference  to  both.  There  is  no 
 difficulty  in  conceiving  the  continuance  of  the  union  of  the 
 soul,  because  it  is  still  animated  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  but 
 it  is  not  so  easy  to  understand  the  union  of  a  piece  of  dead 
 matter,  of  a  heap  of  dust,  of  particles  scattered  hither  and 
 thither,  to  the  living  Saviour  in  heaven.  Yet  the  notion  is 
 manifestly  favoured  by  the  expressions  formerly  quoted,  and, 
 perhaps  too,  by  the  assertion  in  another  place,  that  the  bodies 
 of  believers  are  "the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  X  If  they 
 once  belonged  to  Christ,  they  do  not  cease  in  their  new  state 
 to  be  a  part  of  his  property.  He  claims  them  as  his  own, 
 because  he  shed  his  blood  to  redeem  them :  they  are  a  part  of 
 his  mystical  body,  the  church,  which  is  made  up  not  of  sepa- 
 rate spirits,  but  of  human  beings  ;  and  they  are  therefore 
 objects  of  his  care,  at  the  time  when  they  most  seem  to  be 
 forsaken.  It  is  a  wonderful  thought,  that  what  to  us  is  so 
 disgusting  that  we  cannot  bear  to  look  upon  it,  what  is  so 
 worthless  that  we  care  not  perhaps  where  it  is  laid,  or  to 
 what  use  it  is  applied,  what  is   confounded  with  the  common 
 
 •  Gen.  iii.  19.  f  Rev.  xW.  13.      lTbcss.iv.il.  $  1  Cor.  lL  If. 
 
38  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 earth,  and  accounted  the  vilest  of  all  things,  should  be  pre- 
 cious in  the  eyes  of  that  great  Being  who  looks  upon  ten 
 thousand  worlds  as  nothing ! 
 
 To  the  bodies  of  believers,  the  grave  is  a  place  of  rest. 
 So  far,  indeed,  as  this  rest  implies  exemption  from  toil,  and 
 pain,  and  weariness,  it  is  equally  so  to  the  bodies  of  the 
 wicked.  Both  have  lain  down,  like  the  traveller  at  the  end 
 of  his  journey,  and  the  hireling  when  he  has  fulfilled  his  day. 
 In  calling  the  grave  a  place  of  rest  to  the  righteous,  we  un- 
 consciously associate  with  the  state  of  their  bodies  that  of 
 their  souls,  which  are  truly  at  rest  in  the  peaceful  abode  of 
 heaven ;  or  we  anticipate  the  result,  when,  awakened  as 
 from  a  long  refreshing  sleep,  they  shall  rise  with  renovated 
 life  and  vigour,  to  enjoy  everlasting  felicity. 
 
 "  Go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be :  for  thou  shalt  rest, 
 and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days."  *  In  these 
 words,  death  is  presented  to  Daniel  under  the  emblem 
 of  a  state  of  repose ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  he  is  cheered 
 with  the  hope  of  a  happier  lot,  which  will  succeed  at  a  distant 
 period.  Having  considered  at  some  length  the  death  of  the 
 righteous  and  its  consequences,  we  are  led,  in  the  next  place, 
 to  speak  of  their  resurrection. 
 
 I  begin  with  remarking,  That  the  resurrection  of  the  body 
 is  a  matter  of  pure  revelation.  Reason  does  not  suggest  it ; 
 or  rather,  to  reason  it  seems  incredible ;  and  to  those  who 
 have  no  other  teacher,  it  is  unknown,  or,  when  proposed,  is 
 rejected  by  them.  Two  or  three  passages,  indeed,  have  been 
 found  in  the  writings  of  heathens,  from  which  it  appears  that 
 some  of  them  had  an  idea  of  a  resurrection  ;  but  their  know- 
 ledge must  have  been  derived  from  revelation,  incidentally  or 
 in  the  channel  of  tradition,  and  their  belief  was  confined  to 
 themselves.  With  a  few  exceptions,  the  wise  men  among 
 the  Gentiles  were  either  ignorant  of  the  resurrection,  or  de- 
 rided it.  In  the  dialogue  of  Minucius  Felix  which  is  entitled 
 Octavius,  Csecilius,  who  personates  a  heathen,  reproaches  the 
 Christians  with  contriving  amies  Jabulas,  old  wives*  fables. 
 "  They  tell  us,"  he  says,  "  that  they  shall  be  reproduced 
 after  death  and  the  ashes  of  the  funeral  pile  ;  and  believe 
 *  Dan.  xii.  13. 
 
i  hi:   RESURRECTION* 
 
 their  own  lies,  so  that  you  might  think  that  they  had  already 
 revived.  ()  twofold  madness  !  to  denounce  destruction  to 
 the  heaven  and  the  stars,  which  we  leave  as  we  found  then:, 
 hnt  to  promise  eternity  to  themselves,  when  dead  and  extin- 
 guished !"  When  Paul  in  Athens  spoke  of  the  resurrection 
 of  the  dead,  some  of  the  philosophers  mocked.*  In  the  church 
 of  Corinth,  there  were  persons  who,  influenced  by  their 
 original  opinions,  affirmed  that  there  was  no  resurrection  of 
 the  dead  ;  f  and,  in  the  second  Epistle  to  Timothy,  mention  is 
 made  of  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  who  affirmed  that  the 
 resurrection  was  already  past ;  J  that  is,  finding  that  the  doc- 
 trine was  explicitly  taught  by  the  Gospel,  and  that  they 
 could  not  retain  the  Christian  name  if  they  should  flatly  deny 
 it,  they  explained  it  away,  as  expressive  only  of  a  resurrection 
 from  a  state  of  ignorance  and  sin. 
 
 Since  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  has  been  made  known 
 by  revelation,  it  has  been  attempted  to  establish  it  by  the 
 principles  of  reason ;  and  an  argument  has  been  founded  on 
 the  justice  of  God,  which  requires,  that  as  men  have  obeyed 
 or  disobeyed  him  in  their  whole  person,  so,  in  their  whole 
 person  they  should  be  rewarded  or  punished.  And  it  does 
 seem  agreeable  to  justice,  that  the  body,  which  in  this  life 
 is  associated  with  the  soul  in  all  its  actions,  should  share  in 
 its  future  recompense.  But,  whatever  force  there  may  be  in 
 this  argument  to  us,  who  already  believe  the  point  which 
 it  is  intended  to  prove,  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  it 
 would  have  led  any  man  to  the  conclusion,  who  had  no  other 
 means  of  arriving  at  it.  Without  revelation,  our  ideas  of 
 Divine  justice  would  have  been  very  imperfect.  We  could 
 not  have  ascertained  exactly  what  were  its  demands ;  nor  do 
 I  see  that  reason  could  have  objected  if  it  had  been  said,  that 
 justice  would  be  satisfied  with  the  infliction  of  such  punish- 
 ment as  the  soul  was  capable  of  enduring  in  a  separate  state. 
 The  argument  ascribed  to  the  ancient  philosopher  Phocy- 
 lides,  one  of  the  few  who  are  understood  to  have  entertained 
 the  idea  of  a  resurrection,  seems  to  be  better :  "It  is  not 
 good  that  the  admirable  harmony  which  appears  in  the  con- 
 stitution of  men,  should  be  entirely  dissolved.  We  hope, 
 "   Acts  xvii.  32.  -f  1  Cor.  xv.  $  2  Tim.  ii.  17-    IB. 
 
40  THE   RESURRECTION. 
 
 therefore,  that  the  remains  of  the  dead  will  come  forth  from 
 the  earth,  and  return  to  the  light."  What  views  led  him  to 
 this  observation,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  it  may  be  turned  into  an 
 argument  from  the  wisdom  of  God,  who  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
 posed will  destroy  a  species  of  creatures,  after  having  been 
 induced  by  sufficient  reasons  to  create  it.  Were  the  body  of 
 man  to  remain  for  ever  in  the  grave,  the  human  species  would 
 be  destroyed  ;  for  there  would  be  then  no  specific  difference, 
 that  we  know  of,  between  men  and  angels,  both  being  pure 
 spirits  unconnected  with  matter.  That  peculiar  race,  which 
 united  the  visible  and  invisible  worlds,  was  allied  to  earth  by 
 one  part  of  its  nature  and  to  heaven  by  another,  would  dis- 
 appear, and  a  link  in  the  chain  of  being  would  be  broken. 
 We  might  conceive  God  to  annihilate  a  species,  in  the  exer- 
 cise of  his  sovereignty,  or  in  the  exercise  of  his  justice;  but 
 we  could  not  so  easily  conceive  him  to  change  a  species,  or, 
 in  translating  the  inhabitants  of  this  globe  to  a  higher  region, 
 to  retain  only  one  half  of  their  original  nature,  and  consign 
 the  other  to  the  unconscious  elements  for  ever.  What,  it 
 might  be  asked,  could  be  the  reason  for  this  change  ?  W  hy 
 did  he  give  them  bodies,  and  then  take  them  away  ?  I  do  not 
 know  that  this  argument,  as  I  have  now  stated  it,  has  been  at- 
 tended to  before,  nor  do  I  affirm  that  it  has  any  force.  It  is, 
 however,  fully  as  convincing  as  the  argument  from  the  justice 
 of  God  ;  but  it  does  not  amount  to  demonstration,  and,  at 
 the  best,  can  afford  only  a  degree  of  probability. 
 
 There  are  some  analogies  in  the  natural  world,  by  which 
 the  subject  has  been  illustrated  ;  but  they  are  merely  illustra- 
 tions, and  prove  nothing.  The  revival  of  all  things  at  the 
 return  of  spring,  is  one  of  the  most  common  as  well  as  the 
 most  beautiful.  Trees,  and  shrubs,  and  herbs,  and  flowers, 
 which  seemed  to  be  dead,  and  some  of  which  lay  hidden  in 
 the  earth  like  the  body  in  the  grave,  burst  forth  with  new 
 life,  and  delight  our  senses  with  their  verdure  and  their  fra- 
 grance. But  the  analogy  fails  in  the  most  important  point. 
 They  were  not  dead  ;  there  was  merely  a  suspension  of  their 
 functions  ;  but  from  the  body  in  the  grave  the  vital  principle 
 has  totally  departed,  and  its  very  texture  is  dissolved.  To 
 make  the  similitude  perfect,   we  should  see  an  instance  of  the 
 
Tin;   RESURRECTION.  41 
 
 reviviscence  of  a  plant,  torn  from  its  bed,  deprived  of  its 
 roots,  reduced  to  ashes  by  fire,  or  consumed  by  air  and  mois- 
 ture. On  such  a  plant  Spring  would  shed  its  genial  influ- 
 ences in  vain. 
 
 There  is  a  supposed  fact  in  natural  history,  which,  being 
 credited  by  the  early  Christians,  and  not  by  them  alone,  but 
 even  by  wise  men  among  the  Gentiles,  was  frequently  ap- 
 pealed to  as  a  proof  or  illustration  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
 body.  It  is  the  story  of  the  phoenix,  and  is  thus  related  in 
 his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  by  Clement,  the  first  Christian 
 in  whose  writings  it  occurs.  "  Let  us  contemplate  the 
 wonderful  sign  which  takes  place  in  the  eastern  regions, 
 namely,  in  Arabia.  It  is  the  bird  called  the  phoenix,  and 
 being  the  only  one  of  its  species,  it  lives  five  hundred  years. 
 When  it  is  about  to  die,  it  prepares  a  place  for  itself  of  frank- 
 incense and  myrrh,  and  other  aromatic  substances,  and  enter- 
 ing into  it  at  the  appointed  time,  expires.  The  flesh  being 
 corrupted,  a  worm  is  produced,  which,  being  nourished  by  the 
 moisture  of  the  dead  animal,  pushes  forth  wings,  and  grow- 
 ing strong  carries  away  the  nest  containing  the  bones  of  its 
 predecessor,  and  places  it  upon  the  altar  of  the  sun  in  Helio- 
 polis,  and  then  departs.  Can  it  then  seem  wonderful  that 
 the  Maker  of  all  things  should  raise  those  who  have  served 
 him  in  holiness  and  faith?" 
 
 The  point  which  I  have  been  hitherto  endeavouring  to 
 establish  is,  that  the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  a  fact  which 
 unassisted  reason  could  not  discover,  and  of  which  the  natural 
 world  can  furnish  only  some  images  or  similitudes.  It  is  so 
 clearly  revealed  in  the  New  Testament,  that  it  is  unnecessary 
 to  refer  to  particular  passages  ;  and  I  shall  therefore  at  pre- 
 sent mention  only  a  few  from  the  Old  Testament,  to  shew 
 that  it  was  known  before  the  advent  of  our  Saviour.  The 
 following  words  of  Job  have  been  the  subject  of  much  dis- 
 cussion; but  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were  spoken, 
 the  solemnity  of  the  introduction,  and  the  elevated  tone  of 
 the  language,  evidently  point  to  something  greater  than  a 
 temporal  deliverance.  "  Oh  that  my  words  were  now  writ- 
 ten !  Oh  that  they  were  printed  in  a  book  !  that  they  were 
 graven  with  an  iron  pen  and  lead  in  the  rock  for  ever  !      For 
 
42  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at 
 the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  :  And  though  after  my  skin 
 worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God ; 
 whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and 
 not  another ;  though  my  reins  be  consumed  within  me."  *  It 
 is  plainly  taught  in  these  words  of  Isaiah  :  "  He  will  swallow 
 up  death  in  victory,  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  tears 
 from  off  all  faces  ;"  and  again,  "  Thy  dead  men  shall  live, 
 together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing, 
 ye  that  dwell  in  dust ;  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and 
 the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead."  t  I  shall  add  only  one 
 passage  more,  from  the  prophecies  of  Daniel.  "  And  many 
 of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some 
 to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
 tempt." t  A  strange  notion  has  been  broached,  that  the 
 Jews  were  ignorant  of  a  future  state,  because  there  is  no  ex- 
 press mention  of  it  in  the  law  of  Moses.  But,  our  Lord  has 
 proved  it  and  the  resurrection  of  the  body  from  the  words  of 
 God  prior  to  the  giving  of  the  law,  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abra- 
 ham, and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob ;"  ||  and  we 
 see  that  it  is  plainly  foretold  in  their  subsequent  sacred  books. 
 In  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  it  is  affirmed,  that  it  was  the 
 hope  of  it  which  supported  the  martyrs  for  the  Jewish  reli- 
 gion. "  And  others  were  tortured,  not  accepting  deliverance, 
 that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection."  §  While  the 
 writer  may  be  understood  to  refer  to  all  the  holy  men  who 
 laid  down  their  lives  for  the  law,  he  had  probably  in  his  eye 
 the  sufferers  under  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  and  particularly  a 
 mother  and  her  seven  sons  ;  of  whom  it  is  related  in  the 
 second  book  of  the  Maccabees,  that  they  endured  the  most 
 cruel  torments  with  patience,  and  died  in  the  assured  hope 
 of  a  glorious  immortality.  "  Thou,  like  a  fury,"  said  one  of 
 the  sons,  "  takest  us  out  of  this  present  life,  but  the  King  of 
 the  world  shall  raise  us  up,  who  have  died  for  his  laws,  unto 
 everlasting  life."  If 
 
 Reason  confirms  the  dictates  of  revelation  by  reminding  us, 
 that  the  power  of  God  is  able  to  execute  the  purposes  of  his 
 
 *  Job  xix.  23—27.  +  Is.  xxv.  8.     xxvi.  19.  £  Dan.  xii.  2. 
 
 I|  Matth.  xxii.  32.  §  Heb.  xi.  35.  f  2  Mac.  vii.  9. 
 
THE  RK8URRBT  HON.  43 
 
 will.  *k  Why  should  it  seem  an  incredible  thing  that  God 
 should  nuse  the  dead?"  is  a  question  which  may  put  to 
 silence  all  infidel  objectors.  As  the  event  does  not  imply  a 
 contradiction,  it  is  possible,  and  may  therefore  be  effected  by 
 that  power  to  which  no  limits  can  be  assigned.  He  who 
 made  all  things  out  of  nothing,  can  unquestionably  restore 
 any  portion  of  matter  to  the  form  and  organization  which  he 
 gave  it  at  first.  If  he  fashioned  the  human  body  out  of  the 
 dust,  it  would  be  absurd  to  suppose  that  there  is  any  greater 
 difficulty  in  raising  it  from  the  dust  again.  To  hesitate  for 
 a  moment  about  the  possibility  of  an  event  which  God  has 
 signified  his  intention  to  accomplish,  because  we  do  not  un- 
 derstand how  it  can  be  effected,  is  a  proof  of  atheism,  or, 
 at  least,  of  stupidity,  for  it  proceeds  upon  an  assumption, 
 which,  to  say  nothing  of  its  impiety,  is  unworthy  of  a  being 
 possessed  of  any  portion  of  reason,  that  the  weakness  of 
 creatures  is  the  measure  of  the  strength  of  the  Creator. 
 
 A  question  has  been  proposed,  whether  the  Scriptures 
 teach  a  universal  resurrection,  or  the  resurrection  only  of  the 
 righteous  ?  I  do  not  know  that  any  in  modern  times  have 
 confined  it  to  the  righteous,  but  some  of  the  followers  of 
 Socinus.  Dr  Macknight  adopted  the  strange  opinion,  that 
 the  bodies  of  the  wicked  will  be  destroyed  in  the  gene- 
 ral conflagration  ;  but  he  believed  that  they  would  be  pre- 
 viously raised  from  the  grave.  *  The  notion  of  a  partial 
 resurrection  has  been  triumphantly  refuted  ;  but  this  was  an 
 easy  task,  as  there  was  no  occasion  for  elaborate  argumenta- 
 tion, and  nothing  more  was  necessary  than  to  appeal  to  the 
 explicit  declarations  of  Scripture.  Some  heresies  have  an 
 air  of  plausibility,  by  which  they  may  impose  upon  the  un- 
 wary ;  and  a  regard  to  the  honour  of  the  truth,  and  the  souls  of 
 men,  requires  that  we  should  enter  into  a  formal  confutation 
 of  them.  But,  when  certain  corrupters  of  the  truth  have  the 
 audacity  to  give  the  lie  to  the  testimony  of  God,  delivered  in 
 terms  which  are  free  from  ambiguity,  and  are  the  plained 
 which  it  is  possible  to  use,  it  is  quite  sufficient  to  return  a 
 simple  negative  to  their  unfounded  affirmations,  or  to  treat 
 them  with  silent  contempt.  If  Paul  had  hope  towards  God, 
 •   -Macknight  on  the  Epistles,  1  Thcss.  iv.  16. 
 
44  THE   RESURRECTION. 
 
 that  there  would  be  a  resurrection,  "  both  of  the  just  and  of 
 the  unjust ;"  *  and  if  our  Saviour  has  told  us,  that  "  all  that 
 are  in  their  graves  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done  good, 
 unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto 
 the  resurrection  of  damnation ;"  f  we  may  surely  give  ourselves 
 very  little  concern  about  what  any  follower  of  Socinus  may 
 say  to  the  contrary. 
 
 The  question,  whether  the  dead  will  be  raised  with  the 
 same  bodies  which  were  laid  in  the  grave,  or  with  different 
 bodies,  would  not  have  occurred  to  a  plain,  simple-minded 
 man,  who  was  disposed  implicitly  to  receive  the  testimony  of 
 God.  It  has  arisen  from  the  propensity  of  the  human  mind 
 to  speculate  about  every  thing,  and  to  philosophize  where  we 
 ought  to  believe.  It  has  been  asked  at  those  who  assert  the 
 resurrection  of  the  same  body,  whether  they  mean  the  body 
 which  died,  or  the  body  at  any  former  period,  as  it  is  known 
 to  be  in  a  perpetual  flux,  and  few  of  the  particles  which  be- 
 longed to  it  in  youth  remain  in  old  age  ?  It  has  been  asked, 
 whether,  as  all  those  particles  equally  belonged  to  the  indivi- 
 dual, they  are  all  to  be  restored  to  him,  or  only  a  part ;  and, 
 in  the  latter  supposition,  what  part  ?  Now,  although  we 
 cannot  return  a  satisfactory  answer  to  such  questions,  our 
 ignorance  is  not  a  reason  why  we  should  entertain  any  doubt 
 of  the  identity  of  the  body  ;  because  we  have  received  assur- 
 ances of  the  fact,  and  should  be  content,  as  we  must  be  in  many 
 other  cases,  with  this  general  knowledge,  while  the  mode  and 
 circumstances  are  enveloped  in  mystery.  The  very  word,  re- 
 surrection, and  the  corresponding  term  avaaiaai'i^  both  signify 
 the  rising  or  standing  up  of  something  which  had  fallen  or 
 lain  down ;  and  if  it  is  a  different  body  from  their  present  with 
 which  men  will  hereafter  be  clothed,  a  word  has  been  chosen  by 
 the  inspired  writers  which  conveys  a  fallacious  idea.  This  single 
 argument,  I  think,  is  conclusive.  The  formation  of  a  different 
 body  for  the  separate  spirit  would  not  be  a  resurrection  but  a 
 creation, — in  the  secondary  sense  of  the  term,  if  it  was  formed 
 out  of  pre-existing  materials.  In  corroboration  of  this  argu- 
 ment, I  observe,  that  the  sameness  of  the  body  is  implied  in 
 the  reasonings  of  Paul  in   the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  first 
 
 *  Acts  xxiv.  15.  -j-  John  v.  29. 
 
Tin:  RBS1  RRBt  I  ION.  45 
 
 Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  Some,  indeed,  have  drawn  the 
 contrary  conclusion  from  his  words :  M  That  which  thou 
 soweet,  thou  so  west  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare 
 grain,  it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  some  other  grain.  But 
 Godgiveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every  seed 
 his  own  body."  '  But  his  meaning  will  be  obvious,  if  you 
 reflect  upon  his  design,  which  is  to  shew,  that  the  bodies  of 
 the  saints,  of  whom  alone  he  is  speaking,  will  undergo  a  great 
 and  glorious  change,  and  will  not  be  the  same  as  they  now 
 are  in  respect  of  their  qualities,  as  the  plant  which  rises  from 
 the  earth  is  different  from  the  bare  grain,  the  homely-looking 
 seed  from  which  it  springs.  It  is  a  physical  fact,  that  the 
 plant  is  not  different  from  the  seed,  as  the  new  bodies  are 
 supposed  to  be  from  the  old ;  for,  it  is  derived  from  the  seed, 
 and  contains  a  part  of  its  substance  ;  and  the  Apostle  himself 
 proceeds  upon  this  idea,  when  he  says,  "  Thou  fool,  that 
 which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die  ;"  f  plainly 
 supposing,  that  that  which  is  quickened  is  the  same  substance 
 which  died ;  and  consequently,  that  the  body  of  the  saints,  at 
 the  resurrection,  is  the  same  body  which  underwent  putrefac- 
 tion. He  expresses  his  meaning  in  the  clearest  manner,  when 
 he  afterwards  contrasts  the  present  and  the  future  state  of  the 
 body  ;  for  he  assumes  it  as  a  fact,  that  it  is  the  same  material 
 substance  which  is  now  corruptible,  mean,  and  weak,  but  is 
 afterwards  to  be  incorruptible,  glorious,  and  powerful ;  and 
 he  sums  up  his  discourse  by  saying,  "  This  corruptible  must 
 put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality."  J 
 It  has  been  said  that  the  resurrection  of  the  same  body  is 
 not  necessary  ;  for,  although  the  new  body  is  not  numerically 
 the  same,  "  the  body  is  truly  raised,  because,  what  is  raised 
 being  united  to  the  soul,  there  will  arise  in  the  man  thus 
 completed,  a  consciousness  of  his  identity,  by  which  he  will 
 be  sensible  of  the  justice  of  the  recompense  rendered  to  him 
 for  his  deeds."  The  consciousness  of  identity,  as  far  as  it 
 respects  the  soul,  is  never  suspended,  and  remains  while  it  is 
 in  a  separate  state.  What,  then,  is  this  new  consciousness 
 which  is  to  arise  when  it  is  again  embodied  ?  If  it  mean  any- 
 thing,  it  must  mean  a  consciousness  of  identity  in  the  whole 
 
 •   1  Cor.  xv.  37,  38.  f  lb.  36.  +   lb.  53. 
 
46*  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 person,  and,  consequently,  a  consciousness  of  what  is  not  true  ; 
 for,  if  the  consciousness  refers  to  the  soul  alone,  it  does  not 
 begin  at  the  resurrection,  and  the  word  "  arise"  is  used  merely 
 to  impose  upon  us,  and  to  make  us  believe  that  this  new  body, 
 although  totally  different,  will  somehow  be  considered  as  the 
 same  with  the  former  body.  With  regard  to  the  idea,  that 
 this  consciousness  of  identity  is  sufficient  for  all  the  ends  of 
 justice,  the  question  is  not,  whether  it  is  true  or  false,  but 
 whether  God  our  judge  will  account  it  sufficient ;  and  if  he 
 has  declared  his  intention  to  raise  the  same  body  to  be  re- 
 warded or  punished,  speculations  about  what  might  have  been 
 are  not  worthy  of  notice. 
 
 Against  the  resurrection  of  the  same  body,  it  is  objected, 
 that  the  bodies  of  men  often  enter  into  the  composition  of 
 other  substances ;  that  they  not  only  serve  for  the  nutrition 
 of  vegetables,  and  are  the  food  of  carnivorous  animals,  but 
 that  they  are  occasionally  devoured  by  cannibals,  and  con- 
 verted into  a  part  of  their  bodies.  It  is  easy  to  conceive 
 them  to  be  reclaimed  from  animals  and  vegetables ;  but  what 
 shall  be  done  in  those  cases  in  which  the  same  particles  happen 
 to  belong  to  different  men  ? — Two  things  are  supposed  in 
 this  objection.  First,  that  all  the  particles  which  have  ever 
 belonged  to  an  individual  will  be  united  in  the  composition  of 
 his  future  body  ;  and  secondly,  that  a  part  of  the  substance  of 
 one  man  may  become  part  of  the  substance  of  another.  It  is 
 evident  that,  if  the  first  supposition  is  true,  the  second  is 
 false  ;  and  that,  if  the  second  is  true,  the  first  is  false ;  but  we 
 cannot  affirm  any  thing  certainly  concerning  either.  The  ob- 
 jection is  addressed  to  our  ignorance  ;  but  the  objectors  them- 
 selves are  equally  ignorant ;  and  as,  on  this  account,  they 
 have  no  right  to  advance  the  objection,  so  we  are  under  no 
 obligation  to  put  ourselves  to  the  trouble  of  answering  it.  It 
 is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  God,  all-wise  and  almighty,  is 
 able  to  perform  what  he  has  promised. 
 
 Some  have  supposed  that  there  is  "  a  germ  or  seminal  prin- 
 ciple in  the  human  body,  which  is  not  destroyed  by  death  ;  and 
 which,  at  the  appointed  time,  will  reproduce  the  body  in  a  more 
 excellent  form  than  before,  through  the  quickening  influence 
 of  Divine  power."     But,  we  may  ask,    Is  the  human  body  a 
 
Till-:   RI81  RRICT]  4  7 
 
 table  ?     Does  ir  resemble  a  plant,  which,  when  iN  leaves 
 
 and  stem  are  destroyed,  retains  lite  in  the  root,  and  will  shoot 
 forth  again  at  the  return  of  spring?  Will  the  reproduction 
 of  the  body,  which  we  have  been  taught  to  consider  as  mira- 
 culous, he  the  result  of  a  natural  process  ?  How  is  this  germ 
 or  seminal  principle  preserved,  when  the  body  is  reduced  to 
 ;i^hes  by  fire,  or  undergoes  a  complete  dissolution  in  the 
 grave  ?  Has  any  person  seen  it  ?  Does  any  person  under- 
 stand what  it  means  ?  Has  it  any  existence  but  in  the  region 
 of  fancy  and  conjecture  ?  We  have  frequently  cause  to  com- 
 plain that  we  meet  with  gratuitous  assumptions  and  unintelli- 
 gible propositions ;  and  they  occur  in  the  writings  of  the 
 learned,  as  well  as  in  the  conversation  of  the  illiterate.  Let 
 no  man  talk  of  a  germ  or  seminal  principle  of  the  body,  till 
 lie  lias  first,  after  patient  thinking,  assured  himself  that  he 
 affixes  a  distinct  idea  to  his  words.  I  consider  the  assertion, 
 that  there  is  such  a  principle,  to  be  words  and  nothing  more. 
 Besides  other  absurdities,  this  is  implied  in  it,  that  the  body 
 is  not  entirely  dead  ;  that  there  is  a  part  of  it,  however  small, 
 in  which  life  remains ;  for  a  dead  germ  or  seed  could  not  re- 
 produce ;  and  how  there  can  be  life  in  any  particle  of  it,  after 
 the  vital  principle  has  forsaken  it,  we  leave  to  the  authors  of 
 this  foolish  hypothesis  to  explain.  In  our  progress  through 
 the  system  of  Divine  truth,  our  way  is  impeded,  not  only  by 
 the  blunders  of  vulgar  ignorance,  but  by  the  unfounded  specu- 
 lations of  false  wisdom  and  philosophy. 
 
 The  resurrection  of  the  dead  is  the  work  of  God.  Yet 
 it  is  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ  without  any  inconsistency,  be- 
 cause he  is  a  Divine  Person,  and  to  him  as  Mediator  the  ad- 
 ministration of  the  moral  government  of  the  Universe  is  com- 
 mitted. "  The  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the 
 graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth."  *  The  re- 
 surrection will  be  a  preparatory  step  to  the  judgment,  which 
 will  immediately  follow,  and  in  which,  sentence  will  be  pro- 
 nounced upon  all  the  individuals  of  the  human  race,  according 
 to  their  works.  "  The  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from 
 heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with 
 the  trump  of  God  ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."  t 
 •  John  v.  -VI  Thess.  iv.  16. 
 
48  THE   RESURRECTION. 
 
 We  do  not  understand  the  circumstances  mentioned  in  these 
 words  ;  but,  if  they  refer  to  the  ministry  of  created  beings  on 
 this  occasion,  we  are  sure  that  it  is  not  by  their  agency  that 
 the  dead  will  be  restored  to  life.  This  is  a  work  appropriated 
 to  divine  power,  which  only  is  able  to  effect  it.  No  voice 
 will  raise  the  dead  but  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  office 
 of  angels  will  be  subordinate ;  and  as  their  presence  will  add 
 to  the  grandeur  of  the  scene,  so  they  will  be  sent  to  convey 
 the  righteous  from  the  earth  to  the  right  hand  of  their  Saviour. 
 "  He  shall  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet, 
 and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect,  from  one  end  of 
 heaven  to  the  other."  * 
 
 I  have  already  stated,  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of 
 all  men,  good  and  bad,  and  that  the  justice  of  God  seems  to 
 require,  that  as  men  have  served  him  or  sinned  against  him 
 in  the  body,  so,  in  the  body,  they  should  be  rewarded  or  pun- 
 ished. With  regard  to  the  wicked,  the  Scripture  contents 
 itself  with  informing  us,  that  they  shall  be  raised,  and  after- 
 wards judged  and  cast  into  hell.  It  does  not  enter  into  a  de- 
 tailed account  of  the  state  and  qualities  of  their  bodies.  All 
 that  we  learn  is,  that  they  shall  rise  "  to  shame  and  ever- 
 lasting contempt ;"  and  hence  we  may  probably  infer,  that 
 their  external  appearance  will  be  such  as  is  befitting  the  char- 
 acter of  criminals,  and  will  exhibit  marks  of  the  curse,  by 
 which  their  whole  person  is  devoted  to  irretrievable  perdition. 
 
 In  the  subsequent  part  of  this  lecture,  I  shall  confine  your 
 attention  to  the  resurrection  of  the  saints. 
 
 I  begin  with  remarking,  that  there  is  an  intimate  connexion 
 between  their  resurrection,  and  that  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
 simple  re-union  of  their  souls  and  bodies,  is  not  to  be  consi- 
 dered as  the  effect  of  his  mediation,  because  the  same  thing 
 will  take  place  with  respect  to  the  wicked ;  and  of  all  opi- 
 nions none  is  more  absurd  than  that  of  certain  Divines,  who 
 have  maintained,  that  the  general  resurrection  is  a  privilege 
 which  Christ  has  procured  for  mankind  in  general  by  his 
 death.  To  the  wicked  the  resurrection  is  not  a  privilege, 
 but  a  curse ;  it  is  not  the  effect  of  the  goodness,  but  of  the 
 avenging  justice  of  God.     WTiat  the  saints  owe  to  his  media- 
 
 •  Mat.  xxiv.  31. 
 
THE  KI8URRBCTIOK.  -1(J 
 
 don  i^  a  happy  resurrection,  the  change  of  a  tremendous  evil 
 
 into  an  unspeakable  blessing.  As  be  died  not  for  himself, 
 Imr  tor  them,  he  lias  taken  away  the  sting  of  death,  or 
 made  it  cease  to  be  a  penal  evil  to  them ;  and  rising  in  the 
 character  of  their  surety,  he  secured  that  they  also  shall  rise, 
 to  enjoy  the  immortal  life  which  is  the  recompense  of  his 
 merit.  4<  Since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the 
 re>urrection  of  the  dead."  *  Death  came  by  the  first  man, 
 because  through  his  sin,  his  descendants,  to  whom  its  guilt  is 
 imputed,  are  rendered  obnoxious  to  death  ;  and  the  resurrec- 
 tion of  the  dead,  must  therefore  come  by  the  second  man  in 
 a  similar  way.  Through  his  righteousness  imputed  to  them, 
 they  are  made  heirs  of  eternal  life.  It  is  perhaps  on  this  ac- 
 count, that  God  is  said  "  to  have  raised  us  up  together  with 
 him,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places ;"  f  words 
 which  seem  to  import,  that  the  resurrection  of  the  saints  is 
 past,  but  which  can  only  mean,  that  it  is  infallibly  secured  by 
 that  of  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Head  and  Representative. 
 
 v*  Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first 
 fruits  of  them  that  slept."  J  The  first  fruits  were  by  the 
 command  of  God  presented  to  him  at  a  stated  season,  not 
 only  as  a  token  of  the  gratitude  of  the  Israelites  for  his  bounty, 
 but  as  an  earnest  of  the  approaching  harvest.  In  this  sense, 
 he  is  called  the  first  fruits  of  the  dead.  He  was  the  first  in 
 order  of  time,  for,  although  some  were  restored  to  life  by  the 
 prophets  and  by  himself  during  his  personal  ministry,  none 
 came  out  of  their  graves  to  return  to  them  no  more  till 
 after  his  resurrection ;  and  as  he  was  the  first  in  respect  of 
 time,  so  he  was  the  first  in  order  of  succession  ;  all  the  saints 
 following  him,  as  the  harvest  followed  the  presentation  of  the 
 first  fruits  of  the  temple.  The  interval  is  long,  and  the  dreary 
 sterility  of  the  grave  might  justify  the  thought  that  the  seed 
 committed  to  it  has  perished  for  ever.  But  our  hope  rests 
 upon  his  power,  which  can  make  the  wilderness  blossom  as 
 the  rose  ;  and  we  wait  till  heavenly  influences  descend  as  the 
 dew  of  herbs,  when  the  barren  soil  shall  display  all  the  luxu- 
 riance of  vegetation,  and  death  itself  shall  teem  with  life. 
 
 Of  the  change  which  will   take   place   in  the  bodies  of  the 
 
 *   1  Cor.  xv.  21.  f   Eph.  ii.  6.  +   1  Cor.  xv.  20. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  ]) 
 
50  THE  RE6URRRCTION. 
 
 saints,  Paul  speaks  in  his  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  ; 
 but  his  words  are  too  general  to  convey  a  distinct  idea  of  the 
 subject.  "  It  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorrup- 
 tion ;  it  is  sown  in  dishonour,  it  is  raised  in  glory  ;  it  is  sown 
 in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power ;  it  is  sown  a  natural  body, 
 it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body."  '  We  may,  however,  draw  from 
 them  some  conclusions  respecting  the  state  of  the  glorified  body. 
 
 First,  It  will  be  incorruptible  and  immortal.  In  the  present 
 state,  the  human  body  is  liable  to  dissolution,  and  contains  in 
 itself  the  principles  of  decay.  It  is  subject  to  acute  and  chronic 
 diseases,  by  which  life  is  suddenly  or  slowly  extinguished ; 
 and  then  the  process  of  putrefaction  begins,  which  terminates 
 in  the  destruction  of  its  organization,  and  the  separation  of  its 
 parts.  In  the  future  state  it  will  be  sound  and  healthy,  and 
 probably  be  so  constituted  as  not  to  be  naturally  capable  of 
 disease  and  waste,  while  the  penal  cause  of  its  disorders  will 
 no  longer  exist.  "  There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither 
 sorrow,  nor  crying,  nor  any  more  pain."]  The  body  will  be 
 immortal  as  the  soul.  Although  things  on  earth,  even  the 
 firmest  and  most  solid  substances,  are  wasted  away  ;  yet  this 
 appears  to  be  the  effect  of  the  circumstances  in  which  they 
 are  placed, — of  the  action,  for  example,  of  air  and  moisture. 
 We  do  not  know  that  all  matter  experiences  decay.  We  are 
 ignorant  of  its  state  beyond  our  own  world  ;  but  we  have 
 reason  to  believe  that  the  sun  and  stars  are  of  the  same 
 magnitude,  and  emit  the  same  splendour,  as  at  the  beginning ; 
 and  can  find  no  difficulty  in  conceiving  any  portion  of  matter 
 to  be  made,  by  the  will  of  God,  immutable  and  eternal. 
 
 Secondly,  The  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be  glorious ;  but  in 
 what  this  glory  will  consist,  we  are  not  able  to  say.  The 
 word,  glory,  when  applied  to  the  body,  suggests  the  idea  of 
 brightness  or  splendour ;  and  in  this  sense  we  speak  of  the 
 glory  of  the  sun  and  the  stars.  It  may  seem  to  favour  this 
 meaning  of  the  term  in  reference  to  the  present  subject,  that 
 at  the  transfiguration  of  our  Lord,  his  face  shone  as  the  sun, 
 and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light ;  t  and  that  when  John 
 saw  him  in  Patmos,  his  face  was  like  the  mid-day  sun,  and  his 
 eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  as  burning  brass  ;  ||  and  we 
 
 *  1  Cor.  xv.  42—44.     f  Rev.  xxi.  4.      +  Matth.  xvii.  2.      ||  Rev.  i.  14 — 1G% 
 
iiii:   RHI  it  i :  it  TIOX.  •">  I 
 
 are  told  that  the  bodies  of  the  siints  will  be  fashioned  like 
 unto  his  glorious  body/  it  i>  certain,  however,  with  respect 
 to  tlu'  latter  description,  that  some  parts  of  it  are  cmblemati- 
 eal;  and  we  cannot  therefore  consider  it  as  a  true  representation 
 of  the  appearance  of  his  body  in  heaven.  We  are  equally 
 uncertain  with  regard  to  the  other  appearance;  because  it  does 
 not  follow,  that  the  form  in  which  our  Saviour  shewed  himself 
 to  his  disciples,  living  upon  earth,  and  entertaining  the  common 
 notions  of  corporeal  glory,  is  the  form  which  he  wears  in  a 
 state  so  different  from  the  present.  There  is  no  doubt  that, 
 in  symmetry,  and  beauty,  and  dignity,  the  glorified  body 
 will  be  perfect.  It  will  be  finished  after  the  highest  pattern 
 in  the  universe.  Man  will  then  be  fair  as  in  paradise,  and 
 fairer  still  than  in  that  happy  place.  Of  all  the  visible  works  of 
 God,  the  most  exquisite  will  be  those  bodies  which  his  own 
 Son  has  redeemed  from  death  with  his  precious  blood. 
 
 Thirdly,  The  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be  powerful.  At 
 present,  they  are  subject  to  many  infirmities  ;  their  strength 
 is  soon  exhausted,  and  they  need  food,  and  rest,  and  cordials, 
 to  restore  them.  In  the  future  state,  languor  and  weariness 
 will  be  unknown.  We  have  no  means  of  estimating  the 
 strength  of  the  glorified  body,  as  we  know  of  no  resistance 
 which  it  will  have  to  overcome  ;  but  we  may  perhaps  jndge 
 of  it  from  a  circumstance  which  is  revealed  concerning  the 
 righteous  in  heaven,  that  they  will  be  uninterruptedly  engaged 
 in  the  service  of  God.  Constant  employment  will  cause  no 
 fatigue,  and  sleep  will  not  be  necessary  to  renovate  their 
 powers.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  their  bodies  will  possess 
 a  degree  of  vigour  and  activity  of  which  we  can  form  no  con- 
 ception. 
 
 Lastly,  The  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be  spiritual.  It  is  a 
 remark  which  must  occur  to  every  person,  that  a  spiritual 
 body  is  an  apparent  contradiction ;  and  we  are  therefore  under 
 the  necessity  of  understanding  the  word,  spiritual,  in  an  un- 
 usual sense.  It  seems  to  signify  refined,  in  opposition  to  the 
 grossness  of  the  present  body,  composed,  as  it  is,  of  flesh, 
 blood,  and  bones ;  and  to  this  meaning  we  are  led  by  the 
 following  words,  which  the  Apostle  subjoins  as  an  explanation 
 
 *  Phil.  iii.  21. 
 
52  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 of  his  account  of  the  glorified  body,  or  as  the  reason  of  the 
 change  which  it  will  undergo  :  "  Now  this  I  say,  brethren, 
 that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;  nei- 
 ther can  corruption  inherit  incorruption."*  Corruption  is  the 
 present  corruptible  body,  which,  it  is  intimated,  remaining  as 
 it  is,  or  retaining  its  present  constitution,  cannot  become 
 incorruptible.  It  must  undergo  a  new  modification  ;  in  con- 
 sequence of  which,  although  still  material,  it  will  be  very 
 different  from  what  it  now  is.  We  see  matter  existing  in 
 different  states,  composing  a  metal,  and  composing  a  sun- 
 beam ;  and  hence,  it  is  easy  to  conceive  the  power  of  God  so 
 to  refine  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  that  they  may  be  compara- 
 tively said  to  be  spiritual.  How  pure,  I  had  almost  said 
 etherial,  must  those  bodies  be,  which  will  need  neither  food 
 nor  rest,  and  will  never  experience  pain  or  fatigue  !  It  would 
 be  folly  and  presumption  to  speculate  upon  a  subject  of  which 
 we  have  so  little  information  ;  but  it  is  evident  that  certain 
 parts  of  the  body  will  no  longer  be  necessary, — those,  for 
 example,  which  serve  for  the  concoction  and  digestion  of  our 
 food  ;  and,  if  the  future  body  is  not  to  be  sustained  by  other 
 substances,  the  use  of  the  blood  which  circulates  through  the 
 veins  and  arteries,  to  convey  nourishment  to  every  part,  will 
 be  superseded.  I  might  carry  this  reasoning  farther ;  but  after 
 all,  we  could  arrive  at  no  certain  conclusion  :  and  why  should 
 we  seek  to  know  what  the  Scriptures  have  concealed  ? 
 
 Some  have  entertained  the  idea  that,  before  the  general 
 resurrection,  there  will  be  a  partial  resurrection  of  the  saints, 
 or  of  the  martyrs  ;  and  found  it  upon  the  following  words  : 
 "  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judg- 
 ment was  given  unto  them  :  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that 
 were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of 
 God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his 
 image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or 
 in  their  hands  ;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a 
 thousand  years.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again 
 until  the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first 
 resurrection."!  This  passage  has  given  rise  to  the  notion  of 
 the  personal  reign  of  Christ  upon  the  earth  ;  and  those  by 
 *  1  Cor.  xv.  50.  f  Rev.  xx.  4,  5. 
 
T11K    KKM   KKi;t  TION. 
 
 Whom  it  has  been  espoused  are  called  Miileiiariaus.  It  i», 
 however,  too  obscure  to  be  made  the  foundation  of  a  positive 
 opinion.  It  probably  refers  to  a  spiritual  resurrection, — a 
 resurrection  of  the  cause  for  which  the  martyrs  suffered  ;  which 
 will  then  be  triumphant ;  and  while  their  names  will  be  held 
 in  honour,  persons  of  the  same  spirit  will  arise  and  reign 
 with  Christ,  in  the  undisturbed  enjoyment  of  religion  and  its 
 privileges,  Satan  being  bound,  and  his  agents  reduced  to 
 inactivity  and  silence.  Some  such  interpretation  is  favoured 
 by  this  circumstance,  that  John  speaks  not  of  the  bodies 
 but  of  the  souls  of  those  who  had  been  slain.  No  wise  man 
 would  oppose  a  vision,  in  which  the  description  is  professedly 
 figurative,  to  the  plain  declaration  of  Scripture,  that  the 
 resurrection  will  take  place  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 
 It  i<  worthy  of  attention  that,  when  speaking  of  that  event, 
 Paul  makes  mention  of  two  classes  of  persons,  the  dead  in  the 
 grave,  and  those  who  will  be  alive  ;  and  says  concerning  the 
 latter,  that  they  shall  be  changed,  or  undergo  the  same  change 
 with  those  who  are  raised.  But,  if  some  of  the  saints  had  been 
 previously  raised,  such  a  change  would  not  be  necessary  to 
 them  ;  and  we  may  therefore  conclude  that  there  will  be  no 
 persons  of  this  description  among  the  last  generation  of  man- 
 kind. 
 
 "  Behold,  I  shew  you  a  mystery  :  we  shall  not  all  sleep, 
 but  we  shall  all  be  changed."  *  The  law  of  mortality  admits 
 of  exceptions,  and  an  entire  generation  will  be  exempted 
 from  its  operation.  I  formerly  shewed  you  that  death  is  not 
 necessary  to  the  complete  sanctification  of  the  soul ;  although, 
 in  the  case  of  those  who  die,  that  is  the  period  when  it  is 
 completed.  The  bodies  of  those  who  are  alive  when  Christ 
 comes,  will  be  as  unfit  for  the  heavenly  state  as  the  bodies 
 lying  in  the  grave,  and  will  therefore  undergo  the  same 
 change ;  with  this  difference  only,  that  there  will  be  no 
 recomposition,  but  a  sudden  transformation  of  them.  This 
 moment,  they  will  be  weary,  hungry,  faint,  diseased,  and 
 racked  with  pain ;  the  next,  they  will  be  invested  with  the 
 glories  of  immortality.  "  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of 
 an  eye,  at  the  last  trump ;  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  the 
 •   1  Cor.  xv.  51. 
 
54  THE   RESURRECTION. 
 
 dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed."* 
 But,  in  the  first  place,  as  we  are  informed,  the  dead  saints 
 shall  be  raised.  What  a  wonderful  sight !  mortals  changed 
 into  immortals  !  the  earth  and  the  sea  yielding  up  their 
 treasures,  and  men  mingling  with  angels  who  have  descended 
 to  convey  them  to  their  own  blessed  abodes  !  "  Then  we  which 
 are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them 
 in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air ;  and  so  shall  we  be 
 ever  with  the  Lord."f 
 
 *  1  Cor.  xv.  52.  +  1  Thess.  iv.  17- 
 
LECTURE  LXXXIII. 
 
 ON  THE  FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT  OF  THE  SAINTS THEIR  ACQUITTAL  AND  ENTRANCE 
 
 INTO  HEAVEN THEIR  SUPRE3IE  FELICITY  :  ITS  NATURE  AND  SOURCES. 
 
 The  resurrection  of  the  dead  will  be  followed  by  the  general 
 judgment,  in  which  small  and  great  shall  stand  before  God 
 to  receive  their  final  sentence.  There  will  be  a  visible  ap- 
 pearance of  Jesus  Christ,  who  will  come  with  great  power 
 and  glory,  and  will  erect  his  throne  in  the  clouds.  His  mi- 
 nisters will  be  the  angels,  who  will  be  sent  forth  to  gather 
 together  his  elect  from  all  the  parts  of  the  earth  in  which 
 they  are  dwelling,  or  in  which  their  bodies  are  deposited. 
 Saints  and  sinners  are  now  mingled  together  in  the  com- 
 mon offices  of  life,  and  are  connected  by  various  ties ;  but 
 then  they  will  be  parted  for  ever.  "  Before  him  shall  be 
 gathered  all  nations  ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
 another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats ; 
 and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on 
 the  left."*  These  words  are  commonly  understood  in  a  literal 
 sense,  as  if  the  places  mentioned  would  be  respectively  occu- 
 pied by  the  two  opposite  classes  of  mankind;  but  perhaps  a 
 little  reflection  will  shew  us  that  this  interpretation  cannot  be 
 admitted,  and  does  not  accord  with  our  other  conceptions  of 
 the  grand  assize.     If  the  Son  of  Man  is  to  sit  on  his  throne 
 
 •  Matth.  xxv.  32,  33. 
 
56  THE   FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 in  the  clouds,  and  the  saints  are  to  be  caught  up  to  meet  him 
 in  the  air,  the  position  of  the  two  parties  on  the  right  and 
 left  hand  cannot  be  so  easily  imagined,  and  it  may  be  presumed 
 to  be  a  figurative  description.  The  place  at  the  right  hand, 
 which  will  be  assigned  to  the  righteous,  may  signify  the 
 station  of  honour  which  they  will  occupy ;  for  this  is  the 
 general  idea  which  that  situation  suggests  in  Scripture,  par- 
 ticularly when  our  Saviour  himself  is  said  to  sit  at  the  right 
 hand  of  his  Father,  who  has  no  right  hand,  but  has  exalted 
 him  "  far  above  all  principalities  and  powers." 
 
 In  the  figurative  description  of  the  transactions  of  the  last 
 day,  in  the  Revelation  of  John,  we  are  informed  that  "  the 
 books  were  opened  ;  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is 
 the  book  of  life."  *  It  is  out  of  this  book  that  the  saints  will 
 be  judged,  whether  we  understand  by  it  the  Gospel,  or  the 
 divine  decree  by  which  they  were  appointed  to  salvation. 
 To  the  law,  as  the  rule  of  justification  and  condemnation, 
 they  are  not  amenable ;  for  they  have  been  delivered  from  it 
 by  Jesus  Christ,  and  when  they  believed  in  him,  they  declared 
 that  they  ceased  to  seek  righteousness  by  it.  The  question, 
 therefore,  will  not  be,  whether  they  have  fulfilled  or  transgress- 
 ed this  law  ;  but,  whether  they  possess  the  precious  faith  which 
 God  has  appointed  to  be  the  only  means  of  obtaining  salvation. 
 No  inquiry  will  be  necessary  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  Judge, 
 who  knows  their  hearts,  and  by  his  grace  produced  all  the 
 good  which  will  be  found  in  them ;  but  it  will  be  necessary 
 for  the  great  design  of  the  general  judgment,  which  is,  the 
 manifestation  of  his  righteousness  in  the  final  allotment  of  the 
 human  race.  To  convince  all  that  it  is  not  by  an  arbitrary 
 decision  that  heaven  is  assigned  to  them  in  preference  to 
 others,  and  that  the  sentence  is  founded  in  reasons  which 
 accord  with  the  rectitude  of  the  Divine  administration,  evi- 
 dence will  be  exhibited  of  the  validity  of  their  title  ;  and  this 
 evidence  will  be  furnished  by  their  works  :  "  Then  shall  the 
 King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
 my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
 foundation  of  the  world  :  For  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye 
 gave  me  meat :   I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink  ;   I  was 
 
 •  Rev.  xx.  12. 
 
Till;   PINAL  BTAT1  OF  THE   HIGHTB01 
 
 ■  stranger,  tad  ye  took  me  in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I 
 wafl  sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came 
 unto  me."*  It  is  evident  to  every  person  who  understands 
 his  Bible,  that  the  works  of  the  saints  are  here  mentioned, 
 not  as  the  foundation,  but  as  the  evidence  of  their  title.  If 
 men  are  not  justified  by  works,  but  by  faith ;  if  they  are  not 
 saved  by  their  merit,  but  by  grace  ;  it  is  certain,  that  the  final 
 >entence  can  refer  to  their  works  only  as  proofs,  to  all  who 
 shall  witness  the  decision,  that  they  are  the  persons  to  whom 
 the  promise  of  eternal  life  belongs,  or  believers,  whose  faith 
 wrought  by  love  and  thus  demonstrated  its  genuineness. 
 
 It  appears  that  the  good  works  of  the  saints  will  be  mentioned 
 in  the  judgment,  and  for  what  purpose  they  will  be  produced. 
 But  will  any  mention  be  made  of  their  sins?  This  is  a 
 question  about  which  those  who  have  deemed  it  worthy  of 
 attention  are  divided  in  sentiment.  It  has  been  said  by  such 
 as  maintain  that  they  will  not  be  mentioned,  that  there  is  no 
 reference  to  them  in  the  account  which  our  Lord  gives  of  the 
 general  judgment,  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew;  that  the  re- 
 mission of  them  is  expressed  in  such  terms  as  imply  that  they 
 are  henceforth  to  be  for  ever  concealed,  for  they  are  "  cast  into 
 the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  are  to  be  remembered  no  more  ;" 
 that  it  is  not  consonant  to  the  character  of  the  Judge,  who  is 
 also  the  propitiation  for  their  sins,  to  suppose  that  he  will 
 bring  them  to  light  in  a  manner  so  public  ;  and  that,  not- 
 withstanding their  full  acquittal,  we  could  not  conceive  the 
 saints  not  to  be  affected  with  shame,  if  their  crimes,  the  re- 
 collection of  which  has  often  made  them  blush  and  hang 
 down  their  heads,  were  exposed  to  the  view  of  the  universe. 
 But,  in  opposition  to  these  arguments,  it  is  said  that,  accord- 
 ing to  Scripture,  "God  will  bring  every  work  into  judg- 
 ment, with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether 
 it  be  evil ;"  *  that  justice  seems  to  require  that  there  should 
 be  an  impartial  review  of  the  conduct  of  each  individual ; 
 that  to  recall  the  memory  of  the  sins  of  the  saints,  will  dis- 
 play the  virtue  of  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ,  and  the  richefl 
 of  the  grace  of  God,  through  which  they  have  been  pardon- 
 ed :  that,  in  many  cases,  the  sins  of  the  wicked  could  not  be 
 *  Matth.  xxv.  34—36.  f  Ecc.  xii.  14. 
 
58  THE  FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 published  without  the  publication  of  theirs,  as  they  were  asso- 
 ciated in  the  same  deeds  ;  that  some  of  them  are  already  made 
 public  in  the  Scriptures,  and  are  held  up  as  a  spectacle  to  all 
 generations  ;  and  that  no  feeling  of  shame  would  be  excited, 
 because  God  has  fully  remitted  their  trespasses,  and  they  glory 
 in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  with  which  they  are  adorned. 
 
 There  is  some  force  in  the  arguments  on  both  sides,  and  it 
 is  not  easy  to  determine  which  preponderates ;  but  we  need 
 not  perplex  ourselves  about  the  matter,  as  in  truth  the  ques- 
 tion is  more  curious  than  profitable,  and  nothing  will  be  gained 
 or  lost  by  a  decision  in  either  way. 
 
 But,  whether  the  particular  sins  of  the  saints  will  or  will 
 not  be  mentioned  in  the  judgment,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
 that  there  will  be  a  general  reference  to  them.     Glorious  as 
 their  appearance  will  be,  it  will  be  understood  that  they  were 
 once  sinners,  who  deserved  to  be  placed  on  the  left  hand  of 
 the  Judge,  but  were  pardoned  through  Divine  mercy ;  and 
 it  will  be  an  important  part  of  the  transactions  of  the  last 
 day,  to  publish  the  sentence  of  acquittal  in  the  ears  of  angels 
 and  men.     If  their  title  to  the  favour  of  God  is  often  a  sub- 
 ject of  doubt  to  themselves  amidst  the  darkness  of  the  present 
 state,    their  fears  are  dispelled,  either  before  they  die,    or 
 immediately  after  their  spirits  enter  into  the  presence  of  God. 
 But  by  others  it  is  disputed,  and  the  grounds  on  which  it 
 rests  are  accounted  imaginary,  while  their  faith  is  derided  as 
 a  foolish  presumptuous  fancy,  and  the  doctrine  of  imputed 
 righteousness  is  pronounced  to  be  the  dream  of  a  shadow. 
 The  decision  of  the  last  day  will  put  an  end  for  ever  to  these 
 suspicions  and  accusations.     Who  shall  condemn  those  whom 
 God   has  justified?     There  are,  besides,  many  calumnious 
 charges  advanced  against  the  people  of  God,   through  igno- 
 rance or  malice,  which,   indeed,   are  in  this  case  very  nearly 
 allied ;  for  although  they  may  sometimes  originate  in  mistake, 
 yet  there  is  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  ungodly  to  adopt 
 the  charges,  from   prejudice  against  religion,  and  a  wish  to 
 hold  up  to  contempt  and  detestation  men  whose  persons  they 
 hate,    because  they  hate  their  principles.      We  know  what 
 were  the  slanders  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  against  the  Chris- 
 tians in  the  primitive  times ;  it  appears  from  history,  that 
 
i  m;  i  i\  \i.  STAT1    O*  Tin:  k  k.ii  ikois.  99 
 
 these  have  betfl  repeated,   or  new  ones  have  beet!  invented  iu 
 
 succeeding  ages  ;  and  the  same  hostility  Bubeifits,  and  discovers 
 itself  in  the  opprobrious  names  with  which  the  genuine 
 diseiples  of  Jesus  are  branded.  Precisians,  puritans,  me- 
 thodists,  enthusiasts,  fanatics,  hypocrites,  are  some  of  the 
 terms  of  contempt  in  the  world's  copious  vocabulary  ;  and 
 they  are  applied  to  them  because  they  have  imbibed  the 
 spirit,  and  act  under  the  influence,  of  the  religion  which  even 
 their  enemies  profess  to  respect.  But  the  final  sentence  will 
 vindicate  the  character  of  the  righteous,  and  make  the  infamy 
 light  upon  those  with  whom  it  originated.  Then  shall  these 
 words  be  fulfilled  in  all  their  extent :  "  No  weapon  that  is 
 formed  against  thee  shall  prosper;  and  every  tongue  that  shall 
 rise  against  thee  in  judgment,  thou  shalt  condemn.  This  is 
 the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord  ;  and  their  righteous- 
 ness is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord."* 
 
 The  saints  having  been  openly  acknowledged  and  acquitted 
 in  the  day  of  judgment,  will  make  their  triumphant  entry  into 
 the  place  destined  for  their  reception  :  "  These  shall  go  away 
 into  everlasting  life."  The  place  is  called  heaven,  by  which 
 we  understand  that  region  of  the  universe  in  which  angels  and 
 the  spirits  of  the  just  now  dwell,  and  all  the  righteous  shall 
 be  finally  assembled.  Where  it  is  situated,  we  do  not  know. 
 We  speak  of  it  as  above  us ;  but  the  phrase  is  used  in  confor- 
 mity to  a  notion  founded  upon  the  appearance  of  the  visible 
 heavens.  What  is  above  us  at  this  moment,  will  be  beneath 
 us  twelve  hours  hence,  in  consequence  of  the  revolution  of  the 
 earth  ;  and  what  is  beneath  us,  seems  to  be  above  to  those 
 who  are  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  globe.  Our  ideas  of  its 
 situation  are  therefore  vague ;  and  there  is  only  one  thing, 
 which  it  seems  warrantable  to  conclude,  that  it  lies  beyond  the 
 limits  of  the  visible  creation  ;  for  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  now  in 
 it,  is  said  to  have  ascended  "  above  all  heavens,"  that  is,  above 
 the  aerial  and  starry  heavens,  according  to  the  Jewish  division 
 of  the  superior  regions.  That  it  is  a  place,  we  have  no  reason 
 to  doubt,  and  it  is  an  imaginary  refinement  to  consider  it  only 
 ;i>  a  state.  It  is  undeniable  that  God  can  make  any  place 
 heaven   by  there   revealing   himself,    and   communicating   the 
 
 •  Fsa.  liv.   lj. 
 
60  THE   FINAL  STATE   OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 fulness  of  his  love  ;  but  this  is  nothing  to  the  purpose.  Our 
 business  is  not  with  speculations  about  his  power,  but  with 
 the  declarations  of  his  word ;  and  Scripture  uniformly  sup- 
 poses that  there  is  a  particular  place,  which  is  appointed  to  be 
 the  final  abode  of  the  righteous.  There  have  been  curious 
 and  idle  discussions  respecting  the  ubi  of  Spirits,  and  whether, 
 as  they  are  not  material,  and  cannot  like  body  be  confined 
 within  definite  limits,  places  can  be  predicated  of  them ;  but 
 there  is  no  occasion  at  present  to  perplex  ourselves  with  the 
 arguments  on  either  side,  because  the  saints  in  the  future  state 
 will  be  clothed  with  a  material  frame.  It  must  be  a  material 
 place  which  is  inhabited  by  our  blessed  Saviour,  and  Enoch, 
 and  Elijah,  and  the  saints  who  came  out  of  their  graves  after 
 the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  will  be  inhabited  hereafter  by 
 the  thousands  and  millions  whom  he  will  raise  to  life  at  his 
 second  coming. 
 
 Concerning  the  nature  of  the  place  we  can  form  no  con- 
 jectures. The  descriptions  of  it  are  undoubtedly  figurative. 
 Some  parts  of  our  earth  display  scenes  of  astonishing  gran- 
 deur and  consummate  beauty ;  but  heaven  will  be  inconceiva- 
 bly superior  to  what  the  earth  was,  even  before  its  loveliness 
 had  been  impaired  by  the  curse.  It  seems  reasonable  to  sup- 
 pose that  it  will  be  totally  different  from  the  earth,  because 
 the  beings  who  inhabit  it,  although  men,  will  be  entirely 
 changed  in  respect  of  the  constitution  of  their  bodies.  We 
 are  indeed  told  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  that  a  river  flows  in 
 it,  and  that  trees  grow  upon  its  banks  ;*  but  who  does  not  per- 
 ceive, that  the  subject  wTould  be  degraded  by  a  literal  interpre- 
 tation, and  that  the  ideas  suggested  are  those  of  beauty,  re- 
 freshment, and  abundance  ?  It  is  presented  to  us  under  the 
 image  of  a  city  of  pure  gold,  the  foundation  and  gates  of  which 
 are  composed  of  precious  stones.f  "  And  the  city  had  no  need 
 of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it ;  for  the  glory  of 
 God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof.  And 
 the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved  shall  walk  in  the  light 
 of  it ;  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory  and 
 honour  into  it.  And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all 
 by  day  ;  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there."  %     All  that  we  can 
 
 •  Rev.  xxii.  1,  2.  +  lb.  xxi.  19,  21.  £  !*>•  23—25. 
 
nil:  TIN  \l.  STATE  01    THE  RIGH  PI  81 
 
 lay  IS,  that  in  heaven  there  will  be  visible  tokens  ot*  the  pre- 
 sence ot*  (iod.  Upon  earth  he  manifests  himself,  not  only  by 
 impressions  upon  the  minds  of  his  intelligent  creatures,  but 
 bv  displays  of  his  perfections  in  the  splendour  of  the  heavens 
 and  the  various  processes  which  are  going  on,  above  us  and 
 around  us.  We  may  believe,  therefore,  that  he  will  manifest 
 himself  in  heaven,  both  by  a  secret  intercourse  with  the 
 souls  of  the  saints,  and  by  such  external  signs  as  will  shew 
 that  he  is  near,  and  that  this  is  his  temple  and  his  palace. 
 Who  can  conceive  the  majesty  and  glory  of  the  place  which 
 he  has  chosen  for  his  peculiar  residence  ?  Here  all  the  mag- 
 nificence and  beauty,  which  we  admire  in  the  universe,  will 
 be  united  with  beauty  and  magnificence  of  which  we  can  form 
 no  idea.      It  will  be  the  noblest  work  of  his  almighty  hand. 
 
 It  has  been  asked,  whether,  in  this  blessed  abode,  the  saints 
 will  know  one  another  ?  One  should  think  that  the  question 
 was  unnecessary,  as  the  answer  naturally  presents  itself  to 
 every  man's  mind  ;  and  it  could  only  have  occurred  to  some 
 dreaming  Theologian,  who,  in  his  airy  speculations,  has  soared 
 far  beyond  the  sphere  of  reason  and  common  sense.  Who 
 can  doubt  whether  the  saints  will  know  one  another  ?  What 
 reason  can  be  given  why  they  should  not  ?  Would  it  be  any 
 part  of  their  perfection  to  have  all  their  former  ideas  oblite- 
 rated, and  to  meet  as  strangers  in  the  other  world  ?  Would 
 it  give  us  a  more  favourable  notion  of  the  assembly  in  hea- 
 ven, to  suppose  it  to  consist  of  a  multitude  of  unknown  indi- 
 viduals, who  never  hold  communication  with  each  other  ;  or 
 by  some  inexplicable  restraint  are  prevented,  amidst  an  inti- 
 mate intercourse,  from  making  mutual  discoveries  ?  Or  have 
 they  forgotten  what  they  themselves  wrere,  so  that  they  cannot 
 reveal  it  to  their  associates  ?  WThat  would  be  gained  by  this 
 ignorance  no  man  can  tell ;  but  we  can  tell  what  would  be  lost 
 by  it.  They  would  lose  all  the  happiness  of  meeting  again 
 on  the  peaceful  shore,  those  from  whom  they  were  separated 
 by  the  storms  of  life  ;  of  seeing  among  the  trophies  of  divine 
 grace,  many  of  whom  they  had  despaired,  and  for  whose  sakes 
 they  had  gone  down  with  sorrow  to  the  grave  ;  of  knowing  the 
 good  which  they  had  been  honoured  to  do,  and  being  sur- 
 rounded with  the  individuals  who  had  been  saved  by  means 
 
62  THE   FINAL  STATE   OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 of  their  prayers,  and  instructions,  and  labours.  How  could 
 those  whom  he  had  been  the  instrument  of  converting,  and 
 building  up  in  the  holy  faith,  be  to  the  minister  of  the  gospel 
 a  crown  of  joy  and  rejoicing  in  the  day  of  the  Lord,  if  he 
 did  not  recognize  them  when  standing  at  his  side?  The 
 saints  will  be  free  from  the  turbulence  of  passion,  but  their  in- 
 nocent affections  will  remain ;  and  could  they  spend  eternal  ages 
 without  asking,  Are  our  children  here  ?  Are  our  still  dearer 
 relatives  here  ?  Have  our  friends,  with  whom  we  took  sweet 
 counsel  together,  found  their  way  to  this  country,  to  which  we 
 travelled  in  company  till  death  parted  us  ?  And,  if  to  these  ques- 
 tions no  answer  could  be  returned,  would  they  be  happy  ? 
 
 The  same  mode  of  thinking  which  suggested  this  question, 
 has  led  to  another  strange  notion  of  heaven,  as  if  it  would  be 
 a  state  of  solitary  enjoyment.  It  has  been  glossed  over,  too, 
 with  the  appearance  of  piety  ;  and  it  has  been  said,  that  the 
 saints  will  be  so  absorbed  in  the  contemplation  and  enjoyment 
 of  God,  that  they  will  not  need  the  society  of  others,  and  will 
 be  insensible  to  their  presence.  But,  while  we  acknowledge 
 that  God  alone  is  sufficient  to  the  happiness  of  his  creatures, 
 and  cordially  concur  in  the  sentiment  that  he  is  the  chief 
 good,  we  must  not  permit  ourselves  to  be  carried  away  by  im- 
 posing sounds,  and  follow  even  piety  in  its  fanciful  wanderings. 
 What  some  mystic,  or  some  good  but  enthusiastic  man  may 
 have  said,  is  nothing  to  us,  whose  ideas  of  future  and  invisible 
 things  should  rest  on  a  more  solid  foundation.  The  question  is, 
 what  kind  of  heaven  has  God  promised  to  his  people,  and  what 
 kind  of  heaven  is  suitable  to  the  nature  of  man  ?  With  re- 
 spect to  the  latter  question,  I  remark,  that,  although  the  pre- 
 sent relations  among  mankind,  of  father  and  son,  husband 
 and  wife,  which  are  dissolved  at  death,  will  not  be  renewed, 
 yet  the  general  relation  of  a  common  descent,  and  a  common 
 nature,  strengthened  by  the  relation  arising  from  a  common 
 redemption,  will  remain  ;  and  the  love,  too,  will  remain  which 
 is  implied  in  those  relations,  and  leads  to  the  performance  of 
 their  duties.  Human  nature  will  be  purified  and  exalted,  but 
 will  not  be  essentially  changed.  Without  such  a  change,  how- 
 ever, we  could  not  conceive  its  present  tendency  to  union  and 
 fellowship  with  others  to  cease.      Unless  man  should  become 
 
nil.   FINAL  si  \  i  i.  01    i  EU   SIGHTBOI  S, 
 
 a  totally  different  being,  he  could  not  be  perfectly  happy  in  ab- 
 solute solitude.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  according  to  the  hypo- 
 thesis, all  his  desires  will  he  concentrated  upon  his  Maker;  hut 
 before  we  can  admit  this  assumption,  we  must  he  a>sured  that 
 his  instinctive  desire  for  communion  with  his  equals  will  he 
 extinguished,  or  in  other  words,  that  he  will  receive  a  new  con- 
 stitution. If  love  to  his  fellow-men  should  remain,  it  would, 
 according  to  the  hypothesis,  be  superfluous  and  useless;  a 
 power  preserved  but  never  to  be  exercised.  What  idea  can 
 any  person  form  of  the  family  of  heaven,  consisting  of  insulat- 
 ed individuals,  of  brothers  connected  in  the  most  intimate 
 bonds,  but  holding  no  correspondence  ?  With  regard  to  the 
 other  part  of  the  question,  which  relates  to  the  heaven  which 
 God  has  promised  to  his  people  ;  you  know,  that  it  is  positively 
 represented  as  a  state  of  society.  And  how  could  it  enter  into 
 any  sound  mind  to  conceive  of  it  otherwise?  Are  not  its 
 inhabitants  the  identical  persons,  who  were  congregated  into 
 one  body  upon  earth,  and  united  in  the  same  faith,  and  love, 
 and  worship  ;  and  why,  w  hen  they  are  assembled  again  in  the 
 celestial  sanctuary,  should  they  be  supposed  immediately  to 
 separate,  that  each  may  dwrell  in  his  own  recess,  through  an 
 eternal  duration,  like  the  solitaries  of  the  desert  ?  It  is  not 
 thus  that  revelation  describes  the  world  to  come.  "  In  my 
 Father's  house  are  many  mansions."  *  What  a  wild  imagination 
 must  it  be  which  would  suppose  that  those  mansions  are  to 
 be  tenanted  by  individuals  living  in  a  state  of  seclusion  from 
 the  family  ?  No  ;  the  natural  suggestion  is,  that  heaven  is 
 furnished  with  every  accommodation  ;  that  there  all  those  com- 
 forti  will  be  found  which  we  usually  enjoy  in  a  house — rest, 
 peace,  society,  and  friendship  ;  that  it  is  the  place  of  final 
 meeting  to  the  children  of  God,  as  the  members  of  a  human 
 family,  who  were  separated  during  the  day,  and  scattered 
 abroad  in  pursuit  of  their  respective  employments,  assemble 
 in  the  evening  in  their  common  habitation.  In  the  revelation 
 of  John,  they  are  represented  as  "  standing"  before  the  throne  ; 
 hut  that  we  may  not  imagine  that  they  stand  there  as  units 
 composing  the  aggregate  number,  without  any  other  tie  but 
 juxta-position,   they  are  farther  represented  as  engaged  in  the 
 
 *  John  xiv.  2. 
 
64  THE    FINAL  STATE   OF  THE  RIGHTED  I 
 
 same  service  of  adoration  and  thanksgiving.  It  is  not  the 
 song  of  each  man  for  himself,  but  the  song  of  the  multitude 
 of  the  redeemed,  which  will  be  heard  in  the  celestial  temple. 
 "  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no 
 man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people, 
 and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
 clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands  ;  and 
 cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salvation  unto  our  God  which 
 sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb."  *  There,  they 
 will  meet,  and  rejoice,  who  upon  earth  went  to  the  house  of 
 God  in  company ;  and  there,  they  will  meet  who  never  met 
 before,  and  will  hail  one  another  as  brethren. 
 
 Praise  is  represented  to  be  the  employment  of  the  saints  in 
 heaven ;  and  who  can  doubt  that  the  representation  is  just  ? 
 Every  individual  will  feel  his  infinite  obligations  to  Divine 
 grace,  and  will  experience  ineffable  delight  in  expressing  them. 
 Whether  there  will  be  vocal  praise  in  heaven,  cannot  be  ascer- 
 tained from  the  figurative  descriptions  of  it ;  but,  that  it  will  be 
 vocal  does  not  seem  improbable,  as  the  saints,  having  bodies, 
 may  be  conceived  to  have  also  organs  of  speech.  Yet,  on  reflec- 
 tion it  cannot  be  supposed,  that  praise  will  be  their  only  and  per- 
 petual exercise.  They  will  serve  God  day  and  night  in  his 
 temple  ;  but  there  are  other  ways  in  which  this  service  may  be 
 performed.  They  will  have  minds  to  contemplate,  as  well  as 
 hearts  to  love  him  ;  and  why  may  we  not  presume  that  a  por- 
 tion of  their  happy  existence  will  be  devoted  to  the  survey  of 
 the  glorious  manifestations  of  his  attributes,  and  the  review  of 
 his  wonderful  works  ?  They  will  be  surrounded  with  their 
 redeemed  brethren  ;  and  will  they  not  enter  into  conversation 
 with  them  upon  subjects  in  which  they  are  all  equally  in- 
 terested ?  Will  they  not  listen  with  delight  to  one  another's 
 history,  and  feel  their  hearts  glow  with  admiration  and  love, 
 while  in  every  new  tale  there  are  new  displays  of  Divine  wis- 
 dom and  goodness  ?  But  we  speak  as  children  do  of  the 
 actions  of  men,  and  with  still  less  knowledge.  We  are  igno- 
 rant whether  language  will  be  used  in  heaven  as  the  vehicle 
 of  thought,  or  some  new  medium  of  communication  will  be 
 established.     We  understand  still  less  the  manner  in  which 
 
 *  Rev.  vii.  9,  10. 
 
i  in-:  i  in  \i  (jj 
 
 intercourse  will  be  maintained  between  men  who  have  bodily 
 senses  and  organs,  and  angels  who  are  incorporeal  beings; 
 
 J>nt  one  thing  we  know,  thai  angels  and  men  will  he  united 
 in  one  holy  society,  and  will  dwell  together  in  perfect  friend- 
 ship, loving  one  another,  receiving  and  communicating  happi- 
 ness. 
 
 But  the  felicity  of  the  saints  in  the  heavenly  world,  will 
 not  arise  solely  from  the  nature  of  the  place  which  they  in- 
 habit, and  from  the  company  with  which  they  are  associated. 
 As  the  chief  end  of  man  is  the  glory  of  God,  so  his  supreme 
 happiness  consists  in  the  enjoyment  of  him.  This  is  the 
 judgment  of  all  regenerated  men ;  and  heaven  is  the  object  of 
 their  hope,  because  in  that  place  their  desires  for  his  pre- 
 sence, and  the  full  communication  of  his  love,  will  be  gratified. 
 "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  on 
 earth  whom  I  desire  besides  thee."  * 
 
 Our  Saviour  pronounces  the  pure  in  heart  to  be  blessed, 
 M  for  they  shall  see  God."  f  There  is  only  an  apparent  con- 
 tradiction between  his  words  and  those  of  Paul,  who  says  of 
 the  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  that  "  no  man  hath  seen,  or 
 can  see  him ;"  J  for  the  one  speaks  of  mental,  and  the  other 
 of  corporeal  vision.  As  God  is  a  spiritual  being,  he  has 
 never  been  seen  by  mortal  eyes ;  the  appearances  of  him 
 which  are  mentioned  in  Scripture  having  been  symbols  and 
 sensible  forms  assumed  for  a  time.  For  the  same  reason,  no 
 man  will  see  him,  even  in  the  future  state ;  for  it  should  be 
 remembered  that,  although  the  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be 
 highly  refined,  it  is  physically  impossible  that  a  spirit  should 
 be  perceived  by  material  organs.  Jesus  Christ  will  be  seen, 
 because  he  is  clothed  with  human  nature ;  but  the  Father 
 dwells  amidst  inaccessible  light.  It  is  not  inconsistent  with 
 what  is  now  stated,  to  suppose  a  visible  manifestation  of  his 
 glory,  similar  to  the  symbol  which  appeared  in  the  most  holy 
 place,  or  the  representation  made  to  Moses,  when  the  Lord 
 passed  by  him,  and  proclaimed  his  name ;  because,  this  would 
 not  be  God  himself,  but  only  a  sign  of  his  presence. 
 
 The  saints  will  see  God  with  their  minds,  or  attain 
 knowledge    clear   and  comprehensive,  when   compared   with 
 
 •  Pfc  lxxiii.  Mu  f  Matth.  v.  H.  J  1  Tim.  vi.  l.i. 
 
 VOL.  IV.  E 
 
66  THE   FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 the  obscure  and  imperfect  knowledge  which  they  at  pre- 
 sent derive  from  his  works  and  his  word.  "  Now,"  says 
 Paul,  "  we  know  in  part,  and  prophesy  in  part.  But 
 when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is 
 in  part  shall  be  done  away.  For  now  we  see  through  a 
 glass  darkly  ;  but  then  face  to  face  :  now  I  know  in  part ; 
 but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known."  *  Strong 
 as  this  language  is,  it  must  not  be  understood  of  an  adequate 
 knowledge  ;  for  an  infinite  being  can  be  comprehended  only 
 by  an  infinite  understanding.  The  knowledge  of  the  future 
 state  will  be  comparatively  perfect,  free  from  doubts  and 
 errors,  and  much  more  extensive  than  it  is  at  present  possible 
 to  acquire.  Here,  our  progress  is  slow,  and  impeded  by  ob- 
 stacles. There,  knowledge  will  be  infused  into  the  mind 
 without  the  operose  process  of  instruction  and  inquiry.  Here, 
 our  views  are  limited,  and  we  see  only  the  skirts  of  his  glory ; 
 there,  the  revelation  will  be  as  ample  as  our  finite  faculties 
 will  permit.  What  the  saints  already  know,  will  shine  with 
 new  light,  and  present  itself  to  their  minds  with  an  evidence 
 and  a  satisfaction  which  they  never  formerly  experienced ; 
 and  many  things  will  be  disclosed  to  them,  which  it  had  not 
 entered  into  their  hearts  to  conceive  :  mysteries  will  be  ex- 
 plained, difficulties  will  be  solved,  and  excellencies  will  rise  to 
 view  in  the  Divine  nature,  of  which  no  vestige  was  discover- 
 able in  his  works.  How  glorious  will  he  appear,  when  every 
 veil  is  removed,  and  he  is  contemplated  in  the  fulness  of  his 
 attributes  !  The  sight  will  he  transporting,  and  will  excite 
 the  highest  admiration  and  joy. 
 
 As  the  Almighty  cannot  be  sought  out  to  perfection  by  any 
 finite  mind,  we  do  not  conceive  the  knowledge  of  the  saints 
 in  heaven  to  be  stationary.  It  is  possible,  indeed,  that 
 although  it  is  now  progressive,  it  may  arrive  at  a  point  be- 
 yond which  it  is  destined  not  to  proceed  ;  at  least,  we  could 
 not  prove  this  supposition  to  be  absurd.  The  soul  might 
 acquire,  on  its  first  entrance  into  heaven,  or  on  its  re-union  to 
 the  body  at  the  last  day,  all  the  knowledge  of  which  it  was 
 capable;  and  this  being  sufficient  for  its  happiness,  there 
 might  be  no  further  expansion  of  its  faculties.     But  we  natu- 
 
 *  1  Cor.  xiii.  9—12. 
 
Till.  FINAL  BTATB  OF  THE   RIGHTBOl  S.  o7 
 
 rally  judge  of  the  future  state  by  the  present;  and  finding 
 that  the  soul  now  advances  from  stop  to  stop,  we  arc  led  to 
 anticipate  its  perpetual  progression.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
 the  will  of  the  Creator  can  indefinitely  enlarge  its  powers, 
 and  that,  in  the  infinitude  of  his  nature,  there  will  be  new 
 discoveries  to  be  made  for  ever  and  ever.  In  the  course  of  an 
 eternal  duration,  all  the  wonders  of  creation  may  be  surveyed, 
 however  wide  its  extent,  and  however  numerous  its  parts ; 
 but  He,  in  comparison  of  whom  it  is  as  nothing,  can  never  be 
 fully  understood. 
 
 The  knowledge  of  God  in  the  future  state  will  be  accom- 
 panied with  love ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  contemplate  infinite 
 excellence  without  loving  it,  without  loving  it  intensely  and 
 supremely.  In  this  world,  the  saints  prefer  God  to  their 
 chief  joy  ;  and  there  are  seasons  when  their  hearts  go  out  to 
 him  with  an  ardour  which  no  created  object  can  excite,  with 
 vehement  desire  for  the  closest  union  and  the  most  intimate 
 fellowship.  But  this  flame  will  glow  more  ardently  in  the 
 pure  atmosphere  of  heaven.  Here,  love  struggles  with  the 
 infirmity  of  the  flesh,  the  reluctance  of  corrupt  nature,  the 
 operations  of  selfishness,  the  opposing  influence  of  visible 
 things,  by  which  the  senses  and  the  imagination  are  so 
 powerfully  affected ;  but  there,  free  and  unconfined,  it  will 
 be  concentrated  upon  its  object  with  ineffable  delight.  Brought 
 back  from  his  wanderings  into  the  immediate  presence  of  his 
 Father,  man  will  indeed  love  him  with  all  his  heart,  and 
 soul,  and  mind,  and  strength.  The  fervour  of  his  affection 
 will  never  abate,  nor  will  any  thing  occur  to  suspend  it,  or 
 turn  it  into  a  different  channel.  God  will  always  maintain 
 the  pre-eminence,  and  appear  infinitely  greater  and  better  than 
 all  other  beings  ;  and  his  love  to  other  beings  will  be  in  per- 
 fect harmony  with  supreme  love  to  God,  will  flow  from  this 
 exalted  source,  and  will  be  attracted  by  his  image,  as  im- 
 pressed upon  them  in  all  its  loveliness  and  glory.  Some 
 ancient  philosophers  imagined,  that,  after  death,  the  souls  of 
 men  were  absorbed  by  the  Divine  essence,  from  which  they 
 had  originally  emanated  ;  and  mystics  have  talked  of  being 
 identified  with  God,  and  deified  in  him.  These  are  the 
 dreams  of  ignorance,  and  the  ravings  of  insanity.      But  there 
 
0*8  THE   FINAL  STATE  OF  THE   RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 Avill  be  a  union  of  the  most  intimate  kind  between  God  and 
 the  soul  in  the  future  state ;  such  a  union  as  is  effected  by  the 
 purest  and  most  active  mutual  love ;  and  the  saints  will  be 
 one  with  him  in  a  higher  sense  than  we  are  able  to  conceive. 
 There  will  not  be  a  momentary  opposition  of  desires  and 
 interests.  They  will  rejoice  in  God  as  he  is,  and  every 
 power  will  be  devoted  to  him  alone.  Upon  him  their  thoughts 
 will  be  constantly  fixed,  and  in  communion  with  him  their 
 never-failing  joy  will  consist. 
 
 "  Whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail ;  whether 
 there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease :  whether  there  be  knowT- 
 ledge,  it  shall  vanish  away."  '  But  love  never  fails.  It  is 
 adapted  to  every  condition  of  our  nature,  and  constitutes  its 
 moral  perfection.  "  Now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love,  these 
 three  :  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  love."  f  In  the  world  to 
 come,  faith  will  be  unnecessary,  because  its  object  is  seen  ; 
 and  hope,  because  its  object  is  possessed.  Faith  will  termi- 
 nate in  vision,  and  hope  in  enjoyment;  but  love  will  remain, 
 and  join  all  hearts  in  one. 
 
 From  the  observations  already  made,  the  happiness  of  the 
 saints  in  the  celestial  regions  is  unquestionable  ;  but  for  a 
 more  full  illustration  of  it,  we  may  consider  that  it  will  arise 
 from  the  absence  of  all  the  causes  of  pain  and  sorrow,  to  the 
 operation  of  which  they  are  at  present  exposed ;  from  the  pre- 
 sence of  the  highest  possible  good,  and  from  the  certainty  of 
 the  perpetual  possession  of  it. 
 
 "  There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
 neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  the  former  things  are 
 passed  away."  t  Sin  and  suffering  are  connected  as  cause  and 
 effect.  But  all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  will  be  sinless,  and  con- 
 sequently will  no  longer  be  subjected  to  those  sufferings  which 
 are  now  the  just  punishment  or  chastisements  of  their  offences, 
 and  are  necessary  to  check  their  wayward  dispositions,  and 
 to  awaken  them  to  repentance.  There  will  be  no  disease,  or 
 pain  of  body,  no  anxiety  of  mind,  no  fear,  no  regret,  no  dis- 
 appointment, no  unsatisfied  wishes,  no  restlessness  and  dis- 
 content, no  seasons  of  melancholy  and  depression,  no  broken 
 friendships,  no  envy  and  jealousy,  no  distressing  sympathies, 
 *  1  Cor.  xiii.  8.  +  lb.  IS.  J  Rev.  xxi.  4. 
 
TllK  FINAL  STATE   OF  TllK   RIOHTIOl  G9 
 
 no  separation  from  those  whom  we  love.  Afflietion,  when  it 
 now  passes  over  the  mind,  sometimes  makes  deep  furrows, 
 which  time  does  not  erase.  But  there  will  he  no  trace  of  past 
 sorrows  in  the  heart  of  the  saints  ;  no  wounds  still  bleeding, 
 or  BO  slightly  healed  that  a  touch  opens  them  again.  Re- 
 membering all  the  evils  which  befel  them  in  this  sublunary 
 state,  all  the  sad  scenes  which  they  witnessed,  all  the  losses 
 which  they  sustained,  all  the  agonies  which  they  endured, 
 their  minds  will  be  smooth  and  placid  as  the  bosom  of  a  lake 
 when  not  an  air  breathes  upon  it.  Reflection  upon  the  past 
 will  serve  only  to  heighten  the  contrast,  and  to  give  them  a 
 more  lively  feeling  of  their  present  enjoyments.  Who  can 
 conceive  the  calm  of  the  heavenly  regions,  where  no  tempest 
 blows,  and  the  sound  of  lamentation  is  never  heard  ;  where 
 no  qualms  of  conscience  are  felt,  and  not  a  transient  thought 
 disturbs  the  serenity  of  the  soul;  where  every  emotion  and 
 (very  reflection  is  delightful,  and  all  within  and  without  is 
 bliss  !  They  to  whom  death  made  this  world  a  blank,  and 
 who  went  down  into  the  grave  mourning  because  they  were 
 bereaved,  mourn  no  more,  having  found  those  whom  they 
 bewailed,  or  far  better  friends.  They  have  no  will  but  the 
 will  of  God ;  and  those  whom  he  does  not  love,  have  ceased 
 to  be  the  objects  of  their  regard.  "  God  himself  shall  wipe 
 away  all  tears  from  their  eyes."  * 
 
 But  this  is  not  the  sole  cause  of  their  felicity.  They  are 
 not  only  exempt  from  all  evil,  but  are  put  in  possession  of 
 the  greatest  possible  good ;  and  the  good  is  not  the  perfection 
 of  their  own  nature,  or  the  resources  of  their  enlightened  and 
 holy  minds,  but  God  himself,  who  is  their  everlasting  reward. 
 The  soul  having  wandered  from  him,  finds  no  rest  upon  earth  ; 
 nor  would  it  find  it  in  heaven,  if  he  were  not  there.  The 
 happiness  of  man  in  paradise,  was  the  favour  of  his  Maker  ; 
 and  this  alone  will  be  his  happiness  when  he  is  recovered 
 from  the  effects  of  the  fall.  How  could  he  be  happy  in  a 
 state  of  separation  from  God  ?  Can  a  tree  live  and  flourish, 
 when  cut  off  from  all  communication  with  the  elements  which 
 are  appointed  to  nourish  it  ?  The  rational  creation,  aban- 
 doned   by   him,   would  wither    and   die ;    like   the  vegetable 
 
 ■  Rev.  xxi.  4. 
 
70  THE  FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 creation,  when  the  rain  and  clew  of  heaven  are  withheld. 
 The  wicked  will  be  miserable,  not  so  much  on  account 
 of  the  place  to  which  they  are  consigned, — for  the  Divine 
 favour  could  change  a  prison  into  a  palace, — as  because 
 they  will  see  God  afar  off,  being  banished  from  his  gracious 
 presence,  and  separated  from  him  by  an  impassable  gulf.  It 
 is  the  presence  of  God  which  makes  heaven,  the  asylum  of  the 
 saints,  the  seat  of  perfect  joy.  There  they  see  him  as  he  is, 
 and  hold  communion  with  him,  intimate,  uninterrupted,  and 
 everlasting.  Surely  he  who  made  the  soul  of  man  has  access 
 to  it,  and  is  able  to  impress  such  a  sense  of  his  love  as  will  fill 
 it  with  ineffable  satisfaction.  The  pleasure  which  we  at  pre- 
 sent experience  from  pious  meditation,  or  from  the  contem- 
 plation of  nature,  and  the  participation  of  the  blessings  which 
 it  supplies,  is  referrible  to  him  as  its  Author ;  and  shews  us 
 that  he  can  make  the  faculties  of  our  souls,  and  the  organs  of 
 our  bodies,  vehicles  of  bliss.  When  he  shall  no  longer  with- 
 hold his  hand,  but  pour  out  upon  the  objects  of  his  favour 
 blessings  in  profusion,  their  most  ample  desires  will  be  grati- 
 fied, and  their  highest  expectations  surpassed.  If  the  saints 
 upon  earth  triumph,  because  they  can  say,  "  The  Lord  is 
 the  portion  of  our  inheritance  ;"  *  how  much  greater  will  be 
 their  exultation,  when  they  know  the  full  value  of  their  por- 
 tion, the  boundless  extent  of  their  inheritance  !  God  himself 
 will  be  their  God.  He  who  is  all  fair  and  all  good,  to  whom 
 all  perfection  belongs,  and  of  whose  transcendent  excellence 
 this  glorious  universe  is  only  a  shadow, — he  will  be  theirs, 
 and  will  bless  them  for  ever ;  he  will  be  all  in  all,  around 
 them  and  within  them,  the  light  of  their  understandings,  the 
 joy  of  their  hearts,  the  object  of  their  perpetual  praise. 
 
 Let  it  be  observed  once  more,  that  this  felicity  will  be 
 heightened  by  the  knowledge  that  it  is  everlasting.  In  hea- 
 ven there  is  no  apprehension  of  evil,  which  disturbs  our  best 
 hours  upon  earth,  and  is  excited  partly  by  the  suggestions  of 
 conscience,  and  partly  by  our  experience  of  the  vicissitudes  of 
 human  affairs.  Here  we  ought  to  rejoice  with  trembling ; 
 and  often  in  our  most  cheerful  moments  we  are  visited  with 
 the  unwelcome  forebodings  of  a  change.      Who  can  say  with- 
 
 *   Psalm  xv  i.  A. 
 
mi;  ii.NAi.  state  Of  tiik  MGHTBOI  B,  71 
 
 out  presumption,  u  To-morrow  shall  be  as  this  day,  and  much 
 more  abundant  '.'"  The  joys  of  religion  are  equally  Subject  to 
 mutation  as  those  of  a  temporal  nature;  either  because  the 
 saints  are  not  at  all  times  disposed  to  receive  them,  and  by 
 the  unhappy  influence  of  unbelief  they  are  excluded  from  their 
 souls  ;  or,  because  God  is  pleased  to  suspend  them  for  the  trial 
 of  their  faith  and  the  chastisement  of  their  sins.  The  state 
 of  heaven  is  totally  different.  The  duration  of  all  created 
 beings  is  progressive,  and  is  made  up  of  moments  following 
 each  other  in  perpetual  succession  ;  but  that  of  the  saints 
 will  bring  no  change  of  circumstances,  and  may  be  com- 
 pared to  the  duration  of  the  sun  and  the  stars,  which,  from 
 age  to  age,  are  fixed  in  the  same  point  of  space,  and  shine 
 with  undiminished  splendour.  Eternity  will  then  have  com- 
 menced, which,  as  it  flows  on,  carries  all  things  along  in  a 
 uniform  uninterrupted  stream  of  bliss  or  woe.  The  very  pos- 
 sibility of  an  end  would  mar  the  felicity  of  the  righteous.  It 
 would  be  suspended  while  the  question  was  asked,  Will  our 
 joy  last  for  ever  ?  and  the  doubt  implied  in  that  question 
 would  make  fear  pass  over  the  mind  as  the  shadow  of  a  cloud, 
 and  dim  the  lustre  of  the  surrounding  scenery.  Still  more 
 fatal  would  be  the  effect,  if  there  were  positive  ground  to 
 suspect  that  their  joy  would  come  to  an  end.  The  idea  of 
 annihilation,  from  which  nature  recoils,  would  be  doubly 
 terrible.  Who  could  bear  the  thought  of  losing  life  in  its 
 highest  perfection  ;  of  closing  his  eyes  on  this  transcendent 
 glory  to  behold  it  no  more  ;  of  sinking  into  eternal  insen- 
 sibility after  ages  of  rapturous  bliss  ?  But  it  is  an  eternal 
 redemption  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Author.  The  last 
 change  which  his  followers  experience  is  death  ;  or,  if  you 
 will,  the  resurrection,  when  the  separate  spirits  will  be  again 
 embodied.  They  then  enter  upon  a  career  which  will  never 
 be  finished.  Ages  will  run  on  more  rapidly  than  hours  among 
 mortals  ;  but  thousands  of  ages  will  take  nothing  from  their 
 felicity.  God  has  made  them  by  his  gift,  what  he  himself  is 
 in  his  own  nature  ;  and  of  them,  as  well  as  of  him,  it  may  be 
 said,  that  their  years  shall  have  no  end.  "  There  is  no  night 
 there."  "  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  da}' :  neither 
 for  brightness  shall  the  moon  give  light   unto  thee  :   but  the 
 
72  THE  FINAL  STATE  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God 
 thy  glory.  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down  ;  neither  shall 
 thy  moon  withdraw  itself :  for  the  Lord  shall  be  thine  ever- 
 lasting light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended."* 
 Whether  there  will  be  different  degrees  of  glory  in  heaven, 
 is  a  question  more  curious  than  useful.  Those  who  adopt  the 
 negative  allege  a  variety  of  reasons, — as,  that  all  the  saints  are 
 clothed  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  being  equal  in 
 this  respect,  have  a  title  to  an  equal  reward  ;  that  they  all 
 stand  in  the  same  relation  to  God,  as  his  children  are  all  the 
 first-born,  and  will  therefore  receive  the  same  inheritance  ; 
 that  it  would  seem  an  imperfection,  if  one  of  them  had  less 
 glory  than  another,  and  the  former  might  conceive  something 
 better  than  he  actually  possessed,  and  be  disturbed  by  an 
 anxious  desire  for  it ;  that  our  Saviour  has  promised  to  all  a 
 kingdom,  and  has  said  that  they  shall  all  shine  forth  as  the 
 sun ;  and  that,  while  we  speak  of  a  difference  among  them, 
 we  use  words  to  which  no  distinct  meaning  can  be  annexed, 
 as  it  is  granted  that  all  will  be  perfect.  Those  who  adopt  the 
 positive  side  of  the  question,  appeal  to  the  different  degrees  of 
 grace  in  this  world,  from  which  they  infer  that  there  will  be 
 different  degrees  of  glory  in  the  next.  They  grant  that  all 
 saints  will  be  perfectly  happy,  but  compare  them  to  vessels 
 of  different  sizes,  which  are  all  full,  although  some  contain  a 
 greater  quantity  than  others ;  and  they  support  themselves  by 
 several  passages  of  Scripture,  as  the  parable  of  the  talents,! 
 in  which  the  servants  are  recompensed  according  to  their 
 diligence ;  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  "  he  who  soweth 
 sparingly  shall  reap  also  sparingly ;  and  he  who  soweth  boun- 
 tifully, shall  reap  also  bountifully ;"  J  and  of  Daniel,  that 
 "  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
 ment ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars 
 for  ever  and  ever."  ||  With  respect  to  the  last  passage,  the 
 supposed  difference  in  the  degree  of  splendour  must  be  consi- 
 dered as  imaginary,  till  it  is  shewn  what  is  meant  by  the 
 "  brightness  of  the  firmament,"  and  that  it  is  inferior  to  the 
 brightness  of  the  stars ;  and  till  it  be  proved  that  something- 
 more  is  intended,  than  simply  to  convey,  by  a  variety  ol 
 •  Is.  lx.  10,  20.         f  Matth.  xxv.  lo.  J  2  Cor.  ix.  0.  ||  Dan.  xii.  3. 
 
j  HI   l  in  m.  ITATI  Ol    ill i :  RIGHTBOl  7-'* 
 
 phrase,  the  general  idea  of  glory.  The  passage  in  the 
 Epistk  to  the  Corinthians,  which  says  that  one  star  difFeri 
 k-  from  another  ill  glory,"*  has  been  also  quoted  in  favour  of  tliis 
 opinion,  by  those  who  attended  to  the  sound,  without  think- 
 ing of  the  sense.  Any  intelligent  person  who  reads  the 
 passage,  will  perceive  that  the  Apostle  is  speaking  of  a  totally 
 different  subject, — the  difference  between  the  present  and  the 
 future  bodies  of  the  saints ;  and  is  illustrating  it  by  the  diffe- 
 rent appearances  which  matter  assumes  in  the  plastic  hands  of 
 the  Almighty. 
 
 It  is  of  no  consequence  what  view  you  take  of  the  question  ; 
 and  to  discuss  it  either  here  or  elsewhere,  would  serve  no 
 valuable  purpose.  The  prize  proposed  to  all  is  of  incalculable 
 value,  and  is  worthy  of  the  highest  efforts  which  are  made  to 
 obtain  it.  Whether  the  final  allotment  of  the  saints  shall  be 
 equal  or  unequal,  they  will  all  be  content,  and  will  all  rejoice 
 with  joy  unspeakable. 
 
 •  1  Cor.  xv.  41. 
 
LECTURE  LXXXIV. 
 
 ON  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 
 
 EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  NECESSARY  TO  ALL  BUT  INFANTS THE  WORD 
 
 OF  GOD  THE  EARLIEST  AND  PRINCIPAL  MEANS DIVISION  OF  THE   WORD 
 
 INTO  THE  LAW   AND    THE    GOSPEL. — DIFFERENT   SENSES    OF  THE  TERM 
 
 GOSPEL ITS  PROPER  MEANING   AS    DISTINGUISHED  FROM    THE  LAW. 
 
 THE   GOSPEL  NOT  A  NEW  LAW  OF  GRACE. ITS  EFFICACY  AS  A  MEANS. 
 
 In  the  preceding  lectures,  we  have  surveyed  the  scheme  of 
 redemption  in  its  contrivance,  its  execution,  and  its  applica- 
 tion. Originating  in  the  love  of  God  before  the  world  began, 
 it  was  carried  into  effect  by  the  mission  and  death  of  his  Son  ; 
 and  its  blessings  are  communicated  to  us  by  the  agency  of  his 
 Spirit.  In  this  wonderful  economy  all  the  persons  of  the 
 Godhead  are  concerned,  and  each  performs  his  appropriate  part. 
 It  is  the  work  of  God  alone ;  and,  in  one  view,  resembles  the 
 creation  of  the  universe,  in  which  he  had  no  assistant,  and  ac- 
 complished all  things  by  the  immediate  exertion  of  his  power. 
 But  in  another  view,  it  may  be  compared  to  the  work  of  pro- 
 vidence, in  which  he  is  the  great  Agent,  but  his  designs  are 
 carried  on  by  the  instrumentality  of  means ;  by  second  causes, 
 physical  and  moral ;  by  the  laws  of  gravitation,  and  motion, 
 and  light ;  by  the  activity  of  men,  and  the  ministry  of  angels. 
 In  considering  the  external  means  which  he  employs  for 
 the  salvation  of  those  whom  his  Son  died  to  redeem,  we  must 
 direct  our  attention  in  the  first  place  to  his  Word,  in  which 
 his  will   is  revealed,   and  by  which  the  intellectual  and  moral 
 
T1IK    WOBD   or   (iOD.  71 
 
 powers  of  man  are  influenced  in  subservience  to  his  purpOM  : 
 tor  God  deals  with  him  ID  religion  as  a  rational  being.  The 
 effect  must  be  ascribed  to  his  power,  acting  upon  the  soul  in 
 a  manner  unknown  to  us  :  but  in  ordinary  cases  it  does  not 
 operate  immediately.  I  say  in  ordinary  cases,  because  we 
 must  except  from  this  rule  infants,  who  being  born  in  sin, 
 need  to  be  regenerated  as  well  as  adults,  but  are  not  the  pro- 
 per subjects  of  that  process  by  which  the  latter  are  renewed. 
 Of  the  change  which  they  undergo  we  can  form  no  idea,  as  it 
 is  not  accompanied  with  any  external  effects  by  which  it 
 might  be  distinguished,  not  even  by  a  new  train  of  thoughts, 
 and  volitions,  and  affections,  of  which  they  are  incapable ;  but 
 whatever  it  is,  it  is  produced  without  means,  by  the  direct  agen- 
 cy of  the  Spirit.  In  this  case  means  are  excluded,  because  they 
 cannot  be  used  ;  for  infants,  not  being  yet  moral  agents,  are  not 
 the  proper  subjects  of  conviction,  illumination,  and  conversion, 
 in  the  established  sense  of  the  terms.  In  the  economy  of 
 grace,  as  well  as  in  that  of  nature,  divine  wisdom  connects  va- 
 riety with  regularity,  and  changes  its  mode  of  procedure  ac- 
 cording to  circumstances ;  being  equally  wonderful  in  deviating 
 from  its  general  laws  as  in  adhering  to  them. 
 
 The  exclusion  of  means,  as  far  as  we  know,  is  confined  to 
 infants.  We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  men  are  sometimes 
 illuminated  by  inspiration,  and  that  good  impressions  are  made 
 upon  their  minds  independently  of  any  external  cause.  It  has 
 been  supposed,  indeed,  that  God  may  make  known  his  will, 
 and  communicate  the  benefits  of  redemption  to  pious  heathens, 
 without  his  word  and  ordinances.  Who  those  heathens  are 
 that  may  be  called  pious,  without  an  abuse  of  the  term,  I  do 
 not  understand ;  nor  could  any  man,  whose  notions  of  piety 
 were  formed  upon  Scripture  and  sound  reason,  ever  find  them 
 out ;  and  till  it  is  proved  that  there  are  such  persons,  we  may 
 save  ourselves  the  trouble  of  inquiring  howr  they  will  be  dis- 
 posed of;  but  everything  that  is  said  concerning  the  possibility 
 of  a  revelation  to  them,  without  the  word,  written  or  preached, 
 is  a  gratuitous  assumption,  and  besides,  appears  to  be  at 
 variance  with  revelation  itself:  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upon 
 the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved.  How  then  shall  they 
 call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?   and  how  shall 
 
7G  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  and  how 
 shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?  and  how  shall  they  preach 
 except  they  be  sent !  as  it  is  written,  How  beautiful  are  the 
 feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad 
 tidings  of  good  things  ?  So,  then,  faith  cometh  by  hearing, 
 and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  '  These  words  compre- 
 hend all  that  we  are  authorized  to  believe  on  this  subject ; 
 that  salvation  is  connected  in  the  Divine  constitution  with  the 
 means  of  grace ;  and  that,  without  these,  the  end  is  not  to  be 
 expected.  If  God  ever  sets  aside  this  constitution  in  particu- 
 lar cases,  he  has  not  told  us  of  it ;  and  to  affirm  that  he  does 
 so,  is  downright  presumption. 
 
 From  the  beginning,  the  application  of  redemption  has  been 
 conducted  by  external  means,  or  by  the  revelation  of  the  will 
 of  God,  and  ordinances  founded  upon  that  revelation.  Imme- 
 diately after  the  fall,  God  was  pleased  to  make  known  his 
 purpose  of  grace  to  our  first  parents,  not  by  a  direct  address, 
 but  by  conveying  a  notice  of  it  in  the  threatening  pronounced 
 upon  the  serpent  who  had  deceived  them.  As  the  threaten- 
 ing, while  it  foreboded  evil  to  him,  betokened  good  to  them, 
 it  had  in  this  respect  the  nature  of  a  promise,  and  has  there- 
 fore been  so  called.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that 
 this  is  all  the  information  which  was  given  them  concerning 
 the  Redeemer.  Something  more  explicit  and  ample  was  ne- 
 cessary to  relieve  their  minds  from  the  fears  of  guilt,  and  to 
 direct  them  in  the  new  system  of  worship  adapted  to  their 
 circumstances  ;  of  which,  sacrifices  were  an  important  part.  Of 
 the  additional  intimations  which  might  be  made  to  the  patri- 
 archs, the  Scriptures  have  given  only  a  partial  account ;  but 
 partly  by  tradition,  and  partly  by  occasional  communications, 
 the  knowledge  of  Divine  mercy,  and  the  future  Saviour,  was 
 maintained  till  the  days  of  Moses,  who  flourished  fifteen  hun- 
 dred years  before  the  Christian  era.  But  although,  between 
 him  and  Adam,  there  was  a  long  interval  of  two  thousand  and 
 five  hundred  years,  the  intermediate  steps  were  few,  in  conse- 
 quence of  the  longevity  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  the  world. 
 From  the  creation  to  the  present  moment,  there  have  not  been 
 a  hundred  and  fifty  individuals  in  a  line ;  from  the  creation 
 *  Rom.  x.  13 — 17. 
 
nil-;  wuimj  oi    (.on.  77 
 
 to  Moses,  there  wore  not  twenty.  Hence  it  appears,  that, 
 without  new  revelations  to  revive  and  enlarge  the  original  re* 
 wlation,  the  communication  made  to  our  first  parents,  which, 
 concise  SS  it  was,  could  be  easily  remembered,  might  have 
 been  transmitted  pure  and  entire  to  the  lawgiver  of  the  Jews, 
 by  whom  it  was  committed  to  writing. 
 
 Revelation  was  greatly  enlarged  by  the  ministry  of  Moses, 
 and  additions  were  made  to  it  till  the  days  of  Malachi, 
 when  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament  was  completed.  After 
 a  long  interval,  the  Baptist  appeared,  to  prepare  the  way  for 
 our  Saviour ;  who,  being  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  ac- 
 quainted with  his  counsels,  declared  him  to  the  world,  and 
 empowered  his  disciples  to  perfect  revelation  by  their  writings, 
 which  were  composed  under  the  direction  and  assistance  of 
 his  Spirit.  The  whole  Scriptures  are  delivered  to  us  as  the 
 rule  of  our  faith  and  obedience,  and  are  the  instrument  which 
 God  employs  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  the  advance- 
 ment of  the  divine  life  in  their  souls.  They  are  the  light  which 
 conducts  them  to  the  Saviour,  and  guides  them  in  the  way 
 of  salvation.  This  important  office  we  assign  to  the  whole, 
 and  not  exclusively  to  a  part,  on  the  authority  of  the  Apostle 
 Paul ;  who,  having  said  concerning  Timothy,  that  "  from  a 
 child  he  had  known  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  were  able  to 
 make  him  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ 
 Jesus,"  adds,  "  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
 and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
 instruction  in  righteousness  ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
 perfect,  throughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  '  The 
 Word  is  the  principal  means  which  God  has  appointed  for  the 
 application  of  redemption.  There  are  indeed  other  religious 
 institutions ;  but  as  they  are  founded  on  the  word,  so,  as  far 
 as  they  contribute  to  accomplish  this  end,  their  efficacy  is 
 derived  from  it.  Prayer  is  an  eminent  means  of  obtaining 
 spiritual  blessings  ;  but  the  directory  of  prayer  is  the  word, 
 from  which  alone  we  learn  what  blessings  we  should  ask,  and 
 what  are  the  grounds  on  which  we  may  hope  for  suc<.r^>. 
 The  sacraments  also  are  means  of  salvation  ;  but  they  would 
 be  unintelligible,   unless  their  design,  and  the  import  of  the 
 
 •  2  Tim.  iii.  15—17. 
 
78  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 symbols  and  actions,  had  been  explained  ;  and  we  should  have 
 no  encouragement  to  use  them,  if  we  had  not  been  assured 
 that  they  are  seals  of  the  new  covenant,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
 had  been  promised  to  render  them  effectual. 
 
 The  word  of  God  consists  of  many  parts,  histories,  doc- 
 trines, promises,  threatenings,  reproofs,  exhortations.  I  shall 
 perhaps  speak  of  these  particularly  afterwards  ;  but,  in  the 
 mean  time  I  observe,  there  is  not  one  of  them  which  is  not 
 conducive  to  the  great  design  of  saving  the  soul.  There  are 
 two  great  divisions  of  the  word  of  God,  which  have  been 
 made  by  Theologians,  and  which,  as  they  have  a  foundation 
 in  the  word  itself,  are  entitled  to  particular  attention.  These 
 are,  the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  I  shall  begin  with  the  latter, 
 and,  in  the  first  place,  inquire  what  is  the  import  of  the  term. 
 
 The  word,  Gospel,  is  used  in  our  language  to  express  the 
 Greek  word  eva^eXiov,  which  signifies  good  news.  With- 
 out losing  this  idea,  it  admits  of  different  applications,  and  is 
 employed  in  a  more  general,  or  in  a  more  restricted  sense. 
 
 First,  It  signifies  the  history  of  Christ ;  and,  accordingly,  is 
 the  title  prefixed  to  each  of  the  four  narratives  of  his  birth, 
 doctrine,  miracles,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension,  which 
 were  composed  by  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John.  These 
 received  this  name  at  a  very  early  period,  and  it  is  retained  in 
 all  Christian  churches.  Sometimes  they  were  called  Memoirs 
 of  Christ ;  but  this  designation  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
 ever  generally  adopted.  The  other  was  suggested,  not  only 
 by  the  nature  of  the  narratives,  which  contain  the  best  news 
 that  ever  reached  the  ears  of  men,  but  by  one  of  the  inspired 
 writers,  who  has  prefixed  it  to  his  account  of  our  Saviour ; 
 namely  Mark,  who  commences  with  these  words,  "  The 
 beginning  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 
 This  is  evidently  the  title  of  his  book,  as  the  words  of  Mat- 
 thew, "  The  book  of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Christ,"  are  the 
 title  of  the  subjoined  genealogy.  Mark  calls  his  narrative  a 
 Gospel,  and  by  his  authority  the  same  name  is  given  to  the 
 compositions  of  the  other  Evangelists. 
 
 Secondly,  The  Gospel  signifies  the  Christian  revelation,  or 
 the  system  of  doctrines,  ordinances,  and  laws,  which  Jesus 
 Christ  has  delivered  to  us,  and  which  is  justly  called  good  news; 
 
THE   WORD  Ol     (.()!).  79 
 
 bftcmme  the  great  subject  of  which  it  treats  is  salvation,  and 
 the  design  of  all  its  subordinate  parts  is  to  conduct  us  to  the 
 enjoyment  of  it.  This  is  its  meaning  in  the  commission  which 
 he  i^ave  to  his  Apostles,  "  to  go  into  all  the  world,  and 
 preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  *  They  were  sent,  not 
 merely  to  proclaim  pardon  and  eternal  life  through  him,  but 
 to  instruct  men  in  all  the  details  of  his  religion  ;  as  is  plain 
 from  the  parallel  passage  in  Matthew,  "  Go  ye,  therefore, 
 and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
 ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them 
 to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  f 
 The  same  extensive  sense  is  given  to  the  word,  when  Paul 
 says,  that  "  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ, 
 according  to  my  Gospel ;"  J  meaning,  either  that  the  future 
 judgment  is  announced  by  the  Gospel  which  he  preached,  or 
 that  the  Gospel  is  the  rule  by  which  those  who  have  lived 
 under  the  dispensation  of  it  will  be  jndged.  In  both  cases, 
 the  Gospel  comprehends  more  than  a  revelation  and  promise 
 of  salvation  through  Christ.  If  you  read  the  Scriptures  at- 
 tentively, you  will  find  that  there  are  many  passages  which 
 require  to  be  interpreted  in  this  liberal  manner.  According 
 to  this  view,  the  Gospel  contains,  not  only  doctrines  and  pro- 
 mises, but  also  precepts  and  threatenings.  This  is  generally 
 acknowledged  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  strange  inconsistency 
 may  be  observed  in  the  conduct  of  some  men.  While  they 
 cannot  deny  that  the  Gospel  signifies  the  whole  institute  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  they  will  not  allow  you  to  speak  of  it  as  such, 
 and  without  scruple  charge  you  with  heresy,  if  your  lan- 
 guage deviate  a  hairs-breadth  from  their  arbitrary  standard. 
 There  is  another  and  restricted  sense  of  the  Gospel,  which 
 will  be  afterwards  considered,  according  to  which  you  must 
 always  regulate  your  phraseology.  It  has  no  commands  or 
 threatenings  ;  and  therefore,  to  mention  the  precepts  of  the 
 Gospel,  is  to  betray  your  ignorance,  to  corrupt  the  truth,  and 
 to  turn  the  new  covenant  into  a  covenant  of  works. — But, 
 with  the  leave  of  those  zealots,  we  might  remind  them  that 
 they  are  now  retracting  what  they  formerly  granted,  and  bind- 
 ing us  to  one  view  of  a  subject,   after  their  own  acknowledge - 
 
 •  Mark  xvi.  15.  +  Matth.  xxviii.  10,  20.  $  Kom.  ii.  10. 
 
80  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 ment  that  it  admits  of  more  views  than  one.  The  Gospel 
 largely  taken  has,  and  strictly  taken  has  not,  precepts. 
 Speaking  of  it  in  the  latter  sense,  I  should  err  if  I  said  that  it 
 had  precepts;  and,  speaking  of  it  in  the  former,  I  should 
 equally  err  if  I  said  that  it  had  not  precepts.  None  but  An- 
 tinomians  will  deny  that  the  religion  of  Christ  comprehends  a 
 law  to  be  obeyed,  as  well  as  doctrines  to  be  believed.  If  the 
 phrase,  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  has  been  improperly  used, 
 that  is  not  a  reason  why  it  should  be  condemned,  since  it  ex- 
 presses a  scriptural  truth,  but  a  reason  why  it  should  be  used 
 cautiously,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  mislead.  Let  us 
 study,  with  all  possible  care,  to  be  orthodox  in  sentiments  and 
 language;  but  let  us  remember,  that  when  we  go  beyond 
 Scripture,  we  fall  into  the  heterodoxy  which  we  are  solicitous 
 to  avoid.  When  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  the  Gospel,  he 
 is  careful  to  remind  us  that,  while  it  manifests  the  grace  of 
 God,  it  also  inculcates  the  duties  of  morality  :  "  The  grace 
 of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men, 
 teaching  us  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we 
 should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present 
 world."  * 
 
 In  the  third  place,  The  Gospel  signifies  the  revelation  of 
 the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  to  sinners,  or  the  joyful  tidings 
 of  salvation  through  Christ.  In  this  view,  it  answers  exactly 
 to  its  name,  nothing  being  proclaimed  by  it  but  what  is  good 
 news  to  our  fallen  and  guilty  race  ;  and  it  is  when  the  Gospel 
 is  thus  limited,  that  it  is  distinguished  by  Divines  from  the  Law, 
 considered  not  only  as  a  covenant  of  works,  but  even  as  a  rule 
 of  life.  That  this  is  sometimes  the  meaning  of  the  word,  al- 
 though not  so  often  as  some  may  imagine,  is  evident  from  the 
 following  passages.  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
 because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor ; 
 he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliver- 
 ance to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to 
 set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable 
 year  of  the  Lord."  f  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of 
 Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  every  one 
 that  believeth,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek.  For 
 •  Tit.  ii.  11.  t  Lukeiv.  18. 
 
111K    WOKD   OF   (iUU.  8l 
 
 in   is   the   righteousness   of    Odd   revealed   from   faith    to 
 faith  ;   as  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  *      In  the 
 _[v,  the  gospel  offers  pardon,  liberty,  and  consolation 
 to  tinners  ;  and  in  the  second,  it  exhibits  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ  as  the  foundation  of  their  hope.      The  word  occurs  in 
 ime  sense  when    the  Scriptures  speak  of  testifying  "the 
 1  of  the  grace  of  God,"  f  and  of  the   "  light  of  the  glo- 
 rious gospel   shining  into  the  mind  ;"  X  and  when  Paul  Bays, 
 "  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed  from  him  that   called 
 you  into  the  grace  of  Christ,  unto  another  gospel ;"  ||   desig- 
 nating that  as  the  Gospel  which  reveals  grace  in  the  free  justi- 
 fication of  sinners,  in  opposition  to  the  doctrine  which  suspends 
 this  blessing  upon  our  personal  obedience. 
 
 First,  The  Gospel,  strictly  understood,  comprehends  the 
 peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  the  gracious  declara- 
 tions founded  upon  them.  It  is  the  Gospel  which  informs  us, 
 that  in  relation  to  us  God  is  love  ;  that  he  thought  upon  us 
 from  eternity,  and  purposed  to  save  us  from  destruction  and 
 to  restore  us  to  happiness ;  that  with  this  view  he  appointed 
 his  only-begotten  Son  to  be  our  Saviour,  and  entered  into  a 
 covenant  with  him,  by  performing  the  condition  of  which,  he 
 should  obtain  all  blessings  for  his  people  ;  that  in  the  fulness 
 of  time,  he  sent  him  into  the  world  to  be  the  messenger  of  his 
 mercy,  laid  our  sins  upon  him,  and  exacted  an  atonement  for 
 them  ;  that  in  consequence  of  the  sacrifice  upon  the  cross  he 
 is  pacified,  and  is  ready  to  receive  us  into  favour ;  that  he  has 
 also  sent  the  Holy  Spirit  to  illuminate  our  minds,  and  to 
 sanctify  our  souls  ;  and  that  pardon,  grace,  comfort,  and  eter- 
 nal life,  are  given  freely  to  those  who  believe.  It  is  evident, 
 that  these  doctrines  and  declarations  may  be  justly  called  "good 
 tidings  of  great  joy."  Nothing  can  be  more  acceptable  news 
 to  a  sinner,  who  is  sensible  of  his  guilt,  and  alarmed  at  the 
 consequences  ;  nothing  can  be  more  consoling  than  to  hear  that 
 the  God  whom  he  has  offended  is  reconciled,  and  that  he  shall 
 find  a  refuge  from  his  justice  in  the  arms  of  his  mercy.  You 
 will  observe,  that  in  these  declarations  and  doctrines  God  ap- 
 pears working  out  salvation  for  us,  without  our  assistance  or 
 interference  ;  and  that  he  appears  solely  in  the  character  of  the 
 
 •   Rom.  i.  IH,  17.  f  Acts  xx.  24.  $  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  ||   Gal.  i.  G. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  F 
 
82  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 God  of  grace,  his  justice  being  appeased,  and  opposing  no  ob- 
 stacle to  the  emanation  of  his  love. 
 
 Secondly,  The  Gospel  strictly  taken,  comprehends  the  great 
 and  precious  promises.  "  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will 
 make  with  the  house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord  ; 
 I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their 
 hearts  ;  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me 
 a  people.  And  they  shall  not  teach  every  man  his  neigh- 
 bour, and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord  ;  for 
 all  shall  know  me,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest.  For  I  will 
 be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their 
 iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more."  '  To  these  we  may  add 
 the  promises  of  assistance,  consolation,  protection,  deliverance, 
 and  eternal  life.  They  all  breathe  love.  They  are  all  ex- 
 pressive of  the  good  will  of  God  towards  men.  They  exhibit 
 under  various  aspects,  his  grace  accommodated  to  our  necessi- 
 ties. They  bless  us  at  present,  and  give  the  hope  of  blessed- 
 ness hereafter.  It  should  also  be  considered,  that  the  pro- 
 mises are  free  in  this  sense,  that  nothing  is  required  but  that 
 we  should  embrace  them  ;  and  that,  if  a  certain  state  of  mind 
 must  precede  the  performance  of  some  promises,  which  in  this 
 view  may  be  considered  as  conditional,  it  is  produced  in  us  by 
 the  grace  which  is  held  out  to  us  in  others. 
 
 Thirdly,  The  Gospel  strictly  taken,  comprehends  the  free 
 offer  of  Christ  and  salvation.  As  God  gave  him  in  his  incar- 
 nation and  mission,  so  he  still  gives  him  to  all  in  the  gospel ; 
 that  is,  he  exhibits  him  as  a  Saviour,  and  authorizes  sinners 
 to  believe  in  him.  There  is  no  exception  made  of  persons  on 
 account  of  their  country,  their  parentage,  their  profession, 
 their  rank  in  society,  or  even  on  account  of  the  number  and 
 degree  of  their  sins.  Every  descendant  of  Adam  is  at  liberty 
 to  claim  an  interest  in  the  common  salvation,  the  most  illite- 
 rate, the  meanest,  the  most  unworthy.  All  are  made  welcome 
 to  Christ,  both  by  himself  and  by  his  Father.  "  My  Father 
 giveth  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven.  For  the  bread  of 
 God  is  he  which  cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life 
 unto  the  world."  f  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and 
 are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  {     The  universa- 
 
 •  Heb.  viii.  10—12.  f  John  vi.  32,  33.  J  Matth.  xi.  28. 
 
tiil  word  or  GOD. 
 
 lirv  of  the  offer  it  a  proof  of  its  freenen;   which  is  further 
 
 manifest  from  the  consideration  that  no  conditions  are  pre- 
 scribed, no  equivalent  is  demanded,  nothing  is  required,  hut 
 our  acceptance  of  the  gift.  "  Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
 come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  conn 
 buv,  and  eat  :  yea  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money 
 and  without  price."  *  God  appears  in  the  character  of  a  gene- 
 rous benefactor,  who  gives  all  and  receives  nothing  in  return, 
 except  such  expressions  of  our  gratitude  as  are  prompted  by 
 his  own  Spirit. 
 
 Lastly,  The  Gospel  strictly  taken,  comprehends  the  earnest 
 and  affectionate  invitations  addressed  to  sinners.  Some  of 
 these  have  been  quoted.  The  Bible  is  full  of  them,  and  we 
 find  them  alone  or  intermixed  with  other  subjects.  "  Unto 
 you,  O  men,  I  call ;  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men."  f 
 The  object  of  them  is  to  persuade  men  to  accept  the  gift  which 
 God  presents  to  them,  to  awaken  their  attention,  to  excite 
 their  affections,  to  make  them  perceive  and  feel  that  it  is  their 
 interest  and  their  duty  to  comply.  So  far  as  they  have  the 
 nature  of  commands,  or  constitute  a  moral  obligation  upon 
 those  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  they  do  not  l^elong  to  the 
 gospel  in  the  strict  sense  in  which  the  term  is  at  present  used  ; 
 but,  as  expressive  of  God's  regard  to  sinners,  and  of  the  sin- 
 cerity of  his  desire  for  their  salvation,  they  are  a  part  of  the 
 gospel,  and  an  amiable  display  of  its  grace. 
 
 The  design  of  thus  accurately  defining  the  Gospel,  is  not  to 
 distinguish  words  but  things,  to  fix  the  boundaries  of  the  two 
 great  divisions  of  the  word  of  God,  and  to  guard  against  the 
 danger  of  confounding  them  together.  It  may  happen  that  a 
 person  who  clearly  perceives  the  difference  of  the  things,  does 
 not  with  equal  care  distinguish  them  in  words  ;  or  that,  know- 
 ing that  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  contains  doctrines  of 
 grace  and  free  promises,  and  that  these  constitute  a  different 
 class  from  its  precepts,  does  not  assign  a  distinct  name  to 
 each,  but  sums  them  all  up  under  the  general  denomination  of 
 the  Gospel.  Shall  we  therefore  condemn  him  as  ignorant, 
 and  a  corrupter  of  the  truth  ?  There  are  persons  who  make 
 no  scruple  to  do  so,   not  knowing  that  they  at  the  same  time 
 
 *   Is.  lv.  1.  -f  Prov.  viii-  4. 
 
84  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 pronounce  a  sweeping  sentence  upon  the  Church  of  God,  from 
 the  earliest  times  clown  to  a  very  recent  date.  Our  modern 
 definitions  were  little  known,  I  believe,  till  the  Reformation  ; 
 and  those  who  lived  before  it,  back  to  a  very  remote  period, 
 expressed  themselves  on  this  subject  in  language  which  seems 
 to  us  to  be  loose  ;  yet  we  are  not  to  suppose,  that  till  a  century 
 or  two  ago,  no  Christian  understood  the  Gospel,  properly  so 
 called,  and  that  all  were  in  an  error  with  respect  to  the  true 
 nature  of  the  dispensation  of  grace.  Let  us  retain  our  more 
 correct  phraseology ;  but  let  us  remember  that  things  are  of 
 more  importance  than  words,  and  not  hastily  make  a  man  an 
 offender  for  a  word,  whose  views  are  perhaps  as  scriptural  as 
 our  own. 
 
 There  are  however  some  modes  of  expression  which  should 
 not  be  passed  over  without  animadversion,  because  they  evi- 
 dently are  founded  in  mistaken  views  of  the  subject,  and  mix 
 things  together  which  ought  not  to  be  confounded.  There 
 are  many  w7ho  represent  the  gospel  as  a  new  law  of  grace. 
 It  is  a  law,  they  say,  because  it  prescribes  certain  duties  to  be 
 performed  by  us,  as  the  condition  of  salvation ;  and  it  is  a 
 law  of  grace,  because  the  condition  is  comparatively  easy, 
 faith  and  sincere  obedience  being  accepted,  instead  of  the 
 perfect  obedience  which  the  first  covenant  required.  I  had 
 occasion  formerly  to  speak  of  this  system,  and  to  shew  that  it 
 is  contrary  to  Scripture ;  and  I  now  refer  to  it,  not  with  a 
 view  to  refutation,  but  to  lay  before  you  an  instance  in  which 
 gross  ignorance  of  the  gospel  is  betrayed.  Those  who  teach 
 this  system,  preach  another  gospel,  that  new  gospel  against 
 which  Paul  declaims  with  so  much  vehemence  in  his  Epistle 
 to  the  Galatians.  It  is  plain  that  the  Galatians  had  not  re- 
 nounced Christianity,  but  that  they  had  been  tempted,  or  at 
 least  some  of  them,  by  false  teachers,  to  conjoin  their  own 
 works  with  faith,  as  the  ground  of  their  acceptance,  exactly 
 according  to  the  plan  of  Neonomians.  Now,  observe  what  he 
 says  of  them  :  "  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  you,  who- 
 soever of  you  areT  justified  by  the  law  ;  ye  are  fallen  from 
 grace."  *  They  had  fallen  from  grace,  or  abandoned  the  gos- 
 pel while  they  professed  to  adhere  to  it,   by  embracing  a  doc- 
 
 •  Gal.  v.  4. 
 
THE   WORD   OF  <.OD.  8.") 
 
 trine  which  was  not  the  gospel.  The  gospel  is  corrupted  by 
 erery  attempt  to  introduce  works,  either  as  the  sole  or  the 
 concomitant  cause  of  our  justification  ;  by  representing  faith 
 as  effectual  to  justify  us  because  it  produces  good  works;  by 
 teaching  that  any  personal  qualifications  are  requisite  to  re- 
 commend us  to  the  favour  of  God ;  by  resting  our  right  to 
 Christ,  or  our  warrant  to  believe  in  him,  upon  certain  previous 
 exercises  and  affections  of  our  minds  ;  by  proposing  any  foun- 
 dation of  hope  but  his  atonement  and  obedience.  By  these 
 expedients,  you  convert  the  gospel,  which  is  a  pure  declara- 
 tion and  offer  of  grace,  into  a  law  which  prescribes  duties  and 
 rewards  them.  The  gospel  indeed  is  sometimes  represented 
 as  a  law,  the  law  which  has  come  out  of  Zion,  the  law  of 
 faith  ;  *  but  in  those  cases  a  law  signifies  simply  the  will  of  a 
 superior,  a  declaration  of  the  will  of  God ;  or  the  designation 
 is  given  to  the  gospel  in  its  more  enlarged  sense,  according  to 
 which  it  contains  precepts  as  well  as  promises,  and  in  parti- 
 cular, requires  faith  as  the  means  which  God  has  appointed 
 for  giving  an  interest  in  the  offered  salvation.  It  is  on  this 
 account  that  faith  is  sometimes  described  as  obedience  ;  for 
 example,  when  the  gospel  is  said  to  be  preached  to  all  nations 
 "  for  the  obedience  of  faith ;"  when  the  Apostle  remarks  con- 
 cerning the  Jews,  that  "  they  had  not  all  obeyed  the  gospel," 
 and  when  he  says  of  our  Saviour,  that  "  being  made  perfect, 
 he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto  all  them  that 
 obey  him."  f 
 
 To  sum  up  what  has  been  said,  in  the  words  of  a  celebrated 
 foreign  Divine,  "  If  we  take  the  Gospel  in  a  strict  sense,  as 
 consisting  of  mere  promises,  or  an  absolute  exhibition  of  sal- 
 vation in  Christ,  then  it  properly  prescribes  no  duty,  exacts 
 nothing,  orders  nothing,  not  even  this, — believe,  trust,  hope 
 in  the  Lord ;  but  it  relates,  tells,  signifies  to  us  what  God 
 promises  in  Christ,  what  he  wills  to  do,  and  is  about  to  do. 
 Every  prescription  of  duty  pertains  to  the  law  ;  and  this  must 
 be  held,  if  we  would  with  constancy  maintain,  with  all  the 
 Reformed,  the  perfection  of  the  law,  as  containing  all  virtues, 
 and  all  the  duties  of  holiness.  But  the  law,  accommodated 
 to  the  covenant  of  grace,  and,  according  to  it,  written  on  the 
 
 •   Is.  ii.  3.   Rom.  iii.  27.  f   Rom.  xvi.  2(j.   x.  16.   Heb.  v.  f>. 
 
86  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 hearts  of  the  elect,  commands  us  to  embrace  all  those  things 
 which  are  proposed  in  the  Gospel  with  unfeigned  faith,  and 
 to  regulate  our  life  suitably  to  its  grace.  When  God,  there- 
 fore, promises,  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  to  the  elect  sinner, 
 faith,  repentance,  and  consequently  eternal  life ;  the  law,  the 
 obligation  of  which  can  never  be  dissolved,  and  which  extends 
 to  every  duty,  binds  the  man  to  assent  to  that  truth  ;  to  set  a 
 high  value  upon  those  promises ;  to  desire  them  earnestly ;  to 
 seek  them,  and  embrace  them.  Moreover,  since  the  admi- 
 rable providence  of  God  has  disposed  the  promises  in  such  an 
 order,  that  faith  and  repentance  precede,  salvation  follows, 
 a  man  is  bound  by  the  same  law  to  approve  and  love  this 
 arrangement,  and  to  expect  salvation  in  no  other  wTay.  He 
 who  accepts  the  promises  of  the  covenant  in  the  order  in 
 which  they  are  proposed,  binds  himself  by  that  acceptance, 
 first  to  perform  the  duties  contained  in  prior  promises,  before 
 he  can  hope  to  come  to  the  enjoyment  of  those  which  are 
 posterior.  In  this  respect  the  covenant  is  mutual.  God  pro- 
 poses his  promises  in  the  Gospel  in  a  certain  order.  Man  is 
 bound  by  the  force  of  the  law,  acting  in  subservience  to  the 
 covenant  of  grace,  to  embrace  the  promises  in  that  order. 
 While  faith  does  so,  the  believer  binds  himself  at  the  same 
 time  to  the  study  of  a  new  life,  before  he  can  expect  a  happy 
 life ;  and  in  this  manner  the  convention  is  on  both  sides."  * 
 
 Thus  it  appears  that,  when  we  understand  the  word  Gospel 
 in  what  is  conceived  to  be  its  proper  sense,  it  does  not  enjoin, 
 but  merely  declares  and  promises.  Even  those  precepts  which 
 may  be  peculiarly  called  evangelical,  do  not  belong  to  it ;  as, 
 to  believe,  to  repent,  to  hope  for  salvation  ;  and  they  can  be 
 called  evangelical  only  on  account  of  their  object,  which  is  the 
 grace  of  God  revealed  and  offered  in  the  Gospel.  In  truth, 
 they  emanate  from  the  law.  It  follows  that,  when  a  minister 
 inculcates  these  and  other  duties,  he  preaches  the  law  ;  and 
 then  only  preaches  the  Gospel,  according  to  this  definition  of 
 it,  when  he  proclaims  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  the  bless- 
 ings and  privileges  of  believers.  But  I  have  shewn  you  that 
 the  Gospel  has  a  more  extensive  meaning  ;  and  consequently, 
 that  we  may  be  said  to  preach  the  Gospel,  when  we  inculcate 
 the  institutions  and  laws  of  Christ  upon  evangelical  principles. 
 
 *  Witsii   Animad.  IrcniicT,  cap.  xv.  §.  0. 
 
THE  WORD  Ol    (iOU.  87 
 
 Every  part  of  the  word  of  God,  as  we  have  already  re- 
 marked, is  subservient  to  the  application  of  redemption.  But 
 t\n<  office  belongs  in  a  particular  manner  to  the  Gospel,  which 
 is  the  only  means  of  beginning  the  work  in  the  soul,  and  holds 
 the  principal  place  in  carrying  it  on.  Every  faithful  minister, 
 therefore,  will  preach  it ;  not  only  because  it  is  his  duty  to 
 declare  all  the  counsel  of  God,  but  because  he  knows  that 
 upon  a  faithful  exhibition  of  the  Gospel  depends  the  success 
 of  his  labours.  It  will  not  be  the  sole  subject  of  his  discourses  ; 
 but  he  will  give  it  the  pre-eminence  to  which  it  is  entitled  ; 
 like  Paul,  who  said  to  the  Corinthians,  "  I  determined  not 
 to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
 crucified  ;"  *  and  he  will  teach  all  the  other  parts  of  Divine 
 truth  in  connexion  with  it. 
 
 First,  It  is  by  the  Gospel  that  men  are  converted.  From 
 their  state  of  insensibility  and  security,  they  may  be  raised 
 by  the  doctrine  of  the  law ;  but  it  is  the  Gospel  alone  which 
 will  turn  them  from  sin  to  God.  Mere  terror  would  drive 
 them,  if  possible,  farther  from  God  ;  while  it  increased  their 
 fear,  it  would  increase  their  hatred,  and  create  such  a  desire 
 as  our  first  parents  felt,  to  retire  from  his  presence,  and  to 
 conceal  themselves  from  his  eyes.  Nothing  will  prevail  upon 
 a  man,  conscious  of  guilt,  and  dreading  deserved  punishment, 
 to  draw  near  to  his  oifended  Creator,  but  the  assurance  that 
 he  is  disposed  to  be  merciful,  that  something  effectual  has 
 been  done  to  appease  his  anger,  and  that  he  will  receive  and 
 pardon  those  who,  in  sincerity,  supplicate  his  favour.  Such  an 
 assurance  is  obtained  only  by  the  Gospel,  which  makes  known 
 his  gracious  design,  and  points  to  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
 which  has  reconciled  the  exercise  of  his  mercy  with  the  claims 
 of  his  justice.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  the  Gospel,  considered 
 simply  as  a  moral  means,  and  independently  of  the  Divine  con- 
 stitution, which  has  connected  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  with 
 the  preaching  of  it,  possesses  a  fitness,  an  adaptation  to  the 
 end  proposed,  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  any  other  part  of 
 the  Word.  The  character  of  God,  notwithstanding  its  intrinsic 
 excellence,  will  appear  repulsive  to  the  transgressors  of  his 
 law,  unless  there  be  added  to  it  the  amiableness  and  the 
 attractions  which   it   derives   from    the   mediation    of   Christ. 
 
 •  l   Cur.  ii.  2. 
 
88  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Accordingly,  the  Gospel  has,  in  every  age,  proved  the  power 
 of  God  unto  salvation.  It  was  by  the  preaching  of  it  that 
 three  thousand  were  converted  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and 
 myriads  were  afterwards  induced  to  renounce  Judaism  and 
 heathenism,  and  to  embrace  the  religion  of  Christ  with  the 
 full  consent  of  their  hearts.  By  the  same  doctrine  the  great 
 spiritual  revolution  was  effected  at  the  Reformation.  Men, 
 indeed,  had  long  perceived  some  of  the  corruptions  and  abuses 
 of  the  Church  of  Rome  ;  and  when  the  light  of  Divine  truth 
 began  to  shine,  they  saw  them  more  fully  and  distinctly ;  but 
 what  had  the  most  powerful  effect  of  all,  was  the  doctrine  of 
 the  cross,  the  offer  of  salvation,  without  the  intercession  of 
 saints,  and  without  penance  and  the  merit  of  good  works, 
 through  the  atoning  blood  and  vicarious  obedience  of  the 
 Redeemer.  When  the  Moravians  established  themselves  in 
 Greenland,  they  endeavoured  to  reclaim  the  rude  nations  of 
 that  inhospitable  region  from  idolatry  and  superstition,  by 
 teaching  the  doctrines  of  natural  religion  ;  but  they  laboured 
 for  several  years,  without  exciting  attention,  or  gaining  a 
 single  convert.  As  soon,  however,  as  they  changed  their 
 system,  and  began  to  preach  Christ  crucified,  the  poor  savages 
 listened  with  wonder,  eagerly  inquired  whether  what  they 
 now  heard  was  true,  and  believing  with  the  heart,  were  bap- 
 tized. For  a  long  period  a  Church  has  flourished  in  that 
 frozen  clime,  and  the  dreary  desert  has  been  enlivened  by 
 the  songs  of  salvation.  It  is  still  by  the  same  doctrine  that 
 the  human  heart  is  impressed.  The  preaching  of  the  law,  or 
 of  morality,  without  the  Gospel,  is  a  cold  and  unprofitable 
 exercise ;  and  what  every  man  who  knows  the  truth  must  have 
 expected  a  priori^  is  realized  in  experience.  Virtue  is  disre- 
 garded, and  vice  is  practised,  by  those  in  whose  ears  lessons 
 of  duty  are  sounded  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath.  Astonishment 
 has  been  sometimes  expressed,  that  such  preaching  should 
 prove  totally  useless,  while  the  preaching  of  salvation  by  grace, 
 which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  disputers  of  this  world,  tends  to 
 licentiousness,  should  produce  a  quite  contrary  effect.  But 
 there  is  no  cause  for  such  astonishment.  Every  man  who 
 calmly  considers  the  nature  of  the  Gospel,  will  perceive  that 
 it  is  calculated  to   excite   love   to  God,  and   to   engage  our 
 
THE    WORD   OF   GOD.  M 
 
 active  powers  in  his  service;  and  every  man  who  understands 
 his  Bible,  knows  that  it  is  this  doctrine  alone  which  God  tin 
 promised  to  accompany  with  his  blessing. 
 
 Secondly,  It  is  by  the  Gospel  that  peace  of  conscience  is 
 obtained.  It  is  called  the  Gospel  of  peace,  because  it  brinu- 
 tidings  to  us  of  the  reconciliation  effected  between  God  and 
 men  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  when  believed,  it  dispels 
 our  fears,  and  enables  us  to  look  up  to  him  with  confidence. 
 Men  may  talk  of  peace  of  mind  to  be  procured  by  the  per- 
 formance of  their  duty,  of  the  calm  recollections  of  virtue,  and 
 the  serenity  which  they  diffuse  over  the  soul  ;  but  their  ig- 
 norance and  insensibility  are  truly  pitiable.  If  they  knew 
 their  duty,  they  would  feel  that  they  could  not  perform  it  so 
 perfectly  as  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  an  enlightened  con- 
 science, and  that  their  best  works  are  attended  with  such  de- 
 fects as  might  be  made  the  ground  of  their  condemnation  at 
 the  tribunal  of  the  Omniscient.  It  is  his  voice  alone  which 
 stills  the  tumult  of  the  soul.  How  would  it  be  agitated  by 
 the  sense  of  past  and  present  sins,  if  it  had  no  other  refuge 
 than  it  may  find  in  itself !  When  conscious  of  innumerable 
 transgressions  and  infirmities,  and  condemned  by  its  own  im- 
 partial sentence,  it  is  relieved  solely  by  a  view  of  the  atone- 
 ment, and  the  promise  of  pardon.  It  will  be  found,  I  pre- 
 sume, that  the  state  of  a  person's  mind  is  regulated  by  his 
 views  of  the  Gospel.  Those  who  mingle  faith  and  works 
 together,  cannot  rise  to  the  confidence  of  hope  but  by  the  aid 
 of  presumption  ;  and  if  their  consciences  are  in  any  degree 
 faithful,  they  must  be  liable  to  be  disturbed  and  alarmed  by 
 every  failure.  But,  when  a  Christian  stedfastly  contemplates 
 the  propitiatory  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  the  evidence  that  it 
 was  perfectly  acceptable  to  his  Father,  he  enjoys  peace,  not- 
 withstanding his  feeling  of  utter  unworthiness  ;  peace  which 
 nothing  can  interrupt,  but  the  suspension  of  his  faith  :  "  Being 
 justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ."  * 
 
 Thirdly,  It  is  from  the  Gospel  that  the  consolation  of 
 Christians  flows.  Ask  them,  what  soothes  their  sorrow,  sus- 
 tains their  patience,   brightens   their  hopes,   and   cheers  their 
 
 •  Rom.  v.  1. 
 
90  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 lonely  hours,  and  they  refer  to  some  doctrine  or  promise  of 
 the  Gospel.  The  view  which  it  gives  of  the  character  of  God 
 is  consoling ;  for  it  exhibits  him  as  wise,  affectionate,  faithful, 
 and  constant  in  his  love  ;  as  a  Father,  in  whose  hands  they 
 may  trust  their  best  and  dearest  interests,  and  of  whose  atten- 
 tion and  regard  they  are  never  permitted  to  doubt.  In  con- 
 nexion with  this  view  is  the  equally  comfortable  one  which  it 
 gives  of  his  dispensations.  Our  fearful  and  foreboding  minds 
 are  apt  to  suspect  evil  in  adverse  events,  to  see  tokens  of 
 wrath  in  the  surrounding  scene,  to  apprehend  the  most  alarm- 
 ing consequences,  to  think  that  we  are  abandoned  for  ever. 
 But  the  Gospel  sheds  light  upon  the  darkest  events ;  and, 
 although  it  does  not  explain  every  difficulty,  and  substitute 
 knowledge  in  the  room  of  faith,  yet  it  enables  us  to  anticipate 
 with  confidence  a  glorious  and  happy  result,  for  it  assures  us 
 that  the  reign  of  God  is  the  reign  of  love.  In  one  word,  the 
 great  remedy  for  the  pains  and  disappointments  of  the  present 
 life,  is  the  hope  of  a  better.  Reason  speculates  about  it,  and 
 nature  desires  immortality  ;  but  the  Gospel  reveals  it,  and 
 gives  the  certain  hope  that  our  future  existence  will  be  happy. 
 Its  promises  are  our  charter  to  the  heavenly  inheritance,  which 
 is  rendered  valid  and  unalterable  by  the  death  and  resurrection 
 of  Christ. 
 
 Lastly,  It  is  the  Gospel  alone  which  purifies  the  heart.  I 
 have  already  remarked  that  experience  has  proved,  and  is 
 daily  proving,  the  preaching  of  morality  without  the  Gospel 
 to  be  fruitless  labour.  The  Gospel  alone  gives  such  views  of 
 the  character,  and  dispensations,  and  designs  of  God,  as  will 
 make  a  lasting  impression  upon  that  part  of  our  constitution 
 which  is  the  seat  of  holiness  ;  namely,  the  heart,  or  the  affec- 
 tions and  active  principles  of  our  nature.  If  love  is  the  ful- 
 filling of  the  law,  obedience  will  be  best  secured  by  that  sys- 
 tem which  is  best  adapted  to  inspire  love.  The  outcry  which 
 has  been  raised  against  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  grace,  is 
 often  sounding  in  our  ears ;  and  you  know  that  such  represen- 
 tations have  been  given  of  its  tendency  and  consequences  as 
 might  lead  us  to  believe,  that  licentiousness  must  abound 
 wherever  it  is  embraced  ;  or,  if  facts  extort  an  acknowledgment 
 that  such  is  not  always  the  effect,  it  is  insinuated,  either  that 
 the  holiness  of  its  abettors  is  hypocritical,  or  that  it  is  owing 
 
mi;  word  or  GOD.  91 
 
 to  BOme   accidental  cause,   which  counteracts  the  influence  of 
 their  creed.     Nothing,  it  is  pretended,  is  so  effectual  to  secure 
 obedience,    as  to  suspend   our  hope  of  eternal  life  upon  it. 
 This  is  to  make  religion  a  calculation  of  interest,  so  that  they 
 alone  will  attend  to  its  injunctions  who  prefer  the  happiness 
 of  the  world  to  come,  to  the  pleasures  of  sin.     But,   if  there 
 should   be  persons  who  prefer  the  pleasures  of  sin  because 
 they  are  present,   to  the  happiness  of  heaven  which  is  future, 
 this  scheme  can  do  nothing  for  them.     It  has  no  other  expe- 
 dient by  which  it  might  prevail  upon  them  to  make  a  wiser 
 choice.      We  know  that  there  are  many  in  whose  eyes  earthly 
 pleasures  possess  superior  attractions,  and  have  so  completely 
 gained  the  ascendancy,  that  the  strongest  arguments  can  pro- 
 duce no  change  of  inclination  ;  and  hence  it  appears,  that  this 
 plan,  which  depends  for  its  success  upon  an  accurate  compa- 
 rison, and  a  fair  estimate  of  consequences,  is,  in  their  case,  an 
 airy  speculation.       In  this,   as  in   every  other  instance,   the 
 foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men.     The  Gospel,  by  in- 
 spiring the  love  of  God,   creates  the  love   of  holiness,  from 
 which  obedience  flows  spontaneously,  and  does  not  wait  till  it 
 is  extorted  by  the  consideration  of  interest.     It  thus  gives  a 
 charm  to  obedience,   infuses  into  it  a  feeling  of  delight,   and 
 ensures  our  perseverance ;  for  the  pleasures  of  sin  will  not, 
 for  any  length  of  time,  drawr  the  Christian  aside  from  a  course 
 of  life  in  which  he  has  experienced  greater  happiness  than 
 they  could   ever  impart.     The  question  is  not,  whether  he 
 shall  consent  to  suffer  for  a  time,  in  the  hope  of  a  recompense 
 hereafter ;  but  whether  he  shall  make  a  present  sacrifice,  which 
 no  sublunary  gain  could  compensate ;  whether  he  shall  forsake 
 the  fountain  of  living  water,   and  hew  out  to  himself  a  broken 
 cistern  which  can  hold  no  water.     As  no  holiness  is  genuine  but 
 that  which  springs  from  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  so  no  other 
 is  steady  in  its  principle,  and  will  stand  the  test  of  temptation. 
 They  alone  will  serve  God  with  fidelity,  who  look  upon  him  as 
 their  Father,  and  confide  in  the  promises  of  assistance  and  ac- 
 ceptance ;  and  they  alone  will  follow  Christ  through  good  report 
 and  bad  report,  who  feel  the  constraining  influence  of  his  love. 
 
LECTURE  LXXXV. 
 
 ON  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 
 
 OX    PREACHING    THE    GOSrEL THE    LAW    AS    DISTINGUISHED    FROM    THE 
 
 GOSPEL. ITS  USE  IN  AWAKENING     SINNERS    AND  AS  A  RULE  OF  LIFE   TO 
 
 BELIEVERS CONNEXION  OF  THE  LAW  AND  GOSPEL  AS  MEANS  OF  SALVA- 
 TION.— USE  OF   THE    OTHER    PORTIONS    OF    SCRIPTURE. — OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ON  THE  READING  AND  PREACHING  OF    THE  WORD NECESSITY    OF    THE 
 
 ACCOMPANIMENT  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 
 
 In  the  preceding  lecture,  I  endeavoured  to  ascertain  the  vari- 
 ous senses  which  the  word  Gospel  bears  in  Scripture.  It  has 
 appeared  that,  besides  being  the  title  of  the  four  inspired  nar- 
 ratives of  our  Saviour,  and  being  used  also  to  denote  the 
 whole  revelation  which  was  published  to  the  world  by  him  and 
 his  Apostles,  it  is  sometimes  restricted  to  that  part  of  it  which 
 contains  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  the  promises  of  salvation. 
 It  is  contrary  to  Scripture  itself  to  call  this  alone  the  Gospel, 
 as  this  name  belongs  to  the  whole  Christian  system  ;  but  this 
 is  exclusively  its  meaning  when  we  speak  of  the  Gospel  as 
 distinguished  from  the  Law. 
 
 It  is  of  importance  to  be  accurate  in  our  language  on  this 
 subject ;  but  it  is  still  more  important  to  be  accurate  in  our 
 ideas.  Much  confusion  prevails,  not  only  among  private 
 Christians,  whose  mistakes  can  be  accounted  for  from  want  of 
 instruction  or  from  the  neglect  of  inquiry,  but  also  among 
 those  who,  being  appointed  teachers  of  others  in  faith  and 
 verity,  prove  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  There  are  not  a  few 
 of  the  latter  class  who  are  as  ignorant  of  the  true  distinction 
 
TBI   WORD   01   (idU. 
 
 between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel  as  any  of  their  hearers  ;  who, 
 accordingly,  confound  them  together,  and,  while  they  profess 
 to  preach  Christ,  teach  a  doctrine  in  which  he  holds  only  a 
 subordinate  place.  It  is  necessary  that  a  minister  should  be 
 able  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth,  to  distinguish  things 
 which  in  themselves  are  different,  to  state  them  in  their  order 
 and  connexion,  and  to  apply  them  to  the  purposes  which 
 they  are  respectively  intended  to  serve.  Nothing"  is  more 
 disgraceful  to  him,  than  to  mistake  one  thing  for  another, 
 and  by  his  bungling  manner  of  handling  the  word  of  God,  to 
 render  it  of  no  effect. 
 
 Men  may  preach  the  grace  of  God,  but  not  preach  the 
 Gospel.  The  phrase  may  occur  often  in  their  discourses  and 
 writings  ;  and  thus  the  simple  may  be  led  to  believe  that  they 
 are  reading  and  hearing  evangelical  doctrine,  while  those  de- 
 claimers  are  in  truth  labouring  to  subvert  the  Gospel  of 
 Christ.  However  loud  and  eloquent  may  be  his  praise  of 
 Divine  grace,  if  a  person  make  it  consist  in  giving  us  a  milder 
 law,  in  lowering  the  terms  of  acceptance,  and  admitting  our 
 sincere  endeavours,  instead  of  perfect  obedience,  as  the  condition 
 of  future  happiness ;  if  he  represents  it  as  grace  given  to  all  in- 
 discriminately, to  enable  them  to  work  out  their  salvation  ;  or 
 a  grace  which  it  is  left  to  ourselves  to  receive  or  reject  at 
 our  pleasure,  which  may  be  lost,  and  will  prove  ineffectual 
 unless  we  lend  our  aid  to  it;  it  is  evident,  that  he  knows  neither 
 what  he  says,  nor  whereof  he  affirms. 
 
 Again,  A  man  may  preach  salvation  by  faith,  and  not 
 preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  His  doctrine  is  orthodox  in 
 sound,  but  is  erroneous  in  sense.  For  what  is  the  faith  which 
 he  teaches  ?  Is  it  a  humble  dependance  upon  the  righteous- 
 ness of  Christ,  to  the  exclusion  of  our  own  ?  No  ;  it  is  what  he 
 calls  believing  obedience ;  not  faith  alone,  but  faith  and  obe- 
 dience conjoined  ;  the  name  of  the  cause  being  given  not  only 
 to  itself,  but  to  its  effect,  out  of  compliment  to  Scripture,  and 
 to  please  fastidious  ears.  You  will  find  that,  in  this  manner, 
 some  teachers  of  faith  explain  their  own  meaning.  We  are 
 saved  by  faith,  not  solely  as  it  receives  Christ,  but  as  it  works 
 by  love ;  or,  in  other  words,  we  are  saved  not  simply  by  a 
 living  faith,  which  proves  its  genuineness  by  good  works,  but 
 
94  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 by  faith  which  includes  good  works,  and  derives  its  efficacy 
 from  them.  And  thus,  while  sinners  are  told  that  they  are 
 justified  by  faith,  and  so  far  the  doctrine  seems  to  be  Scrip- 
 tural, they  are  in  reality  led  to  believe  that  they  are  justified 
 by  works. 
 
 Farther,  Ministers  may  preach  the  atonement,  and  yet  not 
 preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  They  may  admit  that  Christ 
 died  for  our  sins ;  that  his  sacrifice  was  acceptable  to  God  ; 
 that,  for  his  sake,  he  pardons  us ;  and  that  to  his  mediation 
 we  are  indebted  for  all  the  blessings  of  salvation  :  but,  while 
 they  give  goodly  wTords,  they  may  hold  sentiments  w7hich 
 render  them  in  a  great  measure  nugatory.  If  they  teach  that 
 our  Redeemer  died,  not  actually  to  reconcile  God  to  us,  but 
 to  render  him  reconcilable ;  that  he  died  to  procure  the  making 
 of  a  new  covenant  with  us,  the  terms  of  which  are  to  be  ful- 
 filled by  ourselves  ;  that  he  died  to  give  efficacy  to  our  repen- 
 tance, meaning  that  somehow  it  becomes,  through  his  death, 
 a  sort  of  satisfaction  for  our  sins ;  in  all  these  cases,  they  mis- 
 represent the  nature,  and  extenuate  the  value,  of  the  atone- 
 ment of  the  cross.  They  take  away  with  the  one  hand  what 
 they  had  given  with  the  other.  According  to  their  doctrine, 
 it  is  not  true  that  the  blood  of  Christ  cleanses  us  from  all  sin, 
 that  through  it  we  have  redemption,  that  by  it  he  has  made 
 peace ;  because  there  still  remains  something  to  be  done  by 
 us,  to  render  his  blood  effectual  for  our  deliverance  from  guilt, 
 something  to  be  added  to  it  as  the  conjunct  cause  of  our  pardon. 
 
 In  the  next  place,  Men  may  preach  the  privileges  of  be- 
 lievers, and  not  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  They  may 
 talk  of  justification,  without  referring  to  the  Scriptural  faith 
 by  which  alone  it  is  enjoyed;  of  sanctification,  without  assign- 
 ing the  grace  of  the  Divine  Spirit  as  its  only  efficient  cause  ; 
 of  protection  by  the  power  of  God,  and  peace  and  joy ;  wThile 
 the  protection  depends  upon  our  own  dutiful  conduct,  and 
 may  be  forfeited  if  we  are  not  careful  to  deserve  its  continuance ; 
 the  peace  arises,  not  from  the  application  of  the  blood  of 
 Christ  to  the  conscience,  but  from  our  own  fidelity  in  the 
 performance  of  our  duty ;  and  the  hope  is  not  founded  on 
 the  promises  of  God,  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  but  on 
 the  recollection  of  our  own  meritorious  deeds.    The  privileges 
 
Tin:  word  01  GOD.  90 
 
 numerated  are  conferred  by  the  Gospel,  and  are  exhibited 
 
 in  its  declarations ;  but  as  soon  as  you  disjoin  them  from 
 Christ,  and  ascribe  the  enjoyment  of  them  to  any  other  cause 
 than  his  mediation,  they  coast  to  be  gifts  of  grace,  and  are 
 changed  into  the  rewards  of  the  law.  It  is  in  Christ,  in  a 
 state  of  union  to  him,  and  solely  for  his  sake,  that  God  blesses 
 us  with  all  spiritual  blessings. 
 
 Lastly,  Men  may  preach  the  happiness  of  heaven,  and  yet 
 not  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  They  may  be  chargeable 
 with  doing  so  on  two  accounts,  either  because  they  misrepre- 
 sent the  nature  of  that  happiness,  or  because  they  do  not  truly 
 state  the  means  of  obtaining  it.  To  affirm  that  we  are  indeed 
 pardoned  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  but  that  we  must 
 ourselves  establish  a  right  to  eternal  life  by  our  obedience,  is 
 to  preach  something  very  different  from  the  Gospel ;  although 
 an  attempt  should  be  made  to  qualify  the  doctrine,  and  to 
 give  it  an  evangelical  form,  by  subjoining  that  it  is  the  grace 
 of  God  which  enables  us  to  obey.  This  is  plainly  to  set  even 
 grace  in  opposition  to  Christ,  as  if  it  were  intended  to  help 
 us  to  perforin  a  part  of  the  work  of  salvation,  which  he  claims 
 as  exclusively  his  owTn.  Nor  is  the  Gospel  preached  when 
 heaven  is  described  as  a  place  of  rest  and  enjoyment,  without 
 a  reference  to  the  presence  of  Christ  in  it,  as  constituting  the 
 chief  source  of  its  glory  and  blessedness.  We  all  condemn 
 the  grossness  of  the  Mahometans,  who  expect  a  sensual  para- 
 dise ;  but  even  professed  Christians  are  by  no  means  united 
 in  their  views  of  the  world  to  come.  The  notions  of  many 
 vare  altogether  undefined ;  but,  if  it  is  not  considered  as  a  holy 
 as  well  as  a  happy  place,  and  if  its  happiness  is  contemplated 
 under  any  view  which  excludes  the  love  and  service  of  the 
 Saviour,  or  allows  to  these  only  a  subordinate  place,  it  is  a 
 heaven  of  imagination,  and  not  of  the  Scriptures.  As  Christ 
 is  the  life  and  glory  of  the  Gospel,  so  he  is  associated  with  all 
 just  conceptions  of  future  felicity.  He  is  the  sun  of  the 
 celestial  world. 
 
 It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  private  Christians,  and 
 especially  ministers  of  religion,  should  have  accurate  notions 
 of  the  Gospel.  Truth  is  one,  but  error  is  multifarious.  It 
 is  truth  alone  which  will  promote  the  salvation  of  the  soul ; 
 
96  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 every  modification   of  error  is  injurious  in  a  greater  or  less 
 degree.  "  If  ye  know  the  truth,  the  truth  shall  make  you  free."* 
 
 I  have  said  that  there  are  two  great  divisions  of  the  Word 
 of  God,  the  Gospel  and  the  Law.  Having  spoken  of  the 
 first,  I  now  proceed  to  the  second. 
 
 The  Law,  as  distinguished  from  the  Gospel,  comprehends 
 the  preceptive  part  of  the  will  of  God,  and  the  denunciations 
 of  his  wrath  against  transgressors.  There  is  a  twofold  view 
 in  which  the  law  may  be  contemplated — as  a  covenant  of 
 works,  and  as  a  rule  of  life ;  and  in  both  it  is  conducive  to 
 the  general  design  of  the  Word,  which  is  the  application  of 
 redemption. 
 
 The  Scriptures  give  an  account  of  the  covenant  of  works, 
 not  indeed  under  this  name,  but  in  terms  which  imply  all 
 that  it  signifies.  Considered  in  itself,  this  covenant  is  opposed 
 to  our  salvation.  It  prescribes  terms  which  we  are  utterly 
 incapable  of  performing,  and  denounces  a  curse  upon  every 
 transgressor.  But  this  is  not  all.  So  far  as  it  proves  to  any 
 the  occasion  of  endeavours  to  seek  justification  by  their  own 
 works,  it  stands  in  the  way  of  their  final  happiness,  for  it  is 
 certain  that  the  attainment  of  it  by  such  means  is  impos- 
 sible. When  men,  reading  in  the  Scriptures  that  he  who 
 doth  these  things  shall  live  by  them,  conceive  that  this  is  not 
 merely  the  statement  of  a  hypothetical  case,  but  the  proposal 
 of  a  plan  to  be  acted  upon,  and  hence,  commence  a  course  of 
 obedience  in  the  expectation  of  success ;  they  turn  aside  from 
 the  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  involve  themselves  in  all  the 
 difficulties  and  perplexities  of  a  hopeless  undertaking.  They 
 wrest  the  Scriptures  to  their  own  destruction.  They  convert 
 the  information,  which,  wisely  used,  might  have  led  them  to  the 
 Saviour,  into  the  means  of  blinding  their  minds,  and  alienat- 
 ing their  hearts  from  him.  This  is  not  the  purpose  for  which 
 the  law  as  a  covenant  is  made  known  to  them  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures. God  did  not  intend  that  they  should  attempt  to  repair 
 what  is  broken,  and  to  re-establish  what  is  set  aside.  The 
 design  is  altogether  of  a  different  nature.  It  is  to  rouse  men 
 from  a  state  of  security,  and  to  apprize  them  of  their  danger, 
 that  they  may  flee  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set 
 before  them  in  the  gospel.     "  By  the  law  is  the  knowledge 
 
 *  John  viii.  32. 
 
THE  word  OF  GOD.  \)~ 
 
 oi    sin."      It  shows   \is   that  we    have   trartSgTCSQed,    and  what 
 
 are  the  consequences  of  unpardoned  guilt  according  to  the 
 divine  constitution.     This  is   the  office  which  it  is  appointed 
 to  serve,  or  the  relation  which  it  bears  to  the   revelation  of 
 Christ.      This  revelation  and    the  law  are  distinct ;    but  they 
 are  associated  for  a  general  purpose,  the  one  being  preparatory 
 to  the  other,  and  paving  the  way  for  the  cordial  reception  of  it. 
 The  declaration  of  human   guilt,    and  of  the  dreadful  recom- 
 pense which  awaits  it,    is  intended,   not   only  to  vindicate  the 
 holiness  and  justice  of  God  as  the  moral    Governor  of  the 
 world,   but  to  impress  upon  his  offending  subjects  a  sense  of 
 their  perilous  situation,   that  they  be  excited  to  escape  from 
 it  by  embracing  the  offers  of  his  mercy.     As  this  is  the  aim 
 of  the  threatenings  in  the  word  of  God  where   they  do  not 
 stand  alone,   but  appear  in  connexion  with   the  promises  of 
 pardon   and   salvation  ;    so  it  is   the  design   of  the   strict  in- 
 junctions of  obedience,   and  of  the  occasional  representation 
 of  it  as  the  original  term  of  our  acceptance  with  God.     It  is 
 a  fatal  error  to  suppose,  that   the  design  is  to  encourage  us  to 
 attempt   the   obtaining  of  the   Divine  favour  by  our  feeble 
 endeavours.     It  is  to  convince  us  that  the  terms  are  so  high, 
 that  we  ought  to  despair  of  fulfilling  them  ;   so  that  we  may 
 no  longer  "  go  about  to  establish  our  own  righteousness,"  and 
 may  "  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God."     The  Scriptures 
 speak  to  us  in  the  same  manner  as  our   Lord  addressed  the 
 young  man,  wTho  proposed  this  question,   "  What  good  thing 
 shall  I  do,  that  I  may  inherit  eternal  life  ?"     To  suppose  that, 
 when  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
 commandments,"  *  he  seriously  meant  to  signify  to  him,  that 
 he  might  so  keep  them  as  to  attain  the  reward  of  immortality, 
 is  to  suppose  that,  on  this  occasion,  he  contradicted  himself, 
 and  taught  a  doctrine  which  himself  and  his   Apostles  have 
 expressly  condemned.     He  adapted  the  answer  to  the  ques- 
 tion ;  and  as  the  young  man  was  seeking  salvation   by  the 
 law,   he  told  him  what  he  must  do,   not  to  encourage  him  in 
 his  error,   but  to  correct  it ;  and  accordingly  he  proceeded  to 
 bring  his  obedience,  in  which  he  trusted,    to  the  test,   and  to 
 shew  him  that  it  was  sadly  defective. 
 
 •   Matth.  xix.  10,  17- 
 VOL.  IV.  G 
 
98  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Tims  you  perceive  the  subservience  of  the  covenant  of 
 works,  and  consequently  of  those  parts  of  the  word  in  which 
 it  is  announced,  to  the  gracious  designs  of  God  towards 
 sinners.  The  covenant  itself  is  disannulled,  as  every  agree- 
 ment is  by  the  failure  of  one  of  the  parties.  The  other  party 
 ceases  to  be  bound  by  his  stipulations,  and  has  a  right  to 
 demand  that  the  penalty  be  inflicted.  God  does  not  now 
 deal  with  men  according  to  this  covenant,  except  in  the  way 
 of  punishment  for  the  breach  of  it ;  and  the  only  character 
 which  he  sustains  in  relation  to  those  who  are  under  it,  is 
 that  of  a  Judge.  He  promises  life  to  no  man  upon  its  terms  ; 
 but,  still  demanding  obedience  as  naturally  due  to  him,  he 
 threatens  death  because  it  has  not  been  performed.  Its  ori- 
 ginal sanctions  are  published,  to  shew  us  what  we  owe  to  our 
 Maker,  what  we  have  failed  to  perform,  and  what  evil  we 
 have  brought  upon  ourselves,  that  we  may  feel  the  necessity 
 of  another  plan  of  salvation,  and  may  believe  in  Him  who  is 
 "  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness." 
 
 Let  us  now  consider  the  law  as  a  rule  of  life :  and  first,  let 
 us  ascertain  what  it  signifies  under  this  designation.  The 
 law,  as  a  rule  of  life,  is  the  law  divested  of  its  federal  form, 
 and  considered  simply  as  an  authoritative  declaration  of  the 
 duty  which  God  requires  from  his  people.  It  enjoins  obe- 
 dience ;  not,  however,  as  the  condition  upon  which  their  future 
 happiness  is  suspended,  but  as  the  homage  which  they  owe 
 to  God  as  the  supreme  Governor  of  the  world,  and  the  Father 
 of  those  who  believe.  I  acknowledge  that  there  are  connected 
 with  it  promises  of  spiritual  blessings ;  but  it  should  be  ob- 
 served, that  obedience  is  not  the  procuring  cause  of  those 
 blessings,  but  merely  the  qualification  which  must  precede 
 the  enjoyment  of  them,  and  that  the  reward  is  wholly  of 
 grace.  I  acknowledge  too,  that  even  eternal  life  is  sometimes 
 represented  as  a  recompense  of  the  obedience  of  the  saints  ; 
 but  it  is  plain  to  every  person  who  understands  the  Scriptures, 
 that  it  is  a  recompense  only  in  an  improper  sense,  and  is  so 
 called  because  it  will  follow  their  obedience,  and  compensate 
 every  labour  to  which  they  have  submitted,  and  every  sacri- 
 fice which  they  have  made  for  the  glory  of  God.  We  must 
 beware  of  imagining  that,  having  set  aside  the  old  covenant, 
 
THE  WORD  OF  <.on. 
 
 God  has  made  a  new  one  with  man  under  the  Gospel ;  and 
 
 that  die  law  of  works  is  revived  under  a  (liferent  name,  and 
 with  some  abatement  of  its  rigour,  in  accommodation  to  human 
 infirmity.  The  true  situation  of  believers  does  not  resemble 
 that  of  servants  who  obey  their  masters  for  hire,  but  that  of 
 men  who  obey  their  Father  from  love,  and  who,  although  they 
 know  that  the  inheritance  is  secured  to  them,  expect  in  the 
 mean  time  to  be  treated  kindly  and  liberally  according  to  their 
 dutiful  conduct. 
 
 The  law,  as  a  rule  of  life,  is  subservient  to  the  salvation  of 
 believers  in  various  ways.      It  is   the  directory  of  their  con- 
 duct, their  guide  in  their  whole  course.      It  is  of  the  utmost 
 importance  to  know  what  is  pleasing  to  God,  and  we  learn  it 
 from  the  law,  which  is  a  summary  of  all  our  duties.     Heathens 
 have  no  means  of  ascertaining  their  duty,  except  by  reasoning 
 and  the  dictates  of  conscience  ;  and  hence  their  systems  of 
 morality  have   always   been   imperfect.      It  is  an  inestimable 
 advantage  which   Christians  enjoy,   that  they  have  only  to 
 look  into  the  "  perfect  law  of  liberty,"  as  an  Apostle  calls  it ; 
 not  to  engage  in  lengthened  discussions,  but  to  read  ;  simply 
 to  ask,  What  is  written  ?    What  says  the  law  ?  and,  whatever 
 obscurity  may  attend  some  parts  of  revelation,  whatever  diffi- 
 culties may  present  themselves  to  the  mind  when  contemplat- 
 ing them,  in  consequence  of  the  limited  nature  of  our  faculties, 
 and  the  impossibility  of  perceiving  the  link  which  connects 
 them  with  other  things  the  truth  of  which  must  be  admitted, 
 — the  moral  precepts  are  plain  to  every  capacity,  and  nothing 
 hinders  any  man  from  perceiving  them,   but  carelessness  or 
 corrupt    inclinations,    by   which   his  judgment  is  perverted. 
 With  respect  to  some  other  points,   Christians  differ  from  one 
 another ;  but  in  their  views  of  the  duties  of  holiness,  all  con- 
 scientious inquirers  are    agreed.       The  law  serves  also  to 
 excite  them  to  their  duty.     Its  instructions  are  authoritative. 
 It  not  only  tells  them  what  they  should  do,   but  it  commands 
 them.     They  hear  the  voice  of  God  in  its  precepts.     A  sense 
 ot  obligation  is  created  ;   conscience  re-echoes  his  voice,  or 
 republishes  the   command,    and   exacts  instant  and  cheerful 
 obedience.     It  accompanies  them  as  a  monitor,   who  sp 
 although  they  alone  hear,    in  the  midst   of  company  as  well 
 
100  THE   EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE*. 
 
 as  in  the  solitude  of  retirement,  and  says,  This  you  ought  to 
 do ;  that  you  must  not  do.  God  promises  to  write  his  law 
 upon  the  hearts  of  his  people  ;  and  the  promise  is  performed 
 when  their  minds  are  so  enlightened  by  it,  their  consciences 
 are  so  impressed,  and  their  wills  are  so  controlled  by  its 
 authority,  that  they  make  it  the  rule  by  which  their  whole 
 conduct  is  governed. 
 
 Unholy  men  set  no  value  upon  this  part  of  the  word  of 
 God.  The  law  they  regard  as  a  restraint,  because  they  wish 
 to  live  without  any  rule  except  their  own  inclinations.  It  ap- 
 pears in  a  different  light  to  those  whose  aim  it  is  to  please  and 
 glorify  God,  and  they  are  thankful  that  he  has  himself  in- 
 structed them  so  clearly  and  particularly.  The  words  of  the 
 Psalmist  are  expressive  of  the  sentiments  of  all  the  saints  : 
 "  More  to  be  desired  are  thy  statutes  than  gold,  yea,  than 
 much  fine  gold  ;  swTeeter  also  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb. 
 Moreover,  by  them  is  thy  servant  warned,  and  in  keeping  of 
 them  there  is  great  reward."  *  The  commands  of  the  law, 
 its  admonitions,  and  even  its  reproofs,  are  acceptable  to  him 
 who  is  desirous  that  nothing  may  be  found  in  him,  on  which 
 God  would  look  with  disapprobation. 
 
 If  holiness  is  an  essential  part  of  salvation,  the  utility  of  the 
 law  is  manifest.  It  is  the  standard  of  holiness.  It  shews 
 what  the  saints  ought  to  be,  and  what  God  has  purposed  to 
 make  them.  It  is  the  pattern  according  to  which  his  Spirit 
 fashions  them  ;  and  its  prescriptions  are  the  means  of  exciting 
 them  to  make  progress  in  holiness,  to  go  from  strength  to 
 strength,  to  press  towards  the  goal  of  perfection.  Its  purity, 
 which  to  others  is  a  formidable  objection,  is  the  reason  why 
 the  saints  so  highly  esteem  it.  They  love  it  because  it  is 
 without  a  flaw  ;  because  it  is  a  true  image  of  the  moral  excel- 
 lence of  its  Author ;  because  it  urges  them  on  in  their  course, 
 and  will  not  permit  them  to  stop,  till  their  heart  and  conduct 
 exhibit  its  exact  counterpart.  Hence  they  offer  up  such 
 prayers  as  these  :  "  Teach  me,  O  Lord,  the  way  of  thy  sta- 
 tutes ;  and  I  shall  keep  it  unto  the  end.  Give  me  under- 
 standing, and  I  shall  keep  thy  law ;  yea,  I  shall  observe  it 
 with  my  whole  heart.     Make  me  to  go  in  the  path  of  thy  com- 
 
 •  Ps.  six.  10,  11. 
 
THK  WORD  Of  GOD.  101 
 
 mandments  ;  for  therein  do  I  delight.  Incline  my  heart  unto 
 tliv  testimonies,  and  not  to  covetousness.  Turn  away  mine 
 e\  ea  from  beholding  vanity,  and  quicken  thou  me  in  thy  way."* 
 It  is  necessary,  in  Bpeaking  of  the  law  as  a  rule  of  life  to  be- 
 lievers,  carefully  to  consider  its  connexion  with  the  gospel. 
 Ir  ifl  founded  upon  the  gospel;  that  is,  it  is  given  to  them  as 
 persons  who  by  the  gospel  have  been  brought  into  a  state  of 
 favour  with  God,  and  are  in  possession  of  great  spiritual  privi- 
 leges. This  is  supposed  to  be  taught  by  the  preface  to  the 
 ten  commandments  which  were  promulgated  to  the  Israelites 
 from  Sinai;  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought 
 thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage."  ' 
 The  fact,  it  has  been  observed,  brought  forward  as  the  reason 
 or  motive  of  our  obedience,  is,  that  the  Lawgiver  is  our  Lord 
 and  Redeemer,  or  stands  in  a  saving  relation  to  us.  %  Thus 
 the  preface  is  explained  by  our  Church ;  but  to  establish  this 
 view  of  the  words,  it  would  be  necessary  to  ascertain  the  pre- 
 ei>e  nature  of  the  transaction  at  Sinai ;  a  subject  of  difficult 
 discussion,  and  in  determining  which,  even  those  who  are 
 called  orthodox  are  by  no  means  agreed.  The  difficulty  is 
 certainly  not  lessened  by  a  passage  in  the  writings  of  Paul, 
 which  imports  that  the  law  given  at  that  time,  might  be  con- 
 ceived to  have  set  aside  the  promise  made  to  Abraham  of  sal- 
 vation through  his  illustrious  seed  ;  ||  a  supposition  for  which  it 
 does  not  appear  that  there  would  have  been  any  ground,  if  it 
 had  been  known  to  be  a  publication  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 
 The  wTords  under  consideration  may  be  understood  simply  to 
 import,  that,  since  God  had  revealed  himself  to  the  Israelites 
 in  preference  to  other  nations,  and  had  rescued  them  from  the 
 hands  of  their  enemies,  they  should  pay  a  sacred  regard  to 
 his  commands.  Whatever  view  we  may  take  of  the  preface 
 to  the  law,  we  are  certain  that,  as  a  rule  of  life,  it  emanates 
 from  the  God  of  love,  and  calls  upon  believers  to  perform 
 obedience  in  testimony  of  their  gratitude  for  his  goodness. 
 A  distinction  which  has  been  often  made  may  be  mentioned, 
 he  cause  it  expresses  an  important  truth,  that  the  law  is  not 
 given  to  believers  that  they  may  live  by  it,  but  that  they  are 
 
 ■   Ps.  cxix.  33—37.  +   Exod.  xx.  2.  %  Shorter  Cateclmni,  Q.  44. 
 
 •|    Gal.  iii.  17. 
 
102  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 to  obey  it,  because  they  already  live.  When  more  plainly 
 and  fully  expressed,  the  sentiment  is,  that  obedience  is  not 
 enjoined  upon  believers,  that  they  may  obtain  the  favour  of 
 God  and  eternal  life ;  but  they  are  required  to  obey,  because 
 he  has  "  accepted  them  in  the  beloved,"  and  they  have  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  who  dwells  in  their  hearts  to  assist  them. 
 
 The  law  commands,  and  the  gospel  promises.  Now,  there 
 is  a  perfect  accordance  between  the  promises  of  the  one,  and 
 the  commands  of  the  other.  The  promises  exhibit  the  grace 
 by  which  we  are  enabled  to  obey  the  commands  ;  and  we  see 
 in  the  connexion  between  them,  the  fulfilment  of  the  humble 
 and  pious  request  of  Augustine,  "  Da  quodjubes,  etjube  quod 
 vis"  The  believer  is  fully  furnished  for  every  good  work. 
 If  the  law  commands  us  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all 
 our  heart,  the  gospel  promises  that  he  will  "  circumcise  our 
 hearts  to  love  him."  '  If  the  law  commands  us  to  repent,  the 
 gospel  promises  "  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications,  that 
 we  may  mourn  as  for  an  only  son,  and  be  in  bitterness  as  for 
 a  first-born."  f  If  the  law  commands  us  "to  make  to  our- 
 selves a  new  heart,"  God  promises  in  the  gospel  "  to  take 
 away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  to  give  us  a  heart  of  flesh."  J 
 If  the  law  requires  us  to  "  walk  in  all  the  ordinances  and  com- 
 mandments of  the  Lord,"  this  is  the  promise  of  the  gospel, 
 "  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in 
 my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments,  and  do  them."  || 
 It  would  be  easy  to  go  into  a  long  detail,  but  the  specimen 
 which  I  have  given  is  sufficient,  and  will  direct  you  in  your 
 inquiries  into  the  subject. 
 
 The  law  and  the  gospel  are  the  two  grand  divisions  of  the 
 word  of  God ;  but  they  do  not  exhaust  its  contents.  It  com- 
 prehends other  subjects,  which  contribute  to  the  general  de- 
 sign, and  are  entitled  to  our  attention  at  present.  "  All  Scrip- 
 ture is  profitable." 
 
 The  word  of  God  contains  a  history  of  the  human  race 
 from  the  creation  to  the  flood,  and  a  more  particular  history 
 of  the  Israelites,  and  of  other  nations  who  were  settled  in 
 their  vicinity,  and  with  whom  they  were  connected  in  various 
 ways.     The  history  of   the   Israelites  is  the  history  of  the 
 
 •  Dcut.  xxx.  6.         +  zcch.  xii.  10.         +  Ez.  xi.  19.  ||  lb.  xxxvi.  27. 
 
i  ill.   u  «h;i>  »)i    oou.  103 
 
 Church,    till   the    canon   of  the   ancient    Scriptures  was  com- 
 pleted :  and  in  the  New  Testament  the  subject  is  resumed. 
 It    therefore  affords  illustrious  displays   of  the  wisdom,   and 
 power,  and  grace,  and  faithfulness,  and  holiness  of  God.   The 
 history  of  the  Israelites,  and  of  other  nations,  is  the  history  of 
 Providence  ;  and  is  interesting,  not  only  as  a  detail  of  ancient 
 facts,   in  which  view  it  gratifies  curiosity,   but  as  an  illustra- 
 tion of  the  character  and  conduct  of  God  as  the  moral  Gover- 
 nor of  the  world,  and  in   this  view  it  is  conducive  to  piety. 
 There  are  other  authentic  histories  from  which  much  useful 
 instruction  may  be  derived  ;  but  from  the  manner  in  which  they 
 are  conducted,  our  attention  is  fixed  almost  exclusively  upon 
 the  operations  of  men,   their  schemes  of  policy,   the  achieve- 
 ments of  their  power,    and   the  vicissitudes  of  their  fortune ; 
 while  the  histories  which  we  find  in  the  Bible  lead  us  directly 
 to  God.     The  revolutions  in   the  state  of  things  are  the  ef- 
 fects  of  his  will  and  agency;  nations  rise  and  fall  according  to 
 his  pleasure  ;  the  passions  of  men  are  instruments  wielded  by 
 his  arm  ;  he  permits  their  wrath  to  go  forth,   and  sets  bounds 
 to  it  which  it  cannot  pass.     This  representation  of  the  course 
 of  events  is  new  ;   the  affairs  of  mankind  are  exhibited  to  us 
 in  the  light  of  religion  ;   and  from  the  signatures  of  Divine 
 agency  upon  them,  they  are  calculated  to  awaken  sentiments 
 of  reverence  for  God,   confidence  in  his  care,   and  submission 
 to   his  will.     When,  in  reading  the  Scriptures,  the  mind  is 
 directed  to  him,  its  histories  prove  highly  edifying ;  and  pious 
 impressions  are  made  upon  those  who  had  perused  other  his- 
 tories with  indifference,  or  solely  with  the  interest  which  was 
 created  by  the  nature  of  the  events,  and  the  eloquence  of  the 
 writers. 
 
 The  word  of  God  presents  also  examples  of  goodness  and 
 wickedness  in  the  conduct  of  individuals.  With  respect  to 
 the  latter,  they  are  warnings  to  us  ;  beacons  erected  to  point 
 out  the  rocks  upon  which  others  have  been  shipwrecked,  as 
 well  as  testimonies  borne  to  the  power  and  justice  of  God  in 
 their  punishment,  that  others  may  hear  and  fear.  I  refer  only 
 to  a  single  instance,  that  of  Pharaoh,  because  particular  notice 
 is  taken  of  it  by  an  Apostle.  "  The  Scripture  saith  unto 
 Pharaoh,    Even  for  this  same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up, 
 
K 
 104  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 that  I  might  shew  my  power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might 
 be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth."  *  The  examples  of 
 conversion,  and  of  faith,  patience,  and  obedience,  are  intended 
 to  encourage  both  sinners  and  saints.  They  display  the  riches 
 of  Divine  mercy  in  the  pardon  of  transgressors,  that  those  who 
 are  awakened  may  not  despair ;  and  they  shew  that  the  grace 
 of  God  has  been  sufficient  for  his  people  in  past  ages,  that  by 
 its  aid  they  have  resisted  powerful  temptations,  and  have  been 
 enabled  to  perform  difficult  duties,  that  others  may  be  excited 
 to  tread  in  their  steps.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  a  short 
 account  of  the  ancient  worthies  who  by  their  faith  and  their 
 works  had  glorified  God,  is  concluded  with  this  exhortation  : 
 "  Wherefore,  seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with  so  great 
 a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin 
 which  doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the 
 race  that  is  set  before  us."f 
 
 The  miracles  recorded  in  Scripture  tend  to  exalt  our  ideas 
 of  the  power  of  God,  and  to  confirm  our  faith.  It  is  by  them 
 that  the  Scriptures  are  proved  to  be  his  word ;  for  they  are  the 
 attestation  which  he  gave  to  the  divine  mission  of  Moses  and 
 the  Prophets,  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  The  same  purpose 
 is  served  by  the  prophecies,  as  it  is  manifest  that  the  Prophets 
 were  his  inspired  messengers,  who  foretold,  long  before  they 
 happened,  events  which  no  human  sagacity  could  have  foreseen, 
 and  which  depended  upon  the  free  agency  of  men.  They 
 serve  also  to  confirm  our  belief  of  the  moral  administration  of 
 God,  when  we  see  the  system  of  human  affairs  conducted 
 according  to  a  plan  previously  revealed  by  him  ;  and  they 
 minister  to  the  encouragement  and  consolation  of  the  saints, 
 by  throwing  a  cheering  light  upon  the  future,  and  unfolding 
 the  prospect  of  the  reign  of  righteousness  and  truth  in  the 
 earth,  and  of  the  final  deliverance  of  the  Church  from  the 
 power  of  her  enemies. 
 
 The  utility  of  the  devotional  parts  of  Scripture  is  obvious. 
 They  present  models  to  be  imitated  by  the  saints  in  their  pious 
 exercises,  and  excitements  to  cultivate  communion  with  God. 
 The  Psalms  of  David,  in  particular,  have  been  held  in  high 
 estimation  in  every  age.  There,  we  are  presented  with  an 
 *  Rom.  ix.  17.  t  Heb.  xii.  1. 
 
THE  woitn  01  (ion.  10") 
 
 example  of  faith  and  love,  soaring  to  a  height  which  few  have 
 reached,  ©Yen  with  all  the  advantages  of  the  superior  light 
 and  grace  of  the  Gospel.  We  see  the  ardent  longings  of  his 
 BOul  for  God;  his  deep  distress  when  sin  had  interrupted  his 
 fellowship  with  him,  or  the  violence  of  men  had  excluded  him 
 from  the  sanctuary  ;  and  his  joy  when  God  again  made  the 
 light  of  his  countenance  shine  upon  his  soul.  We  see  how 
 he,  and  the  other  holy  men  whose  compositions  are  found  in 
 the  same  collection,  trusted  in  God  amidst  affliction,  and  per- 
 secution, and  desertion,  adored  his  judgments,  embraced  his 
 promises,  obeyed  his  commandments,  and  prayed  for  his 
 favour.  These  things  are  examples  to  us  :  "  They  are  written 
 for  our  learning,  that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the 
 Scriptures  might  have  hope."  *  They  are  a  specimen  of  the 
 manner  in  which  God  deals  with  his  people  ;  they  shew  us 
 how  spiritual  joy  is  gained  and  lost ;  what  is  the  exercise 
 suitable  to  the  particular  circumstances  in  which  we  are 
 placed  ;  how  we  should  wait  upon  God  ;  and  what  are  the 
 advantages  of  perseverance  in  prayer  and  supplication.  They 
 are  the  means  of  infusing  the  same  spirit  into  others ;  and 
 often  has  the  devotion  of  Christians  been  kindled  by  the  flame 
 which  glowed  in  the  bosom  of  these  holy  Jews. 
 
 The  word  is  to  be  used  by  reading  and  hearing  it,  both 
 being  appointed  to  be  means  of  salvation  :  "  The  Spirit  of 
 God,"  says  our  Church,  "  maketh  the  reading,  but  especially 
 the  preaching  of  the  word,  an  effectual  means  of  convincing  and 
 converting  sinners,  and  of  building  them  up  in  holiness  and 
 comfort  through  faith  unto  salvation."  '  I  shall  not  call  in 
 question  this  proposition,  so  far  as  it  respects  the  pre-eminence 
 of  preaching ;  although  I  must  say,  that  the  Scriptures  quoted 
 in  proof,  do  not  appear  to  me  to  establish  the  point,  but 
 when  fairly  interpreted,  to  imply  nothing  more  than  that 
 God  accomplishes  his  gracious  designs  by  the  word,  whether 
 read  or  heard  ;  for  some  of  them  relate  to  the  one  mode  of 
 dispensing  it,  and  some  to  the  other,  and  none  of  them  gives 
 the  preference  to  either.  I  acknowledge  that  more  is  said  con- 
 cerning the  effects  of  the  preaching,  than  of  the  reading  of  the 
 word  ;  although  nothing  can  be  stronger  than  the  assertion  of 
 
 •  Rom.  xv.  4.  +  Shorter  Catechism,  Q.  89. 
 
106  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Paul,  that  the  Scriptures  read  "are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto 
 salvation  ;"  *  but  for  the  more  frequent  mention  of  the  former, 
 it  is  easy  to  account  without  the  supposition  of  its  superior 
 efficacy.  For  some  time  after  Christ  gave  a  commission  to 
 the  Apostles,  no  part  of  the  New  Testament  was  written ; 
 and  when  its  books  were  published,  they  existed  only  in 
 manuscripts,  which  could  not  be  transcribed  without  much 
 time  and  expense,  and  to  which  therefore  comparatively  few 
 could  have  access.  From  the  nature  of  the  case,  the  Gospel 
 was  chiefly  propagated  by  preaching,  and  the  references  to 
 this  mode  of  dispensing  it  are  consequently  frequent.  Preach- 
 ing was  necessarily  the  principal  means  by  which  the  world 
 was  converted,  and  the  primitive  Church  was  established  ; 
 and  it  must  have  continued  so,  till  copies  of  the  Scriptures 
 were  multiplied,  in  consequence  of  the  invention  of  printing. 
 There  is  no  doubt  that  God  has,  in  every  age,  blessed  the 
 reading  of  the  word  for  illuminating  the  minds  of  men,  and 
 changing  their  hearts ;  and  that  many  a  conversion  has  been 
 effected,  in  private  dwellings  as  well  as  in  the  Church,  by  the 
 silent  perusal  of  the  Scriptures  as  wTell  as  by  the  living  voice  of 
 the  ambassadors  of  Christ.  The  benefit  which  the  saints  derive 
 from  the  study  of  them  is  the  subject  of  daily  experience  ; 
 and  they  can  tell  how  Divine  light  has  shined  into  their 
 minds,  and  their  hearts  have  been  filled  with  peace  and  joy  ; 
 how  their  drooping  spirits  have  been  revived,  and  their  im- 
 paired strength  has  been  recruited,  while  they  turned  over  the 
 sacred  pages,  and  devoutly  meditated  upon  their  contents.  In 
 our  own  times,  the  Scriptures  have  proved  effectual  to  open 
 the  eyes  of  not  a  few  Heathens,  and  Mahometans,  and  Jews, 
 and  Roman  Catholics,  and  nominal  Christians  in  the  Protes- 
 tant Churches  ;  and  from  the  unexampled  zeal  to  circulate 
 them,  which  has  been  recently  displayed,  and  which,  there 
 can  be  no  question,  is  under  the  direction  of  Providence,  there 
 is  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  the  Divine  intention  to  make 
 eminent  use  of  them  in  accomplishing  the  great  spiritual  revo- 
 lution which  is  approaching. 
 
 These  observations  are  not  designed  to  impugn  the  common 
 doctrine  of  the  superior  efficacy  of  preaching  ;  although,  at  the 
 
 •  2  Tim.  iii.  15. 
 
Tin-:  woiti)  01  OOD.  |(»7 
 
 same  time,  I  would  say,  that  unless  it  can  be  established  by 
 scriptural  proofs,  it  is  no  article  of  faith,  and  must  be  consi- 
 dered merely  a*  a  deduction  of  experience.  There  can  be  no 
 dispute  that  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  has  been  productive 
 of  mighty  effects,  not  only  at  the  commencement  of  the  pre- 
 sent dispensation,  but  in  all  the  subsequent  ages.  The  promise 
 which  our  Lord  made  to  the  Apostles  has  been  continued  to 
 their  successors  in  the  ministry  :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
 even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  '  It  is  an  ordinance  of 
 Christ,  which  he  will  accompany  with  his  blessing.  It  has 
 been,  and  it  will  be,  the  effectual  means  of  awakening  the 
 careless,  of  leading  the  convinced  sinner  to  the  Saviour,  of 
 comforting  the  dejected,  of  confirming  the  wTavering,  of  con- 
 ducting the  saints  from  one  degree  of  faith  and  holiness  to  an- 
 other, till  they  "  come  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
 fulness  of  Christ." 
 
 There  are  some  peculiar  advantages  in  the  mode  of  dis- 
 pensing the  word  by  preaching.  A  minister  may  be  com- 
 pared to  a  guide,  who  points  out  to  the  traveller  objects  which 
 might  have  escaped  his  notice,  and  explains  things  which  he 
 might  not  have  otherwise  understood.  It  is  not  my  meaning 
 that  the  Scriptures  are  so  dark  as  to  need  a  commentary,  and 
 to  be  a  sealed  book  to  the  unlearned.  In  all  matters  neces- 
 sary to  salvation,  they  are  plain  to  every  person  of  common 
 capacity.  But  the  truths  of  revelation,  although  they  com- 
 pose a  regular  system,  all  the  parts  of  which  are  closely  con- 
 nected, are  not  delivered  in  a  systematic  form.  They  are 
 scattered  up  and  down  in  the  Bible ;  and  it  requires  attention 
 and  time  to  bring  them  together,  and  arrange  them,  that  they 
 may  throw  light  upon  one  another,  and  exhibit  in  one  view  all 
 the  information  communicated  to  us  on  the  subject  of  religion. 
 Besides,  there  are  in  the  Scriptures  things  hard  to  be  understood, 
 subjects  which  are  obscure  from  their  own  nature,  or  from  their 
 relation  to  other  things,  which  no  longer  exist,  or  are  not  gene- 
 rally known,  and  which  thus  require  learned  and  laborious  re- 
 search. Hence,  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  persons* 
 who  are  fitted  by  their  education,  and  bound  by  their  profession, 
 to  engage  in  those  inquiries;  and  at  the  same  time  enjoy  leisure 
 
 •   Matth.  xxviii.  20. 
 
108  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 and  retirement  from  the  bustle  of  the  world.  Such  a  class  of 
 men  is  provided  by  the  institution  of  the  ministry ;  and  as  in 
 the  primitive  times  they  were  qualified  for  their  office  by  the 
 extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  the  want  of  these  must  now 
 be  supplied  by  diligent  study.  Thus  the  preachers  of  the  word 
 are  enabled  to  bring  "  out  of  their  treasures  things  new  and 
 old ;"  to  lay  open  the  whole  scheme  of  revelation  ;  to  illustrate 
 what  is  dark ;  to  solve  what  is  difficult ;  to  reconcile  what 
 seems  contradictory  ;  to  display  the  connexion  and  harmony 
 of  Scripture ;  and  to  render  every  part  of  it  subservient  to  the 
 design  of  making  the  Christian  perfect.  The  utility  of  the 
 ministry  does  not  absolutely  depend  upon  the  superior  talents 
 of  the  persons  by  whom  its  duties  are  performed.  Suppose 
 that  their  abilities  should  not  be  greater  than  those  of  some 
 of  their  hearers,  or  should  not  even  be  equal,  yet  the  latter 
 may  be  benefited  by  their  instructions ;  because  their  attention 
 has  been  more  directed  to  the  subject,  and  they  may  be  well 
 conceived  to  understand  better  than  others,  a  book  which  is 
 their  daily  and  principal  study. 
 
 The  preaching  of  the  word  possesses  also  this  advantage, 
 that  the  occasion,  the  place,  the  voice  of  the  speaker,  the 
 solemnity  and  earnestness  of  his  delivery,  are  calculated  to 
 make  an  impression.  Ministers,  indeed,  however  eloquent 
 they  may  be,  can  operate  only  on  the  natural  affections,  and 
 move  them  in  various  ways ;  but  the  circumstances  already 
 mentioned  have  an  obvious  tendency  to  excite  attention  to  the 
 truths  of  religion  ;  and  this  state  of  mind  is  more  favourable 
 than  the  listlessness  with  which  men  often  peruse  their  Bibles 
 at  home.  This,  however,  is  a  secondary  consideration,  which 
 will  not  account  for  the  success  with  which  the  preaching  of 
 the  word  is  attended. 
 
 It  should  be  remembered  that,  when  we  represent  the  word, 
 read  and  heard,  as  contributing  to  accomplish  the  salvation  of 
 sinners,  we  consider  it  only  as  a  mean,  the  success  of  which 
 is  owing  to  a  power  that  works  unseen.  Rational  arguments 
 will  convince  the  understanding,  and  the  descriptions  and 
 appeals  of  eloquence  will  move  the  affections ;  but  the  heart, 
 even  the  word  of  God,  when  left  alone,  is  not  able  to 
 change.     There  is  no  virtue  in  its   terms  more  than  in  those 
 
Tin:  uoiii)  o  10'J 
 
 of  ordinary  language.     Lta  subjects,  indeed,  are  the  most  in- 
 ing  that  were  ever  presented  to  human  contemplation  ; 
 
 but  the  mind  is  so  blind  that  it  does  not  perceive  their  excel- 
 lence, and  the  heart  is  so  corrupt  that  it  cannot  relish  them. 
 'w  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God  ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know 
 them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  * 
 
 To  ensure  the  success  of  his  word,  God  has  promised  the 
 Holy  Spirit  to  accompany  it ;  and  it  is  his  office  to  remove 
 the  veil  which  hides  its  glories  from  our  eyes,  and  the  obstacles 
 which  prevent  its  entrance  into  our  hearts.  If  there  is  an 
 incapacity  in  men  to  discern  spiritual  things,  it  cannot  be 
 remedied  but  by  supernatural  influence  ;  as  a  man  born  blind 
 cannot  be  made  to  see  but  by  the  same  power  which  created 
 the  light  and  the  eye.  Whence  is  it  that  men  who  have  been 
 trained  to  accurate  thinking,  and  are  capable  of  perceiving  the 
 evidence  and  estimating  the  importance  of  religion,  do  often 
 disregard  its  truths,  and  even  treat  them  with  contempt ; 
 while  others  of  far  inferior  ability  discover  the  marks  of  a 
 Divine  origin  in  the  Gospel,  and  give  it  a  cordial  reception  ? 
 Whence  is  it  that  it  fixes  the  attention  of  the  giddy,  but 
 escapes  the  notice  of  the  thoughtful ;  and  that  of  the  members 
 of  a  family  who  have  been  educated  in  reverence  for  it,  and 
 upon  whom  its  lessons  have  been  frequently  and  solemnly 
 inculcated,  one,  it  may  be,  believes,  while  the  rest  continue 
 indifferent  to  its  truths  ?  These  things,  I  think,  cannot  be 
 accounted  for,  but  by  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  grace,  which 
 operates  according  to  its  sovereign  will ;  for  if  the  word  pos- 
 sessed a  power  in  itself  to  convert  the  soul,  we  might  expect 
 the  change  to  be  accomplished  in  every  case  where  the  means 
 were  used  with  equal  diligence,  and  the  effect  to  be  greatest 
 in  those  who  were  predisposed  by  the  superior  cultivation  of 
 their  faculties.  Upon  no  other  principle  can  we  explain  other 
 facts  in  the  history  of  religion ;  as,  that  the  word  of  God  should 
 at  last  engage  the  serious  attention  of  a  person  who  had,  for  a 
 long  series  of  years,  discovered  the  utmost  indifference  to  it ; 
 and  that  it  should  make  a  sudden  impression,  like  a  flash  of 
 lightning  betokened   by  no  appearance  of  the  sky,  but  an 
 
 •  1  Cor.  ii.  14. 
 
110  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 impression  which  ever  after  remains.  It  is  evident  that  now 
 the  time  of  gracious  visitation  is  come.  The  man  is  the  same 
 as  he  ever  was,  and  the  truths  are  the  same  which  he  has 
 repeatedly  heard ;  but  a  new  power  attends  them,  by  which 
 his  attention  is  arrested,  and  his  mind  is  convinced.  While 
 the  word  was  left  to  w7ork  by  its  own  power,  it  effected 
 nothing  ;  but  now  it  proves  mighty  through  God,  and  brings 
 every  thought  into  captivity  to  Christ.  When  Paul  preached 
 to  the  women  of  Philippi,  who  were  assembled  for  prayer, 
 they  all  heard ;  but  of  one  the  historian  says, — "  A  certain 
 woman  named  Lydia  heard  us :  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened, 
 that  she  attended  unto  the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul."  * 
 And  this  is  the  true  account  of  every  conversion.  The  change 
 is  secretly  effected,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  concurring  with  the 
 word.  Paul  may  plant  and  Apollos  water,  but  it  is  God  that 
 giveth  the  increase,  f 
 
 *  Acts  xvi.  14.  f  1  Cor.  iii.  7- 
 
LECTURE  LXXXVI. 
 
 ON  THE  SACRAMENTS. 
 
 .  ITION  OF  THE  TERM. — THEIR  NATURE   AND    DESIGN. ACCOUNT    OF 
 
 THEM OBSERVATIONS  ON  THEIR  ORIGIN  ;    THEIR  SIGNIFICANCE'  ;    HOW 
 
 THEY  ARE  TO  BE  USED,    AND    BY    WHOM  ;    AND    THE    SOURCE    OF  THEIR 
 EFFICACY  :  NOT  AFFECTED  BY  THE  INTENTION  OF  THE  ADMINISTRATOR. 
 
 The  word  of  God  read  and  heard,  is  the  principal  mean  which 
 is  employed  for  the  salvation  of  men.  We  have  spoken  of  it 
 at  some  length  in  the  preceding  lectures,  and  shall  now  pro- 
 ceed to  consider  the  other  means  which  concur  with  the  word, 
 to  accomplish  the  gracious  designs  of  heaven  with  respect  to 
 believers.  However  beneficial  they  are,  they  are  not  all  of 
 equal  necessity  with  the  word,  and  are  to  be  viewed  as  auxi- 
 liaries to  it.  It  is  by  the  word  alone  that  faith  is  produced, 
 and  the  seeds  of  holiness  are  sown  in  the  heart.  The  office 
 of  the  other  ordinances  to  which  I  refer,  is  to  assist  in  main- 
 taining and  strengthening  faith,  and  in  rearing  the  Christian 
 graces  to  maturity.  There  is  no  doubt  that  men  might  be 
 saved  without  the  sacraments,  if  they  were  placed  in  such 
 circumstances  that  they  could  not  enjoy  them  ;  but  we  have  no 
 authority  to  say  that  they  might  be  saved  without  the  word. 
 
 Afl  I  am  now  to  enter  upon  the  consideration  of  the  Sacra- 
 ments, it  is  proper  to  begin  with  a  definition  of  the  term.  A 
 Sacrament  is  defined  to  be  "the  visible  form  of  invisible  grace.*' 
 Others  have  called  it  "  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  grace  of  God 
 in  Christ;"  or  more  fully,   "  a  visible  sign  and  seal,  divinely 
 
112  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF   GRACE  : 
 
 instituted,  to  signify  and  seal  to  our  consciences  the  promises 
 of  grace  in  Christ,  and  to  engage  us  to  faith  and  obedience 
 to  God."  The  Church  of  England  says,  in  the  twenty-fifth 
 Article,  "  Sacraments  ordained  of  Christ,  be  not  only  badges 
 and  tokens  of  Christian  men's  profession ;  but  rather,  they  be 
 certain  sure  witnesses  and  effectual  signs  of  grace,  and  God's 
 good-will  towards  us,  by  the  which  he  doth  work  invisibly  in 
 us,  and  doth  not  only  quicken,  but  also  strengthen  and  con- 
 firm our  faith  in  him."  The  doctrine  of  our  own  Church  on 
 this  subject,  is  thus  expressed  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  : — 
 "  Sacraments  are  holy  signs  and  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
 immediately  instituted  by  God,  to  represent  Christ  and  his 
 benefits,  and  to  confirm  our  interest  in  him  ;  as  also  to  put  a 
 visible  difference  between  those  that  belong  unto  the  church 
 and  the  rest  of  the  world  ;  and  solemnly  to  engage  them  to 
 the  service  of  God  in  Christ,  according  to  his  word."  *  There 
 is  a  more  concise  definition  in  the  Shorter  Catechism  :  "A 
 sacrament  is  a  holy  ordinance  instituted  by  Christ,  wherein 
 by  sensible  signs,  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  the  new  covenant 
 are  represented,  sealed,  and  applied  to  believers."!  These 
 definitions,  which  are  virtually  the  same,  are  substantially 
 true;  but  are  objectionable  on  this  ground,  that  they  are 
 founded  on  too  limited  a  view  of  the  subject.  As  definitions 
 of  the  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  they  are  right ;  but 
 their  particularity  renders  them  not  strictly  applicable  to 
 sacraments  in  general.  It  will  afterwards  appear  that  there 
 are  other  Divine  institutions  to  which  the  name  of  sacrament 
 may  be  given,  besides  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  and 
 even  circumcision  and  the  passover.  I  would  therefore  prefer 
 a  more  general  definition,  and  say,  that  a  sacrament  is  a  sign 
 and  seal  of  the  promises  of  God,  a  visible  institution,  by  which 
 we  are  assured  that  the  blessing  promised  will  be  bestowed 
 upon  those  to  whom  the  promise  is  made. 
 
 The  word  Sacrament,  which  has  been  adopted  into  the 
 language  of  the  church,  is  not  found  in  the  Scriptures.  Use 
 has  rendered  it  sacred,  insomuch  that  if  any  person  should 
 object  to  it,  he  would  run  the  risk  of  being  accounted  profane. 
 He  might  with  propriety  be  called  scrupulous  and  whimsical, 
 
 •  Conf.  xxvii.  1.  f  Quest.  92. 
 
Til:  MINIS.  113 
 
 or  might  be  inspected  of  affecting  singularity,  but  for  the 
 charge  of  profaneness  there  would  be  do  foundation ;  because 
 
 the  term,  being  of  human  origin,  might  be  set  aside  at  any 
 time,  it'  another  more  convenient  were  discovered.  Sacra- 
 ment is  a  word  borrowed  from  the  Latin  language,  in  which 
 it  bean  different  significations.  First,  it  denotes  the  sum 
 of  money  which  each  of  the  parties  in  a  law-suit  was  required 
 to  lay  down  at  the  commencement,  and  which,  being  forfeited 
 by  the  party  who  was  ea>r,  was  devoted  to  sacred  uses,  and 
 hence  was  called  sacrum* at  inn.  Secondly,  it  signifies  an 
 oath,  on  account  of  its  sacred  nature ;  and  particularly  the 
 oath  by  which  the  Roman  soldiers  hound  themselves  "  to 
 obey  their  commanders  in  all  things  to  the  utmost  of  their 
 power,  to  be  ready  to  attend  whenever  he  ordered  their  ap- 
 pearance, and  never  to  leave  the  army  but  with  his  consent." 
 It  is  supposed  that  in  this  sense  it  was  anciently  applied  to 
 the  symbolical  institutions  of  the  church,  because  in  these, 
 we,  as  it  were,  enlist  under  the  banner  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 £e  to  follow  him  whithersoever  he  leads  us ;  and  this 
 idea  is  brought  forward  almost  in  every  book  and  every 
 sermon  on  the  subject  of  the  sacraments.  I  have  long  been 
 disposed  to  doubt  whether  this  is  the  true  account  of  the 
 ecclesiastical  application  of  the  term.  In  the  writings  of  the 
 early  Christians  it  received  a  new  meaning,  of  which  I  believe 
 there  is  no  example  in  the  classics.  It  signifies  a  mystery,  as 
 every  person  knows  who  is  conversant  with  the  ancient  records 
 of  the  church,  and  as  any  of  you  may  learn  by  looking  into  the 
 Vulgate  translation.  To  give  you  a  few  examples  :  "  Great 
 is  the  mystery  of  godliness,"*  is  there  rendered,  "  Great  is 
 the  sacrament  of  godliness" — "  magnum  est  pietatis  sucrumcn- 
 tum  ;"  for  the  words  of  Paul  subjoined  to  the  account  of  the 
 institution  of  marriage,  "  This  is  a  great  mystery,  but  I 
 speak  of  Christ  and  the  church  ;"  t  we  have,  "  This  is  a  great 
 sacrament," — sucrumentum  hoc  mucjnum  est ;  and  in  the  Reve- 
 lation, "  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars,  which  thou  sawest 
 in  my  right  hand,"  is  "  the  sacrament  of  the  seven  stars,"  % 
 — sacramentum  septem  stellarum.  This  is  the  translation  of 
 the  word  fwa-rjpiov,   which  was  used  by  the  Greeks  to  denote 
 
 •  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  -f-  Eph.  v.  32.  +  Rev.  i.  20. 
 
 VOL.  IV.  H 
 
1  14  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 not  only  the  profound  and  incomprehensible  doctrines  of  the 
 Trinity,  and  the  incarnation,  but  also  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
 supper,  and  especially  the    latter,    which  was  called  L^iw 
 jxvoTripiov  ;  partly  no  doubt  because  under  external  symbols 
 spiritual  blessings  were  veiled,  but  partly  also  on  account  of 
 the  secret  manner  in  which  it  was  celebrated.     As  the  heathens 
 had  their  mysteries,  to  which  none  but  the  initiated  were  ad- 
 mitted ;  so  the  church  came  at  an  early  period  to  allow  none 
 to  be  present  when  the  Lord's  supper  was  administered,  but 
 the  baptized ;  and  Heathens,  Jews,  excommunicated  persons, 
 and  catechumens,  were  excluded.     Now,   I  think  it  probable 
 that  the  word  mystery  having  been  used  by  the  Greeks  to 
 express  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,   and  the  word  sacra- 
 ment having  been  used  by  the  Latins  as  synonimous  with 
 mystery,  it  is  in  this  way  that  we  are  to  account  for  its  ap- 
 plication to  those  symbolical  institutions.     The  sacraments 
 are  the  mysteries  of  our  religion.     I  do  not  deny  at  the  same 
 time,  that  the  other  sense  of  the  word  may  have  had  some 
 influence,   as  there  are  occasional  allusions  in  the  writings  of 
 the  ancients  to  the  military  oath  in  speaking  of  the  sacraments. 
 Before  leaving  this  topic  I  would  observe,  that  what  has 
 been  said  concerning  the  meaning  of  the  word  Sacrament, 
 will  throw  light  upon  a  passage  in  the  celebrated  letter  of  the 
 younger  Pliny  to  the  Emperor  Trajan.  *     Speaking  of  the 
 Christians,  who  are  the  subject  of  the  letter,   he  says,  that 
 they  were  accustomed  to  meet  on  a  stated  day,  and  sing  a 
 hymn  to  Christ  as  God, — segue  sacramento  obstringere, — to  bind 
 themselves  by  an  oath,  (according  to  the  common  translation,) 
 not  to  commit  any  crime,  &c.    I  have  no  doubt  that  the  word 
 was  used  by  Pliny  to  signify  an  oath ;  but  I  suspect  that  he 
 was  led  into  an   error  by  taking  it  in  its  usual  acceptation, 
 and  not  knowing  the  peculiar  sense  which  it  had  received 
 among  the  Christians,   from  some  of  wThom  he  had  derived 
 his  information.     When  they  told  him  that  in  their  meetings 
 they  were  wont  se  sacramento   obstringere,    he    understood 
 sacramentum  to  be  an  oath,  while  they  used  it  to  express  the 
 sacred  supper,  in  which  the  disciples  of  Christ  engage  to  re- 
 nounce the  works  of  wickedness,  and  to  follow  after  righteous- 
 
 •  Plin.  Epist.  Lib.  ii.  10. 
 
j  in;  s.u  i;  UfHNTS.  1  1  .'> 
 
 den  and  godliness.     Tins  interpretation  is  the  more  probable, 
 
 ai  DO  Other  writer  has  made  mention  of  an  oath  sworn  by  the 
 Christians  in  their  religious  assemhlies  ;  hut  we  learn  tVom 
 Justin  Martyr,  that  on  a  stated  day,  or  the  first  day  of  the 
 week,  they  did  assemhle  to  observe  the  ordinances  of  the 
 Gospel,  and  in  particular  to  commemorate  the  death  of  Christ 
 in  obedience  to  his  command.*  This  was  the  sacrauuntum  of 
 which  Pliny  had  heard,  without  knowing  what  it  meant  ;  and 
 if  I  am  right  in  thus  explaining  it,  we  have  here  an  early  ex- 
 ample of  this  peculiar  sense  of  the  term. 
 
 It  is  probable  then,  that  the  symbolical  ordinances  of  our 
 religion  were  called  sacraments,  not,  as  is  commonly  supposed, 
 in  allusion  to  the  oath  which  the  Roman  soldiers  took  to  be 
 obedient  to  their  general,  but  because  they  were  considered 
 as  mysteries,  on  account  either  of  the  recondite  sense  of  the 
 symbols,  or  of  the  air  of  mystery  with  which  the  sacred  supper 
 was  celebrated  in  the  ancient  church. 
 
 In  a  Sacrament,  two  things  are  to  be  considered ;  the  sign, 
 and  the  thing  signified.  The  sign  is  something  material  and 
 visible,  something  addressed  to  the  senses  ;  and  by  this  a 
 sacrament  is  distinguished  from  other  religious  institutions. 
 There  is  no  such  sign  in  prayer  and  praise,  and  the  preaching 
 of  the  gospel ;  but  these  consist  in  the  use  of  words  as  ex- 
 pressive of  certain  truths,  and  certain  sentiments  and  affections 
 of  the  mind.  The  thing  signified  is  the  privilege  or  blessing, 
 of  which  the  sign  reminds  and  assures  us,  and  which  it  re- 
 presents by  its  nature,  its  use,  the  form  of  administering  it, 
 or  by  positive  institution,  in  consequence  of  which  both  are 
 associated  in  our  thoughts.  The  typical  ordinances  of  the 
 law  thus  far  resembled  sacraments,  that  they  exhibited  a  sign 
 by  w  hich  something  spiritual  was  signified ;  but  they  differed 
 from  them  in  this  respect,  that  they  were  not  confirmations 
 of  the  promises,  but  adumbrations  of  future  events,  figurative 
 representations  of  the  future  ratification  of  the  covenant  by 
 the  sufferings  and  death  of  the  Messiah.  The  form  of  a 
 sacrament  is  by  some  made  to  consist  in  the  words  which  ac- 
 company the  administration  of  it,  but  seems  to  be  more  accu- 
 rately Stated  by  others  to  consist  in  the  union  established 
 between  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified,  by  the  divine  insti- 
 •  Ju-  Apolog.  Secund. 
 
1  16  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 tution  or  promise.  This  union  implies  three  things ;  that  the 
 sign  becomes  significant,  whereas  it  would  otherwise  have 
 conveyed  no  idea  of  any  thing  but  itself;  that  it  assures  us 
 of  the  blessing  or  privilege  which  it  represents ;  and  that  it 
 actually  exhibits  the  blessing  to  be  enjoyed  by  those  who 
 rightly  use  the  sacrament.  From  this  union  arises  what  has 
 been  called  sacramental  phraseology,  or,  certain  expressions 
 in  which  the  names  of  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified  are 
 exchanged.  Thus,  the  name  of  the  sign  is  given  to  the 
 thing  signified,  when  Christ  is  called  "  our  passover;"  *  and 
 the  name  of  the  thing  signified  is  given  to  the  sign,  when  the 
 bread  is  called  the  body  of  Christ.  The  foundation  of  this 
 interchange  is  the  sacramental  union,  which  so  couples  them 
 together  that  the  one  may  be  predicated  of  the  other.  In  the 
 same  manner  the  union  of  the  two  natures  in  the  person  of 
 Christ  gives  rise  to  those  propositions,  in  which  the  proper- 
 ties of  one  nature  are  affirmed  of  his  whole  person,  or  even 
 of  the  other  nature,  without  implying  any  mixture  or  confusion 
 of  the  natures  themselves. 
 
 The  reason  why  God  has  instituted  sacraments,  is  his  con- 
 descension to  our  infirmity.  "  He  knows  our  frame,  and  re- 
 members that  we  are  dust."  Although  it  is  the  design  of  re- 
 ligion to  withdraw  us  from  the  government  of  our  senses,  yet 
 since  it  does  not  propose  to  make  us  totally  different  creatures, 
 and  since,  from  our  natural  constitution,  our  senses  have  a 
 powerful  and  necessary  influence  upon  us,  he  has  been  pleased 
 to  render  them  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  religion.  What 
 we  hear  does  often  awaken  very  strong  emotions  in  our  minds ; 
 but  it  is  an  old  remark,  that  the  impressions  of  the  eye  are 
 more  vivid  than  those  of  the  ear. 
 
 Segnius  irritant  animos  demissa  per  aurem, 
 Quam  quae  sunt  oculis  subjecta  fidelibus.  -f- 
 
 "  If  thou  wert  an  incorporeal  being,"  says  Chrysostom, 
 "  God  would  have  delivered  his  gifts  to  thee  naked  and  incor- 
 poreal ;  but  since  thy  soul  is  connected  with  a  body,  he  has  de- 
 livered things  intellectual  by  sensible  signs."  When  we  are 
 disposed  to  doubt  what  we  hear,  the  sacraments  present  them- 
 selves to  our  eyes,  and  are  put  into  our  hands,  to  assure  us  by 
 
 *  1  Cor.  x.  7-  t  Horat.  Ars  Poet. 
 
THE   SACRAMENTS.  117 
 
 our  light,  and  touch,  and  taste,  that  what  the  word  lias  told 
 us  is  true.  The  word  speaks  to  all;  but  the  sacraments  single 
 out  individuals,  and  assure  them  that,  if  they  are  used  aright, 
 the  blessings  which  they  represent  belong  to  them  in  parti- 
 cular. In  contracts  or  covenants  between  man  and  man,  it 
 ha>  heen  an  ancient  practice  for  the  parties  to  ratify  them 
 with  their  respective  seals.  God  entering  into  covenant  with 
 us  lias  added  sacraments  as  seals  for  the  confirmation  of  it, 
 not  to  bind  himself  more  strongly,  as  if  it  had  been  possible 
 that  he  should  retract ;  but  to  give  a  pledge  of  the  performance 
 of  the  promises,  which  should  be  satisfactory  to  us,  because 
 conformable  to  our  usages.  If  our  faith  were  perfect,  we  may 
 presume  that  sacraments  would  not  be  necessary.  They  are 
 therefore,  as  I  have  said,  an  accommodation  to  our  infirmity. 
 
 Before  I  proceed  to  make  other  observations  upon  the  nature 
 and  design  of  sacraments,  I  shall  briefly  give  an  account  of 
 those  which  God  has  annexed  to  the  covenants  into  which  he 
 has  entered  with  mankind. 
 
 A  learned  author  has  supposed  that  there  were  four  seals 
 or  sacraments  of  the  covenant  made  with  our  first  parent,  and 
 that  these  w  ere  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
 paradise,  the  Sabbath,  and  the  tree  of  life.*  I  apprehend  that 
 in  representing  them  as  so  many,  he  has  consulted  imagina- 
 tion more  than  judgment.  The  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
 and  evil  is  entirely  out  of  the  question,  because  it  was  the 
 subject  of  the  condition  of  the  covenant,  w  hich  is  manifestly  a 
 thing  totally  different  from  a  seal.  Paradise  and  the  Sabbath 
 are  equally  objectionable,  because  Adam  enjoyed  both  while  he 
 was  performing  the  condition  ;  and  it  would  be  absurd  to  sup- 
 pose his  right  to  the  promised  reward  to  have  been  confirmed 
 by  a  sacrament,  before  his  course  of  obedience  was  completed. 
 If  there  was  a  seal  of  the  covenant,  Adam,  while  the  trial  was 
 going  on,  could  only  be  permitted  to  look  at  it  as  a  pledge 
 that  the  blessing  would  be  bestowed  when  the  trial  was  finish- 
 ed. But  he  was  in  possession  of  paradise  ;  and  the  Sabbath, 
 with  its  holy  exercises  and  heavenly  delights,  was  made  for 
 him-  It  remains,  therefore,  that  the  tree  of  life  alone  can  be 
 considered  as  a  sacrament  or  seal ;  and  that  it  may  be  viewed 
 
 •   Witsius  de  CEconom.  Fed.  Lib.  I.  cap.  vi. 
 
118  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 in  this  light,  we  may  infer  from  the  reason  assigned  for  his 
 expulsion  from  the  garden,  "  lest  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and 
 take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat,  and  live  for  ever ;"  *  words 
 which  import  that  the  tree  was  an  emblem  of  the  life  which 
 he  should  have  enjoyed  had  he  completed  his  course  of  obe- 
 dience, and  that  by  eating  its  fruit  his  title  would  have  been 
 confirmed.  Having  transgressed  the  covenant,  he  had  no 
 right  to  the  seal,  and  he  was  removed  from  its  vicinity,  lest  he 
 should  have  dared  to  profane  it. 
 
 The  next  covenant  of  God  with  the  human  race  was  made 
 after  the  flood,  when  he  promised  that  water  should  not  again 
 cover  the  earth.  Strictly  this  was  not  a  covenant,  because 
 there  was  no  stipulation ;  nothing  was  prescribed  to  man  to  be 
 done,  and  the  performance  of  the  promise  depended  solely 
 upon  the  faithfulness  of  God.  But  the  original  word  is  used 
 with  considerable  latitude,  to  denote  not  only  a  covenant,  pro- 
 perly so  called,  but  a  promise  or  a  divine  institution  even  when 
 it  relates  to  inanimate  things.  Thus'God  speaks  of  his  "cove- 
 nant of  the  day  and  of  the  night."  f  "I  will  establish  my 
 covenant  with  you,  neither  shall  all  flesh  be  cut  off  any  more 
 by  the  waters  of  a  flood,  neither  shall  there  any  more  be  a 
 flood  to  destroy  the  earth.  And  God  said,  This  is  the  token"  or 
 sign  "  of  the  covenant :  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud,  and  it 
 shall  be  for  a  token  of  a  covenant  between  me  and  the  earth."  J 
 The  rainbow  was  the  sign,  or  seal,  or  sacrament,  of  this  cove- 
 nant, for  these  words  mean  the  same  thing.  Some  have  very 
 unnecessarily  perplexed  themselves  with  inquiring  how  the 
 rainbow  could  be  a  sign,  if  Noah  had  formerly  seen  it ;  and 
 if  he  had  never  seen  it  before,  how  we  shall  account  for  it  not 
 having  appeared,  as  the  natural  causes  of  it  must  have  existed 
 from  the  beginning.  There  is  no  doubt,  that  if  there  were 
 clouds  before  the  deluge,  there  must  have  been  rainbows, 
 unless  they  had  been  prevented  by  a  miracle,  the  supposition 
 of  which  is  absurd.  But  there  was  no  reason  for  preventing 
 them  from  being  formed  at  an  earlier  period ;  because  it  is  not 
 necessary  to  constitute  any  thing  a  sign,  that  it  should  be 
 new.  We  may  presume  that  the  tree  of  life  stood  in  the  gar- 
 den of  Eden  before  God  made  a  covenant  with  Adam,  that 
 ■   Gen.  iii.  82.  f  Jcr-  **xiii.  2ft-  +  Gen-  ix-  H— 13. 
 
i  in.  BACRAMBV1  1  1  | 
 
 it  existed  before  it  WM  a  seal  :  so  likewise  did  the  rainbow  ; 
 bul   while   formerly  it   was   only   a   natural    phenomenon,  if 
 
 henceforth  was  appropriated  to  a  sacred  use,  and  acquired  a 
 new  signification.  When  we  see  it  in  the  heavens,  we  ought 
 to  remember  that  it  ratifies  the  ancient  promise,  that  mankind 
 shall  not  again  suffer  the  punishment  which  was  inflicted 
 upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  antediluvian  world. 
 
 The   covenant   which   God  made  with    Abraham   and  his 
 posterity  was  confirmed  by  circumcision.     "  Ye  shall  circum- 
 cise the  flesh  of  your  foreskin,  and  it  shall  be  a  token  of  the 
 covenant  betwixt  me  and  you."  '      To   this  the  passover  was 
 afterwards  added  at  the  time  of  the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites 
 from  Egypt,  if,  as   it  is  commonly  accounted,  it  was  a  seal 
 of  the  covenant  of  God  with  them  as  his  peculiar  people. 
 "  It  shall  be  for  a  sign  unto  thee  upon  thine  hand,  and  for  a 
 memorial  between  thine  eyes,   that   the  Lord's  law  may  be  in 
 thy  mouth  ;  for  with  a  strong  hand  hath   the  Lord  brought 
 thee  out  of  Egypt.     Thou  shalt  therefore  keep  this  ordinance 
 in  his  season  from  year  to  year."  1      The  particular  considera- 
 tion of  these  I  shall  reserve  to  another  opportunity.     They 
 were  abolished  with  the  system  to  which  they  belonged ;  but 
 the  new  dispensation  is  not  destitute  of  the  usual  appendage 
 of  sacraments.     They  are  equally  necessary  as  formerly  to 
 confirm  the  promises  of  God,  and  to  promote  the  consolation 
 of  his  people  ;  and  they  constitute  a  part  of  the  system  of  re- 
 ligious worship  which  Jesus  Christ  has  given  to  his  church. 
 The  twTo  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament  are  baptism  and 
 the  Lord's  Supper,  which  will  be  afterwards  considered.     An 
 explanation  of  their  nature,  and  the  discussion  of  the  con- 
 troversies to  which  they  have  given  rise,   will  lead  us  into  a 
 detail  which  will  occupy  several  lectures. 
 
 In  the  remainder  of  this  lecture,  I  shall  lay  before  you 
 some  general  observations  upon  sacraments,  with  a  view  to 
 illustrate  their  origin,  nature,  and  design. 
 
 First,   All  sacraments  are  of  divine  institution.     The  rain- 
 bow,  as  1  have  already  remarked,  must  have  been  often  seen 
 prior  to  the  flood ;  but  then  it  was  merely  an  object  of  wonder 
 to   the  ignorant,   and   of  curious  inquiry  to  men  of  science. 
 '  Hen.  xvii.  11.  f  Exod.  xiii.  0,  It. 
 
120  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE ; 
 
 Nothing  was  indicated  by  it,  but  that  the  sun  was  shining  in 
 one  quarter  of  the  heavens,  and  in  the  opposite  region  there 
 were  clouds,  which  refracted  and  reflected  his  rays.     It  was 
 the  divine  institution  which  made  it  significant,  and  converted 
 it  into  an  assurance  of  protection  by  almighty  power  from  a 
 universal  inundation.     From   the  same  source,    the  tree  of 
 life,  and  the  sacraments  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament, 
 derived  their  symbolical  meaning  and  their  authority.     Had 
 not  God  set  them  apart  to  a  religious  use,  the  tree  of  life 
 would  have  conveyed  no  more  information  to  Adam,  than  any 
 other  tree  in  the  garden  ;  and  the  elements  in  the  Christian 
 sacraments  would  have  afforded  as  little  support  to  our  faith, 
 as  the  water  with  which  we  daily  wash  our  hands,  and  the 
 bread  and  wine  which  we  use  at  our  ordinary  meals.     And 
 here  I  may  mention  by  the  way,  what  I  omitted  in  its  proper 
 place,  that  the  sacraments  of  the  Christian  Church,  furnish  a 
 proof  that  the  sign  or  seal  of  a  covenant  is  not  necessarily  a 
 new  thing ;  for  nothing  is  more  common  than  the  substances 
 employed  as  figures  or  emblems,   and  they  are  used  in  the 
 same  manner  as  in  the  ordinary  occasions  of  life.     In  every 
 covenant  between  God  and  man  he  makes  the  promise,  and 
 therefore  he  only  can  confirm  it.     It  would  be  high  presump- 
 tion in  any  person  to  come  forward  with  his  devices  in  aid  of 
 the  divine  faithfulness  ;  because  his  interposition  would  imply, 
 either  that  the  word  of  God  was  not  worthy  of  credit  in  itself, 
 or  that  he  was  acquainted  with  an  expedient  to  make  its  truth 
 more  apparent,  and  to  remove  the  doubts  and  suspicions  which 
 the  human  mind  is  too  apt  to  entertain.     Hence  we  condemn 
 the  conduct  of  the  Church  of  Rome,   which  has  multiplied 
 the  number  of  the  sacraments  to  seven,  while  no  man,  who  takes 
 the  Scripture  as  his  guide,  can  find  any  more  than  two.     The 
 authority  of  man  has  here  intruded  into  the  exclusive  province 
 of  God.     However  august  and  sacred  these  additional  sacra- 
 ments may  be  in  the  eyes  of  the  deluded  votaries  of  ignorance 
 and  superstition,  it  is  certain  that  they  represent  no  grace, 
 and  can  convey  no  blessing,  and  ought  to  be  considered  as 
 bold  corruptions  of  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  Christian 
 ritual. 
 
 Secondly,   The  signs  which  God  has  appointed  to  ratify 
 
TBI  lACEAMENTf.  121 
 
 Ms  covenant  are  significant ;  that  is,  they  are  fitted  by  their 
 nature  and  qualities  to  represent  the  blessings  which   he   has 
 promised  to   bestow.     The  bow  is  never  seen  but  in  the  time 
 of  rain,  01  when  there  are  watery  clouds  in  the  sky  ;    and  it  is 
 a  -mi'  sign  that  the  clouds,  which  had  overspread  the  heavens, 
 arc  passing  away,  and  that  the  sun  is  again  looking  forth  upon 
 the  earth.     Thus  it  is  naturally  adapted  to  the  purpose  of  its 
 constitution,  which  is  to  declare  that  a  second  deluge  is  not 
 to  be  apprehended.     The  tree  of  life,   whatever  it  was,   no 
 doubt  produced  excellent    fruit ;    and   although,    amidst  the 
 ravings  of  folly,  nothing  is  more  absurd  than  the  supposition 
 that  it  possessed  a  virtue  to  make  men  immortal,  yet,   from 
 its  nutritious  and  invigorating  quality,  it  was  an  expressive 
 emblem  of  the  immortality  which  Adam  would  have  enjoyed 
 through  the  will  and  power  of  his  Creator.     Water,  which 
 purifies  our  bodies  and  our  garments  from  the  filth  which  they 
 have  contracted,  is  a  lively  figure  in  baptism  of  the  influences 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,   which  wash  our  souls  from  sin,   so  often 
 represented  under  the  image  of  uncleanness.     Nothing  could 
 have  been  more  properly  chosen  to  signify  the  efficacy  of  our 
 Saviour's  atonement,  in  giving  life  and  joy  to  our  souls,   than 
 bread,  the  staff  of  life,  and  wine,  the  exhilarating  and  strength- 
 ening quality  of  which  was  expressed  in  an  ancient  parable, 
 where  it  is  said   "  to  cheer  God  and  men."     Hence  you  see 
 with   what  wisdom  the  signs  and  seals  of  God's  covenants 
 have  been  selected.     They  are  not  altogether  arbitrary,   so 
 that   no  connexion   subsists   between   them  and   the  things 
 which  they  signify,  but  what  arises  from  positive  institution. 
 There  is  an  analogy  or  resemblance,  in  consequence  of  which 
 the  signs  remind  us  of  the  blessings  exhibited  by  them,  with- 
 out any  effort  of  ingenuity  on  our  part.     Thus  our  senses 
 minister  to  our  salvation.     We  are  necessarily  conversant  with 
 material  objects,    and  it  is  a  gracious  provision  which  has 
 given  them  a  meaning  and  a  use,   by  which  our  thoughts  are 
 led  to  heavenly  objects.     Nature  becomes  the  image  of  grace ; 
 and   the   impressions   of  external  things,   under  the  plastic 
 power  of  religion,   spiritualize  our  minds,   and  promote  the 
 interests  of  the  divine  life  in  our  souls. 
 
 Thirdly,   The  signs  or  seals  which  God  has  annexed  to  his 
 
122  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 covenants,  are  assurances  on  his  part  that  the  blessings  pro- 
 mised in  them  shall  be  enjoyed.     This  is  their  proper  design. 
 They  are  intended  for  the  satisfaction  of  those  with  whom 
 the  covenants  are  made.     God  speaks  thus  of  the  rainbow, 
 "  And  the  bow  shall  be  in  the  clouds  ;  and  I  will  look  upon  it, 
 that  I  may  remember  the  everlasting  covenant  between  God 
 and  every  living  creature  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the  earth."  * 
 Accommodating  his  language  to  our  conceptions,   he  repre- 
 sents the  bow  as  a  token  which  would  remind  him  of  his  cove- 
 nant, while  the  meaning  evidently  is,   that  the  bow  would  re- 
 mind us  of  it ;  and  that,  as  long  as  it  appears  in  the  sky,  we 
 have  no  reason  to  fear  that  his  promise  will  fail.     Baptism 
 and  the   Lord's  Supper  are  securities  to  those  who  have  a 
 right  to  them,   that  they  shall  enjoy  the  privileges  which  the 
 ordinances  respectively  exhibit.     The  one  declares  that  God 
 gives  them  his  Spirit  as  a  purifier,  to  cleanse  their  souls  from 
 sin,  and  to  prepare  them  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  the 
 other  seals  their  interest  in  the  death  of  Christ,  and  their  title 
 to  its  precious  fruits.     We  may  remark,  by  the  way,  that  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  according  to  which  there  is 
 a  conversion  of  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Eucharist  into  the 
 body  and  blood  of  our   Saviour,  destroys  the  essence  of  a 
 sacrament,    which   is   a   visible  sign  of  an   invisible  grace. 
 Transubstantiation  gives  us  the  thing  signified,   and  leaves 
 only  a  false  appearance  of  the  sign.     The  Lord's  Supper,  in 
 the  Church  of  Rome,  is  therefore  no  sacrament  at  all.     The 
 sacraments  of  the  new  covenant  are  not  the  promised  blessings 
 themselves,  but  symbolical  representations  of  them  ;  nor  does 
 it  appear,  although  the  common  opinion  and  the  common 
 way  of  explaining  them  are  different,  that  they  are  properly 
 designed  to  communicate  the  blessings  of  the  covenant,  but 
 that  their  office  is  to  assure  us  that  they  shall  be  communicat- 
 ed.    The  intention  of  them  may  be  explained  by  the  follow- 
 ing words  :    "  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  shew  unto  the 
 heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it 
 by  an  oath  ;   that  by  two  immutable  things  in  which  it  was 
 impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation, 
 who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the   hope  set  before 
 
 *  Gen.  ix.  10. 
 
TBI   SA(  UAMKNTS.  123 
 
 us."*  His  simple  promise  is  \vorthy  of  implicit  credit.  He  might 
 have  refused  to  give  us  any  other  security,  and  it  would  have 
 been  impious  on  our  part  to  demand  it,  because,  by  doing  so, 
 we  should  have  impeached  his  veracity  ;  yet,  placing  himself, 
 as  it  were,  on  a  level  with  us,  he  has  voluntarily  given  the 
 highest  confirmation  of  his  word  which  we  could  ask  from 
 one  of  our  fellow-men,  of  whose  integrity  we  entertained  a  sus- 
 picion. He  has  not  only  promised,  but  sworn.  In  like  man- 
 ner, and  with  the  same  design,  he  has  first  declared  his  good 
 will  to  us  through  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Gospel,  and  then  has 
 exhibited  his  grace  to  us  in  sacraments,  applying  it  to  us  in 
 external  signs,  and  so  binding  himself  to  communicate  it  to 
 our  souls. 
 
 Fourthly,  While  all  sacraments  are  intended  to  be  used  for 
 the  ends  of  the  institution,  the  mode  of  using  them  is  not 
 always  the  same.  Some  are  only  to  be  looked  at ;  some  are 
 externally  applied  to  the  body  ;  and  some  are  designed  for  its 
 nourishment.  The  seal  of  the  covenant  with  Noah  is  used 
 by  looking  at  it ;  and  as  the  covenant  was  made  with  all  men, 
 in  whatever  region  of  the  earth  they  reside,  it  is  placed  in  the 
 heavens  that  all  may  have  an  opportunity  to  observe  it.  In 
 baptism,  water  is  not  only  exhibited,  but  sprinkled  or  poured 
 upon  the  person  ;  and  in  circumcision,  the  sign  of  the  cove- 
 nant was  impressed  upon  the  body.  In  the  Lord's  Supper, 
 bread  and  wine  are  presented,  not  to  be  gazed  at  with  distant 
 reverence,  but  to  be  eaten  and  drank ;  and  in  the  passover,  a 
 lamb  was  killed  and  roasted  with  fire,  and  the  Israelites  feasted 
 upon  it.  It  follows  that  those  are  highly  culpable  who  are 
 disqualified  for  using  sacraments  to  their  proper  ends,  by  igno- 
 rance of  their  nature  and  design.  Such  are  they  who  regard 
 them  as  mere  ceremonies,  of  little  importance  in  themselves, 
 although  entitled  to  a  respectful  observance  as  institutions  of 
 religion  ;  and  they  who  ascribe  to  them  a  purpose  which  was 
 not  contemplated  by  their  Author.  To  this  censure  those  are 
 subject,  who  imagine  that  baptism  is  effectual  by  the  simple 
 application,  and  regenerates  every  child  to  whom  it  is  admi- 
 nistered :  and  those  who  substitute  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the 
 room  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross,  and  trust  in  it  as  a  sort  of 
 •  Heb.  vi.  17,  ltf. 
 
124  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE : 
 
 atonement  for  their  sins.  They,  too,  cannot  be  excused,  who, 
 knowing  that  the  sacraments  are  intended  for  use,  live  in  the 
 habitual  neglect  of  them,  or,  at  least,  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
 Supper.  Does  not  their  conduct  imply  that  this  ordinance  is 
 superfluous  ?  or  is  it  a  virtual  declaration  that  they  do  not  con- 
 sider themselves  as  having  an  interest  in  the  covenant  of  which 
 it  is  a  seal  ?  The  common  apology  is,  that  they  are  destitute 
 of  the  necessary  qualifications ;  and  in  the  case  of  many,  it 
 may  be  true.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  not  to  be  rested  on  as  an 
 excuse,  but  to  be  deplored ;  and  it  is  calculated  to  excite 
 serious  alarm,  for  they  who  have  not  a  right  to  the  seal, 
 have  not  a  right  to  the  blessings  of  redemption. 
 
 Fifthly,  Sacraments  are  intended  for  the  use  of  those  alone 
 with  whom  the  covenants  to  which  they  are  appended  are 
 made.  The  covenant  of  preservation  from  a  second  deluge 
 was  made  with  all  mankind,  and  the  sign  of  it  appears  in  the 
 clouds,  where  every  eye  may  see  it.  Circumcision  was  the 
 distinguishing  mark  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  whom  God  had 
 chosen  to  be  his  peculiar  people;  and,  if  the  passover  be 
 considered  as  another  seal  of  that  covenant,  we  know  that 
 no  stranger  was  permitted  to  eat  of  it.  Baptism  and  the 
 Eucharist  exclusively  belong  to  the  disciples  of  Christ,  as 
 distinguished  from  heathens,  Mahometans,  and  Jews.  Infants 
 receive  baptism,  as  having  been  admitted  into  the  covenant 
 with  their  parents ;  and  both  ordinances  are  to  be  administered 
 to  such  adults  alone  as,  by  a  credible  profession  of  faith,  ap- 
 pear to  be  the  people  of  God.  But  it  is  necessary  to  proceed 
 farther,  and  to  state  that  a  credible  profession  gives  a  right 
 to  the  sacraments  only  in  the  judgment  of  the  Church ;  and 
 that,  in  the  sight  of  God,  none  have  a  right  to  them  but 
 believers  and  holy  persons.  Hence,  the  members  of  the 
 Church  are  exhorted  to  examine  themselves,  to  ascertain  their 
 state  and  character  before  they  go  to  the  holy  table,  "  lest, 
 coming  unworthily,  they  eat  and  drink  judgment  to  them- 
 selves." *  As  the  sacraments  of  the  new  covenant  ought  not 
 to  be  administered  to  any  person  who  may  not  be  presumed 
 to  be  a  saint ;  so,  however  favourable  the  appearances  are,  if 
 he  who  receives  them  is  not  a  genuine  Christian,  he  is  an 
 
 *  1  Cor.  xi.  29. 
 
mi:  lACRAMBNTt*  125 
 
 usurper  of  privileges  to  which  he  has  no  title.  In  all  racfa 
 Cases,  the  BacrameiltS  are  like  seals  affixed  to  a  blank.      Their 
 
 declared  meaning  is  unaltered;  but  in  their  present  application 
 they  signify  nothing.  They  do  not,  and  cannot,  confirm  the 
 blessings  of  salvation  to  the  man  who  does  not  believe.  What 
 have  they  to  do  with  the  securities  that  the  promises  shall  be 
 performed,  by  whom  the  promises  have  not  been  embraced  ? 
 What  have  they  to  do  with  the  pledges  of  our  Saviour's  love, 
 and  of  eternal  redemption,  whose  affections  are  engaged  by 
 the  pleasures  of  sin,  and  whose  days  are  spent  in  the  pursuits 
 of  the  world  ? 
 
 Lastly,  The  efficacy  of  sacraments  depends  solely  upon  the 
 Divine  blessing,  whether  we  consider  them  as  channels  in 
 which  grace  is  conveyed,  or  as  means  appointed  to  confirm 
 the  faith  and  promote  the  consolation  of  the  people  of  God. 
 This  concluding  observation  relates  to  the  Christian  sacra- 
 ments, with  respect  to  which  strange  notions  are  maintained 
 by  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  propo- 
 sition now  laid  down.  There  are  two  opinions  to  which  it  is 
 opposed ;  that  the  sacraments,  when  rightly  administered,  are 
 effectual  in  themselves ;  and  that,  to  the  right  administration, 
 the  intention  of  the  administrator  is  necessary.  Thus  the 
 Council  of  Trent  has  decreed :  "  If  any  man  shall  say,  that 
 the  sacraments  of  the  newT  law  do  not  contain  the  grace  which 
 they  signify,  or  do  not  confer  grace  upon  those  who  do  not 
 oppose  an  obstacle  to  it,  as  if  they  were  only  external  signs 
 of  grace  or  righteousness  received  by  faith  :  let  him  be  ac- 
 cursed."* Again,  "  If  any  man  shall  say,  that  grace  is  not 
 conferred  by  the  sacraments  of  the  new  law  themselves,  ex 
 opere  operato,  but  that  faith  alone  in  the  Divine  promise  is 
 sufficient  to  obtain  grace:  let  him  be  accursed."!  This  bar- 
 barous phrase,  opus  operatum,  which  is  utterly  unintelligible 
 without  an  explanation,  signifies  the  external  celebration  of 
 -  icraments.  It  has  been  defined  by  Popish  writers  to  be 
 the  performance  of  the  external  work,  without  any  internal 
 motion  ;  and  sacraments  have  been  said  to  confer  grace  ex 
 opert  operato,  because,  besides  the  exhibition  and  application 
 of  the  sign,  no  good  motion  is  necessary  in  the  receiver. 
 itio  vii.  De  Sacramentis  in  generey  Canon  vi.  f  Ibid.  Canon  viii. 
 
12G  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 All  that  is  required  is,  that  no  obstacle  shall  be  opposed  to 
 the  reception   of  grace,  and  the  only  obstacle  is  mortal  sin. 
 But  as  sins  of  this  class  are  reduced  by  the   Roman  casuists 
 to  a  very  small  number, — all  others  being  accounted  venial, — 
 the  exceptions  to   the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments  which  are 
 made  by  this  negative  qualification,  are  quite  inconsiderable. 
 Thus  the  sacraments  are  converted  into  a  species   of  magical 
 charms,  which  work  in  some  mysterious  way,  without  the 
 concurrence  of  the  patient ;  and  the  exercise  of  the  intellect 
 and  the  will,   of  the  rational  and  moral  faculties  of  man,  is 
 excluded.     I  should  think  that,  according  to  this  doctrine, 
 they  would  do  as  much  good  to  the  receiver  when  he  is  asleep 
 as  when  he  is  awake.     It  is  vain  to  ask  any  proof  of  this 
 doctrine  from  Scripture,  for  none  is  to  be  found.     It  is  vain 
 to  ask  how  its    abettors  can    reconcile    to  philosophy  and 
 common  sense  the  idea,  that  a  material  substance,  by  a  par- 
 ticular mode  of  application,  shall  produce  a  spiritual  effect 
 upon  the  soul.     It  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  the  church  which 
 she  cannot  explain.     If  it  shall  be  said,  that  God  has  so 
 connected  his  grace  with  the  sacraments,    that  it  shall  be 
 infallibly  communicated  when  they  are  administered  ;  we  have 
 a  right  to  demand  some  more  proof  than  an  assertion,  that  he 
 has  in  this  instance  divested  himself  of  his  sovereign  power 
 over  his  own  gifts,  and  committed  the  absolute  disposal  of  them 
 to  the  ministers  of  religion ;  or,  that  he  has  introduced  into 
 this  part  of  religion  a  mechanical  process,  instead  of  the  moral 
 economy  which  prevails  in  all  the  other  parts  of  it.     The 
 Gospel  does  not  produce  its  effects  ex  opere  operate,  or  by 
 the  mere  sound  of  the  words  in  our  ears,  but  by  the  power 
 of  the  Spirit  opening  the  understanding  and  heart  to  receive 
 it.     What  ground  is  there  for  supposing  that  the  mode  of 
 operation  is  different  in  the  sacraments  ?  or,  that  here  alone 
 these  words  are  not  true,   "  Neither  is  he  that  planteth  any 
 thing,  nor  he  that  watereth,  but   God  that  giveth  the  in- 
 crease ?"  *      In  opposition  to   this  absurd  and  impious  tenet, 
 we  maintain  that  sacraments  do  not  work  grace  physically, 
 as  if  they  possessed  some  intrinsic  energy ;  but  morally  and 
 hyper-physically,  as  signs  and  seals  which  God  accompanies 
 
 •  1  Cor.  iii.  7- 
 
TV!  SACEAMBirre.  127 
 
 With  his  U«Hflg.  ITw  doctrine  of  our  Church,  as  declared 
 in  its  standards,  is,  that  "  the  grace  which  is  exhibited  in  or 
 by  the  sacraments  lightly  used,  is  not  conferred  by  any  pOWfli 
 in  them,"  hut  "  by  the  blessing  0f  Christ,  and  the  worki: 
 
 his  Spirit."* 
 
 There  is  another  error  opposed  to  the  proposition,  that  the 
 efficacy  of  sacraments  depends  upon  the  blessing  of  God, 
 which  makes  their  efficacy  and  validity  depend  upon  the  inten- 
 tion of  the  administrator.  The  Church  of  Rome  pronounces  a 
 cuiM>  upon  any  man  who  shall  say*  that  "  there  is  not  required 
 in  the  ministers  who  celebrate  them  an  intention  to  do  what 
 the  church  does."t  Now,  the  church  not  only  goes  through 
 the  external  forms  of  the  sacraments,  but  means  that  they 
 should  be  true  sacraments,  and  should  communicate  grace  to 
 the  receivers.  If  a  priest  have  not  this  intention,  the  form 
 only  of  a  sacrament  exists ;  the  essence  is  wanting.  Great 
 dispute!  have  arisen  in  the  Church  of  Rome  with  respect  to 
 this  intention  ;  whether  it  should  be  an  actual  intention,  for- 
 mally arising  in  the  mind  at  the  time  ;  whether  a  habitual 
 intention  will  not  suffice  ;  or,  whether  it  is  not  enough  that 
 it  is  virtual,  that  is,  that  the  priest  have  formerly  had  this 
 intention,  and  is  disposed  to  have  it,  although  from  some 
 cause  he  has  it  not  actually  at  present.  In  one  thing  all  are 
 agreed,  that,  if  the  intention  is  wholly  wanting,  if  the  priest 
 positively  intends  that  the  sacrament  which  he  is  celebrating 
 shall  not  be  a  sacrament,  it  has  no  validity, — is  a  mere  sign 
 without  the  substance.  In  this  case  the  child  is  not  regenerated 
 in  baptism,  as  Papists  suppose  all  children  rightly  baptized  to 
 be  ;  and  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Eucharist  are  not  convert- 
 ed into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  but  continue  what  they 
 were.  It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  point  out  the  gross 
 impiety  of  a  doctrine  which  subjects  Divine  institutions  to  the 
 arbitrary  pleasure  of  men,  who  have  power  to  defeat  the  de- 
 sign of  Jesus  Christ  in  giving  them  to  the  church,  and  are 
 constituted  the  sovereign  dispensers  of  his  grace.  The  priests 
 of  Rome  have  an  absolute  control  over  Omnipotence,  and 
 can  exert  it  in  the  miracle  of  transubstantiation,  or  restrain  it, 
 according  to  their  perverse  inclinations.     It  was  never  pre- 
 
 •  Conf.  xxvii.  3.  Sh.  Cat.  Q.  91.      f  Con.  Trid.  Ses.  vii.  de  Sac.  in  gen.  can.  xi. 
 
128  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 tended  that  the  intention  of  the  preacher  is  necessary  to  give 
 efficacy  to  the  word ;  and  it  is  altogether  arbitrary  to  suppose 
 it  to  be  necessary  to  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments.  As  the 
 latter  were  instituted  by  God  and  not  by  men,  nothing  be- 
 sides his  blessing  can  rationally  be  conceived  to  be  requisite 
 to  accomplish  their  design,  but  the  administration  of  them 
 according  to  the  prescribed  form.  The  intention  of  the  ad- 
 ministrator has  as  little  to  do  with  the  effect,  as  the  intention 
 of  the  physician  has  with  the  success  of  the  medicine  which 
 he  gives  to  his  patient,  or  the  intention  of  the  husbandman 
 with  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  God  has  not  suspended  our 
 salvation  upon  the  precarious  volition  of  other  men,  over 
 whom  we  have  no  power. 
 
 The  consequences  of  this  doctrine  are  perplexing  and  alarm- 
 ing in  the  highest  degree  to  the  members  of  the  Church  of 
 Rome.     As  it  is  impossible  to  know  the  intention  of  their 
 priests,  they  can  never  be  certain  that  they  have  received  any 
 of  the  sacraments.     It  is  possible  that  they  have  not  been 
 baptized,  and  therefore  cannot  be  saved.     If  an  unbaptized 
 person  is  made  a  priest,  all  his  actions  in  that  character  are 
 invalid ;  all  the  sacraments   which  he  administers  are  vain 
 ceremony.     If  he  is  a  bishop,  those  whom  he  ordains  are  not 
 priests  ;  and  if  he  is  Pope,  the  bishops  whom  he  consecrates 
 have  no  more  power  than  laymen.     No  Papist  can  tell  whe- 
 ther the  elements  in  the  Eucharist  have  been  transubstantiated 
 or  not ;  and,  for  aught  that  he  knows,   they  are  simple  bread 
 and  wine,  and,  in  adoring  them,  he  is  upon  his  own  principle 
 guilty  of  idolatry.     In  short,  according  to  the   doctrine  of 
 intention,   the  Church  of  Rome  may  be  no  church,  and  the 
 Pope,  the  bishops,   and  the  priests,   may  all  be  usurpers  of 
 offices  to  which   they  have  no  title.     Let  them  relieve  them- 
 selves from  this  difficulty  as  they  can  ;   they  have  made  the 
 snare  in  which  they  are  caught.      We  believe  that    "  the 
 efficacy  of  a  sacrament  does  not  depend  upon  the  piety  or 
 intention  of  him  that  doth  administer  it,   but  upon  the  work 
 of  the  Spirit  and  the  word  of  institution."* 
 
 *  Conf.  xxvii.  3. 
 
LECTURE  LXXXVII. 
 
 ON  THE  SACRAMENTS. 
 
 COXSEQUEXCES  OF    THE    POPISH    DOCTRIXE    COXCERXIXO    THE  IXTEXTTOX 
 
 OF     THE    PRIEST    IX    SACRAMENTS THE    SACRAMENTS    OF    THE     MOSAIC 
 
 DISPEXSATIOX. CIRCUMCISIOX,    ITS  ORIGIX,    FORM  AXD  IMPORT THE 
 
 PASSOVER,    PROOF    THAT   IT   WAS  A  SACRAMEXT   ;    ITS    FORM    AXD    SIGXI- 
 
 FICAXCY THE     JEWISH    SUPERSEDED  BY  THE  CHRISTIAX  SACRAMEXTS 
 
 OF    BAPTISM    AXD    THE    LORD'S    SUPPER THE     FIVE     SPURIOUS    SACRA- 
 MEXTS OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 
 
 Ix  the  last  lecture,  I  explained  the  nature  of  sacraments,  and 
 made  some  general  observations  upon  them.  My  last  obser- 
 vation was,  that  the  efficacy  of  sacraments  depends  upon  the 
 blessing  of  God,  and  it  was  opposed  to  two  errors  of  the 
 Church  of  Rome,  that  sacraments  communicate  grace  ex 
 opere  operato,  or  by  the  mere  administration  of  them,  without 
 any  exercise  of  mind  on  the  part  of  the  receiver,  if  he  is  not 
 in  mortal  sin  ;  and  that  the  intention  of  the  priest  to  do  what 
 the  church  does,  is  indispensably  necessary  to  give  them 
 validity.  We  have  seen,  that  as  the  later  opinion  is  un- 
 scriptural  and  impious,  so  it  involves  its  abettors  in  the  most 
 painful  uncertainty,  and  is  an  engine  powerful  enough  to  over- 
 turn the  whole  fabric  of  their  church.  It  is  possible  that,  from 
 the  want  of  intention  in  their  present  priests,  they  have  no 
 sacraments  ;  and  that,  from  the  same  want  in  a  former  race  of 
 them,  their  present  priests  are  not  priests,  their  bishops  are 
 not  bishops,  their  pope  is  not  the  vicar  of  Christ.  Their  re- 
 ligious offices  may  be  performed  by  men  who  have  not  been 
 
 VOL.    IV.  i 
 
130  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 baptized,  and  therefore  are  not  Christians  ;  and  they  may  be 
 daily  guilty  of  the  grossest  idolatry  in  worshipping  bread  and 
 wine,  which  they  suppose  to  be  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
 Saviour.  If  it  should  be  said  that  it  is  altogether  incredible, 
 that  a  whole  generation  of  priests  should  conspire  to  defeat 
 the  design  of  the  sacraments,  still,  the  uncertainty  remains 
 with  respect  to  individual  cases.  How  does  any  man  know, 
 that  the  priest  who  baptized  him  had  the  proper  intention, 
 or  that  the  priest  had  it,  by  whom  that  priest  was  baptized  ? 
 If  there  was  a  single  failure  in  the  line  of  succession,  from  the 
 Apostles  down  to  the  present  time,  all  that  followed  were 
 unchristianized.  Men  of  different  characters  may  be  supposed 
 to  have  existed  in  that  succession,  and  if  some  were  upright, 
 others  were  wicked.  There  may  have  belonged  to  it  such 
 priests  as  Luther  met  with  at  Rome  before  he  appeared  as  a 
 reformer;  men  who  made  a  jest  of  sacred  things,  and  annulled 
 the  sacraments  with  a  deliberate  design.  He  tells  us  that,  in 
 celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper,  some  of  them,  instead  of  re- 
 peating the  words  of  institution,  hoc  est  corpus  meum,  by 
 which  transubstantiation  is  supposed  to  be  effected,  said  with 
 a  low  voice,  Panis  es,  et  pants  eris.  Bread  thou  art,  and 
 bread  thou  shalt  be. 
 
 It  may  surprise  us  that  the  Church  of  Rome  should  have 
 adopted  an  opinion  clogged  with  such  difficulties,  and  leading 
 to  such  consequences ;  and  it  may  be  thought  that  she  has  been 
 drawn  into  it  inadvertently.  But  whether  or  not  the  matter 
 was  well  considered  when  it  was  first  made  an  article  of  faith, 
 it  was  not  re-enacted  by  the  Council  of  Trent  without  oppo- 
 sition. Yet,  although  the  inferences  deducible  from  it  were 
 represented  to  the  fathers,  they  passed  the  decree  formerly 
 quoted,  not  choosing  to  acknowledge  the  fallibility  of  the 
 church,  by  revoking  one  of  its  dogmas,  nor  to  abandon  a  tenet 
 so  well  calculated  to  increase  the  power  and  influence  of  the 
 clergy.  This  is  probably  the  origin  of  the  doctrine  of  inten- 
 tion, and  is  certainly  the  reason  why  it  is  retained.  The  great 
 object  of  the  Church  of  Rome  is,  to  create  a  sacred  reverence 
 for  its  ministers,  and  to  establish  their  uncontrolled  dominion 
 over  the  people ;  and  nothing  can  be  conceived  more  effectual 
 for  this  purpose,   than  the  belief  that  they  can  make  or  not 
 
Tin:  sac  kami:\  .  131 
 
 make  sacraments  at  their  pleasure  ;  that  they  can  communicate 
 
 or  withhold  the  grace  of  God  :  that,  in  short,  the  Balration  of 
 the  people  is  subject  to  their  disposal.  Join  the  two  opinions 
 which  we  have  considered  together,  and  yon  will  perceive  in 
 both  an  artful  but  wicked  contrivance,  to  reduce  the  minds  ot 
 men  to  a  State  of  spiritual  slavery  under  their  yoke.  The 
 sacraments  are  effectual  ex  Open  opcrato,  or,  by  simple  ap- 
 plication convey  grace  to  the  receiver ;  and  the  prie>t  can 
 make  them  sacraments  or  empty  ceremonies  as  he  chooses. 
 How  august,  in  the  eyes  of  the  ignorant  and  superstitious, 
 must  those  men  appear,  who  can  open  or  shut  the  treasury  ot 
 heaven  ;  who  have  power  to  turn  material  substances  into  the 
 body,  blood,  and  divinity  of  Christ,  by  a  few  words,  muttered 
 like  a  magical  incantation  ! 
 
 In  the  preceding  lecture,  I  gave  a  short  account  of  the 
 si^ns  or  sacraments  appointed  to  confirm  the  covenants  which 
 God  has  made  with  men.  I  then  mentioned  those  of  the 
 Old  Testament,  which  have  been  superseded  by  the  seals  of 
 the  Christian  dispensation.  The  brief  notice  which  was  taken 
 of  them  was  sufficient  at  that  time  ;  but  it  will  be  now  proper 
 to  attend  to  them  more  particularly. 
 
 The  first  in  order  is  circumcision,  which  is  called  the  token 
 or  sign  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham.  *  It  was  then  first 
 instituted,  or  at  least  it  then  first  became  significant,  and  it 
 was  enjoined  upon  the  Israelites  as  a  rite  to  be  observed  in  all 
 their  generations.  Hence  our  Lord  said  to  the  Jews, 
 14  Moses  therefore  gave  unto  you  circumcision,  not  because  it 
 is  of  Moses,  but  of  the  fathers."  f  Herodotus  affirms  that  the 
 Colchians,  and  Egyptians,  and  Ethiopians,  alone  of  all  men  prac- 
 tise circumcision.  The  Phenicians  and  Syrians  in  Palestine 
 acknowledge  that  they  learned  it  from  the  Egyptians.:]!  It  is 
 not  surprising,  that  infidels  should  eagerly  lay  hold  of  this  ac- 
 count to  contradict  the  relation  of  Moses  ;  but  it  is  surprising, 
 that  persons  professing  to  be  Christians  should  have  discovered 
 a  disposition  to  give  credit  to  the  profane,  in  preference  to 
 the  inspired  historian.  The  account  of  Herodotus  is  mani- 
 festly false ;  for,  first,  he  asserts  that  the  Phenicians  practised 
 circumcision,   contrary  to  a  well  known  fact,    that  all  the  in- 
 
 •   (ien.  xvii.  11.  +  J0hn  vii.  22.  *   Hcrodot.  lib.  ii.  c.  104. 
 
132  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 habitants  of  Palestine  except  the  Jews  were  uncircumcised ; 
 and  secondly,  he  says  that  they  owned  that  they  had  received 
 it  from  the  Egyptians,  whereas  it  is  certain,  that  the  Jews 
 never  acknowledged  any  such  thing.  Laying  aside  the  divine 
 authority  of  the  history  of  Moses,  it  is  astonishing  that  any 
 man  should  have  ever  lent  an  ear  to  Herodotus  on  this  sub- 
 ject. For  what,  I  ask,  did  he  know  about  the  matter  ? 
 Nothing  but  some  idle  tales,  which  he  had  heard  from  per- 
 sons as  ignorant  as  himself.  It  should  be  remembered,  that 
 Herodotus  wrote  about  fourteen  hundred  years  after  the  insti- 
 tution of  circumcision  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and  was 
 therefore  totally  incompetent  to  decide  concerning  its  origin. 
 
 The  circumcision  of  a  child  took  place  on  the  eighth  day 
 after  his  birth,  and  was  performed  by  the  father  of  the  family, 
 or  by  any  other  person  whom  he  chose  to  employ.  While  it 
 constituted  a  visible  proof  that  the  person  was  one  of  the*  de- 
 scendants of  Abraham,  and  consequently  was  comprehended 
 in  the  covenant  which  God  had  made  with  that  patriarch  and 
 his  seed,  it  was  significant  of  certain  spiritual  blessings,  to 
 which  those  who,  like  him,  believed  in  God,  were  admitted. 
 To  Abraham,  it  was  "  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith 
 which  he  had,  yet  being  uncircumcised."*  Before  this  rite 
 was  instituted,  Abraham  had  "  believed  in  God,  and  it  was 
 counted  unto  him  for  righteousness  ;"f  and  circumcision  was  a 
 confirmation  of  the  righteousness  which  he  had  obtained  by 
 faith,  or  of  his  justified  state,  and  of  the  blessings  and  privi- 
 leges connected  with  it.  God  had  promised  the  Messiah  to 
 him  and  his  seed,  and,  along  with  the  Messiah,  not  only  tem- 
 poral, but  spiritual  and  heavenly  blessings ;  and  Abraham, 
 embracing  this  promise,  had  engaged  to  walk  before  God,  and 
 to  be  perfect.  Of  this  covenant,  the  sign  and  seal  was  cir- 
 cumcision ;  a  declaration  to  his  believing  descendants,  as  well 
 as  to  himself,  that  to  them  the  promises  belonged,  while  it  im- 
 plied a  profession  on  their  part  of  their  trust  in  the  illustrious 
 seed,  in  whom  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed ; 
 and  hence  to  them,  as  well  as  to  him,  it  was  a  seal  of  the 
 righteousness  of  faith.  We  could  not  conceive  the  Most  High 
 to  have  enjoined  this  rite  solely  for  the  purpose  of  displaying 
 
 *  Rom.  iv.  11.  f  Gen.  xv.  6. 
 
Tin:  SACRAMENTS.  133 
 
 his  authority.      We  may  not  be  able   to   explain  satisfactorily 
 
 why  he  fixed  upon  it  in  preference  to  any  other;  but  we  mutt 
 believe  that  something  more  was  intended  than  merely  to  set 
 a  mark  upon  the  Israelites.  Like  all  his  other  signs,  it  was 
 significant,  if  not  by  its  own  nature,  yet  in  consequence  of  his 
 institution. 
 
 I  proceed  to  observe,  that  as  it  was  a  seal  of  the  righteous- 
 ness of  faith,  so  it  was  also  a  sign  of  the  renovation  of  the 
 heart.     This  is  evident,  on  the  one  hand,  from  those  passages 
 which  speak  of  the  "  circumcision  of  the  heart"   as  the  work 
 of  God,  and  as  necessary  to   our  loving  him  ;  and,   on   the 
 other  hand,   from  those  which  call   depravity  the   "  foreskin 
 of  the  heart,"   and  represent  the  wicked  as  "  uncircumeised 
 in  heart.*'  '      In  these  passages,  we  have  examples  of  what  is 
 called  sacramental   language,  according  to  which   the  sign  is 
 put  for  the  thing  signified,  and  the  thing  signified  for  the  sign. 
 The  expressions   quoted  would   have   been   unintelligible,  if 
 circumcision  had  been  simply  a  mark  on  the  body,   to   distin- 
 guish one  nation  from  another.     It  is  plain  that  it  was  insti- 
 tuted for  another  purpose,  and  that  the  Israelites  understood 
 that  a  spiritual  meaning  was  couched  under  it.     There  was 
 an  internal  circumcision   necessary  to  render  them  the  seed  of 
 Abraham  according  to  the   promise,    and  full  heirs  of  the 
 blessings  of  the  covenant.     The  New   Testament  confirms 
 this  view  of  the  rite,   when  describing  believers  in  Christ  as 
 having  undergone  the  change  which  it  signified,  it  says,  "  In 
 whom  also,"  that  is,  in  Christ,   "  ye  are  circumcised  with  the 
 circumcision  made  without  hands,   in  putting  off  the  body  of 
 the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ."  f     To  the 
 same  purpose  are  the  words  of  Paul  in   the   Epistle  to  the 
 Romans  :    "  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  that  is   one  outwardly ; 
 neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh  : 
 but  he  is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly :   and  circumcision  is 
 that  of  the  heart,   in  the  spirit,   and  not  in  the  letter  ;   whose 
 praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God."  t 
 
 "\\  hile  circumcision  was  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  righteousness 
 of  faith,  and  of  the  regeneration  of  the  heart,  it  laid  those  to 
 
 *  Lev.  xxvi.  41.       Deut.  x.  16.  xxx.  6.       Jer.  iv.  4.        Acts  vii.  51. 
 t  Col.  ii.  II.  *   Rom.  ii.  28,  29. 
 
134  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 whom  it  was  administered,  under  an  obligation  to  live  accord- 
 ing to  the  law  of  the  covenant,  into  which  they  had  been  ad- 
 mitted. They  became  bound  to  observe  all  the  ordinances  of 
 God,  and  to  obey  all  the  commands  which  he  had  given  to 
 his  people  :  "  Circumcision  verily  profiteth,  if  thou  keep  the 
 law ;  but  if  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is 
 made  uncircumcision."  *  The  circumcised  were  engaged  to 
 cultivate  purity  of  heart  and  conduct ;  to  mortify  the  flesh 
 with  its  affections  and  lusts ;  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  the 
 world  lying  in  wickedness,  from  which  they  w7ere  separated 
 by  a  visible  mark  of  distinction ;  and  as  they  always  carried 
 about  the  sign  of  the  covenant,  to  behave  in  every  place,  and 
 on  every  occasion,  like  persons  dedicated  to  the  service  of 
 Jehovah. 
 
 Circumcision  was  a  temporary  ordinance,  and  was  abolished 
 with  the  other  institutions  of  Moses.  Although  a  sign  and 
 seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  it  was  adapted  only  to  a  parti- 
 cular dispensation  of  it,  and  therefore  ceased  when  another 
 economy  was  introduced.  The  council  of  Jerusalem,  after  a 
 solemn  discussion  of  the  question,  pronounced  that  it  ought 
 not  to  be  enjoined  upon  the  converted  Gentiles.f  It  was  not, 
 at  the  same  time,  forbidden  to  the  Jews  ;  but  it  ought  to  be 
 observed,  that  it  was  permitted,  and  not  commanded.  For 
 this  permission  the  same  reason  may  be  assigned,  which  ac- 
 counts for  the  liberty  to  practise  for  a  time  other  rites  of  the 
 ceremonial  law ;  a  concession  to  the  strong  prejudices  of  the 
 Jews  in  favour  of  them,  which  it  pleased  God  to  subdue  by 
 gradual  means.  If,  however,  any  converted  Jew  insisted  upon 
 the  necessity  of  circumcision  to  salvation,  the  Apostles  were 
 no  longer  tolerant,  but  condemned  the  dangerous  error  in  un- 
 qualified terms  :  "  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye 
 be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing."  J  Hence 
 you  perceive,  that  there  is  no  contradiction  between  those 
 passages  of  Scripture  in  which  circumcision  is  permitted,  and 
 those  in  which  it  is  condemned  ;  for,  in  the  former,  it  is  con- 
 sidered merely  as  a  rite  to  which  the  Jews  had  been  long  ac- 
 customed, and  which  they  might  retain  from  innocent  motives  ; 
 and,   in  the  latter,  it  is  viewed  as  usurping  the  place  of  the 
 
 *   Rom.  ii.  25.  +  Acts  xv.  J  Gal.  v.  2. 
 
Till  BACBAMBMTt.  135 
 
 righteoutnett  of  Christ,  and  made  by  the  ignorant  the  foun- 
 dation of  their  hope. 
 
 Hie  question,  whether  circumcision  will  be  retained  by  the 
 
 .lews  after  their  conversion  to  Christianity,  is  not  worthy  of 
 attention.  Some  have  been  so  foolish  as  to  affirm  that  it 
 will,  and  to  argue  in  favour  of  it  from  Scripture  misunder- 
 stood. They  might  have  proceeded  a  step  farther,  and  from 
 tin'  latter  part  of  Ezekiel's  prophecies  have  concluded,  as  I 
 believe  some  wrong-headed  persons  have  done,  that  the  temple 
 of  Jerusalem  will  be  rebuilt,  and  the  ancient  system  of  worship 
 will  be  restored. 
 
 The  passover  is  usually  accounted  the  other  seal  of  the 
 covenant,  under  the  former  dispensation.  It  must  be  acknow- 
 ledged, that  we  have  not  the  same  evidence  that  it  stood  in 
 this  relation  to  the  covenant  which  we  have  with  regard  to 
 circumcision  ;  and  it  is  rather  by  inference  that  this  rank  is 
 assigned  to  it,  than  by  positive  explicit  institution.  It  is  said, 
 indeed,  to  have  been  to  the  Israelites  "  for  a  sign  upon  their 
 hands,  and  for  a  memorial  between  their  eyes  ;"  *  but  this 
 seems  to  be  a  proverbial  expression,  importing  that  it  was  de- 
 signed to  commemorate  their  deliverance  from  Egypt.  It 
 HW,  in  the  first  place,  a  commemorative  ordinance  ;  and,  in 
 the  second  place,  it  was  typical  of  our  redemption  from  a 
 worse  bondage  than  that  under  which  the  Israelites  groaned. 
 For  this  view  of  it,  we  have  the  authority  of  an  Apostle, 
 when  he  says,  that  "  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us."  f 
 
 The  reasons  for  which  it  may  be  considered  as  a  sign  or 
 seal  of  the  covenant,  are  the  following.  It  is  acknowledged 
 that  it  was  an  eminent  type  of  Christ.  Now,  as  the  Israelites 
 were  commanded  to  make  a  feast  of  the  paschal  lamb,  their 
 eating  it  may  be  considered  as  an  external  representation  of 
 the  communion  of  believers  in  the  benefits  of  his  death  ;  and 
 thus  it  will  appear  to  correspond  with  the  Eucharist,  which  is 
 confessedly  a  sacrament.  Again,  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
 upon  the  door-posts  and  lintels  of  their  houses,  is  called  a 
 agn  in  the  following  words :  "  And  the  blood  shall  be  to  you 
 for  a  token  upon  the  houses  where  ye  are ;  and  when  I  see 
 the  blood,    I  will  pass  over  vou,  and  the  plague  shall  not  be 
 
 "   Exod  xiii.  9.  f   I  Cor.  v.  7- 
 
136  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 upon  you  to  destroy  you,  when  I  smite  the  land  of  Egypt."  * 
 Although  God  said,  that  when  he  saw  the  blood,  he  would 
 pass  by  their  houses,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  this  mark 
 was  necessary  to  enable  him  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
 houses  of  the  Egyptians ;  and  the  meaning  obviously  is,  that 
 it  would  be  an  assurance  to  them  that  they  should  be  safe 
 amidst  the  general  destruction.  The  passover,  therefore, 
 served  the  same  purpose  with  all  other  seals  or  sacraments  ; 
 namely,  to  attest  the  promise  of  God,  to  give  the  Israelites  a 
 visible  pledge  that  the  promise  would  be  performed.  The 
 last  argument  for  the  sacramental  nature  of  the  passover,  is 
 the  substitution  of  the  Lord's  supper  in  its  room ;  for  imme- 
 diately after  the  celebration  of  the  one,  our  Saviour  instituted 
 the  other.  This  circumstance  appears  to  authorize  us  to  look 
 upon  both  as  ordinances  of  the  same  kind,  and  to  conclude 
 that  the  passover  was  a  seal  of  the  old  dispensation,  as  the 
 Eucharist  is  of  the  new. 
 
 The  following  is  a  short  account  of  the  passover.  On  the 
 tenth  day  of  the  first  month,  the  Israelites  were  commanded 
 to  take  for  each  family  a  lamb  of  the  first  year  without 
 blemish,  and  to  keep  it  to  the  fourteenth  day.  In  the  even- 
 ing of  the  fourteenth,  it  was  to  be  killed,  and  its  blood  was 
 to  be  sprinkled  upon  the  two  side-posts,  and  the  upper  door- 
 post of  their  houses.  The  flesh  was  to  be  roasted  with  fire, 
 and  wholly  eaten  with  bitter  herbs ;  or  if  any  of  it  remained 
 till  the  morning,  it  was  to  be  burnt  with  fire.  The  bread 
 used  on  that  occasion  was  to  be  unleavened ;  and,  for  seven 
 days,  they  were  not  to  allow  any  leaven  in  their  houses. 
 They  were  farther  commanded  to  eat  it  with  their  loins  gird- 
 ed, their  shoes  on  their  feet,  and  their  staves  in  their  hands ; 
 and  to  eat  it  in  haste,  because  they  were  immediately  to  set 
 out  on  their  journey  from  Egypt  to  the  promised  land.  Such 
 was  the  original  institution,  from  which  the  subsequent  ob- 
 servance differed  in  some  particulars.  The  passover  was  first 
 eaten  by  the  Israelites  in  the  ordinary  places  of  their  residence, 
 but  afterwards  in  Jerusalem  ;  the  blood  was  not  sprinkled  upon 
 their  houses,  but  upon  the  altar ;  and,  instead  of  being  in  the 
 dress  and  posture  of  persons  who  were  about  to  set  out  upon 
 *  Exod.  xii.  13. 
 
TBI    SAC  KAMKNTS.  137 
 
 a  journey,  they  celebrated  this  feast  in  their  ordinary  habits, 
 and  reclining  at  their  ease.  This  is  evident  from  the  account 
 of  the  celebration  of  the  passover  by  our  Saviour  and  his 
 disciples. 
 
 That  this  ordinance  was  significant,  like  all  other  seals,  partly 
 appears  from  what  has  been  already  said,  and  may  be  more 
 fully  shewn  by  the  following  particulars. — First,  The  animal 
 which  was  to  be  used  on  this  occasion  was  a  lamb  ;  by  which 
 our  Saviour  was  prefigured,  who  was  called  by  John  the  Baptist, 
 "  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  * 
 There  may  be  an  allusion  to  other  sacrificial  lambs,  and  par- 
 ticularly to  those  which  were  daily  offered  in  the  evening  and 
 the  morning  ;  but  we  cannot  doubt  that  there  is  a  reference 
 also  to  the  paschal  lamb,  since  we  know  from  the  highest 
 authority,  that  it  was  typical  of  Christ.  Not  to  dwell  upon 
 the  resemblance  of  temper  between  the  type  and  the  Antitype, 
 which  is  commonly  mentioned,  and  is  spoken  of  by  the  prophet, 
 when  he  Bays,  "  he  is  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,"!  hut 
 which,  I  believe,  was  not  in  the  contemplation  of  the  Baptist, 
 who,  in  the  words  quoted  above,  referred  to  his  substitution 
 and  vicarious  sufferings ;  there  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of 
 particular  attention,  that  the  lamb  of  the  passover  was  without 
 blemish,  free  from  any  disease  or  defect.  In  this  respect,  it 
 was  a  figure  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  holy,  harmless,  and 
 undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners.  As  his  human  nature, 
 when  born  of  the  virgin,  was  a  holy  thing,  so  his  whole  life 
 was  distinguished  by  the  exact  performance  of  his  duty ;  and 
 he  could  challenge  the  most  sharp-sighted  of  his  enemies  to 
 discover  a  single  flaw  in  his  conduct :  "  Which  of  you  con- 
 ,vineeth  me  of  sin?" J  Only  a  pure  and  spotless  oblation 
 could  be  acceptable  to  God,  and  available  to  expiate  the 
 offences  of  others. 
 
 Secondly,  The  paschal  lamb  was  slain,  and  thus  prefigured 
 our  Redeemer,  who  "  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death."  He 
 is  called  not  simply  a  Lamb,  but  "  a  Lamb  slain  from  the 
 foundation  of  the  world  ;"||  because  his  death  had  been  adum- 
 brated from  the  earliest  ages  by  the  sacrifice  of  lambs.  Why 
 were  altars  erected,  and  priests  consecrated,  and  the  bodies  of 
 •  John  i.  If.         +  Is.  liii.  7.         J  John  viii.  46.  ||  Rev.  xiii.  8. 
 
138  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 animals  consumed  with  fire  ?  Had  God  any  pleasure  in  such 
 services  considered  in  themselves?  Was  his  eye  delighted 
 with  the  sight  of  blood  ?  or,  Were  his  nostrils  gratified  with 
 the  smell  of  burning  carcases  ?  Notions  so  gross  must  be 
 left  to  the  heathens,  who  supposed  that  their  gods  were  cor- 
 poreal beings,  and  had  senses  like  those  of  men.  The  design 
 of  all  the  oblations  of  the  flock  and  the  herd,  was  to  teach  the 
 important  truth,  that  Divine  justice  could  not  be  appeased, 
 and  punishment  averted  from  the  guilty,  but  by  the  effusion 
 of  blood.  The  paschal  lamb  was  a  type  ;  and  it  was  slain  to 
 prefigure  the  death  of  the  Messiah,  as  the  only  mean  of  deliver- 
 ing mankind  from  a  greater  evil  than  the  bondage  of  Egypt. 
 
 Thirdly,  The  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  was  sprinkled  on 
 the  door-posts  and  lintels  of  the  houses  of  the  Israelites,  and 
 represented  the  application  of  the  great  atonement  to  be  after- 
 wards made,  to  the  consciences  of  men.  The  ultimate  design 
 of  this  rite  was  symbolically  to  teach  an  important  truth, 
 which  is  clearly  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  that  the  blood  of 
 Christ,  although  shed  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  will  not  avail 
 unless  it  be  applied.  Had  the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  been 
 permitted  to  flow  upon  the  ground,  it  would  not  have  pre- 
 served the  Israelite  from  the  destroying  angel ;  his  safety 
 depended  upon  his  using  it  according  to  the  commandment. 
 There  were  various  aspersions  of  blood  under  the  former  dis- 
 pensation ;  but  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  Apostle 
 refers  to  that  at  the  passover,  as  well  as  to  others,  when  he 
 calls  the  blood  of  Christ,  "  the  blood  of  sprinkling."  "  Ye 
 are  come  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better 
 things  than  that  of  Abel."  *  We  may  apply  what  was  spoken 
 at  the  institution  of  the  passover,  to  the  subject  of  the  salva- 
 tion of  sinners.  As  God  promised  that  he  would  pass  by 
 every  house  on  which  he  should  see  the  blood  of  the  paschal 
 lamb,  so  he  now  averts  his  wrath  from  every  sinner  upon 
 whom  he  sees  the  blood  of  Christ ;  that  is,  every  man  who 
 appropriates  the  atonement  to  himself  by  faith,  is  secure  from 
 the  effects  of  his  avenging  justice.  "  There  is  no  condemna- 
 tion to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 
 
 Having  given  you  a  short  account  of  the  sacraments  of  the 
 
 *  Heb.  xii.  24. 
 
TBI  IACRAMBNTS.  139 
 
 Jewish  Church,  1  proceed  to  observe,  that  they  have  beta 
 superseded  by  the  Christian  sacraments.  This  is  plain  with 
 reaped  to  the  passover;  for  we  have  already  seen,  that  imme- 
 diately after  the  celebration  of  it,  the  Lord's  supper  was  insti- 
 tuted ;  and  an  intimation  Mas  thus  given,  that  the  latter  was 
 henceforth  to  supply  the  place  of  the  former.  Besides,  the 
 Apostle  Paul  obviously  refers  to  the  change,  when  he  de- 
 scribes the  new  ordinance  by  terms  borrowed  from  the  old  : 
 k<  Purge  out  therefore  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new 
 lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.  For  even  Christ  our  passover 
 is  sacrificed  for  us  :  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with 
 old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness  ; 
 but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth."*  So 
 far  as  the  poflOOTTT  was  commemorative  of  the  redemption 
 from  Egypt,  then'  was  no  reason  why  it  should  be  continued 
 when  the  church  ceased  to  be  national,  and  was  to  compre- 
 hend the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews;  and,  so  far  as  it  was 
 typical,  it  was  laid  aside  as  useless  when  that  which  it  pre- 
 figured was  accomplished.  That  baptism  has  come  in  the  room 
 of  circumcision,  may  be  inferred  from  two  considerations : 
 that,  like  circumcision,  it  signifies  our  purification  from  sin ; 
 and,  that  it  is  the  ordinance  by  which  we  are  admitted  into 
 the  communion  of  the  visible  church.  As  Paul  connects  the 
 passover  and  the  Lord's  supper,  so  he  connects  circumcision 
 and  baptism ;  leading  us  to  conclude,  that  there  is  a  change 
 or  substitution  in  the  one  case  as  well  as  in  the  other.  "  In 
 whom  also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made 
 without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh 
 by  the  circumcision  of  Christ ;  buried  with  him  in  baptism."  f 
 It  is  evident  from  these  words,  that  baptism  is  "  the  circum- 
 cision of  Christ ;"  that  is,  it  is  the  ordinance  which  he  has 
 given  to  the  church  instead  of  circumcision,  and  which,  when 
 rendered  effectual  by  his  Spirit,  is  accompanied  with  the  in- 
 ternal purification,  of  which  circumcision  was  a  sign.  As 
 Clod  said  to  Abraham,  "  Every  man-child  among  you  shall 
 he  circumcised  ;"  so  Christ  said  to  his  Apostles,  "  Go  and 
 teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them." 
 
 1  should  now  proceed  to  speak  of  the  Christian  sacraments 
 
 •  l  Cor.  v.  7,  «.  f  (  ol.  ii.  11.  12. 
 
140  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE : 
 
 in  the  order  of  their  institution  ;  but  before  entering  upon  the 
 consideration  of  them,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  you  a  short 
 account  of  the  spurious  sacraments  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
 While  we  acknowledge  only  two,  that  church  maintains  that 
 there  are  seven ;  having  added  to  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
 Supper,  the  five  following  :  confirmation,  penance  or  peni- 
 tence, orders,  marriage,  and  extreme  unction. 
 
 The  first  is  confirmation.  In  the  primitive  church,  the 
 imposition  of  hands  was  practised  as  a  religious  rite,  and  it  is 
 mentioned  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  among  the  first 
 principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  *  It  was  used  in  setting 
 persons  apart  to  a  sacred  office,  in  working  miracles,  and  in 
 communicating  supernatural  gifts.  After  the  Samaritans  were 
 converted  and  baptized  by  Philip  the  Evangelist,  Peter  and 
 John,  who  had  been  sent  to  them  by  the  other  Apostles,  laid 
 their  hands  upon  them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  j  The  rite  continued  to  be  observed  after  the  days 
 of  the  Apostles,  not  only  in  ordaining  the  ministers  of  reli- 
 gion, but  in  the  case  of  the  baptized ;  and  it  was  supposed 
 that,  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  the  influences  of  the  Spirit 
 were  communicated  to  them.  It  was  performed,  however, 
 immediately  after  baptism,  and  not  as  at  present  in  those 
 churches  which  keep  up  the  practice,  after  an  interval  of 
 several  years,  when  young  persons,  having  been  previously 
 examined,  are  presented  to  the  bishop.  Upon  this  ancient 
 ceremony  is  founded  the  pretended  sacrament  of  confirmation ; 
 and  in  order  to  render  it  complete,  the  Church  of  Rome  has 
 made  certain  additions  to  the  primitive  mode.  Two  things 
 are  acknowledged  to  be  necessary  to  constitute  a  sacrament : 
 matter,  and  a  form.  In  order  to  find  matter,  which  was 
 wanting  in  the  simple  imposition  of  hands,  they  have  invented 
 a  chrism  or  ointment,  composed  of  olive  oil  and  balm, — the 
 former  signifying  clearness  of  conscience,  and  the  latter  the 
 savour  of  a  good  reputation  ;  and  it  is  blessed  by  the  bishop, 
 who  alone  has  power  to  perform  this  ceremony.  The  form 
 of  the  sacrament  consists  in  the  application  of  this  chrism  to 
 the  forehead  of  the  person,  while  at  the  same  time  these 
 words  are  pronounced,  "  I  sign  thee  with  the  sign  of  the 
 *  Heb.  vi.  2.  -j-  Acts  viii.  17- 
 
TH1  >.w  i:  \mi:m  I,  14  I 
 
 bnm,  ami  eonfirm  thee  with  the. chrism  of  salvation,  in  the 
 name  of  the  Father,  <>f  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 1  seed  not  say  that  not  a  vestige  of  this  mummery  is  to  be 
 found  in  the  New  Testament  Confirmation  is  retained  in 
 the  Church  of  England,  butit  is  divested  of  these  superstitious 
 additions,  and  is  not  considered  as  a  sacrament.  At  a  certain 
 period  children  who  have  learned  the  catechism,  appear  before 
 the  bishop,  and  renew  their  baptismal  engagements ;  when 
 the  bishop  prays,  that  God,  who  has  regenerated  them  by 
 water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  given  unto  them  the  forgive- 
 Dess  of  all  their  sins,  would  strengthen  them,  and  increase  in 
 them  the  manifold  gifts  of  his  grace.  He  then  lays  his  hands 
 upon  them,  and  offers  up  another  prayer  to  the  same  effect. 
 It  may  be  justly  objected,  that  the  ceremony  itself  is  super- 
 cilious, being  entirely  of  human  institution  ;  that  the  quali- 
 fication* are  superficial,  as  any  person  may  see  by  perusing 
 the  trilling  catechism  which  the  young  people  are  required  to 
 learn  ;  that  it  proceeds  upon  the  supposition  that  they  are 
 all  already  the  children  of  God  ;  that  while  it  assumes  what 
 in  many  cases  is  falsi',  it  is  calculated  to  foster  an  ill-founded 
 persuasion  of  the  favour  of  God  ;  and  that,  having  been  so 
 grossly  abused  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  it  should  have  been 
 entirely  laid  aside  by  a  Protestant  Church,  as  it  has  mani- 
 festly no  claim  to  an  apostolical  origin.  Unhappily,  the 
 Church  of  England  thinks  herself  adorned,  when  she  wears 
 some  of  the  rags  of  popery. 
 
 The  second  spurious  sacrament,  is  penance  or  penitence. 
 In  the  New  Testament  Christians  are  commanded  to  "  con- 
 fen  their  faults  one  to  another  ;"  *  but  not  a  word  is  said  about 
 confession  to  a  priest.  In  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  a  public 
 confession  of  their  sins  was  required  from  those  who  were 
 guilty  of  great  offences,  particularly  of  apostasy  ;  and  this  was 
 a  nece-siry  step  to  their  restoration  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
 church,  from  which  they  had  been  excluded.  This  practice 
 being  found  inconvenient,  private  confession  was  introduced  ; 
 and  penitents  were  required  to  come  to  the  bishop,  or  to  a 
 priest  appointed  for  the  purpose.  It  would  be  tedious  to 
 trace  all  the  changes  which  took  place  in  this  part   of  eccle- 
 
 *  James  v.  16. 
 
142  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 siastical  discipline ;   and  to  show   how  the  penance  enjoined 
 upon  offenders  was  made  private,  as  well  as  their  confessions ; 
 how  instead  of  penance  prayers  were  substituted,  so  many 
 prayers  for  example,  instead  of  so  many  days  of  fasting ;  and 
 how  the  rich  were  permitted  to  purchase  an  exemption,  by 
 giving"  alms  to  the  poor  and  the  church.     It  is  sufficient  to 
 observe,   that  in  the  Church  of  Rome  auricular  confession  is 
 established  ;  that  is,  every  member  of  that  church  is  required 
 to  make  confession  to  a  priest  at  least  once  a  year.     In  doing 
 so,  he  is  bound  to  act  candidly  and  freely,  to  conceal  nothing, 
 but  to  make  known  to  the  confessor  all  the  sins  which  he  has 
 committed  since  he  last  appeared  before  him,   and  even  the 
 secret  thoughts  of  his  heart.     It  is  easy  to  see  that  this  in- 
 stitution invests  the  clergy  with  an  uncontrolled  power  over 
 the  laity  ;  for  nothing  gives  one  man  a  firmer  hold  of  another, 
 than  his  knowledge  of  such  parts  of  the  conduct  of  the  other 
 as  he  should  most  anxiously  wish  to  conceal.     There  is  a 
 security,  indeed,   provided  in  the  secrecy  which  is  enjoined 
 upon  confessors,  who  are  forbidden  under  the  severest  penalty 
 to  reveal  any  thing  which  has  been  disclosed  to  them ;  but 
 still  the  reflection  that  the  penitent  has  deposited  in  the  bosom 
 of  the  priest  matters  upon  which  his  honour,  and  perhaps  his 
 life,  depends,  must  retain  him  in  a  state  of  absolute  subjection 
 to  him.      It  is  the  business  of  the  priest  to  ascertain  whether 
 the  person  is  penitent ;  and  here  a  distinction  is  made  between 
 contrition,  or  sorrow  for  sin  arising  from  the  love  of  God,  and 
 attrition,  arising  from  an  inferior  cause,  as  the  loss  which  he 
 has  sustained,  the  shame  which  he  has  incurred,  or  the  danger 
 to  which  he  has  exposed  himself.  *     To  a  man  who  takes  the 
 Scripture  as  his  guide,  it  would  seem  that  the  latter  was  not 
 repentance  at  all ;  but  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  either  the  one 
 or  the  other  is  sufficient.     There  remains  the  satisfaction  or 
 penance  enjoined  upon  the  penitent,  which  consists  in  fasting, 
 but  rendered  as  easy  as  possible  ;   in  repeating  a  number  of 
 prayers,  which  it  seems  Papists  consider  as  a  punishment ;  or 
 in  some  other  thing  which  may  be  performed  without  a  single 
 sentiment  or  feeling  of  piety.     The  sacrament  of  penitence 
 consists,  like  every  other  sacrament,  of  two  parts,  the  matter 
 
 *  Concil.  Trident,  Sessio  xiv.  De  Penitentia,  cap.  iv. 
 
Tin;  BA<  I  \m  IMT8.  1  43 
 
 and  the  form.  The  matter  is  the  confession  of  the  penitent  to 
 tin-  priest,  hifl  contrition,  and  his  satisfaction.  The  form  is 
 in  these  words  pronounced  by  the  priest,  "  I  absolve  thee," 
 
 &C.  *  You  will  observe  to  what  a  wretched  shift  Papists  are 
 driven  to  make  out  a  sacrament.  There  is  no  visible  sign  in 
 this  sacrament,  but  words  and  feelings  of  the  mind  ;  and  the 
 performance  of  certain  acts  is,  wTith  palpable  absurdity,  con- 
 verted into  the  matter  of  it.  Prayer  might  be  made  the 
 matter  of  a  sacrament  with  equal  propriety.  The  form  is 
 impious  and  blasphemous  ;  and  when  a  worthless  priest  pre- 
 sumes to  give  absolution,  we  may  indignantly  say,  "  Who 
 can  forgive  sins  but  God?"  The  whole  is  comparatively  a 
 modern  invention,  and  is  no  more  entitled  to  be  accounted  an 
 ordinance  of  Christ,  than  the  feat  of  a  mountebank,  or  the 
 trick  of  a  juggler. 
 
 The  third  sacrament  is  called  the  sacrament  of  orders,  be- 
 cause it  relates  to  the  consecration  of  the  different  orders  of 
 office-bearers  in  the  church.  Of  these  in  the  Roman  hierarchy 
 there  are  seven, — porters  or  door-keepers,  readers,  exorcists, 
 acolytes,  sub-deacons,  deacons,  and  priests.  To  these  some  add 
 an  eighth,  the  order  of  bishops ;  but  others  consider  it  not  as  a 
 distinct  order,  but  as  a  higher  degree  of  the  priesthood.  As  Je- 
 sus Christ  has  appointed  certain  persons  to  perform  the  public 
 offices  of  religion,  so  there  is  a  prescribed  form  of  setting  them 
 apart,  which  we  learn  from  the  practice  of  the  Apostles.  They 
 ordained  ministers  and  deacons  by  prayer,  and  the  imposition 
 of  hands.  This  was  the  simple  form  used  by  them,  and  it 
 continued  for  a  long  time  to  be  observed  without  any  super- 
 stitious addition.  If,  in  the  first  age,  the  imposition  of  hands 
 wa^  accompanied  with  the  communication  of  the  extraordinary 
 gifts  of  the  Spirit,  it  simply  denoted,  after  miracles  had  ceased, 
 the  designation  of  the  person ;  and  prayer  was  offered  up  for 
 the  divine  blessing  upon  him  and  his  labours.  In  this  man- 
 ner he  was  devoted  to  God,  and  received  authority  to  preach 
 the  gospel  and  administer  the  sacraments,  or  to  care  for  the 
 poor  and  take  part  in  the  government  of  the  church,  accord- 
 ing to  the  nature  of  the  office  with  which  he  was  invested. 
 In  process  of  time,  when  men  began  to  corrupt  the  ordinances 
 
 •  Concil.  Trident.  Sess.  xiv.  cap.  ill- 
 
144  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF   GRACE  I 
 
 of  the  gospel,  under  the  pretext  of  adorning  them  and  ren- 
 dering them  more  august,  various  ceremonies  were  introduced, 
 by  which  the  original  simplicity  of  the  form  was  destroyed. 
 In  the  Church  of  Rome,  the  plan  was  adopted  of  delivering 
 to  a  priest  the  sacred  vessels, — the  paten  and  the  chalice,  or 
 the  plate  and  the  cup, — and  accompanying  this  action  with 
 certain  words  empowering  him  to  celebrate  mass,  and  offer 
 sacrifice  to  God ;  and  thus  they  have  contrived  what  they 
 deem  the  essential  parts  of  a  sacrament.  In  the  ordination  of 
 a  priest,  the  matter  is  the  vessels  which  are  delivered  to  him, 
 and  the  form  is  the  pronouncing  of  these  words,  "  Take 
 thou  authority  to  offer  up  sacrifices  to  God,  and  to  celebrate 
 masses  both  for  the  dead  and  for  the  living,  in  the  name  of 
 the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  You 
 will  observe  that  this  sacrament  is  wholly  a  human  invention ; 
 men  have  contrived  both  the  matter  and  the  form,  for  of 
 neither  is  there  the  slightest  vestige  in  the  New  Testament. 
 It  rests  entirely  upon  the  decrees  of  popes  and  popish  councils, 
 who  have  no  more  power  to  appoint  new  means  of  grace,  and 
 new  seals  of  the  covenant,  than  the  first  person  whom  we 
 shall  meet  in  the  streets.  There  is  nothing  which  bears  any 
 resemblance  to  a  sacrament  in  the  apostolical  form  of  ordina- 
 tion. Prayer  is  a  simple  act  of  religious  worship  ;  and  the 
 imposition  of  hands  is  no  more  a  sacramental  action  in  this 
 case,  than  it  was  in  the  performance  of  miracles,  when  it  was 
 occasionally,  but  not  uniformly  used. 
 
 The  fourth  spurious  sacrament  is  marriage.  It  may  excite 
 surprise  that  any  person,  possessed  of  common  sense,  should 
 have  ever  thought  of  giving  this  name  and  office  to  a  civil 
 contract ;  for  in  this  light  it  may  surely  be  considered,  al- 
 though it  was  instituted  by  God  himself.  Civil  government 
 is  also  his  institution ;  but  we  do  not  therefore  look  upon  it 
 as  a  religious  ordinance.  The  celebration  of  marriage  in  this 
 country,  by  the  ministers  of  religion,  does  not  alter  its  nature. 
 This  is  an  accidental  circumstance,  not  at  all  necessary  to  its 
 validity  ;  and  the  union  would  be  as  firm  and  as  holy,  if  the 
 law,  to  which  it  belongs  to  regulate  the  form,  should  appoint 
 marriage  to  be  celebrated  by  the  magistrate.  You  may  also 
 be  curious  to  know  how  Papists  have  contrived  to  make  a 
 
tiil:  sack  ymi:\  I  14.") 
 
 sacrament  out  of  marriage,  as  it  does  not  readil)  occur  to  us 
 that  it  furnishes  the  essential  parts.  This  business  has  nrnoed 
 no  little  perplexity  to  them ;  but  they  have  finally  rested  in 
 
 this  determination,  that  the  matter  of  the  sacrament  is  the 
 consent  of  the  parties,  ami  the  form,  the  words  or  sign  by 
 which  their  consent  is  expressed.  Here,  then,  is  a  sacrament, 
 in  which  something  that  cannot  be  seen  or  felt  or  heard,  is 
 the  matter,  namely,  the  inward  consent  of  the  mind;  and  con- 
 sequently an  external  sign,  which  is  indispensable  to  every 
 sacrament,  is  wanting.  With  respect  to  the  form,  it  consists 
 in  words,  as  in  the  other  sacraments  ;  but,  whereas  in  those 
 they  are  pronounced  by  the  priest,  in  this  they  are  pronounced 
 by  the  parties.  Marriage  is  therefore  an  anomalous  sacra- 
 ment, for  it  is  made  and  celebrated  exclusively  by  the  persons 
 who  receive  it.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  more  complete 
 mav>  of  absurdity.  That  cannot  be  a  sacrament  which  is  not 
 even  an  ordinance  of  religion,  and  is  not  peculiar  to  the  mem- 
 bers of  the  church.  It  was  originally  instituted  for  the  human 
 race  in  general,  and  all  men  have  an  equal  right  to  it.  The 
 marriages  of  Jews,  and  Heathens,  and  Mahometans,  are  as 
 valid  as  those  of  Christians.  Papists  plead  that  the  Scripture 
 calls  marriage  a  sacrament ;  for,  where  Paul,  speaking  of  it, 
 .  "  This  is  a  great  mystery,"*  the  Vulgate  reads,  "  This 
 is  a  great  sacrament."  But  I  have  accounted  for  this  trans- 
 lation, by  shewing  you,  that  anciently  sacramentum  was  used 
 as  equivalent  to  fiv<ni]pioi>.  It  is  evident  that  nothing  more 
 can  be  inferred  from  the  passage,  than  that  marriage  is  an 
 emblem  of  the  union  between  our  Saviour  and  his  followers ; 
 and  perhaps  not  even  so  much  is  intended,  for  the  Apostle 
 seems  to  confine  the  words  to  this  union  alone,  and  to  put  us 
 on  our  guard  against  thinking  that  he  is  speaking  of  marriage, 
 when  he  immediately  adds,  "  But  I  speak  of  Christ  and  the 
 church."     The  mystery  is  the  mystical  union. 
 
 The  last  spurious  sacrament  of  the  Church  of  Rome  is  ex- 
 treme unction.  It  is  called  unction,  because  the  person  who 
 receives  this  sacrament  is  anointed  with  oil ;  and  extreme  unc- 
 tion, because  it  is  administered  in  articulo  mortis,  when  he  is 
 understood  to  be  at  the  point  of  death.  The  matter  is  olive 
 •  Ephes.  v.  :;•_>. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  ,v 
 
146  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 oil,  which  has  been  blessed  by  a  bishop  ;  and  the  form  con- 
 sists in  the  application  of  this  oil  to  the  five  senses,  with  these 
 words  :  "  By  this  sacred  unction,  and  his  most  tender  mercy, 
 may  God  pardon  every  sin  which  thou  hast  committed,  by 
 seeing,  hearing,  smelling,  tasting,  and  touching."  *  The  oil 
 is  put  upon  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  as  the  name 
 of  each  is  enunciated.  The  person  is  understood  to  receive 
 the  remission  of  his  sins,  and  to  be  prepared  to  enter  into 
 heaven,  after  having  undergone  a  complete  purification  in 
 purgatory.  If  extreme  unction  were,  indeed,  an  institution 
 of  Christ,  it  would  be  invaluable  as  a  sure  passport  to 
 immortality  ;  but  if  it  be  a  human  device,  what  can  we 
 say,  but  that,  to  those  who  depend  upon  it,  it  must  prove  a 
 passport  to  the  place  of  darkness  and  sorrow  ?  For  this  sacra- 
 ment, as  well  as  for  marriage,  Papists  plead  Scripture,  but 
 with  equal  want  of  success.  The  passage  to  which  they  ap- 
 peal, is  in  the  Epistle  of  James  :  "Is  any  sick  among  you  ? 
 let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church  ;  and  let  them  pray 
 over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord : 
 and  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick."  |  Those  w7ho 
 imagine  that  these  words  favour  the  sacrament  of  extreme 
 unction,  allow  themselves  to  be  carried  away  by  a  sound  with- 
 out any  regard  to  the  sense.  It  is  obvious  that  the  two 
 things  are  totally  different.  The  anointing  of  James  was 
 miraculous,  or  a  sign  accompanying  a  miracle,  which,  from 
 the  following  words  concerning  the  twelve  disciples  when  they 
 were  sent  forth  by  our  Lord,  seems  to  have  been  frequently 
 used  in  the  apostolic  age  :  "  And  they  cast  out  many  devils, 
 and  anointed  with  oil  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed  them."  t 
 But,  although  the  Church  of  Rome  still  claims  the  power  of 
 working  miracles,  we  know  that  the  pretension  is  absolutely 
 false ;  and  besides,  it  is  not  alleged  that  there  is  any  miracle 
 in  the  present  case.  The  design  of  anointing  a  sick  person  in 
 the  days  of  the  Apostles,  was  to  restore  him  to  health  ;  the 
 design  of  the  popish  anointing,  is  to  prepare  him  for  death. 
 The  one,  when  accompanied  with  faith,  saved  the  sick ;  but 
 the  other  is  not  administered  till  all  hope  of  recovery  is  gone. 
 It  is  certain  that,   although  oil  was  used  after  the  days  of  the 
 
 *  Concil.  Trident.  Sessio  xiv.  Ae  Extrcma  (Tnctione,  cap.  i. 
 f  James  v.  14.  £  Mark  vi.  13. 
 
tii  147 
 
 Apostles  <>n  various  occasions,  and  was,  in  particular,  applied 
 to  the  sick,  it  was  not  till  a  late  period  thai  the  iacrament  of 
 extreme  unction  was  devised  by  the  Schoolmen,  and  the 
 Counci]  of  Trent  established  it  by  law:  "  If  any  man  shall 
 that  extreme  unction  is  not  truly  and  properly  a  sacra- 
 ment, instituted  by  Christ  our  Lord,  and  promulgated  by  the 
 blessed  Apostle  James,  but  is  only  a  rite  received  from  the 
 lather^,  or  a  human  figment;   let  him  be  accursed."  * 
 
 Regardless  of  the  fulminations  of  the  antichristian  church, 
 we  reject  all  these  sacraments  as  the  devices  of  impious  men  ; 
 and  adhering  to  the  word  of  God  as  the  sole  rule  of  our  faith 
 and  practice,  we  receive  only  the  two  sacraments  which  our 
 Lord  and  Saviour  has  instituted,  Baptism  and  the  Holy 
 Supper. 
 
 •  Sessio  xiv.  de  Extrema  Unctione,  can.  i. 
 
LECTURE  LXXXVIII. 
 
 ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  BAPTISM. 
 
 BAPTISM,  THE  RTTE  OF  ADMISSION  TO  THE  CHURCH DIFFERENCE  BE- 
 TWEEN THE  BAPTISMS  OF  JOHN  AND  CHRIST. — APPLICATION  OF  WATER 
 NECESSARY. — CERTAIN     POPISH    ADDITIONS     TO     THE     RITE. — MODE     OF 
 
 APPLYING    THE    SYJBOL IMMERSION    NOT    NECESSARY WHO  MAY  BE 
 
 BAPTIZED BAPTISM  OF   INFANTS  VINDICATED. 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  consider  the  two  sacraments  of  the  Christian 
 Church,  which  alone  are  worthy  of  attention  and  have  a  claim 
 to  be  observed  with  devout  reverence,  because  they  alone  are 
 of  Divine  institution.  I  begin  with  Baptism,  by  which  we 
 are  initiated  into  the  fellowship  of  the  church,  and  which, 
 in  the  order  of  dispensation,  precedes  the  Lord's  Supper ;  none 
 having  a  right  to  the  holy  table  but  those  who  have  been  pre- 
 viously purified  by  the  washing  of  water  and  by  the  word. 
 
 It  has  pleased  God,  under  both  dispensations,  to  institute 
 an  external  sign  of  admission  into  the  church,  and  of  the  par- 
 ticipation of  the  blessings  of  the  covenant.  From  the  days  of 
 Abraham  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  sign  was  circumcision  ; 
 but  as  it  implied  an  obligation  to  obey  the  law  of  Moses, 
 which  is  now  repealed,  it  is  laid  aside,  and  baptism  is  substi- 
 tuted in  its  room.  After  his  resurrection,  Jesus  gave  the 
 following  commission  to  his  disciples :  "  Go  ye  therefore, 
 and  teach"  or  make  disciples  of"  all  nations — /xaOrpevcare  frav-ra 
 ia  eQvt] — baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the   Father,  and  of 
 
BAPTISM*  149 
 
 the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe 
 all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  :  and  lol  I  am 
 with  you  always  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."*  Baptism 
 had  been  previously  administered  to  those  who  acknowledged 
 
 him  a^  the  Messiah,  and  desired  to  be  admitted  into  the  num- 
 ber of  his  followers ;  not,  however,  by  himself,  but  by  his 
 disciples,  as  we  learn  from  this  passage  in  John  :  "  When 
 therefore  the  Lord  knew  how  the  Pharisees  had  heard  that 
 Jesus  made  and  baptized  more  disciples  than  John,  (though 
 Jesus  himself  baptized  not,  but  his  disciples,)  he  left  Judea, 
 and  departed  again  into  Galilee."!  We  cannot,  therefore, 
 consider  the  ordinance  as  new,  when  he  gave  a  commission  to 
 the  Apostles  prior  to  his  ascension;  but  it  then  received  a 
 more  extensive  application,  as  they  were  authorized  to  admi- 
 nister it  to  men  of  every  nation.  Baptism  was  administered 
 also  by  John  his  forerunner ;  and  that  which  is  now  practised 
 is  commonly  accounted  a  continuation  of  it.  But,  although 
 they  resemble  each  other  in  the  external  sign,  and  the  mode 
 of  applying  it,  there  are  some  respects  in  which  they  mate- 
 rially differ.  "  John  baptized  his  disciples  into  the  faith  of  the 
 Messiah  as  to  come ;  we  are  baptized  into  the  faith  of  him  as 
 actually  come.  The  baptism  of  John  was  evidently  designed 
 to  serve  a  temporary  purpose,  in  common  with  all  the  other 
 parts  of  his  ministry  ;  the  baptism  of  Christ  is  to  continue  to 
 the  end  of  the.  world.  The  one  did  not  properly  belong  to 
 the  Christian  dispensation,  but  was  preparatory  to  it;  the  other 
 is  an  ordinance  given  by  our  Saviour  to  his  church,  to  supply 
 the  place  of  circumcision.  Christian  baptism  is  administered 
 in  the  name  of  the  persons  of  the  Trinity ;  whereas  we  have 
 no  evidence  that  the  Divine  Persons  were  explicitly  recog- 
 nized in  the  baptism  of  John.  From  these  considerations,  it 
 appears  that  the  two  ordinances  differ  so  much  in  their  form, 
 in  their  design,  and  in  their  relation  to  the  present  dispensation, 
 that  they  may  be  regarded  as  perfectly  distinct,  and  conse- 
 quently, that  a  person  who  had  been  baptized  by  John  might 
 have  been  baptized  again  by  an  Apostle."  J  If  this  reasoning 
 is  just,  we  are  at  no  loss  to  understand  a  passage  in  the  Acts, 
 which   has  caused  no  small  perplexity  to   commentators,  and 
 
 •  Matth.  xxviii.  II),  20.  f  John  iv.  1—3. 
 
 £  Dick's  Lectures  on  the  Acts,   p.  406.  2d  Edit. 
 
150  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 about  which  they  have  been  much  divided  in  sentiment. 
 Speaking  of  some  men  who  had  received  only  the  baptism  of 
 John,  it  says,  that  when  they  were  more  fully  instructed  by 
 Paul,  "  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."* 
 It  seems  unquestionable  that  they  were  rebaptized,  and  the 
 reason  was,  that  the  baptism  of  John,  and  that  of  Christ, 
 were  different  ordinances. 
 
 It  is  an  opinion  adopted  by  not  a  few,  that  our  Lord  bor- 
 rowed this  rite  from  the  Jews,  among  whom  it  was  customary 
 to  baptize  proselytes,  whether  male  or  female,  by  immersing 
 the  whole  body  in  water.  Men  view  subjects  in  different 
 lights,  according  to  their  habits  of  thinking ;  but  I  confess, 
 that  to  me  it  seems  highly  improbable  that  he  would  adopt 
 one  of  the  most  solemn  ordinances  of  his  religion  from  the 
 corrupt  church  of  Judea,  and  found  it  upon  a  practice  mani- 
 festly superstitious,  which  they  had  added  without  authority 
 to  the  commandment  of  God.  It  is  altogether  incredible  that, 
 while  he  condemned  their  vain  traditions  and  observances,  he 
 would  embody  one  of  ihese  in  his  own  institute,  and  thus 
 counteract  the  effect  of  his  reproofs.  No  mention  is  made  of 
 the  baptism  of  proselytes  in  the  works  of  Philo  and  Josephus, 
 and  the  first  notice  of  it  is  found  in  the  Mishna  and  Gemara  ; 
 of  which  the  one  was  composed  at  the  earliest  date  in  the 
 second  century,  although  learned  men  in  general  bring  it 
 much  farther  down,  and  the  latter  is  so  late  as  the  seventh. 
 There  is  no  evidence  that  the  practice  existed  in  the  time  of 
 our  Saviour,  and  it  is  much  more  likely  that,  among  the 
 Jews,  it  was  an  acknowledged  imitation  of  his  institution, 
 than  that  he  wTas  indebted  for  it  to  them. 
 
 Baptism  is  performed  by  the  application  of  water  to  the 
 body.  This  is  a  point  which  it  may  be  judged  altogether 
 superfluous  to  prove,  because  it  seems  to  admit  of  no  dispute ; 
 but  there  have  been  found  fools  and  perverse  controvertists 
 to  call  in  question  the  plainest  facts.  Some  have  maintained 
 that  Christ  did  not  enjoin  the  baptism  of  water,  but  of  doc- 
 trine ;  and  argue  that,  as  Christianity  is  a  spiritual  religion, 
 all  external  rites  are  excluded  from  it.  It  is  quite  sufficient 
 to  answer,  that  the  Apostles  did  actually  baptize  with  water. 
 
 *  Acts  xix.  5. 
 
IATTI8M.  151 
 
 Hut  il  has  been  alleged  by  some  who  could  not  deny  this 
 tact,  that  the  baptism  of  water  was  only  a  temporary  institu- 
 tion, and  that  it  is  superseded  by  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit. 
 Let  them  prove  their  allegation,  for  this  burden  lies  upon 
 them.  It  happens  unfortunately  for  their  hypothesis,  that, 
 the  baptism  of  water  w;is  used  after  the  dispensation  of  the 
 Spirit  had  commenced,  and  in  an  age  when  the  influences  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost  were  most  abundantly  communicated  ;  and 
 it  is  a  complete  refutation  of  it,  that,  when  our  Lord  instituted 
 this  rite,  he  promised  to  be  with  his  disciples  in  executing  his 
 order,  not  only  to  the  end  of  that  age,  but  to  the  end  of  the 
 Christian  dispensation,  or  "  of  the  world,"  as  we  have  trans- 
 lated the  word. 
 
 In  the  Church  of  Rome,  baptism  is  celebrated  with  several 
 other  rites  besides  the  application  of  water.  Not  only  is  the 
 sign  of  the  cross  made,  and  the  person  exorcised  to  drive  out 
 evil  spirits,  but  salt  is  put  into  his  mouth,  to  signify  that  by 
 grace  he  is  freed  from  the  corruption  of  sin  ;  spittle  is  applied 
 to  his  nostrils  and  ears,  to  intimate  that  the  Holy  Spirit  gives 
 light  to  the  mind  to  perceive  the  heavenly  truth  ;  he  is  a- 
 nointed  with  oil  on  the  crown  of  his  head,  that  he  may  under- 
 stand that  he  is  henceforth  joined  to  Christ  as  a  member  of 
 his  body,  and  is  called  a  Christian  from  Christ  the  anointed 
 one  :  if  he  be  an  adult,  he  is  clothed  with  a  white  garment,  or 
 if  a  child,  a  white  handkerchief  is  given  to  him,  to  represent 
 the  glory  of  the  resurrection  of  which  he  is  an  heir,  the  beauty 
 with  which  his  soul  now  purified  from  sin  is  adorned,  and  the 
 innocence  which  he  should  study  to  maintain  during  his  whole 
 life.  Lastly,  a  burning  wax  candle  is  put  into  his  hand,  to 
 shew  that  faith,  being  inflamed  with  charity  which  he  received 
 in  baptism,  is  to  be  nourished  and  increased  by  the  study  of 
 good  works.  It  is  well  that  Papists  have  explained  the  va- 
 rious parts  of  this  exhibition,  which  would  have  otherwise 
 puzzled  every  human  understanding.  Some  of  these  rites 
 were  introduced  at  an  early  period  ;  but  they  are  all,  human 
 inventions,  which  disfigure  the  simple  ordinance  of  Christ,  and 
 have  been  rejected  by  our  Church  in  its  just  zeal  for  the  purity 
 of  his  institution. 
 
 The  manner  in  which  water  should  be  applied  to  the  body, 
 
152  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GKACE  : 
 
 whether  by  affusion  or  aspersion,  or  by  immersion,  is  a  ques- 
 tion which  has  divided  Christians  into  different  parties,  and 
 has  been  discussed  with  great  vehemence  of  contention.  An 
 attempt  has  been  made  to  decide  the  controversy  by  an  appeal 
 to  the  meaning  of  the  original  terms.  Ba*r«g*>j  it  is  common- 
 ly said,  signifies  to  immerse  or  plunge  into  water,  and  conse- 
 quently f3a7r-i(T^a  and  /3a7rT«rwo9,  are  properly  translated  im- 
 mersion. Baim^u)  is  derived  fro  n  fiarrtc,  which  has  the  same 
 signification,  and  is  used  to  express  the  action  of  dipping  and 
 dyeing.  Examples,  however,  have  been  produced  from  which 
 it  appears,  that  the  idea  sometimes  conveyed  even  by  this  verb, 
 which  it  is  commonly  admitted  signifies  to  dip,  is  that  of 
 sprinkling,  rather  than  of  dipping.  In  the  Revelation  our  Saviour 
 is  described  as  clothed  with  a  garment — /Scftajupevou  aijuan — 
 dipped  in  blood,*  says  our  translation,  but  rather  sprinkled  or 
 stained ;  for  he  is  represented  as  a  warrior  and  a  conqueror, 
 and  the  garments  of  such  a  person  after  a  battle  are  not  dipped 
 in  blood,  but  stained  or  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  his  ene- 
 mies, which  has  spouted  from  their  wounds.  This  is  the 
 image  presented  to  us  in  the  parallel  passage  of  Isaiah,  where 
 in  the  same  character  he  says,  "  Their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled 
 on  my  garments,  and  I  will  stain  all  my  raiment."  f  The 
 sentence  pronounced  upon  Nebuchadnezzar  was,  that  his  body 
 should  be  "  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven ;"  J  and  it  is  thus 
 translated  in  the  Greek  version,  A-n-o  ttj?  cpoaov  rov  ovpavov  -to 
 (jiv/tia  avTov  eftcKpt].  Here  the  word  signifies  to  sprinkle,  or 
 moisten  by  sprinkling,  for  his  body  was  not  wetted  by  being 
 dipped  in  dew,  but  by  its  falling  upon  him. 
 
 I  do  not  intend  to  deny  that  fia-n-rw  ever  means  to  dip,  ^but 
 that  this  is  its  only  sense ;  and  hence  we  may  fairly  conclude, 
 that  although  its  derivative  (SaTr-igiv  also  means  to  immerse, 
 it  does  not  follow  that  this  is  its  only  signification.  Two 
 examples  have  been  quoted  from  the  Apocryphal  writings,  in 
 one  of  which  it  denotes  washing  without  specifying  the  form, 
 and  in  the  other  it  seems  to  be  synonymous  with  sprinkling. 
 Judith  is  said  to  have  washed  herself  in  the  camp,  or  by  the 
 camp  at  a  fountain  of  water,  efia-Ti'^To  e-i  ~>/v  -?/7>/<?  tov  u£aT»*.| 
 The  place,  a  fountain  or  spring,  naturally  excludes  the  idea 
 
 •  Rev.  xix.  13.  +  Is.  lxiii.  33.          +  Dan.  iv.  23.  ||  Judith  xii.  7- 
 
BAPTISM.  153 
 
 of  immersion,  and  the  phrase  is  t~t  t//v  -//77s,  at  tin fountain* 
 not  iv  t//  ryyf,  as  it  would  have  been  if  she  had  bathed  in  it. 
 The 800  of  Siraeh,  speaking  of  a  person  who  has  been  purified 
 from  the  pollution  contracted  by  touching  a  dead  body,  calls 
 him  /Smrrtgtyu  vos  "-<>  re*/w»/  But  when  we  consult  the  law  of 
 Moaei  to  which  he  refers,  we  rind  that  he  was  purified  by 
 aspersion.  That  his  uncleanness  might  be  removed,  the  water 
 of  separation  was  sprinkled  upon  him,  as  you  will  see  in  the 
 nineteenth  chapter  of  Numbers. f  If  then  the  word  was  so 
 understood  by  Jewish  writers  in  Greek,  we  may  presume  that 
 it  retains  the  same  meaning  in  the  New  Testament,  or  that 
 this  meaning  may  be  assigned  to  it  when  circumstances  do  not 
 forbid  ;  and  that  it  is  unwarrantable  to  affirm,  from  the  simple 
 oie  <>f  the  term  in  reference  to  this  ordinance  of  Christ,  that 
 we  are  bound  to  administer  it  only  by  immersion.  "  The 
 Pharisees  and  all  the  Jews,  except  they  wash  their  hands  oft, 
 eat  not,  holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders.  And  when  they 
 come  from  the  market,  except  they  wash,"  or  baptize  them- 
 selres,  "  they  eat  not.  And  many  other  things  there  be  which 
 they  have  received  to  hold,  as  the  washing"  or  baptisms  "  of 
 cups  and  pots,  brazen  vessels,  and  of  tables."  J  The  washing 
 of  the  hands  was  performed  among  the  Jews  by  pouring  water 
 upon  them,  as  appears  from  the  express  testimony  of  Scrip- 
 ture :  "  Elisha  the  son  of  Shaphat  poured  water  on  the 
 hands  of  Elijah."  |  The  "  baptizing"  after  their  return  from 
 market,  probably  signifies  the  same  thing  with  washing  their 
 hands,  as  it  is  very  improbable  that  on  every  such  occasion 
 they  washed  the  whole  body  ;  and  at  any  rate,  if  they  put 
 themselves  to  this  trouble,  the  body  would  be  washed  in  the 
 same  manner  with  the  hands,  by  pouring  water  upon  it.  There 
 is  no  reason  to  think  that  this  baptism  consisted  in  immersion. 
 Cups  and  pots  and  brazen  vessels  may  have  been  "  baptized" 
 by  being  plunged  into  water;  but  as  the  operation  could  have 
 been  performed  equally  well  by  pouring  water  into  them,  and 
 upon  them,  we  can  draw  no  certain  conclusion  respecting  the 
 mode,  and  the  words  fia-Tigciv  and  fiaTntapo?,  convey  nothing 
 more  than  the  general  idea  of  washing.  The  last  word  in  this 
 \'v.i.  is  improperly  rendered  tables  in  our  version, 
 •  Ecclcs.  xxxiv.  26.     +  Num.  xix.  13.     $  Mark  vii.  3,  4.      ||  2  Kings  iii.  11. 
 
154  THE   EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE.* 
 
 and  the  proper  translation  is  beds  or  couches.  These  were  the 
 couches  on  which  they  reclined  at  their  meals.  They  were 
 so  large  as  to  hold  several  persons  at  the  same  time ;  and  from 
 their  size  it  seems  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  were 
 "  baptized,"  not  by  being  immersed  in  water,  but  by  being 
 washed  with  the  hand  or  sprinkled,  to  remove  any  real  or 
 fancied  impurity. 
 
 Hitherto  we  have  found  nothing  to  justify  the  confidence 
 with  which  it  has  been  asserted,  that  ^a-mi^io  necessarily  sig- 
 nifies to  immerse.  But  to  supply  what  may  be  wanting  in 
 the  evidence  arising  from  the  word  itself,  it  is  alleged  that 
 such  phrases  are  joined  with  it,  as  clearly  shew  that  it  was 
 by  dipping  or  plunging  that  baptism  was  originally  adminis- 
 tered. For  example,  John  is  said  to  have  baptized  in  Jor- 
 dan * — ev  rw  lophavq — standing,  no  doubt,  in  the  water,  and 
 successively  dipping  his  disciples.  That  the  preposition  ev 
 often  denotes  the  place  in  which  any  thing  is  done,  cannot  be 
 denied ;  but  among  its  many  senses,  it  signifies  also  at,  or 
 nigh  to.  "Now,  in  the  place — ev  Tw-ro-mc — where  he  was  cruci- 
 fied, there  was  a  garden,"  \  not  in  the  identical  spot,  but  in  its 
 immediate  vicinity.  In  like  manner — 6  irvp^o^  ev  -no  2<\u.'«/t — 
 is  "  the  tower,"  not  "  in  the  pool  of  Siloam,"J  but  close  by  it. 
 It  has  been  remarked,  that  while  Matthew  says  that  John 
 baptized  "  in  Jordan,"  the  Evangelist  John  tells  us  that  he 
 was  baptizing  "  beyond  Jordan ;"  ||  and  as  wTe  cannot  suppose 
 a  contradiction  between  their  statements,  we  must  reconcile 
 them  by  understanding  Matthew  to  mean  close  by  Jordan, 
 and  the  other  Evangelist,  that  the  place  was  on  the  opposite 
 bank  of  the  river.  Besides,  although  John  had  actually  taken 
 his  station  in  the  river,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  immersed 
 his  disciples,  because  he  might  have  chosen  it  for  convenience, 
 as  the  number  to  be  baptized  was  great,  that  there  might  be 
 a  sufficient  supply  of  water  at  hand  to  pour  upon  their  heads 
 or  faces. 
 
 The  use  of  the  preposition  e*9  and  e*:  or  c£,  in  reference  to 
 baptism,  is  supposed  to  furnish  an  argument  equally  conclu- 
 sive in  favour  of  immersion.  It  is  related  in  the  history  of 
 the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  that  he  and  Philip  "  went  down  both 
 
 *  Matth.  iii.  6.        +  John  xix.  41.        X  Luke  xiii.  4.         ||  John  i.  28. 
 
i;\i'Tls.M.  155 
 
 into  tho  water — •«  to  ptop — and  he  baptised  him.  And  when 
 they  eame  up  out  of  the  water — etc  ram  bSmrtu — tlie  Spirit  of 
 the  Lord  caught  away  Philip."  '  Here  it  i^  said  is  an  in- 
 stanee  of  baptism  by  immersion,  a^  it  could  only  be  for  that 
 purpose  thai  the  Evangelist  and  his  convert  went  into  the 
 water.  It  is  certain  that  a««  does  sometimes  signify  into,  and 
 »■*.-  out  of;  but  it  is  equally  certain  that  at  other  times  the 
 proper  translation  of  the  one  is  to,  and  of  the  other  i>  from. 
 When  Jesus  came — en  to  prqpfitov — to  the  sepulchre  of 
 Lazarus, t  we  know  that  he  did  not  enter  into  it;  and 
 when  ships  came  from  Tiberias,  + — em  T</Jc/^«rov, — we  do 
 not  suppose  that  they  sailed  out  of  the  midst  of  the  city, 
 but  that  that  was  the  place  from  which  their  voyage  com- 
 menced. The  preposition  em  simply  signifies  the  point  from 
 which,  ami  ro,  the  point  to  tchich  a  movement  is  made. 
 In  the  present  case  nothing  more  is  intimated  by  the  sacred 
 historian,  than  that  Philip  and  the  eunuch  went  to  the  place 
 where  they  saw  water,  and  that  after  baptism  they  both  left 
 it.  A  different  preposition  is  used  in  the  narrative  of  our 
 Saviour's  baptism,  and  our  translators  have  improperly  ren- 
 dered avefiq  a~o  -ov  zVa-ro?,  "  he  went  up  straightway  out 
 of  the  water,"  ||  because  the  true  sense  of  a-n-o  is  from,  not 
 out  of  and  it  marks  the  place  from  which  he  went  up,  with- 
 out at  all  suggesting  the  idea  that  he  had  been  in  the  water. 
 
 There  is  an  expression  on  which  Baptists  lay  much  stress 
 as  favouring  their  practice  of  immersion,  which  occurs  in  two 
 passages.  In  both  we  are  said  to  be  "  buried  with  Christ  in 
 baptism ;"  and  hence  it  is  inferred  that  we  ought  to  be  bap- 
 tized by  immersion,  which  only  is  emblematical  of  a  burial. 
 You  will  find  the  one  passage  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the 
 Romans,  and  the  other  in  the  second  chapter  of  the  Colos- 
 sians.  §  There  is  an  appearance  of  childishness  in  thus  ex- 
 plaining the  expression,  which  is  manifestly  figurative.  In 
 the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  the  Apostle  first  savs,  that  we  are 
 baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ,  and  then  adds,  that  "  we 
 are  buried  with  him  in  baptism  ;"  referring  not  to  the  form, 
 but  to  the  import  of  the  ordinance,    by  which  it  is  signified, 
 
 •   Act*  viii.  88,  30.  -y  J0hn  xi.  3&  *  lb.  vi.  23. 
 
 M.itth.  iii.  16.   Mark  i.  1".  $    Rom.  vi.  4.   Col.  ii.  18, 
 
156  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 that  through  his  death  we  become   dead  to  sin,   or  are  de- 
 livered from  its  power.     In   the  very  next  verse  he  expresses 
 the  same  idea  by  another  figure,   when  he  says,   that  "  we 
 have   been   planted  together  in   the  likeness  of  his  death." 
 How  comes  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  one  figure  refers  to 
 the  mode  of  baptism  rather  than  the  other  ?     Why  should  it 
 resemble  burying  more  than  planting  ?     What  reason  can  be 
 assigned  for  laying  hold  of  the  one   expression  in  preference 
 to  the  other,  but  the  desire  to  support  a  hypothesis  ?     Would 
 it  not  have  been  more  suitable  to  the  character  of  honest  and 
 intelligent  interpreters  of  Scripture,  to  conclude  that,  as  there 
 is  a  mixture  of  figures,  the  Apostle  did  not  allude  to  any  ex- 
 ternal rite,   and  merely  intended  by  both  to  signify  that  bap- 
 tism is  a  sign  of  our  fellowship  with    Christ  in  his  death  ? 
 Besides,    Baptists    proceed   upon  an   erroneous  idea  of  our 
 Saviour's  burial,   into  which  it  is  strange  that  any  person 
 should  have  fallen,  who  had  read  the  New  Testament  with 
 any  degree   of  attention.     They  seem  to  think  that  he  was 
 buried  after  the  manner  of  our  country,  where  a  dead  body 
 may  be  said  to  be  immersed  in  the   earth,   because  it  is  let 
 down  into  a  grave  and  covered  with  mould.     Had  his  body 
 been  interred,   we  might  have  fancied  a  resemblance  between 
 its  burial  and  the  plunging  of  the  baptized  into  water.     But 
 nothing  is  more  remote  from  the  truth.     The  sepulchre  of 
 Christ  was  an  apartment  hewn  out  of  a  rock,   the  floor  of 
 which  was  on  a  level  with  the  ground,  or  depressed  only  a  little 
 below  the  surface,  and  which  was  so  capacious  that  a  person 
 could  sit  and  stand  upright  in  it.     Here  his  body  was  depo- 
 sited,  and  was   covered  only  with  the   grave-clothes.     Let 
 Baptists  now  point  out  the  resemblance  between  the  plung- 
 ing of  the  baptized   into   water,  and  the  burial  of   Christ. 
 No  two  things  in  the  world  are  more  unlike,   and  this   silly 
 argument  vanishes  into  smoke. 
 
 We  have  seen  that  nothing  certain  can  be  learned  from 
 the  original  term  ftcnni^civ,  because  it  has  different  meanings, 
 signifying  sometimes  to  immerse,  and  sometimes  to  wash. 
 When  a  word  is  used  to  denote  an  action  which  is  figurative, 
 it  seems  a  fair  way  of  determining  its  sense,  to  observe  how 
 the   thing  which   the  action   represents  is  in  other  places  ex- 
 
SAPTISM.  I.")  7 
 
 Messed.  As  the  water  in  baptism  is  emblematical  of  the 
 influences  of  ihe  Spirit,  we  may  bring  to  the  illustration  of 
 the  term  to  baptize,  the  passages  of  Scripture  which  speak 
 of  the  communication  of  those  influences  ;  and  there  is  not 
 one  of  them  which  alludes  to  immersion.  The  Holy  Ghost 
 is  said  ik  to  all"  upon  men,  to  be  "  poured  out"  upon  them  ; 
 and  in  reference  to  the  same  subject,  God  promises  "  to 
 sprinkle  clean  water  upon  us,"  "  to  be  as  the  dew  unto 
 Israel,"  *  and  that  his  grace  shall  "  come  down  as  rain  upon 
 the  mown  grass,  and  as  showers  which  water  the  earth."  f 
 [f  water  is  a  significant  emblem  of  the  Spirit,  because  it 
 purifies,  is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  a  resemblance 
 was  intended  between  the  application  of  the  water  and  the 
 manner  in  which  the  communication  of  the  Spirit  is  described? 
 It  is  by  no  means  probable  that  God  should  speak  of  his  own 
 operations  in  one  way,  and  symbolically  represent  them  in  a 
 different  way  ;  that  he  should  promise  to  sprinkle  or  pour 
 out  his  Spirit  upon  us,  and  to  confirm  this  promise  would 
 command  us  to  be  plunged  into  water.  There  wrould  be  no 
 analogy  in  this  case  between  the  promise  and  the  seal ;  and 
 the  discrepance  would  give  rise  to  a  confusion  of  ideas.  This 
 I  conceive  to  be  an  argument  of  considerable  force  in  favour 
 of  our  mode  of  administering  baptism,  and  an  objection  against 
 immersion  which  cannot  be  easily  evaded. 
 
 I  may  add,  that  there  is  little  probability  that  the  baptisms 
 recorded  in  the  New  Testament  were  performed  by  immersion. 
 We  have  already  considered  the  case  of  John,  and  shewn  that 
 he  did  not  baptize  in  Jordan  itself,  but  on  its  banks.     It  is  not 
 
 credible,  that  the  three  thousand  converts  on  the  day  of 
 
 Pentecost   were  dipped.      There  was   a  pool  in  Jerusalem, 
 
 called  the  pool  of  Siloam ;  but  we  do  not  know  whether  from 
 
 ize  and  situation  it  could  have  been  fit  for  the  purpose. 
 
 les  the  gross  indecency  of  it,  it  would  have  been  a  tedious 
 process,  if  all  this  multitude  had  put  off  and  put  on  their 
 clothes  in  public  ;  and  it  is  very  unlikely  that  they  were 
 plunged  with  their  garments  upon  them.      When  whole  fami- 
 
 vere  baptized  in  their  own  houses,  there  is  no  reason  to 
 
 think  that,  on  every  occasion,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water 
 
 •  Acts  x.  44.   Zech.  xii.  10.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  86.  Ho*,  xiv.  5.         +  Ps-  lxxii-  6- 
 
158  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 could  be  found  for  immersion.  We  are  certain,  that  in  very 
 few  of  our  houses  the  baptism  of  immersion  could  be  prac- 
 tised ;  and  the  houses  of  the  Jews  and  Greeks,  we  presume, 
 were  not  better  accommodated.  Some  men  seem  to  believe 
 that,  in  the  Apostolic  age,  every  house  had  a  font  or  bath ; 
 but  why  they  believe  this  no  man  can  tell,  except  that  it 
 suits  their  hypothesis.  The  Apostles  could  not  administer 
 baptism  by  immersion  in  every  place  ;  so  that  if  this  had  been 
 the  mode,  when  they  had  made  converts  they  must  have  often 
 been  under  the  necessity  of  leading  them  away  to  a  pond  or 
 river,  and,  in  many  regions  of  the  east,  must  sometimes 
 have  made  long  journeys  in  order  to  find  one.  But  there  is 
 not  a  single  fact  in  the  New  Testament  which  gives  counte- 
 nance to  this  idea.  The  narrative  implies  that  they  baptized 
 converts  on  the  spot,  and,  consequently,  that  only  a  small 
 quantity  of  water  was  necessary,  which  could  be  always  pro- 
 cured. 
 
 The  argument  for  immersion  fails,  upon  a  careful  examina- 
 tion. It  is  founded  upon  the  assumption  that  /Wt^-  has  only 
 one  meaning,  while  it  has  more ;  upon  a  mistake  of  the  import 
 of  two  prepositions,  ets  and  etc ;  and  upon  a  fanciful  analogy  ; 
 it  is  contrary  to  the  usual  language  of  Scripture  respecting 
 the  thing  signified  by  baptism,  and  to  the  general  strain  of 
 the  history,  which  relates  instances  of  baptism  when  immer- 
 sion could  not  be  practised.  With  whatever  confidence  this 
 has  been  pronounced  to  be  the  only  scriptural  mode,  the  evi- 
 dence preponderates  on  the  opposite  side.  We  may  therefore 
 persevere  in  our  own  practice,  and  assure  ourselves  that  they 
 are  lawfully  baptized  upon  whom  water  has  been  only  sprinkled 
 or  poured. 
 
 There  is  a  point  of  still  greater  importance  than  the  mode 
 of  baptism,  about  which  Christians  are  divided  in  sentiment. 
 A  controversy  has  arisen  with  respect  to  the  persons  to  whom 
 it  should  be  administered ;  those  who  are  called  Psedobaptists 
 maintaining  that,  in  certain  circumstances,  children  have  a  right 
 to  the  ordinance,   while  Antipaedobaptists  confine  it  to  adults. 
 
 There  is  but  one  opinion  with  regard  to  grown  up  persons 
 not  baptized  in  infancy,  who  profess  faith  in  Christ  and  a 
 desire  to  be  received  into  the  communion  of  the  church.     In 
 
■  U'TISM. 
 
 this  case  the  command  u  explicit  ;  and  it  is  because  they  tarn 
 Itinctly  mentioned,    while  nothing   ifl   laid  concerning  in- 
 fants, that  baptism  has  been  supposed  to  belong  exclusively 
 
 to  the  former.  "  Go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
 gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
 shall  he  saved."  *  The  qualification  in  the  sight  of  God, 
 w  ho  searches  the  heart,  is  faith  unfeigned  ;  and  in  the  sight 
 of  men,  who  can  judge  only  by  moral  evidence,  is  a  credible 
 profession  of  it,  or  such  a  profession  as  appears  to  them  to  he 
 sincere.  Accordingly,  the  Apostles  acted  upon  this  principle, 
 Sfl  we  learn  from  the  history  of  their  proceedings.  I  select 
 the  instance  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch.  When  this  man  hail 
 heard  the  gospel  from  the  mouth  of  Philip,  he  said  to  him, 
 k'  See,  here  is  water  :  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized? 
 And  Philip  said,  If  thou  believes*  with  all  thine  heart,  thou 
 mayest.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  believe  that  Jesus 
 Christ  is  the  Son  of  God."  1  The  Apostles  were  sent  to 
 teach  or  make  disciples  of  all  nations,  by  instructing  them  in 
 the  religion  of  Christ  ;  and  when  those  whom  they  addressed 
 had  acquired  a  competent  measure  of  knowledge,  and  recog- 
 nized Jesus  Christ  as  their  Lord  and  Saviour,  they  were  then 
 to  baptize  them.  Baptism  is  not  to  be  administered  to  a  Jew, 
 a  Mahometan,  or  a  heathen,  who  still  adheres  to  his  original 
 creed,  nor  to  a  man  who  may  ignorantly  express  a  wish  for 
 it.  It  is  a  badge  of  Christianity,  which  would  be  absurdly 
 and  profanely  attached  to  a  person  who  retained  the  principles 
 of  another  religion,  or  gave  a  blind  assent  to  a  system  which 
 he  did  not  understand. 
 
 Upon  the  connexion  of  faith  with  baptism,   Antipaedobap- 
 t'ound  what   they  consider  as  an  unanswerable  argument 
 ist  the  baptism  of  infants.      If  it  is  required  that  he  who 
 is  baptized  should  believe,  it  follows  that  children  ought  not 
 to  be  baptized,  because  they  are  not  capable  of  faith.     The 
 argument  has  a  specious  appearance,  which  imposes  on  super- 
 ficial thinker^ ;  but  when  it  is  thoroughly  canvassed,  it  will 
 'iind,   I  trust,  to  be  destitute  of  force.      When  our  Lord 
 .   "He  that  believeth  and  is   baptized,  shall   be   saved," 
 he  no  doubt  teaches  that  baptism  should  be  administered  to  a 
 
 •  Mark  \vi.  1 5,  16.  -f  Acts  viii.  37. 
 
100  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 believer ;  but  if  we  infer  that  none  but  a  believer  should  be 
 baptized,  let  us  observe  the  consequence  which  will  follow 
 from  his  words.  Faith  is  made  as  necessary  to  salvation  as 
 to  baptism ;  and  it  is  as  fairly  deducible  from  his  words  that 
 none  can  be  saved,  as  that  none  should  be  baptized  but  be- 
 lievers. Thus,  children  are  excluded  from  heaven,  as  well  as 
 from  this  initiatory  rite.  This,  however,  our  adversaries 
 will  not  allow.  They  admit,  as  well  as  we,  that  many  chil- 
 dren are  saved  ;  and,  consequently,  admit  that  what  is  re- 
 quired from  adults  in  order  to  their  eternal  happiness,  is  not 
 required  from  infants.  If  they  will  be  consistent,  they  must 
 further  admit  that  this  text  speaks  of  adults  alone  ;  and,  con- 
 sequently, that  the  argument  drawn  from  it  against  the  bap- 
 tism of  infants  is  a  sophism,  more  being  contained  in  the  con- 
 clusion than  in  the  premises.  It  evidently  speaks  of  adults, 
 for  it  supposes  them  to  be  capable  of  faith.  But  because 
 faith  is  made  necessary  to  their  baptism,  it  is  not  made  neces- 
 sary to  the  baptism  of  infants,  any  more  than  it  is  necessary 
 to  the  salvation  of  infants,  because  it  is  necessary  to  the  salva- 
 tion of  adults.  And  with  respect  to  infants,  since,  according 
 to  our  antagonists,  the  thing  signified  is  granted  to  them,  it 
 will  not  be  easy  to  assign  a  good  reason  why  the  sign  should 
 be  denied. 
 
 Infants  were  proper  subjects  of  circumcision.  Circum- 
 cision implied  an  obligation  to  observe  the  ordinances  and 
 commandments  of  God ;  and  hence  the  circumcised  person  is 
 pronounced  to  be  "a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law."  '  If, 
 under  the  ancient  economy,  there  had  been  some  persons 
 of  similar  views  to  those  of  Antipsedobaptists,  they  might 
 have  brought  forward  as  specious  reasoning  against  the  cir- 
 cumcision, as  is  now  produced  against  the  baptism,  of  chil- 
 dren. They  might  have  said,  *  Children  have  not  yet  at- 
 tained the  use  of  reason,  and  are  therefore  disqualified  for 
 coming  under  a  moral  obligation.  How  can  they  be  bound 
 to  obey  a  law  which  they  do  not  understand  ?  They  know 
 not  what  is  going  on  when  circumcision  is  administered  to 
 them  ;  and,  with  respect  to  them,  it  is  a  mere  mockery,  a 
 rite  without  a  meaning.     Let  it   be  reserved  for  grown  up 
 
 *  Gal.  v.  3. 
 
BfAPTTSM.  161 
 
 >ns,  to  whom  its  design  can  be  explained,  and  who  om 
 
 rationally  and  voluntarily  accede  to  tlie  covenant    of  which  it 
 
 19  a  seal/  Vet  the  male  children  of  the  Israelites  wen-  eir- 
 enmcised  on  the  eighth  day  after  their  birth  :  and  why  then 
 may  not  the  children  of  Christians  he  dedicated  at  as  early  a 
 period  to  the  service  of  Clod  ?  The  objection  might  have 
 heen  strengthened  by  the  remark  which  an  Apostle  has  made, 
 that,  in  the  case  of  Abraham,  in  whom  circumcision  com- 
 menced, it  was  "  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith."  (  Here, 
 it  might  have  been  said,  faith  preceded  circumcision.  It  not 
 only  preceded,  but  was  pre-supposed  as  the  indispensable 
 qualification  of  the  person  to  be  circumcised  ;  and  as  this  took 
 place  in  the  case  of  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  Jews,  it  was 
 certainly  intended  to  signify  that  the  rite  should  not  be  per- 
 formed upon  any  of  his  posterity,  unless  they  possessed  the 
 same  qualification.  This  is  exactly  the  argument  of  our  an- 
 tagonists against  the  baptism  of  children  ;  but  we  see  at  once 
 how  little  it  avails.  The  children  of  Christian  parents  may 
 ;i^  well  be  baptized,  as  the  children  of  Jewish  parents  were 
 circumcised,  without  faith. 
 
 Had  it  been  the  will  of  God  that  the  religion  of  Moses 
 should  become  universal,  the  persons  sent  forth  to  promul- 
 gate it  would  have  received  a  commission  similar  to  that  of 
 the  Apostles,  and  would  have  been  commanded,  first  to  teach 
 all  nations,  and  then  to  circumcise  them.  If  any  person  had 
 inferred,  from  the  terms  of  their  commission,  that  none  should 
 be  circumcised  without  being  previously  taught,  we  know 
 that  the  conclusion  would  have  been  wTong,  because  there 
 was  a  previous  command  to  administer  this  rite  to  children ; 
 and  hence  we  perceive  the  fallacy  of  inferring  from  the  Apos- 
 tolical commission,  that  believers  only  should  be  baptized. 
 It  may  be  said  that  the  two  cases  are  different,  because  there 
 is  an  express  law  for  the  circumcision  of  children,  but  no  pre- 
 cept for  their  baptism.  We  answer,  that,  as  there  is  a  precept 
 for  circumcising  them,  and  admitting  them  into  the  church, 
 it  appears  that  their  age  is  no  obstacle  to  the  participation  of 
 the  seal  of  the  covenant ;  and  that,  as  this  privilege  was  once 
 conceded  to  children,  we  presume  that  it  is  continued  to  them, 
 
 •  Rom.  iv.  11. 
 VOL.    IV.  t 
 
IG'2 
 
 THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 and  demand,  not  assertion,  but  proof,  that  it  is  revoked.      In 
 this  case,   the  onus  probandi  lies  upon  our  antagonists. 
 
 It  is  in  vain  to  tell  us  that  "  circumcision  was  a  sign  of  carnal 
 descent,  a  mark  of  national  distinction,  and  a  token  of  interest 
 in  those  temporal  blessings  that  were  promised  to  Abraham." 
 All  this  may  be  true ;  but  it  is  also  true  that  it  was  a  sign  of 
 spiritual  blessings,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  and 
 was  therefore  precisely  of  the  same  import  with  Christian 
 baptism.  The  passages  of  Scripture  which  speak  of  "  cir- 
 cumcising the  foreskin  of  the  heart,"  of  "  circumcising  the 
 heart  to  love  the  Lord,"  and  of  the  regenerated  "  as  the  true 
 circumcision,"  demonstrate  that  it  was  a  seal  of  the  covenant 
 of  grace ;  and  consequently,  that  the  new  seal,  which  has  dis- 
 placed it  but  bears  the  same  signification,  may,  with  equal 
 propriety,  be  administered  to  infants.  It  is  the  interest  of 
 Antipaedobaptists  to  shew  that  baptism  has  not  come  in  the 
 room  of  circumcision ;  but,  however  necessary  it  may  be  to 
 their  scheme,  they  cannot  proceed  in  the  attempt  without 
 setting  aside  the  express  declaration  of  Scripture.  Attend  to 
 the  following  words  of  the  Apostle :  "In  whom  also  ye  are 
 circumcised,  with  the  circumcision  made  without  hands,  in 
 putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circum- 
 cision of  Christ ;  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye 
 are  risen  with  him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God."  * 
 The  subject  of  discourse  is  regeneration,  or  the  putting  oif  of 
 the  body  of  sins ;  and  of  this  change,  it  is  intimated  circum- 
 cision was  formerly  a  sign.  The  blessing  is  continued  under 
 the  new  dispensation  ;  but  is  it  now  without  a  sign  ?  Is  there 
 no  representation  of  it  to  our  senses  under  the  Gospel  ?  Yes  ; 
 it  is  still  adumbrated  by  a  new  ordinance,  and  we  are  circum- 
 cised with  the  circumcision  of  Christ,  when  we  are  buried 
 with  him  in  baptism.  The  mention  of  baptism  in  the  same 
 sentence  with  circumcision  as  equivalent  to  it,  and  as  significant 
 of  the  same  spiritual  change  in  the  state  of  the  soul,  cannot 
 fail  to  suggest  to  any  person,  who  is  not  prejudiced,  that  the 
 one  is  the  substitute  of  the  other.  Circumcision  has  ceased  ; 
 but  there  is  another  initiatory  rite  given  for  the  same  purpose, 
 which  ought,  therefore,  to  be  administered  to  the  same  per- 
 sons for  whom  circumcision  was  designed. 
 *  Col.  ii.  11,  12. 
 
BAPTISM. 
 
 There  Wftl  BO  occasion  tO  Specify  children  in  the  commis- 
 sion jriven  to  the  Apostles;  because  they  and  all  the  .lews 
 would  understand  that,  since  baptism  had  come  in  the  room 
 of  circumcision,  their  children  had  the  same  right  to  it  as 
 themselves.  Both  having  been  comprehended  in  the  cove- 
 nant made  with  Abraham,  they  would  naturally  conclude  that 
 the  new  covenant  or  dispensation  was  of  equal  extent.  If  a 
 change  had  been  made  to  the  exclusion  of  infants,  it  would 
 have  excited  surprise,  and  given  rise  to  inquiries,  and  called 
 forth  explanations  on  the  part  of  the  Apostles,  to  satisfy  the 
 new  converts,  that  they  might  acquiesce  in  this  unexpected 
 limitation  of  their  privileges.  We  cannot  suppose  that  an 
 alteration  so  important,  and  so  deeply  affecting  the  interest  of 
 their  families,  would  have  passed  in  silence.  Yet  we  do  not 
 rind  a  single  hint,  that  the  ordinance  which  had  come  in  the 
 room  of  circumcision  was  to  be  administered  to  adults  alone, 
 and  that  their  children  must  wait  till  they  were  capable  of 
 making  a  profession  of  faith.  The  language  in  which  the 
 Jews  were  addressed  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  instead  of  sug- 
 gesting a  repeal  of  the  law,  seems  rather  to  import  that  it  w  as 
 to  continue  in  force  :  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one 
 of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
 and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the 
 promise  is  to  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are 
 afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call."  *  In 
 w  hat  other  light  could  the  audience  understand  these  words, 
 than  that  the  promise  of  salvation  through  Christ  was  made, 
 not  to  those  alone  who  believed,  but  to  their  seed  ;  that  their 
 families  were  to  be  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  new  dis- 
 pensation as  well  as  themselves ;  and  that  baptism  was  to  both 
 a  sign  and  seal  of  their  interest  in  the  covenant.  They  would 
 naturally  and  unavoidably  judge  this  to  be  the  meaning  of  the 
 declaration,  especially  as  it  was  expressed  in  the  same  terms 
 which  had  been  used  at  the  institution  of  circumcision  :  "I 
 will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed 
 atter  thee,  in  their  generations,  for  an  everlasting  covenant, 
 to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee."  "  This 
 is  my  covenant  which  ye  shall  keep,  between  me  and  you  and 
 thy  seed  after  thee  :  Every  man-child  among  you  shall  be  cir- 
 •  Acts  ii.  38,  30. 
 
HJ4 
 
 EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF   (iKACE 
 
 cumcised." '  God  made  a  covenant  with  Abraham  and  his 
 seed,  and  the  promise  is  to  believers  of  every  nation,  and  their 
 children.  There  is  no  difference  in  these  two  cases ;  seed  and 
 children  have  the  same  signification ;  and  the  plain  inference 
 is,  that  the  children  of  Christians  are  to  be  baptized,  as  the 
 children  of  Jews  were  circumcised. 
 
 Our  Lord,  said  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  Suffer  little  chil- 
 dren, and  forbid  them  not  to  come  unto  me,  for  of  such  is  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven."  |  The  kingdom  of  heaven  frequently 
 signifies  the  new  dispensation,  or  the  church  upon  earth  ;  and 
 if  this  is  the  meaning  here,  children  are  pronounced  to  belong 
 to  it,  and  have  an  undoubted  right  to  the  sign  of  admission. 
 If,  however,  as  some  contend,  it  is  the  state  of  glory,  the  in- 
 ference is  still  good,  that  being  heirs  of  eternal  life  they  ought 
 not  to  be  denied  the  ordinance  which  is  the  seal  of  their  title 
 to  it.  It  is  more  probable,  that  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven"  is 
 in  this  passage  the  church,  and  our  Lord  assigns  as  the  rea- 
 son why  children  should  be  suffered  to  come  to  him,  that  he 
 recognized  them  as  members  of  it.  It  is  a  pitiful  evasion  to 
 say  that  rot  ov-tvv,  such,  signifies  not  children,  but  persons  of 
 ciiild-like  dispositions.  It  makes  our  Lord  reason  inconclusive- 
 ly ;  for  how  could  it  be  a  reason  that  parents  should  bring  their 
 children  to  him  to  be  blessed,  that  persons  resembling  children 
 in  humility  and  teachableness,  are  members  of  his  church? 
 If  this  interpretation  of  the  passage  did  not  favour  their  own 
 hypothesis,  Antipsedobaptists  themselves  would  exclaim  against 
 it  as  forced  and  unnatural. 
 
 Passing  other  arguments  from  Scripture  in  favour  of  infant 
 baptism,  I  shall  conclude  by  calling  your  attention  to  the 
 fact,  that  in  the  apostolic  age,  not  only  believers  themselves 
 were  baptized,  but  their  households.  Lydia  was  baptized, 
 "  and  her  household."  The  jailor  of  Philippi  was  baptized, 
 *'  and  all  his  ;"  %  and  Paul  baptized  "  the  household  of  Ste- 
 phanas." |  These  are  only  a  sample  of  the  hundreds  and 
 thousands  of  families,  to  whom  this  rite  was  administered 
 upon  the  faith  of  their  parents.  A  household  comprehends  all 
 the  individuals  living  together  under  the  same  roof,  and  sub- 
 ject to  the  same  domestic  government ;  and  certainly  children 
 are  not  excluded.  This  would  be  an  arbitrary  and  most  un- 
 •  Gen.  xvii.  7,  10.      f  Matth.  xix.  14.     X  Acts  xvi.  15,  33.     ||  1  Cor.  i.  16. 
 
BAPTISM.  165 
 
 warrantable  limitation  of  the  term.  When  it  is  used  on  any 
 other  occasion,  it  always  suggests  the  idea  not  only  of  servants 
 I  >  1 1  r  of  children,  and,  in  the  first  place,  of  the  latter;  and  it 
 would  suggest  this  idea  to  all  the  readers  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, if  their  minds  were  free  from  prejudice,  and  had  nothing 
 in  view  but  to  discover  the  truth.  Were  we  told  now  that  a 
 certain  man  had  been  baptised,  and  his  family,  there  is  not 
 one  of  us  who  would  not  immediately  think  of  his  children, 
 and  conclude  that  they  had  all  been  washed  with  water  in  the 
 name  of  the  Trinity.  It  may  be  objected  to  this  view,  that 
 we  have  no  certainty  that  there  were  children  in  the  families 
 mentioned  ;  but  this  is  a  miserable  subterfuge.  What  was 
 done  in  the  cases  specified,  was  done  in  many  other  instances; 
 for  the}'  are  recorded  as  a  specimen  of  the  mode  of  procedure, 
 and  it  would  be  truly  wonderful,  if  among  all  the  converts  in 
 the  primitive  times,  there  was  not  one  who  had  children  ;  so 
 wonderful  indeed  that  no  man  in  his  sober  senses  could  believe 
 it.  As  the  existence  of  children  in  families  is  so  common 
 that  the  exceptions  are  rare,  we  are  authorized  to  conclude, 
 that  they  were  often  found  in  the  houses  of  the  early  disci- 
 ples ;  and  the  argument  from  the  baptism  of  households  is 
 obviously  on  our  side.  We  have  satisfactory  evidence  that 
 the  Apostles  baptized  infants;  and  unless  they  were  considered 
 as  belonging  to  the  church,  and  proper  subjects  of  this  seal 
 of  their  admission  into  it,  we  can  affix  no  meaning  to  these 
 words  of  Paul,  "  The  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by 
 the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  hus- 
 band :  else  were  your  children  unclean ;  but  now  are  they 
 holy."  "  The  holiness  of  children  which  they  derive  from  the 
 faith  of  their  parents,  can  signify  nothing  but  their  separation 
 from  the  world,  and  their  dedication  to  the  service  of  Christ,  of 
 which  their  baptism  is  a  sign. 
 
 It  appears  now  that  we  have  a  better  warrant  for  the  bap- 
 tism of  children  than  human  authority  ;  that  it  is  not  a  cor- 
 ruption of  a  divine  institution;  and  that  they  who  confine  it  to 
 adults  are  chargeable  with  wresting  from  believing  parents 
 and  their  offspring,  a  privilege  which  God  has  granted  to  the 
 spiritual,  at  well  as  to  the  natural  posterity  of  Abraham. 
 •   1  Cor.  vii.  14. 
 
LECTURE  LXXXIX. 
 
 ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  BAPTISM. 
 
 BAPTISM  ADMINISTERED  IN  NAME  OF  THE  TRINITY MEANING  AND  IM- 
 PORT OF  THE  WORDS  USED WHO  MAY  BAPTIZE LAY  BAPTISM  ;  BAP- 
 TISM BY  HERETICS PLACE  OF  BAPTISM. SPONSORS THE    BLESSINGS 
 
 OF  REGENERATION,    PARDON,    ADOPTION,    AND  RESURRECTION  TO  LIFE, 
 SIGNIFIED  BY  BAPTISM DUTIES  OF  THE   BAPTIZED. 
 
 The  symbol  in  baptism  is  water,  which  is  applied  to  the  body 
 by  aspersion  or  affusion,  and  has  been  chosen,  as  will  after- 
 wards appear,  as  an  expressive  sign  of  internal  purification. 
 I  proceed  to  state  that  the  ordinance  is  to  be  administered  in 
 the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 At  our  reception  into  the  communion  of  the  church,  there  is 
 a  solemn  recognition  of  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  a  distinct 
 mention  of  the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead,  as  one  in  essence 
 and  equal  in  power  and  authority.  The  order  in  which  they 
 are  enumerated,  corresponds  to  the  order  of  subsistence,  which 
 we  do  not  understand,  but  according  to  which  the  Father  is 
 the  first,  the  Son  begotten  of  the  Father  is  the  second,  and  the 
 Spirit  proceeding  from  both  is  the  third.  This  is  not  the 
 proper  place  for  demonstrating  the  divinity  of  the  second  and 
 the  third  persons  of  the  Trinity,  but  we  cannot  pass  on  with- 
 out remarking,  that  one  proof  is  furnished  by  baptism.  They 
 are  associated  with  the  first  person  in  the  same  religious  ordi- 
 nance. We  are  called  to  look  up  to  them  all  with  equal  re- 
 verence, to  expect  the  blessings  signified  and  sealed  from  them 
 
BAPTISM.  HIT 
 
 all,  ami  to  consider  ourselves  as  brought  under  obligations  t<» 
 
 give  to  them  all  the  same  homage  and  obedience.  Can  it  he 
 believed]  that,  as  some  affirm,  the  Son  is  only  a  man  like  our- 
 selves, and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  an  angel,  or  merely  a  name 
 for  ■  divine  operation  upon  the  mind?  Has  our  Lord  com- 
 manded us  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  God,  of  a  creature, 
 and  of  a  manifestation  of  divine  power? 
 
 It  may  be  deemed  questionable,  whether  the  express  men- 
 tion of  all  the  persons  of  the  Trinity  is  essential  to  baptism  ; 
 because  in  the  Acts,  when  Paul  baptized  some  of  the  disciples 
 of  John,  he  is  said  to  have  baptized  them  "  in  the  name  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus."  '  It  may,  however,  be  supposed  that  the  his- 
 torian <rives  only  an  abbreviated  form;  and  it  is  probable, 
 that  the  Apostles  would  adhere  to  the  terms  of  their  original 
 commission.  There  was  no  reason  why  they  should  deviate 
 from  it  ;  and  we  take  the  course  which  becomes  us,  when  we 
 literally  follow  the  instructions  of  Him  who  gave  this  ordinance 
 to  his  church. 
 
 The  expression  in  the  original  is  not  up  nf  ovo/ucm,  but  em 
 tu  vix,ua.  It  has  been  remarked,  that  these  two  forms  of  ex- 
 pression are  of  dhTerent  import;  that  the  former  denotes  the 
 impulsive  cause  of  an  action,  and  the  latter  the  object,  or  final 
 cause  of  it.  Whether  ev  and  e<?  should  be  thus  distinguished, 
 when  they  are  joined  with  the  noun  oi/o/m,  I  will  not  pretend 
 to  determine  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  the  one  preposition  is 
 sometimes  used  for  the  other,  or  that  e<s  is  used  when  ev  would 
 have  expressed  the  meaning  equally  well.  If  we  adopt  the 
 common  translation  of  the  phrase,  it  will  signify  that  we  are 
 baptized  by  the  authority  of  the  persons  of  the  Trinity.  It 
 is  worthy  of  attention,  that  when  ovopa  occurs  in  connexion 
 with  baptism,  the  expression  commonly  is  ets  to  ovo^a ;  and 
 the  words  of  the  Apostolic  commission  may  be  rendered, 
 "  baptizing  them  to  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  meaning  may  be  collected  by  a 
 nee  to  the  words  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians:  "  Was 
 Paul  crucified  for  you  ?  or  were  ye  baptized  to  the  name  of 
 Paul  ?  I  thank  God  that  I  baptized  none  of  you,  but  Cris- 
 pus    and  Gain-,     lest    any   of  you  should  say,    that    I   bap- 
 
 •   Acts  \ix.  5. 
 
168  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 tized  to  my  own  name."  *  These  questions  were  suggested 
 by  the  schism  among  the  Corinthians,  of  whom  some  said, 
 "  I  am  of  Paul,  and  others,  I  am  of  Apollos;"  and  to  convince 
 them  of  the  folly  and  sinfulness  of  their  conduct,  the  Apostle 
 reminds  them  that  they  were  not  baptized  to  his  name, 
 initiated  by  that  ordinance  into  the  faith  and  profession  of 
 his  religion,  but  into  the  service  of  Christ,  who  alone  should 
 for  this  reason  be  acknowledged  as  their  Master.  There  is, 
 however,  one  instance  of  a  different  form  of  expression,  which 
 may  give  rise  to  a  suspicion  that  et?  to  ovo/xa  and  ev  -tw  ovo~ 
 fia-i  are  equivalent,  and  that  the  alleged  distinction  between 
 them  is  rather  fanciful  than  real.  When  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
 fallen  upon  Cornelius  and  his  company,  Peter  "  commanded 
 them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  f  ev  tw  ovofian 
 rov  Kvpiov.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  there  was  a  design 
 in  using  both  expressions,  and  that  they  were  intended  to 
 convey  different  ideas ;  ev  7w  ovo/xan  denoting  the  authority 
 from  which  the  ordinance  has  proceeded,  and  e*?  to  ovo/xa,  the 
 object  to  whom  we  are  dedicated  in  it. 
 
 The  administration  of  baptism  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
 and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  signifies  that  we  are 
 baptized  by  the  authority  of  the  persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
 They  all  concurred  in  giving  this  institution  to  the  church, 
 as  they  all  co-operated  in  our  salvation,  of  which  it  is  a  sign. 
 It  is  a  memorial  of  the  love  of  the  Father,  in  sending  his  Son 
 to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  of  the  love  of  the  Son  in  as- 
 suming our  nature  and  dying  for  our  sins,  and  of  the  love  of 
 the  Spirit  in  coming  forth  to  purify  our  souls.  The  united 
 wisdom,  and  power,  and  grace  of  the  subsistences  in  the  Divine 
 essence,  were  displayed  in  the  redemption  of  fallen  man,  and 
 our  admission  to  the  new  covenant  is  their  conjunct  act. 
 
 Again,  the  administration  of  baptism  in  the  name  of  the 
 Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  signifies 
 that  we  are  baptized  into  the  faith  and  profession  of  the  Holy 
 Trinity.  We  are  baptized  to  their  name.  This  mysterious 
 doctrine  of  our  religion,  that  there  are  three  Persons  in  one 
 undivided  essence,  equal  in  power  and  glory,  is  explicitly  and 
 solemnly  recognised ;  and  it  follows,  that  whoever  afterwards 
 •  1  Cor.  i.  13—15.  +  Acts  x.  48. 
 
BAPTISM.  [69 
 
 denies  this  fundamental  truth  under  whatever  pretext,  who- 
 ever ascribes  divinity  to  the  Father  alone,  and  prononncea  the 
 
 Son  and  the  Spirit  to  be  inferior  to  him,  renounces  the  faith 
 which  he  was  bound  by  the  most  sacred  engagements  to 
 
 maintain.  But  a  simple  acknowledgment  of  the  Trinity  does 
 not  fulfil  the  design  of  our  baptism.  We  are  required  to 
 regard  the  persons  of  the  Godhead  with  devout  affections, 
 eorresponding  to  the  manifestations  of  them  in  redemption  ; 
 to  look  up  with  reverence  and  love  to  the  Father  as  our 
 Father ;  to  feel  our  obligations  to  the  Son,  and  depend  upon 
 him  alone  for  pardon  and  eternal  life  ;  and  to  expect  from  the 
 Holy  Ghost  those  gracious  operations  and  aids,  by  which  we 
 shall  be  sanctified  and  prepared  for  heaven,  and  those  conso- 
 lations which  will  be  a  source  of  peace  and  transcendent  hap- 
 piness, amidst  the  difficulties  and  distresses  of  life. 
 
 In  a  word,  the  administration  of  baptism  in  the  name  of 
 the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  imports 
 that  we  are  dedicated  to  the  service  of  those  Divine  persons  ; 
 that  we  are  engaged  to  offer  religious  worship  to  them,  as 
 separately  and  conjunctly  the  proper  objects  of  it,  and  to 
 yield  unreserved  and  unintermitted  obedience  to  their  law, 
 as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  Baptism,  which  is  denomina- 
 ted a  seal  of  the  covenant,  ought  to  be  viewed  in  jthe  light 
 of  a  federal  transaction.  On  the  one  hand  the  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  promise  to  bestow  upon  the  baptized  the 
 blessings  of  salvation,  of  which  water  is  a  symbol ;  and  on 
 the  other  hand,  they  come  under  an  engagement  "  to  observe 
 all  things  whatsoever  Christ  has  commanded  us." 
 
 Before  I  proceed  to  speak  of  the  blessings  which  are  signi- 
 fied and  sealed  by  baptism,  it  may  be  proper  to  inquire  to 
 whom  it  belongs  by  right  to  administer  this  ordinance.  The 
 catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  having  stated  that  bishops 
 and  priests  have  a  right  to  baptize,  and  that  deacons  may 
 baptize  with  their  consent,  goes  on  to  say,  "  that  the  low  est 
 rank  is  of  those,  who  on  an  urgent  necessity  may  baptize,  but 
 without  the  use  of  the  solemn  ceremonies.  Of  this  sort  are 
 all  persons,  yea  even  of  the  lav-people,  whether  men  or 
 women,   whai  ver  they  profess  ;   for  this  power  is  per- 
 
 mitted even  to  Jews,    infidels,    and  heretics,   when  necessity 
 
1 70  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 compels,  provided  that  in  doing  so  they  intend  to  do  what  the 
 catholic  church  does  in  that  kind  of  administration."  *  In 
 particular  this  office  is  assigned  to  mid-wives,  "  who  are  allow- 
 ed to  baptize  in  the  presence  of  a  man  who  is  unskilful  in  the 
 performance  of  this  sacrament,  although  such  liberty  is  not 
 granted  to  other  females."  *  This  is  what  is  called  obstetri- 
 cal baptism,  from  the  Latin  word  obstetrix,  which  signifies  a 
 mid-wife.  In  the  ancient  church  lay-baptism  was  held  valid 
 although  irregular  ;  but  the  baptism  of  women,  and  of  Jews 
 and  infidels,  was  rejected. 
 
 The  admission  of  persons  not  invested  with  the  sacred  office 
 to  baptize,  originated  in  the  notion  of  the  absolute  necessity 
 of  this  rite  to  salvation.     Hence,  the  above  catechism  says, 
 "  We  may  admire  the  exceeding  wisdom  and  goodness  of  our 
 Lord  in  admitting  these  to  baptize ;  for,  seeing  this  sacrament 
 must  necessarily  be  received  of  all,  as  he  appointed  water  to 
 be  the  matter  of  it,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  common, 
 so  also  would  he  have  no  one  excluded  from  the  administra- 
 tion of  it,  although  it  be  not  lawful  for  all  to  use  the  solemn 
 ceremonies  ;  not  as  though  the  rights  and  ceremonies  are  of 
 more   dignity,  but  that  they  are   of  less   necessity  than  the 
 sacrament."  J     This  inducement  to  such  a  disorderly  practice, 
 does  not  exist  among  us,  who  believe,  that  although  baptism 
 being  a  Divine  institution,  no  adult  person  could  safely  neglect 
 it ;  yet  it  is  not  so  connected  with  salvation,   that  unbaptized 
 children  are  excluded  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     We  can- 
 not persuade  ourselves  that  the  salvation  of  infants  is  so  much 
 in  the  power  of  their  parents,  that  they  can  deprive  them  of 
 eternal    life  by  their  carelessness  or  deliberate  wickedness. 
 Baptism  is  only  a  sign  of  the   communication  of  spiritual 
 blessings ;  and  we  entertain  no  doubt,  that  as  the  sign  is  not 
 always  accompanied  with  the  thing  signified,   so  the  thing 
 signified  is  often  enjoyed  without  the  sign.     We  do  not,  with 
 Papists  and  too  many  Protestants,   and  particularly  with  some 
 half-popish    Divines    of  the   Church  of  England,   hold  the 
 strange  and  unscriptural  opinion,  which  is  too  much  counte- 
 nanced by   the   language   of  their  liturgy,    that  baptism  is 
 regeneration.     In  the  office  of  baptism,  the  priest  prays  that 
 
 f  lb.  §.  24.      t  lb.  §.  23. 
 
UAl'TISM.  171 
 
 God  would  give  "  his  Holy  Spirit  to  this  infant,  that  ho 
 »nav  be  horn  ■gain  ;"  and  after  haptism  says,  u  Seeing  now, 
 dearly  beloved  brethren,  that  this  child  is  regenerate,  and 
 grafted  into  the  body  of  Christ's  church,  let  us  give  thanks 
 unto  Almighty  God  for  these  benefits."  "  We  yield  thee  hearty 
 thanks,  most  merciful  Father,  that  it  hath  pleased  thee  to 
 regenerate  this  infant  with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  to  receive  him 
 for  thine  own  child  by  adoption,  and  to  incorporate  him  into 
 thy  holy  church."  We  maintain  that,  as  many  of  the  Jews 
 were  uncircumcised  in  heart,  so  many  children  of  Christians 
 are  unbaptized  in  heart ;  and  we  see  melancholy  and  irresis- 
 tible proof  of  the  fact  in  their  subsequent  conduct.  We  are 
 convinced,  that  there  is  a  baptism  of  the  Spirit  distinct  from 
 the  baptism  of  water ;  that  the  former  does  not  always  accom- 
 pany the  latter  ;  and  that  God  gives  the  Spirit  to  whom  he 
 pleases,  without  limiting  the  gift  to  the  use  of  the  sign. 
 "  Although  it  be  a  great  sin  to  contemn  or  neglect  this  ordi- 
 nance," says  our  Confession  of  Faith,  "  yet  grace  and  salva- 
 tion are  not  so  inseparably  annexed  unto  it,  as  that  no  person 
 can  be  regenerated  or  saved  without  it,  or  that  all  that  are 
 baptized  are  undoubtedly  regenerated."* 
 
 If  it  were  once  admitted,  that  baptism  is  not  absolutely 
 necessary  to  salvation,  the  practice  of  allowing  laymen, 
 women,  Jews,  and  infidels,  to  baptize,  would  be  given  up 
 without  reluctance.  In  this,  as  in  many  other  cases,  one 
 error  has  led  to  another.  But  we  object  to  the  practice  on 
 another  ground,  namely,  that  it  is  an  invasion  of  the  right  of 
 the  ministers  of  religion,  to  whom  alone  it  belongs  to  conduct 
 the  worship  of  the  church,  and  dispense  the  ordinances. 
 They  only  have  authority  to  administer  baptism,  who  have 
 received  a  commission  from  Christ  to  preach  the  Gospel. 
 These  two  parts  of  the  office  are  joined  together,  and  should 
 be  exercised  by  the  same  persons  :  "  Go  and  make  disciples 
 of  all  nations,  baptizing  and  teaching  them."  Such  were  the 
 w  ords  of  Christ  to  the  Apostles  ;  and  he  addressed  them  as 
 the  first  in  a  long  succession  of  individuals,  who,  although 
 not  endowed  with  miraculous  powers,  were  to  be  employed 
 in  performing  the  ordinary  functions   of  religion.     The  work 
 
 "  Coiif.  xxviii.  §.  •">. 
 
172  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 of  the  ministry  in  all  its  departments,  is  committed  to  pastors 
 and  teachers,  by  •whom  it  has  been  carried  on  since  Apostles, 
 and  Prophets,  and  Evangelists  ceased.  There  seems  to  be 
 no  reason,  except  the  unscriptural  idea  that  baptism  regene- 
 rates ex  opere  operato,  and  is  consequently  of  absolute  neces- 
 sity to  salvation, — there  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  laymen 
 should  be  permitted  to  baptize,  and  not  be  permitted  also  to 
 celebrate  the  Eucharist ;  a  liberty  which,  so  far  as  I  know, 
 no  church  ever  conceded  to  them.  Lay-baptism  ought  to  be 
 held  invalid  ;  and,  were  a  case  of  this  kind  to  occur,  the  per- 
 son should  be  baptized  again  by  a  lawful  minister  of  Christ. 
 
 There  is  a  more  intricate  question  respecting  baptism  by 
 heretics,  which  gave  rise  to  a  keen  controversy  in  the  primi- 
 tive church.  Doubts  of  its  validity  had  been  for  some  time 
 entertained  ;  but,  in  the  third  century,  the  Christians  in  Asia 
 came  to  a  decision,  in  more  than  one  Council,  that  all  heretics 
 should  be  re-baptized  before  their  admission  into  the  commu- 
 nion of  the  Catholic  Church.  Stephen,  who  was  then  bishop 
 of  Rome,  was  filled  with  indignation,  and  proceeded  to  ex- 
 communicate the  Asiatics  ;  but  their  cause  was  espoused  bv 
 Cyprian  and  the  other  bishops  of  Africa,  who,  in  defiance  of 
 the  threatenings  of  Stephen,  pronounced  baptism  administered 
 by  heretics  to  be  void  of  all  efficacy  and  validity.  It  was 
 finally  determined  by  the  Council  of  Nice,  that  those  who 
 had  been  baptized  by  heretics,  should  be  received  into  the 
 church  simply  by  the  imposition  of  hands  ;  with  the  exception 
 of  the  followers  of  Paul  of  Samosata,  whom  the  Council  com- 
 manded to  be  re-baptized,  because  his  sect  did  not  acknow- 
 ledge the  Trinity.  Those  who  maintained  the  invalidity  of 
 the  baptism  of  heretics,  comprehended  under  this  denomina- 
 tion all  the  sects  which  had  separated  from  the  great  body  of 
 Christians  ;  for  the  character  was  applied  in  those  times  with 
 great  latitude,  and  was  sometimes  given  to  worthy  persons, 
 who  opposed  prevailing  errors  and  superstitions.  The  decree 
 of  the  Council  gave  a  sanction  to  the  baptism  of  all  the  diffe- 
 rent societies  of  professed  Christians,  and  excepted  those  alone 
 by  whom  the  ordinance  was  essentially  corrupted.  Some  are 
 said  to  have  baptized  "in  the  name  of  the  uncreated  God,  and 
 in  the  name  of  the  created  Son,  and  in  the  name  of  the  sancti- 
 
BAPTISM.  173 
 
 Spirit,  who  was  created  by  the  created  Son;"  others) 
 M  in  the  oame  <>t*  the  Father  tin*  only  true  God,  ol  Jesus 
 Christ  the  Saviour  and  a  creature,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
 the  servant  of  both  ;"  and  others,  "  in  the  name  of  the 
 Father,  by  the  Son,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 It  is  evident  that  baptism  administered  in  such  forms,  is  not 
 Christian  baptism.  It  is  essentially  defective,  because  it  sets 
 aside  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  into  the  profession  of  which 
 our  Lord  commanded  his  disciples  to  be  baptized.  There  is, 
 however,  considerable  difHculty  in  settling  the  general  ques- 
 tion respecting  the  validity  of  baptism.  Where  the  form  is 
 exactly  observed,  may  it  not  be  vitiated  by  the  administrator, 
 although  he  bear  the  character  of  a  minister  of  Christ  ?  Is 
 every  man  to  be  recognized  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  having 
 authority  to  officiate  in  his  name,  who  is  called  such  ?  the 
 man  who  errs  in  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  religion,  the 
 man  who  holds  the  Trinity,  but  is  guilty  of  idolatry,  and  is 
 tainted  with  all  the  pollutions  of  the  Romish  Church  ?  It 
 seems  to  be  generally  agreed  not  to  scrutinize  this  matter  too 
 minutely,  and  to  admit  baptism  administered  by  any  person 
 who  holds  the  office  of  the  ministry  in  the  church  to  which  he 
 belongs,  and  who  observes  the  form  prescribed  by  our  Saviour, 
 although  it  may  be  encumbered  with  superstitious  rites. 
 
 With  respect  to  the  place  of  baptism,  it  may  be  observed, 
 that  as  soon  as  the  Christians  had  churches,  it  was  adminis- 
 tered in  them,  before  the  congregation  of  the  faithful,  and 
 the  practice  of  baptizing  in  private  houses  was  condemned. 
 The  law,  however,  was  remitted  in  favour  of  the  sick  and  in- 
 firm, and  might  be  dispensed  with  by  the  authority  of  the 
 bishop.  Our  Church  retains  this  law ;  and  private  baptism  is 
 one  of  the  five  articles  of  Perth,  which  were  abjured  by  our 
 fathers  at  the  renovation  of  the  National  Covenant.  The 
 Scripture  gives  no  direction  relative  to  this  matter ;  but  it  is 
 more  consonant  to  the  design  of  the  ordinance,  which  is  a  re- 
 cognition of  the  baptized  as  members  of  the  church,  that  it 
 should  be  publicly  celebrated.  It  has  been  alleged,  as  an 
 argument  for  the  public  administration  of  baptism,  that  it 
 should  be  preceded  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  :  and  an 
 appeal  is  made  to  the  commission  of  the  Apostles,   "  Go  and 
 
174  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them."  I  would  advise  you,  for 
 the  credit  of  your  understandings,  never  to  make  use  of  this 
 argument.  The  word  translated  to  teach,  signifies,  to  make 
 disciples.  As  men  can  be  made  disciples  of  Christ  only  by 
 teaching,  it  is  certainly  implied  that  they  should  be  taught 
 before  they  are  baptized ;  but  the  sense  of  the  passage  is 
 totally  misapprehended,  when  it  is  understood  to  mean  that 
 baptism  must  be  accompanied  with  the  preaching  of  a  sermon. 
 Christ  commands  his  Apostles  to  instruct  men,  before  they 
 receive  them  into  his  church  ;  and  some  sage  commentators 
 conclude,  that  we  must  preach  to  adults  when  we  baptize 
 children  !     This  is  undoubtedly  admirable  reasoning. 
 
 There  is  no  fixed  time  for  the  administration  of  baptism.  In 
 ancient  times,  some  maintained,  that  as  children  were  cir- 
 cumcised, so  they  should  be  baptized,  on  the  eighth  day  after 
 their  birth.  It  was  proposed  by  others,  that  it  should  be  de- 
 ferred for  three  years  ;  and  many  put  it  off  to  old  age,  and  to 
 their  last  illness,  from  an  idea  that  they  should  obtain  at  once 
 the  forgiveness  of  all  their  sins.  It  became  the  common  prac- 
 tice to  baptize  at  Easter  all  who  had  been  born  since  the 
 last  return  of  that  festival,  except  in  cases  of  necessity,  when 
 baptism  was  performed  at  any  season  of  the  year.  I  shall 
 only  observe,  that  as,  on  the  one  hand,  indecent  haste  should 
 be  avoided,  which  would  seem  to  imply  a  belief  that  baptism 
 is  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation  ;  so,  on  the  other  hand, 
 parents  should  beware  of  unnecessary  delay,  and  should  em- 
 brace an  early  opportunity  of  dedicating  their  offspring  to  God. 
 
 The  persons  by  whom  children  should  be  presented  in 
 baptism,  are  their  parents,  and  not  sponsors,  who  in  the 
 ancient  church  were  called  avaSoxot,  susceptores,  and  are 
 known  in  the  Church  of  England  by  the  names  of  godfathers 
 and  godmothers.  It  is  in  the  right  of  their  parents  that  chil- 
 dren are  baptized  ;  parents  are  their  natural  guardians,  and 
 upon  them  the  law  of  God  imposes  the  duty  of  bringing 
 them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Spon- 
 sors are  unknown  to  the  Scriptures,  and  the  part  which  they 
 perform  is  truly  ridiculous.  Nothing  can  be  more  inconsistent 
 with  common  sense,  than  to  make  them  answer  in  the  name 
 of  the  speechless  child.     "  Dost  thou,  in  the  name  of  this 
 
BAPTISM.  17") 
 
 child,  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works?"  M  I  renounce 
 them  all."     "  I  )»>st  thou  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty* 
 
 and  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only-begotten  Son?"  "  All  tlii-  I 
 Btedfastly  helieve."  "  Wilt  thou  then  obediently  keep  God's 
 liolv  will  and  commandments,  and  walk  in  the  same  all  the 
 days  of  thy  life?"      "  I  will." 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  inquire  into  the  import  of  baptism,  or 
 what  blessings  it  signifies  and  seals. 
 
 The  first  blessing  signified  by  baptism,  as  it  is  the  first 
 blessing  promised  in  the  new  covenant,  is  regeneration.  I 
 call  your  attention  to  the  following  passage  in  the  Epistle  to 
 Titus  : — "  But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our 
 Saviour  toward  man  appeared,  not  by  works  of  righteousness 
 which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us, 
 by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  ;  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ 
 our  Saviour." '  Here  mention  is  made  of  the  thing  signified 
 by  baptism,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  manifestly  to  allude  to 
 the  ordinance  itself.  Not  only  is  the  Holy  Ghost  said  to  be 
 "  shed  upon  us,"  in  reference  to  the  description  of  his  influences 
 by  the  metaphor  of  water,  but  we  are  farther  said  to  be  saved 
 by  the  "  washing  of  regeneration."  The  original  term, 
 \ovrpou,  signifies  a  bath  and  the  icater  contained  in  it,  and 
 must  be  understood  to  refer  to  baptism,  the  only  washing  with 
 water  which  is  known  in  the  Christian  church  ;  and  the  ex- 
 pression, the  washing  of  regeneration,  conjoined  with  the 
 "  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  obviously  teaches  what  bap- 
 tism imports,  namely,  the  purification  of  the  soul  from  sin.  I 
 quote  also  the  words  of  our  Lord  to  Nicodemus,  "  Verily, 
 verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and 
 of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  f  The 
 change  which  is  declared  to  be  necessary  to  qualify  us  for  ad- 
 mission into  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  kingdom  of  God,  is 
 called  a  second  birth.  The  expression  was  not  understood  by 
 Nicodemus,  and  still  excites  the  surprise,  and  even  the  ridicule 
 of  some  who  profess  to  be  like  him,  masters  in  Israel ;  but  its 
 meaning  is  easily  apprehended  by  those  who  have  studied  the 
 Scriptures  with  attention  and  humility.      It  signifies  a  moral 
 
 •  Tit.  iii.  4—0.  +   John  iii.  .">. 
 
176  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 change  effected  in  the  soul  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  infuses 
 into  it  a  principle  of  divine  life,  rectifies  the  disorder  of  its 
 faculties,  and  enables  it  to  fulfil  the  purpose  of  its  being  by 
 glorifying  its  Maker.  It  seems  to  be  designated  a  new  birth, 
 to  intimate  that  the  subject  of  the  change  enters  upon  a  new 
 mode  of  existence,  is  introduced  as  it  were  into  a  new  world, 
 becomes  a  part  of  the  new  creation  :  "If  any  man  be 
 in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ;  old  things  are  passed 
 away,  behold  all  things  are  become  new."  '  The  agent  is  the 
 Holy  Ghost  ;  but  our  Lord  speaks  "  of  water,"  as  well 
 as  "  of  the  Spirit."  It  is  the  opinion  of  some,  that  the 
 same  thing  is  expressed  by  different  terms,  agreeably  to  a 
 phraseology  not  unfrequent  in  the  scriptural  style  ;  but  it  is 
 more  probable  that  water  is  mentioned  because  it  is  the  em- 
 blem of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  It  has  been  objected, 
 that  there  cannot  be  an  allusion  to  baptism,  because  the  insti- 
 tution of  it  was  posterior  to  the  interview  with  Nicodemus. 
 But  this  is  a  mistake,  originating  in  the  supposition  that  it 
 took  its  rise  from  the  commission  given  to  the  Apostles  after 
 the  resurrection,  while  it  is  to  be  dated  from  the  commence- 
 ment of  our  Saviour's  ministry,  and  only  received  a  new  en- 
 actment prior  to  his  ascension.  To  the  conversation  with 
 Nicodemus,  this  remark  is  subjoined  by  the  Evangelist : 
 "  After  these  things  came  Jesus  and  his  disciples  into  the 
 land  of  Judea ;  and  there  he  tarried  with  them,  and  baptized."  f 
 From  the  passages  now  cited,  it  appears  that  baptism  is  signi- 
 ficant of  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 A  second  blessing  signified  by  baptism,  is  the  forgiveness 
 of  sin.  Peter  said  to  the  Jews,  who  were  awakened  by  his 
 sermon  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized 
 every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission 
 of  sins  ;"  J  and  when  Ananias  was  sent  to  Paul,  after  he  had 
 met  the  Lord  in  the  way,  he  addressed  him  in  the  following 
 words  :  "  And  now  wThy  tarriest  thou  ?  Arise,  and  be  bap- 
 tized, and  wash  away  thy  sins."  ||  It  is  not  to  be  inferred 
 from  these  passages,  that  remission  is  inseparably  connected 
 with  baptism  any  more  than  regeneration,  so  that  every  per- 
 son to  whom  it  is  administered,  is  immediately  delivered  from 
 *  2  Cor.  v.  17.         f  John  iii.  22.         %  Acts  ii.  38,  ||   lb.  xxii.  16. 
 
BAPTISM.  177 
 
 a  state  of  condemnation.  The  idea  is  unscriptural,  and  is 
 adopted  only  by  those  who  are  grossly  ignorant  of  the  economy 
 of  grace,  in  which  God  reserves  to  himself  a  right  to  give  or 
 withhold  spiritual  blessings  according  to  his  pleasure.  But 
 we  are  plainly  taught,  that  it  is  a  sign  of  remission,  or  that 
 the  application  of  water  to  the  body,  is  a  symbol  of  the  purifi- 
 cation of  the  soul  from  guilt,  by  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ. 
 It  holds  out  in  a  figure,  the  means  by  which  children  are  de- 
 livered from  original  sin,  and  adults  from  both  original  and  ac- 
 tual. In  the  ark,  "  a  few,  that  is,  eight  souls,  were  saved  by 
 water ;  the  like  figure  whereunto,"  says  Peter,  "  even  baptism 
 doth  also  now  save  us,  not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the 
 flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by  the 
 resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  *  It  is  the  symbol  of  salvation  ; 
 and  those,  to  whom  the  blessing  signified  by  it  is  imparted, 
 shall  as  certainly  escape  the  avenging  wrath  of  God,  as  Noah 
 and  his  family  escaped  the  destruction  of  the  flood. 
 
 A  third  blessing  signified  by  baptism,  is  admission  into  the 
 family  of  God ;  for  it  represents  our  fellowship  with  Christ, 
 through  whom  we  become  his  children.  It  is  the  sign  of  our 
 reception  into  the  church,  the  part  of  the  family  which  is  upon 
 earth  ;  the  other  part,  consisting  of  the  spirits  of  just  men 
 made  perfect,  being  in  heaven.  The  visible  church,  compre- 
 hending a  great  proportion  of  ignorant  and  worldly-minded 
 men,  cannot  be  considered  as  entitled  to  this  high  character  ; 
 but,  according  to  the  constitution  of  its  Founder,  the  true 
 church  is  an  assembly  of  persons  who  know  and  obey  the 
 truth,  and  in  baptism  we  are  enrolled  among  them.  The 
 voice  of  God  says  from  heaven,  "  I  will  be  a  Father  unto 
 you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters."  As  an  Israel- 
 itish  male  child  was  recognized  by  circumcision  to  be  a  de- 
 scendant of  Abraham,  and  one  of  the  chosen  people,  so  we 
 are  declared  by  baptism  to  be  disciples  of  Christ,  and  mem- 
 bers of  the  household  of  God  :  "By  one  Spirit  we  are  all 
 baptized  into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Greeks,  whe- 
 ther we  be  bond  or  free,  and  have  all  been  made  to  drink  into 
 one  Spirit."  f  As  the  baptism  of  water  is  the  external  sign 
 of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,   it  must  represent  what  this  in- 
 
 •   1  Pet.  iii.  21.  f   1  Cor.  xii.  13. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  M 
 
1/8  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 ternal  baptism  effects ;  and  the  Apostle  teaches  us,  that  by 
 partaking  of  the  Spirit,  we  are  incorporated  with  the  people  of 
 God  of  all  nations  and  conditions.  Baptism  is  therefore  a  recog- 
 nition of  our  right  to  the  privileges  of  adoption,  which  unques- 
 tionably belong  to  the  members  of  his  family,  and,  in  particu- 
 lar, of  our  right  to  the  external  privileges  of  the  church.  In 
 these,  Jews,  Mahometans,  and  Heathens,  have  no  interest. 
 They  are  strangers  and  foreigners ;  but  the  baptized  are  fellow 
 citizens  with  the  saints.  They  are  placed  under  the  care  of  the 
 ministers  and  rulers  of  the  church,  should  be  regarded  by  the 
 members  as  brethren,  and  have  an  interest  in  their  love  and 
 their  prayers  ;  they  are  admitted  to  the  benefit  of  public  and 
 private  instruction ;  they  may  claim,  if  adults,  a  place  at  the 
 table  of  the  Lord  ;  and  if  children,  are  entitled  to  this  other 
 seal  of  the  covenant  as  soon  as  they  shew  themselves  qualified 
 for  it  by  their  attainments  in  knowledge,  and  the  general  pro- 
 priety of  their  conduct.  It  has  been  objected  against  the  ad- 
 ministration of  baptism  to  infants,  that  it  can  be  of  no  advan- 
 tage to  them,  because  they  are  incapable  of  understanding,  or 
 even  perceiving  the  transaction.  But,  besides  that  it  may 
 be  productive  of  the  most  beneficial  effects  at  a  future  period, 
 when  they  come  to  know  its  meaning,  and  reflect  upon  its 
 solemn  obligations  ;  it  is  of  no  small  moment  that  it  introduces 
 them  into  the  society  of  the  people  of  God.  If  the  effectual 
 fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much,  we  ought  to 
 set  some  value  upon  the  prayers  which  are  offered  up  by  min- 
 isters and  people  for  the  young,  who  are  to  succeed  them  in 
 the  profession  of  the  truth.  If  a  religious  education  is  of  un- 
 speakable benefit,  it  is  one  of  the  happy  fruits  of  their  baptism, 
 in  which  their  parents  engaged  to  instil  into  their  minds  the 
 principles  of  piety  and  morality.  If  the  company  of  good 
 men,  their  counsels,  their  admonitions,  their  example,  are  cal- 
 culated to  be  useful,  they  enjoy  these  in  consequence  of  their 
 adoption  into  an  association  separated  from  the  world  lying  in 
 wickedness. 
 
 The  last  blessing  signified  by  baptism,  is  a  resurrection  to 
 eternal  life.  Some  have  supposed  that  there  is  a  symbolical 
 representation  of  this  event  in  the  rising  of  the  baptized  per- 
 son from  the  water  ;  but,   as  it   has   appeared  that  this  is  not 
 
BAPTISM.  17'.' 
 
 icriptura]  node  of  administering  the  ordinance)  we  may 
 pronounce  this  idea  to  be  altogether  fanciful.  Paul  refers  to 
 a  connesioQ  between  baptism  and  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
 
 when,  baling  said  that  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism 
 
 into  death,  he  adds,  "  If  we  have  been  planted  in  the  likeness 
 of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrec- 
 tion." '  He  is  speaking  of  our  death  to  sin,  and  our  life  to 
 righteousness,  or  of  the  spiritual  change  in  the  present  state, 
 of  which  baptism  is  a  sign  ;  but  if  it  is  expressive  of  one  great 
 effect  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  it  may  be  very  naturally 
 considered  as  a  pledge  of  all  its  blessed  fruits,  and,  in  particu- 
 lar, of  a  glorious  immortality.  The  same  Apostle  says  to  the 
 Colossians,  "  Ye  are  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein 
 ako  ye  are  risen  with  him,  through  the  faith  of  the  operation 
 of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,"t  still  signifying, 
 that  baptism  imports  our  interest  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
 and  its  consequences.  It  was  called  by  the  ancients,  the 
 earnest  of  good  things  to  come,  and  the  type  of  the  future 
 resurrection.  May  not  this  be  the  meaning  of  that  passage 
 in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
 concerning  which  there  has  been  such  a  diversity  of  opinion  ? 
 "  Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead, 
 if  the  dead  rise  not  ?  why  are  they  then  baptized  for  the 
 dead  ?"  t  Some  of  the  Fathers  understood  the  expression  btrep 
 Tit'!-  I'ck-pwi',  to  mean  to  be  baptized  into  the  hope  of  the  resur- 
 rtction  of  the  dead  ;  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  to 
 submit  to  baptism  that  they  might  fill  up  the  places  of  those 
 who  had  died,  thus  declaring  their  belief  that  they  had  not 
 perished,  but  were  alive  in  a  better  world,  and  their  hope 
 that,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  they  dedicated  them- 
 selves in  baptism,  they  also  should  be  raised  again  to  enjoy 
 the  same  glorious  recompense.  According  to  this  view  of  the 
 passage,  a  resurrection  to  life  is  one  of  the  blessings  signified 
 and  sealed  by  this  institution.  It  assures  us  of  a  triumph 
 over  death  and  the  grave,  through  the  redeeming  blood  of 
 Christ,  with  which  we  are  sprinkled;  and  of  admission  into 
 heaven,  for  which  we  are  qualified  by  the  washing  of  regene- 
 ration. It  is  the  seal  of  God  impressed  upon  the  members  of 
 hi>  family,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  heirs  of  perdition. 
 •  Rom.  vi.  ;>.  -f  Col.  ii.  12.  %  1  G\r.  xv.  29. 
 
180  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Like  the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  on  the  houses  of  the  Israel- 
 ites, it  is  a  pledge  of  the  safety  of  believers  on  that  awful  day, 
 when  sinners  shall  rise  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt, 
 and,  were  it  possible,  would  hide  themselves  again  in  the 
 grave  from  the  wrath  of  the  Judge. 
 
 Let  us  inquire  what  are  the  obligations  of  baptism,  or  what 
 are  the  duties  incumbent  upon  those  to  whom  it  has  been  ad- 
 ministered. 
 
 We  have  already  remarked,  that  it  is  a  federal  rite,  in  which 
 God  promises  to  bestow  upon  men  the  blessings  of  the  cove- 
 nant of  grace,  and  they  come  under  an  engagement  to  obey 
 the  law  of  the  covenant.  When  an  Israelite  was  circumcised, 
 he  was  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law,  "  for  circumcision," 
 says  Paul,  "  verily  profiteth  if  thou  keep  the  law  ;  but  if  thou 
 be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is  made  uncircum- 
 cision."  *  Baptism  is  of  the  same  import,  and  ratifies  our  sub- 
 jection to  the  authority  of  Christ,  whose  disciples  we  profess 
 to  be,  and  into  the  communion  of  whose  church  we  are  ad- 
 mitted. The  commission  to  baptize  all  nations  was  connected 
 with  an  injunction  "  to  teach  them  to  observe  all  things  what- 
 soever he  had  commanded  them."  To  this  federal  transaction 
 Peter  alludes,  when  he  says  that  "  baptism  doth  now  save  us, 
 not   the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer 
 
 of  a  good  conscience    toward  God," ovveitrjoews  a^a07j^  e7repic- 
 
 vrjua.f  E7reptvTr)/ua  signifies  an  interrogation,  and  likewise  an 
 answer  to  an  interrogation,  and  refers  in  the  present  case  to 
 the  questions  proposed  to  the  candidates  for  baptism,  of  which 
 we  have  a  specimen  in  the  words  of  Philip  to  the  eunuch  of 
 Ethiopia,  "  If  thou  belie  vest  with  all  thine  heart  thou  may  est." 
 When  an  adult  person  could  answer  this  question  and  others 
 of  a  similar  nature  with  a  good  conscience,  baptism  was  to  him 
 an  assurance  of  salvation.  He  had  entered  with  an  upright 
 heart  into  the  service  of  Christ,  and  should  certainly  receive 
 the  promised  recompense. 
 
 First,   Baptism  implies  an  engagement  to  believe  all  the 
 
 truths  which  Christ  has  revealed.   It  imports,  as  we  have  seen, 
 
 a  profession  of  our  faith  in  the  Trinity,  a  doctrine  which,  when 
 
 viewed  in  its  connexions  and  consequences,  is  found  to  involve 
 
 *  Rom.  ii.  25.  +  1  Pet,  iii.  21. 
 
BAPTISM.  181 
 
 all  the  other  doctrines  of  Christianity.  Being  recognised  as 
 the  disciples  of  Jesus,  we  publicly  own  him  as  our  teacher, 
 and  place  ourselves  under  his  care,  to  receive  his  instructions 
 without  murmuring  or  disputing.  Full  confidence  must  he 
 placed  in  his  wisdom  as  infallible,  and  obedience  must  be 
 yielded  to  his  authority  without  hesitation.  The  baptized 
 ought  to  believe  without  demanding  any  other  evidence  but 
 his  testimony  ;  to  embrace  every  doctrine  which  he  delivers, 
 although  its  truth  be  not  manifest  to  reason,  nor  deducihle 
 from  its  principles.  The  man  who  makes  his  own  under- 
 standing the  measure  of  his  creed,  who  admits  into  it  only 
 what  he  deems  plain  and  perspicuous  articles,  and  rejects  such 
 as  are  mysterious,  disregards  the  command  which  came  from 
 the  excellent  glory,  and  retracts  the  submission  which  he 
 pledged  in  his  baptism.  In  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  when 
 converts  from  Judaism  and  Heathenism  sought  admission 
 into  it,  the  candidates  for  baptism  were  previously  instructed 
 in  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  were  required 
 to  make  a  public  profession  of  their  faith.  Certain  questions 
 were  proposed,  to  which  satisfactory  answers  were  expected. 
 The  formulary  was  different  in  different  places  ;  but  the  sub- 
 stance was  the  same,  and  is  contained  in  the  creed,  which  goes 
 under  the  name  of  the  Apostles,  although  it  was  not  com- 
 posed by  them.  It  is  a  summary  of  what  was  considered  to 
 be  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  the  faith  which  the 
 members  of  the  church  were  bound  to  profess  and  maintain. 
 
 Secondly,  Baptism  implies  an  engagement  to  observe  the 
 ordinances  of  Christ.  When  we  enter  into  a  new  society,  we 
 pledge  ourselves  to  conform  to  its  laws  and  usages.  When  a 
 Heathen  was  baptized,  he  renounced  polytheism  and  idolatry, 
 and  bound  himself  henceforth  to  worship  the  living  and  true 
 God,  through  his  Son  the  only  Mediator.  When  a  Jew  was 
 baptized,  he  renounced  the  altar,  the  priesthood,  and  the  ob- 
 lations of  the  law,  that  he  might  offer  spiritual  sacrifices,  in 
 the  name  and  through  the  intercession  of  the  High  Priest  of 
 our  profession.  As  Christ  is  the  Supreme  Lord  of  the  church, 
 it  belongs  to  him  only  to  appoint  religious  ordinances ;  and 
 consequently,  the  engagement  of  which  we  are  speaking,  ex- 
 tends no  farther  than  his  will  as  expressed  in  the  Scriptures  ; 
 
182  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 it  imposes  no  obligation  upon  us  to  observe  any  of  the  inven- 
 tions of  men  in  religion.  Baptism  does  not  introduce  us  into 
 the  particular  society  of  Christians  by  whose  ministers  it  is 
 dispensed,  but  into  the  Catholic  church ;  and  the  duties  arising 
 from  it  are  exclusively  those  which  are  incumbent  upon  all 
 the  followers  of  Christ,  without  any  reference  to  the  pecu- 
 liarities of  a  party.  We  are  not  baptized  into  the  observance 
 of  the  rites  and  ceremonies,  or  into  the  belief  of  the  erroneous 
 dogmas  of  the  church  in  which  we  happen  to  be  born.  Bap- 
 tism is  our  dedication  to  Christ ;  and  its  design  is  fulfilled, 
 when,  adhering  closely  to  his  institutions,  we  worship  the 
 Father  in  Spirit  and  in  truth. 
 
 Lastly,  Baptism  implies  an  engagement  to  obey  the  com- 
 mandments of  Christ.  In  the  primitive  church  the  candidate 
 was  solemnly  asked,  "  Dost  thou  renounce  the  devil,  and  his 
 pomp  and  his  service,  and  dost  thou  join  thyself  to  Christ  ?" 
 and  upon  his  returning  an  affirmative  answer  to  these  questions, 
 baptism  was  administered  to  him.  After  having  reminded 
 Christians  of  their  baptism,  as  expressive  of  communion  with 
 Christ  in  his  death  and  resurrection,  Paul  addresses  the  fol- 
 lowing exhortations  to  them :  "  Likewise  reckon  ye  also 
 yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God 
 through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Let  not  sin  therefore  reign 
 in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  there- 
 of :  neither  yield  ye  your  members  as  instruments  of  un- 
 righteousness unto  sin  ;  but  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as 
 those  that  are  alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  members  as  in- 
 struments of  righteousness  unto  God."  *  As  the  ear  of  the 
 Hebrew  servant  who  loved  his  master  was  bored,  to  denote 
 that  he  was  to  remain  in  his  house  during  life,  so,  by  the 
 command  of  Christ,  water  is  sprinkled  or  poured  upon  us,  to 
 signify  that  we  are  dedicated  to  his  service  for  ever. 
 
 Baptism,  like  circumcision,  is  administered  but  once;  not,  as 
 Papists  maintain,  because  it  impresses  an  indelible  character 
 upon  the  soul,  or  a  mystical  quality  by  which  the  baptized 
 are  fitted  for  the  service  of  God,  conformed  to  Christ,  and 
 distinguished  from  others  ;  but  because  regeneration,  of  which 
 it  is  significant,  is  not  repeated,  and  the  obligations  under  which 
 it  places  us  can  never  be  disannulled. 
 
 *  Horn.  vi.  11—13. 
 
BAPTISM.  183 
 
 Although  children  are  insensible  of  the  transaction,  and 
 can  therefore  al  the  time  derive  no  moral  benefit  from  it,  yet 
 reflection  upon  it  at  a  subsequent  period  may  be  productive  of 
 the  happiest  effects.     To  a  mind  seriously  disposed,  it  must 
 
 be  an  affecting  consideration,  that  almost  as  soon  as  wo  entered 
 upon  life,  we  were  received  into  the  church  of  the  living  God, 
 placed  under  the  dispensation  of  grace,  and  consecrated  to  our 
 Creator  and  Redeemer.  The  situation  is  evidently  calculated 
 to  awaken  sentiments  of  gratitude,  and  to  call  forth  our  most 
 fervent  wishes  and  diligent  endeavours,  that  the  merciful  in- 
 tention of  Heaven  with  respect  to  us  may  be  accomplished. 
 If  a  young  person  attend  to  the  circumstances  in  which  he  is 
 placed,  he  will  feel  that  he  is  not  at  liberty  to  chuse  his  own 
 manner  of  life,  to  dispose  of  himself  according  to  his  own 
 pleasure;  but  is  under  engagements  which  it  will  be  his  interest 
 to  fulfil,  and  which  he  cannot  violate  without  great  guilt  and 
 inexpressible  danger. 
 
 The  baptism  of  children  is  calculated  to  produce  the  best 
 effects  upon  parents.  It  places  their  children  in  a  new  rela- 
 tion to  them,  and  presents  them  under  a  new  aspect.  Parents 
 are  now  their  spiritual  guardians,  appointed  to  superintend 
 their  eternal  as  well  as  their  temporal  interests.  Their  chil- 
 dren are  a  sacred  deposit,  and  are  not  so  much  theirs  as  the 
 Lord's,  for  whose  service  it  is  their  chief  business  to  prepare 
 them.  Their  own  concern  in  the  solemn  transaction,  is  a 
 powerful  appeal  to  their  consciences,  and  calls  for  their  active 
 endeavours  to  accomplish  the  design  with  which  they  present- 
 ed them  to  be  baptized.  Some  disapprove  of  exacting  any 
 vow  or  promise  from  parents,  and  administer  the  ordinance 
 with  a  simple  declaration  of  their  duty.  It  is  not  a  matter  of 
 much  moment  whether  they  come  under  a  verbal  engagement 
 or  not,  because  the  law  of  God  previously  binds  them,  and 
 their  appearance  is  a  recognition  of  their  obligations.  In  the 
 act  of  giving  their  children  to  the  Lord,  they  virtually  pro- 
 mise to  educate  them  for  his  service,  and  to  make  their  souls, 
 still  more  than  their  bodies,  the  objects  of  solicitude. 
 
LECTURE  XC. 
 
 ON  THE 
 
 SACRAMENT  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 INSTITUTION  AND  PRIMITIVE  SIMPLICITY    OF    THE    RITE ITS  GRADUAL 
 
 CORRUPTION TRANSUBSTANTIATION. — MEANING    OF    THE     WORDS     OF 
 
 INSTITUTION ITS     CONTRARIETY     TO    THE  LANGUAGE  OF    SCRIPTURE, 
 
 TO     REASON,    AND    TO    COMMON    SENSE. PASCAL'S    DEFENCE    OF  IT    EX- 
 AMINED. 
 
 Our  Lord,  having  eaten  the  passover  with^his  disciples  the 
 evening  on  which  he  was  betrayed,  instituted  the  sacred  sup- 
 per, to  be  a  memorial  of  his  sufferings,  a  sign  of  his  presence 
 with  the  church,  and  a  seal  of  the  new  covenant  which  he 
 was  to  confirm  the  next  day  with  his  blood.  An  account  of 
 it  is  given  by  the  Evangelists ;  but  that  which  I  shall  lay 
 before  you,  as  the  most  distinct  and  complete,  is  found  in  one 
 of  the  Epistles  of  Paul,  to  whom  it  had  been  communicated 
 by  our  Saviour  himself.  "  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that 
 which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  That  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
 same  night  on  which  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread ;  and  when 
 he  had  given  thanks  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is 
 my  body  which  is  broken  for  you ;  this  do  in  remembrance  of 
 me.  After  the  same  manner  also  he  took  the  cup,  when  he 
 had  supped,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my 
 blood  ;  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of 
 me.  For  as  oft  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye 
 do  shew  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  * 
 
 •  1  Cor.  xi.  23—26. 
 
i  in:  i okd's  ftUPPBS.  1  v-> 
 
 It  i»  evident  from  the  words  of  institution,  that  it  was  in- 
 tended to  be  a  perpetual  ordinance.  Accordingly  we  learn 
 from  the  Seriptures  that  it  was  observed  in  the  Apostolical 
 church  ;  and  we  know  that  from  those  days  down  to  the  pre- 
 sent time,  it  has  been  celebrated  by  his  professed  disciples 
 without  interruption.  In  the  primitive  church,  the  original 
 institution  was  retained  in  its  simplicity,  as  we  see  from  the 
 second  apology  of  Justin  Martyr,  who  wrote  early  in  the 
 second  century.  No  ceremonies  were  added  to  render  it  more 
 sacred  and  venerable  in  the  eyes  of  the  people ;  no  false 
 notions  were  entertained  of  its  design ;  no  mystery  was  sup- 
 posed to  be  concealed  under  the  symbols  and  the  prescribed 
 actions  ;  the  words  of  Christ  were  understood  according  to 
 the  meaning  which  common  sense  would  put  upon  them,  and 
 the  ordinance  was  regarded  as  a  memorial  of  his  passion,  and 
 a  means  of  strengthening  the  faith  and  increasing  the  love  of 
 his  followers.  That  Father,  indeed,  informs  us,  that  they  did 
 not  receive  the  bread  in  koivov  ap-rov,  and  the  cup  £t  koivov  7ro^a, 
 "  as  common  bread  and  wine  ;"  but  it  is  plain  that  he  did 
 not  consider  them  as  sacred  in  consequence  of  any  change 
 which  they  had  undergone  in  their  nature,  but  solely  on 
 account  of  the  purpose  to  which  they  were  applied,  and  their 
 sacramental  relation  to  our  Saviour.  That  he  looked  upon 
 them,  although  not  common,  as  still  bread  and  wine,  appears 
 from  his  calling  them  expressly  "  nourishment,"  by  which 
 our  flesh  and  blood  are  nourished  through  their  conversion 
 into  our  substance. 
 
 In  this  light  the  elements  were  received  for  several  ages 
 after  the  days  of  Justin  Martyr,  as  is  manifest  from  many 
 passages  which  have  been  quoted  from  the  Fathers,  and  which 
 shew,  that  they  considered  them  as  still  bread  and  wine,  and 
 as  having  acquired  the  names  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
 Lord  only  in  consequence  of  his  appointment,  and  their  sanc- 
 tirkation  by  the  offices  of  the  ministers  of  religion.  In  process 
 of  time  highly  figurative  language  began  to  be  used,  which, 
 if  literally  understood,  imported  a  corporeal  presence  of  Christ ; 
 and  such  modes  of  expression  were  employed  to  excite  the 
 greater  reverence  for  the  institution,  and  it  may  be,  in  some 
 Cases,   to   display  the  eloquence  of  the  speaker  or  writer.     A 
 
186  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ; 
 
 notion  was  adopted  by  some,  and  brought  forward  in  the  con- 
 troversy with  the  Eutychians,  that  there  was  a  union  between 
 Christ  and  the  elements,  similar  to  that  between  the  divine 
 and  human  nature  in  his  person.  Now,  although  this  notion 
 supposed  the  elements  to  remain  unchanged,  to  be  bread  and 
 wine  after  as  well  as  before  consecration,  as  the  human  nature 
 retains  its  essence  and  properties  notwithstanding  its  personal 
 subsistence  in  the  divine  ;  yet,  it  manifestly  prepared  the  way, 
 in  connexion  with  the  rhetorical  language  mentioned  above,  for 
 the  idea  of  a  real  transmutation  which  was  afterwards  broached. 
 Ignorance  was  fast  spreading  over  the  Eastern,  and  particu- 
 larly the  Western  church.  Men  without  learning,  and  with 
 only  a  form  of  religion,  were  the  fit  subjects  of  delusion,  and 
 wTould  receive  with  little  hesitation  the  most  absurd  and  in- 
 credible opinions,  if  they  were  recommended  by  an  air  of  mys- 
 tery, and  enjoined  by  the  authority  of  priests. 
 
 It  was  in  the  ninth  century  that  a  real  change  of  the  sub- 
 stance of  the  elements  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  was  first  openly 
 and  explicitly  maintained.     The  author  of  this  heresy  was 
 Pascasius  Radbert,  abbot  of  Corbey  in  France,   who,  in  a 
 treatise   concerning  the  sacrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ,  taught  "  that  after  the  consecration  of  the  bread  and 
 wine,   nothing  remained  of  these   symbols  but  the  outward 
 figure,  under  which  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  were  really 
 and  locally  present ;  and  that  the  body  of  Christ  thus  present 
 in  the  eucharist,   was  the  same  body  which  was  born  of  the 
 virgin,  suffered  on  the  cross,  and  was  raised  from  the  dead."  ' 
 This  novel  opinion  met  with  powerful  opposition  from  many 
 distinguished  persons  of  the  age.     In  particular,  by  the  com- 
 mand of  the  emperor  Charles  the   Bold,   Johannes  Scotus, 
 and  Ratramn  or  Bertram,  composed  treatises  with  a  view  to 
 state  the  true  doctrine  of  the  eucharist.     The  work  of  Scotus 
 has  perished;  but  that  of  Ratramn  is  preserved,  and  gives  the 
 same  view  of  the  subject  which  is  adopted  by  the  Protestant 
 churches,  t     But  the  monstrous  notion  of  Radbert  accorded 
 with  the  love  of  mystery,  which  has  so  powerful  an  influence 
 upon  a  great  part  of  mankind  ;  and  it  was  so  well  calculated 
 to  increase  veneration  for  the  clergy,  and  to  consolidate  their 
 *  Mosheim,  Cent.  ix.  chap.  iii.  §.  10.     f  Lib.  deCorporr,  824,  284,  ct  passim. 
 
TBI  LORD'fi  Ml'l'liii.  187 
 
 dominion  over   the    people,    that  although  clearly  refuted,    it 
 
 would  not  hi-  easily  abandoned  by  those  whose  Interest  l< 
 
 to  maintain  it.      Revolting  as  it  is  to  common  sense,   as  well 
 afl  contrary  to  the  faith  of  the  church  in    the   preceding  ; 
 it  obtained  powerful  patronage,  was  gradually  diffused  amona,' 
 the   nations    of   the   west,   and   was   finally  established   as  an 
 
 article  of  faith  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  under  the  name  of 
 Transubstantiation.  It  received  its  final  sanction  from  the 
 Council  of  Trent,  which  enacted  the  two  following  decrees. 
 "  If  any  man  shall  deny  that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  most 
 holy  Eucharist,  there  are  contained  truly,  really,  and  sub- 
 stantially the  body  and  blood,  together  with  the  soul  and 
 divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore  a  whole 
 Christ ;  and  shall  say  that  they  are  only  in  it  as  in  a  sign,  or 
 by  a  figure,  or  virtually  ;  let  him  be  accursed."  Again,  "  If 
 any  man  shall  say  that  in  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist, 
 there  remains  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine,  together 
 with  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  shall 
 deny  the  wonderful  and  singular  conversion  of  the  whole  sub- 
 stance of  the  bread  into  the  body,  and  the  whole  substance  of 
 the  wine  into  the  blood,  the  species  of  bread  and  wine  only 
 remaining,  which  conversion  the  catholic  church  most  fitly 
 calls  Transubstantiation  ;  let  him  be  accursed."  * 
 
 The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  which  wTas  at  first  rudely 
 exhibited,  required  time,  and  labour,  and  ingenuity,  to  mould 
 it  into  its  present  form.  In  order  to  explain  it  more  distinctly, 
 let  me  request  your  attention  to  the  following  particulars. 
 
 First,  The  Church  of  Rome  teaches  that  the  sacrament  of 
 the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  not  a  sign  or  figure,  as  is  the 
 case  in  other  sacraments,  and  particularly  in  baptism,  in  which 
 water  represents  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  that 
 the  true  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  really  and  substantially 
 present.  Communicants  receive  not  the  sign,  but  the  thing 
 signified,  for  here  they  are  identified. 
 
 Secondly,   Whereas   the  eye   sees  nothing  but  bread  and 
 
 wine,  Papists  farther  teach,  that  the  substance  of  the  elements 
 
 is  annihilated,  and  only  the  species  remain.     There  i-  merely 
 
 an  appearance  of  bread  and  wine.     The  accidents,   namely, 
 
 •  Condi.  Trid.  Scss.  13.  dc  Euchar,  cap.  viii.  can.  1.  -\ 
 
188  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 the  colour,  the  taste,  the  smell,  the  shape,  are  miraculously 
 retained,  while  that  which  supported  them  is  taken  away. 
 Our  senses  assure  us  that  bread  and  wine  are  before  us ;  but 
 faith  tells  us  that  these  are  the  incarnate  Redeemer  himself. 
 We  have  accidents  without  a  substance. 
 
 Thirdly,  The  Church  of  Rome  teaches  another  mystery 
 with  respect  to  the  corporeal  presence  of  Christ.  It  has  been 
 always  understood  to  be  an  essential  property  of  body  to  be 
 extended,  as  it  consists  of  parts  placed  beyond  parts,  which 
 must  occupy  a  certain  portion  of  space ;  and  such,  therefore, 
 it  is  acknowledged,  is  the  body  of  our  Saviour  in  heaven. 
 But  in  the  Eucharist,  as  they  suppose,  his  body  is  present 
 without  extension.  As  we  have  seen  that  accidents  may  sub- 
 sist without  matter,  so,  it  seems,  matter  may  subsist  without 
 accidents  ;  or,  in  other  words,  although  extension  is  a  pro- 
 perty of  body,  there  may  be  a  body  which  is  not  extended. 
 The  body  of  Christ  is  present  in  the  Eucharist,  after  the 
 manner  of  a  spirit ;  it  does  not  fill  up  the  space  left  vacant 
 by  the  annihilation  of  the  substance  of  the  elements ;  that 
 space  is  a  pure  vacuum,  or  is  filled  only  by  the  accidents. 
 Hence  it  follows,  that  the  division  of  the  elements  does  not 
 divide  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  for  that  which  is  not 
 extended  is  not  frangible  and  separable ;  but,  in  every  par- 
 ticle of  the  bread,  and  in  every  drop  of  the  wine,  the  whole 
 body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  contained.  If  you  should  not 
 comprehend  all  this,  I  cannot  help  it.  It  is  enough  to  have 
 stated  fairly  the  doctrine  of  the  Church.  I  am  not  obliged  to 
 make  you  understand  what  is  absolutely  unintelligible. 
 
 Fourthly,  The  change  is  effected  when  the  following  words 
 are  pronounced  :  "  This  is  my  body" — "  This  is  my  blood." 
 Till  this  moment  the  elements  were  truly  what  they  appeared 
 to  be,  bread  and  wine ;  but  as  soon  as  the  words  are  finished, 
 they  are  transubstantiated.  The  words  are  evidently  decla- 
 rative ;  but  Papists  consider  them  as  productive  or  creative. 
 A  virtue  goes  forth  with  them  to  effect  the  wonderful  change, 
 as  it  accompanied  the  words  of  the  Apostles  when  they  com- 
 manded the  diseased  to  be  whole  ;  but  the  miracle  is  far  more 
 extraordinary  than  any  which  they  performed,  because  nobody 
 sees  it,  and  still  all  are  bound  to  believe  it.     When  a  common 
 
niK  LORD'S  B1  I'i'i.K.  18(J 
 
 juggler  perfbrnM  \n<  touts,  one  substance  fan  whew,  and  another 
 appears  in  its  place  ;  hut  this  is  the  wonder  of  wooden,  thai 
 hen  then  is  a  change  of  substances,  yet  no  change  is  per- 
 ceived, and  all  things  continue  exactly  as  they  were.  This  is 
 a  happy  circumstance  for  the  Popish  jugglers,  as  no  dexterity 
 is  necessary  to  impose  upon  the  senses,  and  all  that  is  required 
 is  a  sufficient  degree  of  credulity  in  the  spectators. 
 
 In  defence  of  this  doctrine,  Papists  appeal  to  the  words  of 
 institution,  and  affirm  that  they  must  be  understood  in  their 
 obvious  and  literal  sense.  "  This  is  my  body,"  must  mean, 
 "  This  is  truly  my  body ;"  and  "  This  is  my  blood,"  "  This 
 is  truly  my  blood."  Yet,  even  they  will  not  contend  that 
 other  passages  of  Scripture,  in  which  the  phraseology  is 
 similar,  should  be  subjected  to  the  same  rigid  interpretation. 
 They  never  suppose  that,  when  our  Lord  said,  "  I  am  the 
 vine,"  "  I  am  the  way,"  "  I  am  the  door,"  he  meant  us  to 
 understand  that  he  is  literally  a  vine,  a  way,  and  a  door ;  but 
 readily  concede  that  we  should  put  a  spiritual  sense  upon  such 
 passages.  It  belongs,  therefore,  to  them  to  assign  a  satis- 
 factory reason  why  the  same  liberty  should  not  be  granted  in 
 explaining  the  words  of  institution.  It  may,  indeed,  be  more 
 justly  claimed  in  the  present  than  in  any  other  case,  because 
 the  words  confessedly  relate  to  a  sacrament,  in  which  symbols 
 are  employed  ;  and  nothing  is  more  natural  than  to  give  the 
 name  of  the  thing  signified  to  the  sign. 
 
 It  has  been  remarked  that,  in  the  Hebrew  and  the  Syriac, 
 a  dialect  of  which  was  spoken  by  our  Lord,  there  is  no  word 
 which  expresses  to  denote,  signify,  or  represent,  and  that  its 
 place  is  supplied  by  the  verb  of  existence.  When  we  would 
 say,  this  thing  signifies  another  thing,  the  Jews  said,  this 
 thing  is  another  thing.  Thus,  the  seven  good  kine  and  the 
 seven  ill-favoured  kine  in  Pharaoh's  dream,  "  are  seven 
 years,"  *  that  is,  signify  seven  years  of  fertility  or  barrenness ; 
 the  ten  horns  in  Daniel,  "are  ten  kings,"!  or,  are  emblems 
 of  them ;  "  the  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven 
 churches,  and  the  seven  candlesticks  are  the  seven  churches,"  t 
 the  stars  and  the  candlesticks  being  representatives  of  the 
 angels  and  the  churches.     There  is  one  passage  in  particular 
 
 •   Gen.  xli.  26.  17.  -f-  Dan.  vii.  24.  $   Rev.  i.  20. 
 
190  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 which  exactly  resembles  the  words  under  consideration,  and 
 is  a  sure  guide  in  the  interpretation  of  them,  as  it  expressly 
 refers  to  that  ordinance,  in  the  room  of  which  the  Lord's 
 Supper  has  succeeded.  Moses  said  of  the  paschal  lamb,  "  It 
 is  the  Lord's  passover,"*  just  as  our  Saviour  said  of  the 
 bread,  "  This  is  my  body."  The  passover  was  the  act  of 
 God,  who  passed  over  the  houses  of  the  Israelites  ;  the  lamb 
 was  only  a  memorial  of  it,  and  was  so  understood  by  every 
 Israelite.  Now,  if  we  reflect  that  the  Jews  were  accustomed, 
 in  this  case,  to  call  the  sign  by  the  name  of  the  thing  signi- 
 fied, we  shall  perceive  that  the  disciples  were  in  no  danger  of 
 mistaking  their  Master's  meaning,  when  he  called  the  bread, 
 his  body  ;  that  they  must  have  instantly  understood  his  de- 
 sign, and  known  that  nothing  more  was  intended  than  to 
 constitute  the  bread  a  sign  or  memorial  of  his  body,  espe- 
 cially as  he  added,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  The 
 two  expressions  are  so  perfectly  alike,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
 put  any  sense  upon  the  one  which  may  not  be  put  upon  the 
 other ;  and  it  would  be  as  rational  to  infer  from  the  former, 
 that  the  paschal  lamb  was  God  himself  in  the  act  of  passing 
 over  the  houses  of  the  Israelites,  as  it  would  be  to  infer  from 
 the  latter,  that  the  bread  is  the  very  body  of  Christ,  which 
 was  born  of  the  virgin,  and  nailed  to  the  cross.  It  is  evident 
 that  the  disciples .  understood  him  simply  to  mean,  that  the 
 bread  was  a  sign  and  memorial  of  his  body,  from  the  circum- 
 stance that  they  expressed  no  surprise,  and  stated  no  objec- 
 tion, as  they  would  have  done  if  the  doctrine  of  transubstan- 
 tiation  had  occurred  to  them ;  and  as  the  Jews  did  on  another 
 occasion,  when  they  interpreted  literally  what  he  had  said 
 about  eating  his  flesh  and  drinking  his  blood.  "  The  Jews, 
 therefore,  strove  among  themselves,  saying,  How  can  this 
 man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?"  f  The  Jews  in  modern  times 
 retain  their  ancient  idiom,  and  say  that  a  thing  is,  when  it 
 only  signifies  or  represents.  At  the  celebration  of  the  pass- 
 over,  they  speak  thus  of  the  unleavened  cakes  which  they  use 
 on  that  occasion :  "  This  is  the  bread,"  that  is,  a  memorial 
 of  the  bread,  "  of  poverty  and  affliction,  which  our  fathers 
 did  eat  in  Egypt." 
 
 •  Exod.  xii.  11.  f  John  vi.  52. 
 
i  ORD'fl  I  1!)1 
 
 The  language  of  the  New  Testament,  in  other  pi 
 where  tin'  Lord's  Supper  ifl  mentioned,  is  so  far  from  favour- 
 ing the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  that  it  eXpreealy  over- 
 throws it.  It  is  synecdoehically  called  the  breaking  of  bread  ; 
 but  this  designation  would  be  improper  and  false  if  there 
 a  change  of  the  substance,  because  then  it  would  not  be 
 bread  which  wafl  broken,  but  the  true  body  of  Christ.  The 
 Apostle  Paul  calls  the  symbol  of  our  Saviour's  body,  bread, 
 not  only  before  but  also  after  consecration.  *  Papists  will 
 allow  that  it  is  properly  called  bread  before,  but  how  can  they 
 account  for  the  retaining  of  the  name  after  the  substance  of 
 bread  is  annihilated  ?  Would  they  allow  any  member  of  their 
 Church  to  call  the  consecrated  wafer,  bread  ?  I  presume  that 
 if  he  should  dare  to  speak  the  language  of  the  Apostle,  he 
 would  be  suspected  of  heresy,  and  compelled  by  threats  and 
 punishment  to  recant  :  and  hence  we  may  conclude,  that 
 Paul's  ideas  on  this  subject  were  very  different  from  those  of 
 the  Pope  and  his  priests.  He  has  explained  himself  in  an- 
 other place,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  satisfy  any  reasonable 
 man.  "  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  ble^s,  is  it  not  the 
 communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we 
 break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?"  f 
 The  manifest  import  of  these  words  is,  that  by  partaking  of 
 the  symbols  of  his  body  and  blood,  we  have  fellowship  with 
 him  in  his  atoning  sacrifice,  and  all  its  precious  fruits. 
 
 Papists  draw  an  argument  for  transubstantiation  from  the 
 words  of  our  Lord,  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  John,  where  he 
 speaks  of  himself  under  the  figure  of  bread  which  had  come 
 down  from  heaven,  and  then  adds,  "  The  bread  that  I  will 
 give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  t 
 "  When,  therefore,"  says  the  Catechism  of  Pius  the  Fifth, 
 "  in  so  plain  and  clear  words  he  called  his  flesh,  bread,  and 
 true  meat,  and  his  blood,  true  drink,  it  might  well  seem  suf- 
 ficient to  declare  that  there  remains  no  substance  of  bread 
 and  wine  in  the  sacrament."  ||  But  the  compilers  of  that 
 catechism,  and  all  Papists  who  make  use  of  this  argu- 
 ment, should  have  read  the  whole  discourse,  and  read   it   at* 
 
 •  1  Cor.  xi.  20—28.  +  lb.  x.  16.  *  John  vi.  51. 
 
 ||   Cat.  Concil.  Trident.  Pars  ii.  De  Euch.  Sacram.  §.  *1. 
 
192  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE : 
 
 tentively,  and  considered  the  occasion  on  which  it  was  deli- 
 vered ;  and  they  would  have  found  that  it  has  no  relation  to 
 the  Eucharist,  and  that,  instead  of  upholding,  it  overthrows 
 their  doctrine.  It  was  delivered  before  the  institution  of  the 
 Eucharist ;  and  to  suppose  that  he  spoke  of  it  by  anticipa- 
 tion, is  to  represent  him  as  speaking  unintelligibly  from  de- 
 sign, as  he  must  have  known  that  it  was  impossible  for  any 
 person  present  to  understand  him.  It  is  plain  that  he  spoke 
 of  the  benefits  which  were  to  result  to  the  human  race  from 
 his  death,  and  of  the  spiritual  participation  of  them  by  faith ; 
 for  he  says,  "  He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger, 
 and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst."  *  It  is  far- 
 ther evident,  that  the  Eucharist  is  not  the  subject  of  dis- 
 course, from  two  passages,  of  which  the  one  declares,  that 
 "  unless  we  eat  his  flesh,  and  drink  his  blood,  we  have  no 
 life  in  us ;"  and  the  other  says,  "  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and 
 drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him 
 up  at  the  last  day."  f  If  these  passages  refer  to  the  sacra- 
 ment of  the  Supper,  it  follows,  that  no  man  can  be  saved 
 unless  he  partake  of  it,  and  that  every  person  who  does  par- 
 take of  it,  shall  be  raised  to  immortal  life.  I  do  not  know 
 whether  Papists  will  admit  the  first  of  these  inferences,  but 
 the  last  they  will  reject ;  and  if  they  would  therefore  explain 
 Scripture,  not  by  detached  expressions,  but  according  to  its 
 connexion  and  harmony,  they  must  allow  that  our  Saviour 
 does  not  intend  the  sacramental  eating  of  his  flesh,  but  the 
 cordial  belief  of  his  doctrine,  which  is  frequently  represented 
 by  the  metaphors  of  eating  and  drinking.  The  Jews,  it  ap- 
 pears, understood  what  he  had  said  in  the  same  carnal  sense 
 which  the  Church  of  Rome  annexes  to  the  words  of  institu- 
 tion. Like  the  members  of  that  Church,  they  took  all 
 grossly  and  literally,  being  equally  incapable  as  they  of  ap- 
 prehending the  spiritual  meaning.  Misled  by  their  own 
 error,  they  were  astonished,  and  no  doubt  shocked ;  as  they 
 well  might  be  if  theirs  had  been  the  just  interpretation  of 
 his  words.  But  our  Lord  told  them  that  they  were  mistaken  ; 
 and,  as  if  with  a  view  to  reprove  such  of  his  professed  follow- 
 ers as  should  afterwards  dream  of  a  real  manducation  of  his 
 •  John  vi.  35.  f  l*>-  53,  54. 
 
193 
 
 body,  be  said,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  tli>li  pro- 
 fited]  nothing:    Ihe  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are 
 
 spirit,  and  they  arc  life."1  The  meaning  obviously  is,  thai 
 his  words,  which  had  given  >o  much  offence,  were  to  be  un- 
 derstood in  a  spiritual  sense  ;  that  he  did  not  speak  of  a  literal 
 eating  of  his  body  ;  and  that,  although  such  a  thing  had  been 
 practicable,  it  would  have  been  productive  of  no  salutary 
 effect.  Thus  he  overturns  the  whole  fabric  of  transubstantia- 
 tion,  so  far  as  it  is  founded  upon  this,  and  consequently  upon 
 any  other  passage ;  for  his  words  must  be  spiritually  under- 
 stood elsewhere  as  well  as  here,  the  reason  being  always  tin; 
 same.  As  the  supposed  change  of  the  elements  is  false,  so  it 
 i>  pronounced  by  him  to  be  useless.  "  The  flesh  profiteth 
 nothing." 
 
 It  is  sufficient  to  shew,  that  transubstantiation  receives  no 
 support  from  Scripture,  and  is  founded  on  such  a  perversion 
 of  its  language  as  can  be  accounted  for,  only  by  the  ignorance 
 and  superstition  of  the  age  when  this  monstrous  opinion  was 
 invented.  But  there  are  several  other  objections  against  this 
 doctrine,  which  fully  justify  the  Protestant  churches  in  re- 
 jecting it. 
 
 First,  It  destroys  the  nature  of  a  sacrament.  Two  things 
 are  necessary  to  a  sacrament,  a  sign  and  a  thing  signified,  an 
 object  presented  to  our  senses  and  some  promised  blessing 
 which  is  represented  and  sealed  by  it.  This  definition  is  ad- 
 mitted by  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  catechism  of  Pope 
 Pius  says,  that,  according  to  the  Latin  doctors,  sacraments 
 might  conveniently  be  called  "  sensible  signs,  which  work  or 
 effect  that  grace  which  at  the  same  time  they  signify ;"  and 
 it  adopts  the  definition  of  Augustine,  which  has  been  univer- 
 sally followed,  that  "  a  sacrament  is  a  visible  sign  of  a  holy 
 thing,"  or  "  a  visible  sign  of  an  invisible  grace."  f  Baptism 
 accords  with  this  definition,  for  water  represents  the  purifying 
 influences  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  sign  is  distinct  from  the  thing- 
 signified.  But  by  transubstantiation  the  sign  is  miraculously 
 taken  away,  and  the  thing  signified  is  put  in  its  place.  We 
 say  that  the  bread  is  a  sign  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  but  Papists 
 affirm  that  it  is  his  body  itself.      It   is    true    that  there  is  still 
 
 "   John  vi.  03.  -f    Pars  ii.  dc  Sacrum.  $.  3,  r>. 
 
 vol,  n .  n 
 
194  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 an  appearance  of  bread,  but  it  is  only  an  appearance  ;  and,  be- 
 sides that  it  would  be  strange  and  harsh  to  maintain,  that 
 a  fallacious  appearance  is  a  sign  given  by  God  himself  to  his 
 church,  it  would  be  absurd  to  make  a  thing  the  sign  of  itself. 
 But  this  Papists  do,  while  they  hold  that  there  is  nothing 
 real  before  us  but  the  very  body  of  Christ.  Thus  the  Lord's 
 Supper  is  no  sacrament  at  all.  The  symbols  are  annihilated, 
 and  the  substance  occupies  their  place. 
 
 Secondly,  Transubstantiation  implies  some  things  which 
 are  contrary  to  the  clearest  notions  of  all  mankind,  founded 
 upon  experience.  It  is  by  experience  that  we  come  to  know 
 what  are  the  properties  of  body.  Now  there  are  three  things 
 respecting  it,  about  which  no  doubt  was  ever  entertained 
 by  any  philosopher  who  was  possessed  of  common  sense. 
 The  first  is,  that  a  body  is  confined  to  a  particular  place.  It 
 has  figure,  and  is  bounded  by  lines  describing  the  portion  of 
 space  which  it  occupies.  It  may  be  transported  from  one 
 place  to  another  ;  but  it  appears  to  us  as  impossible  that  it 
 should  be  in  two  places  at  the  same  time,  in  Europe  and  in 
 America,  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  as  that  two  and  two  should 
 make  five.  The  second  thing  concerning  body,  of  which 
 reason  informs  us,  is,  that  it  is  extended.  It  consists  of  parts, 
 each  of  which  fills  a  certain  portion  of  space  ;  and  the  portion 
 is  greater  or  less,  according  to  the  aggregate  of  parts.  To 
 suppose  matter  to  exist  without  extension,  is  as  intelligible  as 
 to  suppose  it  to  exist  without  divisibility.  The  third  thing, 
 which  is  equally  evident  with  the  other  two,  is,  that  the  qua- 
 lities of  matter  are  dependent  upon  matter.  We  know  indeed 
 only  the  qualities  of  matter ;  but  we  necessarily  conclude  that 
 there  is  something  to  which  they  belong,  a  substratum  by 
 which  they  are  supported.  We  can  form  no  conception  of 
 whiteness,  if  there  is  nothing  white ;  of  roundness,  if  there  is 
 nothing  round ;  of  extension,  if  there  is  nothing  extended. 
 To  imagine  that  there  may  be  accidents  without  a  substance, 
 is  not  more  rational  than  to  imagine  that  there  may  be  thought 
 without  a  thinking  being,  and  would  lead  us  into  the  ideal 
 philosophy,  which  affirms  that  there  is  no  external  world,  and 
 that  the  objects  which  appear  to  be  without  us,  are  only  sensa- 
 tions or  perceptions  of  the  mind  excited  by  some  unknown  cause. 
 
Till.    I  OKI;"s    II   I'I'I.H.  |99 
 
 insubttantiatioo  u  at   variance  with  tkese  djotatei  ot 
 
 i.       i'ir-f.   It  Mippo.es  a  body  to  1  e,  at  the  same  time,  in 
 more  placet  than  one.      It  is  in   heaven   at    the  right  hand  of 
 
 God,  and  it  is  on  earth  on  the  altars  of  the  liomish  Church. 
 It  does  not  come  down  from  heaven  to  earth  ;  but  it  remains 
 in  heaven,  and  yet  is  upon  earth.  It  is  present,  not  in  one 
 place  on  earth  only,  but  in  a  thousand  places,  in  the  east  and 
 the  west,  the  north  and  the  south  ;  wherever  a  priest  has,  with 
 a  due  intention,  pronounced  the  words  of  institution.  It  is 
 not  present,  as  a  piece  of  matter  may  be,  by  being  divided 
 into  different  parts,  and  carried  hither  and  thither  ;  but  it  is 
 wholly  present  in  Rome,  wholly  present  in  Paris,  wholly 
 pretest  in  this  city,  wholly  present  wherever  mass  is  cele- 
 brated. I  may  add,  that  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  accord- 
 ing to  this  doctrine,  exists  at  the  same  moment  in  very  dirfer- 
 ent  states.  It  is  glorified  on  the  throne  of  heaven,  and  hum- 
 bled on  the  altar  ;  it  is  seen  and  adored  by  the  blessed  spirits 
 above,  and  concealed  from  men  under  the  species  of  the  ele- 
 ments. This  simple  statement  is  itself  sufficient  to  shew,  that 
 the  wildest  dream  of  a  madman  is  not  more  absurd  than  the 
 doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  Secondly,  It  supposes,  as  I 
 showed  when  giving  you  an  account  of  the  doctrine,  that 
 matter  may  subsist  without  extension.  The  body  and  blood 
 of  Christ  are  really  and  substantially  present  in  the  Eucharist; 
 but  they  occupy  no  portion  of  space.  It  would  have  been 
 natural  to  conclude,  that  when  the  elements  are  annihilated, 
 their  place  was  filled  up  with  that  into  which  they  are  chang- 
 ed ;  but  wonderful  as  this  would  have  been,  we  are  required 
 to  believe  something  still  more  extraordinary.  Here  is  the 
 mystery  of  mysteries  !  We  touch  the  bread,  and  feel  that  it 
 -olid  substance  ;  but  let  us  not  mistake.  It  is  not  bread  ; 
 it  is  not  flesh ;  what  is  it  ?  It  is  an  assemblage  of  accidents, 
 which  have  no  substance,  and  are  mere  appearances.  There 
 is  flesh indeed  present;  but  it  cannot  be  touched,  for  it  is  pre- 
 sent after  the  manner  of  a  spirit.  You  may  divide  this  bread, 
 or  this  flesh,  or  this  assemblage  of  accidents,  into  a  thousand 
 parts  ;  but  in  each  of  these  parts  the  w  hole  of  Christ  is  con- 
 tained. Now,  what  is  this  but  to  say,  that  there  i>  matter 
 which  is  not  matter  ;   that  is,    to  assert,  without  .    the 
 
19()  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 most  palpable  contradiction  ?  A  man  may  say  that  he  be- 
 lieves it ;  but  to  do  so  is  as  impossible  as  to  believe  that  a 
 thing  may  be  and  not  be  at  the  same  time.  Lastly,  The  doc- 
 trine supposes  that  the  properties  of  matter  may  be  separated 
 from  it,  and  may  subsist  by  themselves.  Our  senses  tell  us 
 that  the  consecrated  wafer  is  bread.  It  looks  like  bread,  it 
 tastes  like  bread,  it  smells  like  bread ;  but  still  it  is  not  bread, 
 but  both  flesh  and  blood,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  concomi- 
 tance, which  will  be  afterwards  explained.  What  is  more, 
 the  space  which  the  bread  originally  occupied  is  a  vacuum, 
 for  the  body  of  Christ  is  present  without  extension.  Here, 
 then,  we  have  extension  where  there  is  nothing  extended  ;  co- 
 lour where  there  is  nothing  coloured  ;  taste  and  smell  where 
 there  is  nothing  saporific  or  fragrant.  If  any  person  should 
 affirm  it  to  be  possible  that  a  man's  shape  and  features  might 
 continue  to  be  visible,  after  he  had  been  removed  out  of  sight, 
 even  Papists  would  pronounce  him  to  be  a  fool  or  a  madman  ; 
 but  they  are  unquestionably  subject  to  the  same  charge,  when 
 they  teach  that  all  the  properties  of  bread  may  remain  after 
 the  bread  itself  is  annihilated. 
 
 But  Papists  have  recourse  to  a  miracle,  and  tell  us,  that 
 although  these  things  respecting  matter  and  its  properties  are 
 true,  according  to  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  God  acts  in 
 this  case,  by  his  almighty  power,  in  an  extraordinary  manner. 
 We  acknowledge  that  his  power  is  infinite,  that  it  can  do 
 many  things  which  to  us  are  inconceivable,  that  it  is  able  to 
 accomplish  events  in  a  manner  different  from,  and  contrary  to, 
 the  course  of  nature.  But  observe,  that  it  is  one  thing  to  be 
 contrary  to  the  course  of  nature,  and  another  to  be  contrary 
 to  the  nature  of  things.  When  God  preserved  the  three 
 Jewish  confessors  in  a  furnace,  he  did  not  change  the  nature 
 of  fire,  or  make  it  cold,  but  merely  defended  their  bodies,  in 
 some  way  unknown  to  us,  from  its  influence.  When  he  made 
 a  piece  of  iron  swim  upon  water,  he  did  not  render  water 
 solid,  or  iron  light,  but  supported  it  by  his  power,  as  a  man 
 miarht  have  done  with  his  hand.  There  was  no  alteration  of 
 the  essence  and  qualities  of  the  substances  which  were  the 
 subjects  of  those  miracles,  but  a  suspension  of  the  laws  by 
 which  they  are  usually  governed.     The  pretended  miracle  of 
 
THI  LORD'S  81  ri'KK.  1  «J 7 
 
 transubstantiatioo  is  afa  totally  different  description.  It  soph 
 poses  a  complete  change  of  the  nature  of  tiling.  It  supposes 
 effects  to  be  produced  which  are  manifestly  impossible,  and 
 
 which  it  is  therefore  no  limitation  even   of  Divine   power  to 
 affirm  that  even   it  cannot   perform.      The   just  definition  of 
 almighty  power  is  that  it  can  do  every  thing  possible ;  things 
 impossible  are  not  the  objects  of  power,  any  more  than  things 
 which  do  not  exist  are  the  objects  of  sight.     Now,   it  is  con- 
 trary to  the   nature  of  body,  that   it  should  be  in  different 
 places  at   the  same  time  ;  for  it  necessarily  enters  into  the 
 idea  of  it,  that  it  occupies  a  particular  portion   of  space.     It 
 is  contrary  to  its  nature,  that  it  should  exist  after  the  manner 
 of  a  spirit,  or  without  filling  any  portion  of  space ;  for  exten- 
 sion is  as  essential  to  it  as  life  is  to  a  living  being.     It  is  con- 
 trary to  its  nature,  that  its  properties  should  remain  after  it  is 
 annihilated ;  for  its  properties  are  modifications  which  as  ne- 
 irily  exist  with   their  subject,  as   the  shadow  disappears 
 with  the  body  which  projected  it.      The  ubiquity  of  a  particu- 
 lar body,  its  want  of  extension,  and  the   continuance  of  its 
 qualities  after  its  destruction,  are  things  absolutely  impos- 
 sible ;  and  to  appeal  to  the  power  of  God,  serves  only  to 
 confound  the  minds  of  those  who  are  too  ignorant  or  too  indo- 
 lent to  examine   the  subject  with  accuracy.     These  things 
 even  the  power  of  God   cannot  do,  because  they  cannot  be 
 done.     They  imply  a  contradiction  ;  and  we  might  with  equal 
 reason  say,  that  although  two  and  two  are  four,  yet  divine  power 
 could  make  them  five.     To  every  mind  but  that  of  a  Papist, 
 the  contradiction  is  as  manifest  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other. 
 Thirdly,   Transubstantiation   contradicts   the  testimony  of 
 our  senses,  which  assure  us,  as  we  have  repeatedly  observed, 
 that  there  is  no  change  of  the  elements.      Our  senses  are  the 
 means  by  which  we  become   acquainted  with  external  things 
 and  their  properties  ;  and  as  we  are  instinctively  led  to  confide 
 in  their  evidence,  so  we  find  from  experience,  that  the  notices 
 which   they  give   us  are  true.     The   offices  which  they  per- 
 form are  of  the  most  important  nature.     They  are  not  only 
 our  guides  in   providing  for  the  welfare   of  our  bodies,  and 
 guarding  against  the  dangers  to  which  they  are  exposed ;  but 
 it  i*  by  them  that  we  perceive  the  proofs  of  the  existence  and 
 
198  THE  EXTERNAL  MEAN'S  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 perfections  of  God,  in  creation  and  providence  ;  and  to  them 
 were  addressed  the  proofs  of  the  supernatural  communications 
 which  he  has  made  to  us  concerning  his  gracious  purposes, 
 and  the  realities  of  the  invisible  world.  If  it  be  said,  that  our 
 senses  frequently  deceive  us,  we  acknowledge  the  fact,  but 
 deny  that  on  this  account  their  evidence  should  be  suspected. 
 They  deceive  us  when  they  are  in  a  diseased  state,  when 
 their  functions  are  carelessly  performed,  when  the  object  is  in 
 such  a  situation  as  not  to  be  fully  subjected  to  their  test ; 
 but,  in  other  circumstances,  their  testimony  is  infallible.  No 
 man  whose  eye  is  sound,  supposes  an  object  which  is  green 
 to  be  red,  or  mistakes  a  bush  for  an  animal,  when  it  is  near ; 
 no  man  in  health  calls  sugar  sour,  or  vinegar  sweet.  About 
 these  things  there  is  no  question,  except  among  sceptical  phi- 
 losophers, who  do  not  believe,  or  at  least  pretend  not  to  be- 
 lieve, the  evidence  of  their  senses,  while  they  rely  upon  it  as 
 implicitly  as  any  of  the  vulgar. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  subverts  the  evidence 
 of  our  senses.  We  see  bread  and  wine  in  the  Eucharist ;  we 
 smell  them,  and  we  taste  them  ;  and  yet  we  are  told  that 
 they  are  not  bread  and  wine,  but  a  collection  of  unsubstantial 
 accidents,  under  which  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are 
 concealed.  Here,  then,  is  one  case  in  which  our  senses  de- 
 ceive us,  and  how  can  we  depend  upon  their  testimony  in 
 any  other  case  ?  If  they  have  misled  us  once,  they  may  mis- 
 lead us  a  thousand  times.  Should  it  be  said  that  the  decep- 
 tion, for  such  we  must  call  it,  is  in  this  instance  effected  by 
 a  miracle,  it  may  be  asked,  How  are  we  certain  that  we  shall 
 not  be  imposed  upon  by  a  miracle  on  other  occasions  ?  How 
 shall  we  know  when  the  notices  of  our  senses  are  true,  and 
 when  they  are  fallacious  ?  If  God  had  told  us,  that  in  this 
 case  alone  he  would  impose  upon  our  senses,  but  in  all  others 
 would  leave  them  to  their  natural  operations,  we  might  have 
 been  satisfied.  But  he  has  told  us  no  such  thing,  and  con- 
 sequently we  are  reduced  to  the  greatest  perplexity.  We  can 
 never  be  absolutely  sure  that  objects  are  as  they  appear  to  us. 
 What  we  imagine  to  be  a  tree,  may  be  a  man  ;  what  we  sup- 
 pose to  be  earth,  may  be  water.  We  can  have  no  certainty 
 that  the  miracles  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  were  really  per- 
 
ini:  LORD'S  m  1'1'kk.  1<j«) 
 
 formed*  Those  who  are  said  to  have  witnessed  them,  may 
 have  been  the  subjects  of  illusion  :  and  it  would  not  have  been 
 more  wonderful  if  they  had  mistaken  common  occurrences  tor 
 supernatural  events,  than  it  is  that  every  time  when  the  holy 
 Supper  is  celebrated,  the  incarnate  Son  of  God  should  seem  to 
 he  a  piece  of  bread.  Transubstantiation  leads  to  downright 
 scepticism.  We  can  neither  believe  our  own  eyes  and  ears, 
 nor  give  credit  to  the  testimony  of  others.  But  a  doc- 
 trine which  leads  to  scepticism  must  be  false.  A  doctrine 
 cannot  be  true  which  contradicts  the  evidence  of  sense,  any 
 more  than  a  doctrine  which  contradicts  the  dictates  of  reason. 
 Both  are  from  God,  as  well  as  revelation ;  by  both  God 
 speaks  to  us  ;  and  what  is  contrary  to  their  testimony  in  their 
 proper  sphere,  cannot  proceed  from  Him  who  is  never  at 
 variance  with  himself. 
 
 For  this  imposition  upon  our  senses,  the  Church  of  Home 
 accounts  in  the  following  manner  :  "  Since  it  is  the  most  hor- 
 rid thing  in  the  world  to  the  nature  of  men,"  says  the  cate- 
 chism of  the  council  of  Trent,  "to  be  fed  with  man's  flesh,  or 
 to  drink  his  blood,  God  has  most  wisely  ordered,  that  his 
 most  holy  body  and  blood  should  be  administered  to  us  under 
 the  species  of  those  things,  bread  and  wine,  by  whose  common 
 and  daily  use  and  nourishment  we  are  mostly  delighted.  And 
 there  are  adjoined  these  two  conveniences,  whereof  the 
 first  is,  that  we  are  freed  from  the  reproach  of  infidels,  which 
 we  could  not  easily  have  avoided,  if  we  should  be  seen  to  eat 
 our  Lord  under  his  own  species.  The  other  is,  that  while 
 we  thus  take  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  in  such  a  man- 
 ner, that  notwithstanding  what  is  truly  done  cannot  be  per- 
 ceived by  the  senses,  this  avails  very  much  to  increase  faith  in 
 our  souls."  '  The  amount  of  this  reasoning  is,  that  transub- 
 stantiation is  a  miracle  which  God  has  found  it  expedient  to  con- 
 ceal, lest  Christians  should  be  disgusted,  and  infidels  should 
 laugh ;  although  it  is  not  easy  to  see  how  its  concealment  can 
 hinder  the  ridicule  of  infidels,  as  they  are  solemnly  assured  by 
 the  infallible  church,  that  this  shocking  transmutation  does 
 actually  take  place,  and  that  flesh  and  blood  are  really  swal- 
 lowed under  a  different  form. 
 
 •   Pars  ii.  de  Euch.  Sac.  jj.  40. 
 
200  THE  EXTERNAL  if E A  .  1JACE: 
 
 It  was  impossible  that  a  doctrine  so  contrary  to  Scripture, 
 to  reason,  and  to  our  senses,  should  have  been  adopted  but  by 
 slow  degrees,  and  in  an  age  of  gross  ignorance  and  supersti- 
 tion. It  is  astonishing  that  it  should  be  retained  amidst  the 
 increase  of  knowledge  which  distinguishes  modern  times,  and 
 after  its  impiety  and  absurdity  have  been  so  successfully  ex- 
 posed ;  and  that  not  only  should  it  obtain  credit  among  the 
 vulgar  of  the  church  of  Rome,  but  men  of  genius  and  learning 
 should  be  implicit  believers  of  it.  Where  can  we  find  a 
 stronger  proof  of  the  power  of  prejudice  in  blinding  the  mind, 
 than  when  we  observe  such  a  man  as  Pascal,  not  to  mention 
 many  others,  adopting  and  defending  an  opinion,  the  absur- 
 dity of  which  he  would,  in  different  circumstances,  have  been 
 the  first  to  perceive,  and  to  expose  with  unrivalled  eloquence. 
 "  We  should  go  out  of  the  state,  in  which  we  are,"  he  says  in 
 his  Lettres  Provinciales,  *  "  which  is  a  state  of  faith,  and  is  op- 
 posed by  Paul  as  much  to  the  law  as  to  clear  vision,  if  we  pos- 
 sessed only  the  figures  without  Jesus  Christ,  because  it  is  the 
 property  of  the  law  to  have  only  the  shadow,  and  not  the  sub- 
 stance of  things  ;  and  we  should  go  out  of  it  also,  if  we  pos- 
 sessed him  visibly,  because  faith,  as  the  same  Apostle  says,  is 
 not  of  things  which  are  seen.  Thus  the  Eucharist  is  perfect- 
 ly proportioned  to  our  state  of  faith,  because  it  truly  includes 
 Jesus  Christ,  but  under  a  veil ;  so  that  this  state  would  be  de- 
 stroyed, if  Jesus  Christ  were  not  really  under  the  species  of 
 bread  and  wine,  as  heretics  pretend  ;  and  it  would  be  also  de- 
 stroyed, if  we  received  him  openly  as  in  heaven,  since  this 
 would  confound  our  state  with  the  state  of  the  Jews,  or  with 
 that  of  glory.  This  is  the  reason  of  this  divine  mystery.  This 
 makes  us  abhor  the  Calvinists  as  reducing  us  to  the  condition 
 of  the  Jews,  and  aspire  to  the  glory  of  the  blessed,  which  will 
 give  us  the  full  and  eternal  enjoyment  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 Hence  we  see  that  there  are  many  differences  between  the 
 manner  in  which  he  is  communicated  to  Christians  and  to  the 
 blessed,  and  that  among  others,  he  is  received  here  by  the 
 mouth,  and  not  so  in  heaven  ;  but  that  all  the  differences  de- 
 pend solely  upon  the  difference  between  the  state   of  faith 
 
 *  Let.  xvi. 
 
iin.  lord's  supper.  201 
 
 in    which  wt  arc,    and  the  state  of  clear  vision    in  which  the) 
 are." 
 
 Whatever  ingenuity  may  be  displayed  in  this  passage,  it  is 
 liable  to  this  objection,  that  it  assumes  the  doctrine  of  transub- 
 
 Mantiation  to  be  true,  and  then  proceeds  to  prove  its  truth  by 
 a  mistaken  view  of  its  adaptation  to  the  present  condition  of 
 the  church.  The  argument  entirely  fails.  The  difference 
 between  us  and  the  Jews  does  not  consist  in  our  having  Christ 
 really  and  corporeally  under  a  veil,  while  they  had  the  figure 
 without  tlie  substance;  but  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  types  in 
 the  incarnation  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  by  which  the  full  en- 
 joyment of  all  spiritual  blessings  has  been  obtained.  The 
 superior  excellence  of  the  Christian  dispensation  does  not 
 arise  from  the  bodily  presence  of  the  Saviour,  but  from  the 
 clear  revelation  of  him  in  the  gospel,  and  the  abundant  com- 
 munication of  grace,  in  consequenee  of  his  ascension  into  hea- 
 ven. Any  person  who  reads  the  Scriptures  without  preju- 
 dice Mill  perceive,  that  these  are  expressly  mentioned  as  the 
 privileges  of  the  present  church,  while  there  is  not  a  single 
 hint  concerning  such  a  presence  of  Christ  as  Papists  imagine. 
 When  the  Apostle  Paul  represents  him  as  a  High  Priest  of 
 good  things  to  come,  or  in  whom  the  figures  of  the  law  have 
 been  realized,  he,  at  the  same  time,  describes  him  as  a  High 
 Priest  who  has  passed  into  the  heavens.  It  is  equally  a 
 mistake  to  suppose  the  difference  between  the  militant  and  the 
 triumphant  church  to  be,  that  although  both  are  favoured  with 
 his  bodily  presence,  he  is  veiled  from  the  saints  on  earth,  but 
 manifested  to  the  saints  in  heaven.  This  statement  is  directly 
 opposed  to  that  of  Paul,  who  expressly  affirms  this  to  be  the 
 difference,  that  on  earth  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord,  and  in 
 heaven  we  shall  be  present  with  him.  "  Knowing  that, 
 whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the 
 Lord  ;  we  are  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and 
 to  be  present  with  the  Lord."  *  This  single  passage  over- 
 throws the  idea,  that  in  the  Eucharist  he  is  present  with  us, 
 but  under  a  veil. 
 
 Transubstantiation  is  not  only  contrary  to   Scripture,  and 
 reason,  and  common  sense,  but  it  leads  and  has  led  to  other 
 •  a  C«r.  v.  C,  8. 
 
202  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 dangerous  errors.  A  view  of  these  will  tend  more  fully  to 
 expose  the  doctrine,  and  to  shew  that  it  is  not  a  harmless  ab- 
 surdity. It  has  polluted  the  Church  of  Rome  with  idolatry, 
 obscured  the  glory  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  given  rise  to 
 the  audacious  mutilation  of  the  sacred  institution  of  the  Sup- 
 per. These  consequences  will  be  considered  in  the  next 
 lecture. 
 
LECTURE  XCI. 
 
 ON  THE 
 
 SACRAMENT  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 ERRORS  CONSEQUENT  ON  TRANSUBSTANTIATION  ;  IDOLATRY  ;  SACRIFICE  Or 
 THE   MASS  ;    3IUTILATION  OF    THE  SACRAMENT. — LUTHERAN     DOCTRINE 
 
 OFCONSUHSTANTIATION. OHJECTIONS  TO  IT. DOCTRINE  OF  ZUINQLIUS 
 
 RESPECTING  THIS  RITE,  AND  OF  CALVIN. 
 
 Transubstantiation  is  not  a  speculative  opinion,  which,  al- 
 though erroneous  in  itself,  leads  to  no  practical  consequences 
 of  an  objectionable  nature.  While  there  is  sufficient  reason 
 to  reject  it  for  its  contrariety  to  Scripture,  and  reason,  and 
 common  sense,  it  will  appear  worthy  of  reprobation  to  every 
 person  who  considers  the  other  dangerous  errors  to  which  it 
 has  given  rise. 
 
 The  first  which  I  shall  point  out  to  you,  is  the  idolatry 
 which  is  founded  on  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  When 
 the  priest  has  changed  the  bread  into  the  body  of  Christ,  by 
 pronouncing  the  words,  "  Hoc  est  corpus  meum"  he  adores  it 
 with  bended  knee,  and  rising,  elevates  it,  that  it  may  be  seen 
 and  adored  by  the  people.  The  same  forms  are  observed 
 after  he  has  consecrated  the  wine.  Such  is  the  order  of  pro- 
 cedure in  the  Roman  missal ;  and  it  is  founded  upon  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  church  as  declared  by  the  Council  of  Trent. 
 "  There  is  no  room  for  doubt,  that  all  believers  in  Christ,  ac- 
 cording to  the  custom  always  received  in  the  catholic  church, 
 
204  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 should  offer  to  this  most  holy  sacrament  the  worship  of  Latria, 
 which  is  due  to  the  true  God,  for  it  is  not  to  be  the  less 
 adored,  because  it  was  instituted  by  Christ  our  Lord  to  be 
 taken.  For  we  believe  that  the  same  God  is  present  in  it, 
 whom  the  eternal  Father,  introducing  into  the  world,  says, 
 "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him."  This  declaration 
 is  supported  by  the  following  canon.  "  If  any  man  shall 
 say,  that  in  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  Christ,  the 
 only  begotten  Son  of  God,  is  not  to  be  adored,  even  with  the 
 external  worship  of  Latria  ;  and  therefore  that  it  is  not  to  be 
 venerated  by  a  peculiar  festival,  nor  carried  about  in  proces- 
 sions, according  to  the  laudable  rite  and  custom  of  the  univer- 
 sal church,  nor  to  be  publicly  exhibited  to  the  people  that  it 
 may  be  adored,  and  that  those  who  worship  it  are  idolaters ; 
 let  him  be  accursed."  * 
 
 Notwithstanding  this  dreadful  denunciation,  we  do  not 
 hesitate  to  affirm  that  the  worship  of  the  elements  is  idolatry. 
 One  argument  might  suffice  to  establish  this  charge,  namely, 
 that  we  have  proved  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  transub- 
 stantiation,  to  the  satisfaction  of  every  person  whom  God  has 
 not  given  up  to  strong  delusion  to  believe  a  lie.  If  our  former 
 reasonings  are  conclusive,  the  elements  are  simple  bread  and 
 wine ;  and  those  who  worship  them  are  as  gross  idolaters  as 
 the  heathens,  who  adored  a  naked  sword  or  a  shapeless  stone. 
 It  may  be  thought  that,  although  Christ  should  not  be  pre- 
 sent in  the  elements,  yet,  as  they  suppose  him  to  be  present, 
 and  direct  their  worship  to  him,  their  mistake  will  excuse 
 them.  But  it  is  not  our  intention,  it  is  the  law  of  God  which 
 is  the  rule  of  our  conduct ;  and  to  suppose  our  intention  to  be 
 a  valid  apology  for  our  transgression  of  it,  is  to  set  aside  the 
 authority  of  the  law,  and  make  man  a  law  to  himself.  In  no 
 part  of  Scripture  are  we  commanded  to  worship  the  elements  ; 
 nor  are  we  commanded  to  worship  God  in  every  thing,  or  in 
 any  thing  in  which  he  is  present.  We  are  to  worship  himself, 
 but  not  the  objects  around  us,  under  the  pretext  that  we  wor- 
 ship God  himself,  who  is  in  them.  It  may  be  said  that  there 
 is  a  difference  in  the  present  case,  because  what  we  see  is 
 Christ  himself  in  his  body,  and  blood,  and  Divinity.     But, 
 
 *  Sessio  xiii.  de  Euch.  cap.  v.  et  can.  6. 
 
im:  LORD'S  SUPPBR.  '2^') 
 
 Ranting  that  it  is  Christ,  we  may  still  question  whether,  a> 
 
 he  docs  not  manifest  himself  to  us,  We  arc  authorized  to  wor- 
 ship him  here,  any  more  than  in  the  sun,  in  which  we  are 
 
 certain  that  his  Divinity,  the  proper  object  of  worship,  is  as 
 truly  present  as  in  the  sacrament.  Besides,  the  Church  of 
 Rome  commands  us  to  worship  the  "  sacrament,"  which  un- 
 doubtedly signifies  not  only  Christ  corporeally  present,  but 
 the  species  which  remain.  Now,  if  the  accidents  can  subsist 
 by  themselves,  as  they  suppose  that  they  do,  they  are  created 
 things,  however  shadowy  ;  and  he,  therefore,  who  adores  the 
 whole  sacrament,  worships  them  together  with  Christ,  or  the 
 creature  together  with  the  Creator  ;  the  veil,  as  well  as  the 
 thing  veiled ;  the  dress,  as  wTell  as  the  person  who  wTears  it ; 
 and  how  can  he  escape  the  charge  of  idolatry  ?  Although  the 
 doctrine  of  transuhstantiation  were  true,  no  Papist  can  be 
 certain  that  Christ  is  in  the  sacrament ;  and  consequently, 
 upon  his  own  principles,  he  may  be  guilty  of  idolatry  every 
 time  that  he  partakes  of  it.  If  the  intention  of  the  priest  is 
 wanting,  the  elements  remain  simple  bread  and  wine.  But 
 this  is  not  the  only  ground  of  apprehension.  "  If  the  bread 
 is  not  of  wheat,"  says  the  Roman  missal,  "  or  if,  being  of 
 wheat,  it  is  mixed  with  grain  of  another  kind,  in  such  quan- 
 tity that  it  is  not  wheaten  bread,  or  is  otherwise  corrupted, 
 the  sacrament  is  not  effected.  If  it  is  made  of  rose  water,  or 
 of  any  other  distillation,  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  is  effected." 
 Again,  "  If  the  wine  is  turned  into  vinegar,  or  is  wholly 
 putrid,  or  is  made  of  sour  or  unripe  grapes,  or  is  mixed  with 
 so  much  water  that  the  wine  is  corrupted,  the  sacrament  is 
 not  effected."  Once  more,  "  If  any  man  shall  diminish,  or 
 change  any  thing  in  the  form  of  consecration,  and  by  the 
 change  of  the  words,  the  words  have  not  the  same  significa- 
 tion, the  sacrament  will  not  be  effected."*  This  mighty 
 miracle,  it  seems,  depends  upon  many  pre-requisites,  the 
 omission  of  wrhich  will  completely  prevent  it.  Here,  as  in 
 the  incantation  of  magic,  unless  the  ipsissima  verba  are  re- 
 peated, the  expected  effect  will  not  follow.  It  appears,  too, 
 that  there  are  some  substances  which  cannot  be  converted  into 
 the  body  and  blood  of  our  Saviour,  as,  sour  wine,  and  bread 
 
 •  De  Defect,  circa  Missam  occurrcn(ibus;  iii,  IT,  ct  v. 
 
206  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 made  of  barley  or  oats  ;  but  how  they  happen  to  be  so  stub- 
 born as  to  retain  their  nature,  in  spite  of  all  the  power  of  the 
 priest,  we  must  leave  to  the  abettors  of  this  mystery  to  explain. 
 It  is  evident  that,  according  to  their  own  ideas,  they  are  in 
 constant  danger  of  idolatry.  It  is  their  concern  to  extricate 
 themselves  as  they  can. 
 
 The  second  error  founded  on  transubstantiation,  is  the 
 notion  that  the  Eucharist  is  a  true  and  proper  sacrifice  for  the 
 sins  of  the  living  and  the  dead,  or  the  souls  in  purgatory  ; 
 Christ,  who  is  corporeally  present,  is  not  only  given  to  the 
 communicants,  but  is  offered  to  God  as  a  propitiation  for 
 them.  The  Council  of  Trent  expressly  affirms  that  this 
 sacrament  is  a  sacrifice  by  which  God  is  appeased,  and  that 
 its  benefit  extends  not  only  to  men  upon  earth,  but  to  the 
 departed  saints  who  are  not  yet  fully  purified ;  and,  in  the 
 usual  manner,  anathematizes  every  man  who  shall  dare  to 
 controvert  its  decision.  "  If  any  man  shall  say  that,  in  the 
 mass,  a  true  and  proper  sacrifice  is  not  offered  to  God ;"  or 
 shall  say,  "  that  in  these  words,  '  This  do  in  remembrance 
 of  me,'  Christ  did  not  constitute  the  Apostles  priests,  or  did 
 not  ordain  that  they  and  other  priests  should  offer  his  body 
 and  blood  ;"  or  shall  say,  "  that  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is 
 only  a  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  or  a  naked  com- 
 memoration of  the  sacrifice  made  upon  the  cross,  but  not 
 propitiatory:  let  him  be  accursed."*  The  subject  is  farther 
 explained  in  the  catechism  which  was  published  by  order  of 
 the  Council.  "  The  Eucharist  was  instituted,  that  the  church 
 might  have  a  perpetual  sacrifice,  whereby  our  sins  might  be 
 expiated,  and  our  heavenly  Father,  who  has  oftentimes  been 
 grievously  offended  by  our  wickedness,  might  be  turned  from 
 his  anger  to  mercy,  and  from  the  severity  of  his  just  revenge 
 to  pity.  We  may  observe  the  figure  and  resemblance  of  this 
 thing  in  the  paschal  lamb,  which  was  used  to  be  offered  as  a 
 sacrifice,  and  eaten  as  a  sacrament  by  the  children  of  Israel."  f 
 
 The  great  argument  for  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  is  apos- 
 tolical tradition,  by  which  they  mean  any  thing  which  was 
 said  or  done  by  some  dreaming   dotard  or  superstitious   fool 
 
 *  Sess.  xxii.  de  Sacrif.  Missae,  can.  1,  2,  &  3. 
 t  Pars  ii.  de  Euch.  Sac  §.  75. 
 
i  111.  LORD'fl  II  PPBS.  '2(17 
 
 in  remote  Iges,  and  which  other  dotards  and  fook  were  plffiMPJ 
 to  admire,   and  to  retain  as  wise  and  good.      But  as,  notwith- 
 standing the  high  authority  which  they  ascribe   to   tradition, 
 they  are  well  pleased  when   they  can    rind  any  appearance  of 
 support   from   Seripture,  they  have  drawn   from  it  some  new 
 argument*  to  confirm  the  faithful,  and   to  confound  heretics. 
 Melehizedek  brought  forth  bread  and  wine  to  Abraham,  when 
 he  was  returning  from  the  slaughter  of  the  kings.     This  is  a 
 very  simple  fact,  which,  it  might  be  supposed,  has  no  rela- 
 tion  to    the  subject   before  us ;  but,  if  we  lack   ingenuity, 
 Papists   have  it  in  perfection,  and  have  discovered  in  this 
 transaction  the  whole  mystery  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Eucha- 
 rist.*    How  they  know,  we  cannot  tell ;   but  Melehizedek, 
 it  seems,  offered  the  bread  and  wine  to  God,  before  he  pre- 
 sented them  to  Abraham.     Now,    Melehizedek  was  a  priest, 
 and  Christ  is  a  priest  after  his  order ;  and  therefore  he  must 
 have   instituted   an  unbloody  sacrifice,  under  the  species  of 
 bread  and  wine.     Some  of  us,  perhaps,  do  not  perceive  the 
 connexion  between  the  premises  and  the  conclusion ;  but  this 
 is  owing  to  our  blindness.     If  we  had  lured  in  the  days  of  the 
 power  and  triumph   of  antichrist,  the  inquisition  would  have 
 opened  our  eyes.     To  be  serious,  it  is  plain,  beyond  all  rea- 
 sonable dispute,  that,  although  Melehizedek  was  a  priest,  and 
 in  this  character  blessed  Abraham,  his  giving  him  bread  and 
 
 wine  was  a  mere  act  of  hospitality Again,  it  is  said,  in  the 
 
 prophecies  of  Malachi,  "  From  the  rising  of  the  sun,  even 
 unto  the  going  down  of  the  same,  my  name  shall  be  great 
 among  the  Gentiles;  and  in  every  place  incense  shall  be 
 offered  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  offering." f  Now,  what 
 can  this  pure  offering  be  but  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  which 
 is  presented  to  God  on  a  thousand  altars,  in  the  east  and  in 
 the  west  ?  But,  if  these  blundering  interpreters,  who  seem 
 totally  incapable  of  distinguishing  when  a  passage  should  be 
 understood  literally,  and  when  figuratively,  would  adhere 
 uniformly  to  their  plan,  they  would  maintain  that  the 
 whole  Mosaic  ritual  should  be  revived ;  for  the  worship  of 
 the  Gentiles  in  the  times  of  the  gospel,  is  described  in 
 language  borrowed  from  it,  and  they  are  represented  as 
 •  Cat.  Trid.  Pars  ii.  de  Euch.  Sac.  §.  80.  f  Mai.  i.  1 1. 
 
208  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  1 
 
 bringing  their  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  to  the  sanctu- 
 ary.* If,  in  such  passages,  the  literal  sense  is  rejected  by  all, 
 what  reason  can  be  given  for  retaining  it  on  this  occasion  ? 
 Why  should  we  suppose  that  the  "  pure  offering"  of  Malachi 
 is  a  real  sacrifice  any  more  than  the  "  burnt-offerings"  of 
 Isaiah  ?  Why  should  we  not  admit  that,  in  the  one  case  as 
 well  as  in  the  other,  there  is  only  a  metaphorical  application 
 of  the  religious  terms  of  the  Old  Testament  to  the  New,  and 
 that  the  peace-offering  and  the  incense  are  the  holy  sacrifices 
 of  prayer  and  praise  ?  This  is  beyond  all  question  the  mean- 
 ing ;  and  the  Church  of  Rome  is  driven  to  the  most  wretched 
 shifts,  when  it  seeks  support  from  a  solitary  passage,  which 
 the  laws  of  sound  criticism  require  to  be  explained  in  con- 
 formity to  other  similar  passages. — A  third  argument  is  found- 
 ed on  the  declaration,  that  Christ  is  "  a  priest  for  ever ;"  f 
 which  they  cannot  conceive  to  be  true,  unless  he  continue  to 
 offer  sacrifice  for  sin.  And  here  they  give  a  curious  account 
 of  the  mass,  making  it,  although  we  should  naturally  sup- 
 pose it  to  be  a  new  sacrifice,  in  fact  the  very  sacrifice  which 
 was  offered  upon  the  cross ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  that,  while 
 they  say  that  this  sacrifice  is  offered  by  their  priests,  they  may 
 not  seem  to  destroy  the  perpetuity  of  his  priesthood  by  giv- 
 ing him  successors  in  office,  they  identify  the  priests  of  the 
 Romish  Church  with  the  High  Priest  of  our  profession. 
 "  We  acknowledge  it  to  be,  and  it  ought  to  be  accounted, 
 but  one  and  the  same  sacrifice,  which  is  done  in  the  mass,  and 
 was  offered  on  the  cross."  "  There  is  one  and  the  same  priest, 
 Christ  the  Lord  :  for  the  ministers  who  make  this  sacrifice, 
 sustain  not  their  own  but  the  person  of  Christ,  when  they  con- 
 secrate his  body  and  blood,  as  is  evident  from  the  words  of  con- 
 secration ;  for  the  priest  says  not,  '  This  is  Christ's  body,'  but, 
 '  This  is  my  body :'  bearing  the  person  of  Christ  our  Lord, 
 he  changes  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  true 
 substance  of  his  body  and  blood."?  But  this  is  a  mere  shift ; 
 for,  as  the  ministers  of  antichrist  are  supposed  to  be  real 
 priests,  and  to  offer  a  real  sacrifice,  although  they  represent 
 Christ,  and  act  in  his  name,  they  are  unquestionably  as  much 
 distinct  priests  as  were  the  successors  of  Aaron  ;  and  if  it 
 *  Is.  lvi.  7-      t  Heb-  vii.  21.      £  Cat.  Trid.  Pais  ii.  De  Euch.  Sac.  §.81,  82. 
 
i  ill    l  ORD  B  SUP!  209 
 
 should  be  said  dial  there  i^  only  one  priesthood,  namely,  that 
 
 of  Christ,  which  they  as  his  ministers  exercise,  the  same 
 thing  might  be  said  of  the  Levitical  priesthood,  which  was 
 one,  although  its  functions  were  performed  by  many  individuals. 
 According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  Christ  has 
 successors  in  office,  and  therefore  is  not  a  Priest  for  ever,  in 
 the  sense  of  the  Scriptures,  which  compare  him  to  Melchise- 
 dee,  because  no  person  comes  after  him.  Thus  the  argu- 
 ment which  they  advance  to  support  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass, 
 condemns  ir,  since  the  priesthood  of  Christ  is  not  perpetual 
 if  its  functions  are  committed  to  other  hands. 
 
 It  is  an  astonishing  blunder  to  suppose  that  the  perpetuity 
 of  his  priesthood  requires  the  uninterrupted  repetition  of  his 
 sacrifice.  Is  sacrificing  the  only  duty  of  a  priest  ?  Is  not 
 intercession  an  essential  part  of  his  office  ?  And  if  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  offered  a  sacrifice  once,  which  fully  accomplished 
 its  design  by  appeasing  Divine  justice,  and  obtaining  eternal 
 redemption,  and  has  gone  into  the  celestial  sanctuary  to  in- 
 de  for  his  people  upon  earth,  is  it  not  true  that  he  is 
 made  a  priest  "  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life  ?"  *  Why 
 should  his  sacrifice  be  repeated  ?  Was  there  any  defect  in 
 the  first  oblation,  which  is  supplied  by  the  ministrations  of 
 the  priests  of  Rome  ?  The  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  derogatory 
 to  our  Saviour  in  the  character  of  our  High  Priest,  and  is 
 directly  opposed  to  the  reasoning  of  Paul  on  this  subject,  in 
 the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  His  manifest  design  is  to  de- 
 monstrate the  superiority  of  Christ  to  the  priests  of  the  law 
 in  every  respect,  and  particularly  in  this,  that  they  offered 
 many  sacrifices,  but  he  offered  only  one,  which  does  not  need 
 to  be  repeated  :  "  He  offered  himself  once."  "  By  one  offer- 
 ing he  has  for  ever  perfected  them  that  are  sanctified ;"  and 
 "  having,  by  himself,  purged  our  sins,  he  sat  down  on  the 
 right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."  f 
 
 The  third  error  arising  from  transubstantiation,  is  the  muti- 
 lation of  the  sacrament,  by  the  withholding  of  the  cup  from 
 the  laity.  Hear  the  Council  of  Trent  !  "  The  holy  synod, 
 taught  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and 
 understanding,  the  Spirit  of  counsel  and  piety,  and  following 
 *  Heb.  vii.  1G.  +  Heb.  vii.  29.    x.  14.    i.  3. 
 
 VOL.  IV.  O 
 
210  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 the  judgment  and  practice  of  the  church,  declares  and  teaches, 
 that  the  laity,  and  the  clergy  when  not  officiating,  are  not 
 bound,  by  any  Divine  precept,  to  receive  the  sacrament  of 
 the  Eucharist  under  both  kinds."  It  goes  on  to  state,  that 
 the  church  has  authority  to  make  such  changes  in  the  dispen- 
 sation of  the  sacraments  as  shall  be  found  expedient.  "  Where- 
 fore," it  is  added,  "  the  holy  mother,  the  church,  acknow- 
 ledging this  her  authority  in  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
 ments, although,  from  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  religion, 
 the  use  of  both  kinds  was  not  unfrequent,  being  induced  by 
 weighty  and  just  causes,  in  consequence  of  the  extensive 
 change  of  practice  in  the  progress  of  time,  has  approved  this 
 practice  of  communicating  under  one  kind,  and  decreed  that 
 it  should  be  a  law  :"  "  And  farther  declares,  that,  although 
 our  Redeemer,  in  the  last  supper,  instituted  this  sacrament  in 
 two  kinds,  and  so  delivered  it  to  the  Apostles,  yet  under  one 
 kind  only,  whole  and  entire  Christ,  and  the  true  sacrament, 
 are  taken  ;  and  that,  therefore,  those  who  receive  only  one 
 kind,  are  deprived  of  no  grace  necessary  to  salvation."  '  It 
 is  worthy  of  particular  attention,  that  the  Council  does  not 
 plead,  on  this  occasion,  either  Scripture  or  apostolical  tradi- 
 tion ;  that  it  acknowledges  both  kinds,  the  bread  and  the 
 wine,  to  have  been  instituted  by  Christ,  and  the  ordinance  to 
 have  been  thus  celebrated  in  the  primitive  times ;  and  yet, 
 that  it  has  the  effrontery  to  declare,  that  one  kind  constitutes 
 a  perfect  sacrament,  and  that  thus  only  it  should  be  observed. 
 In  all  the  proceedings  of  the  apostate  church,  there  is  not  an 
 instance  of  more  undisguised  and  avowed  opposition  to  the 
 authority  of  Christ.  It  might  have  gone  on  with  no  greater 
 impiety  to  abolish  baptism,  or  the  Sabbath,  or  any  other  ordi- 
 nance. Yet,  without  pretending  any  authority  but  that  of 
 "  the  church,"  the  holy  synod,  as  it  calls  itself,  pronounces 
 a  curse  upon  every  man  who  shall  affirm,  that,  by  the  com- 
 mand of  God,  both  kinds  should  be  received ;  that  the  Holy 
 Catholic  Church  has  not  sufficient  reasons  for  denying  the 
 cup  to  the  laity ;  and  that  whole  and  entire  Christ  is  not  re- 
 ceived under  the  species  of  bread  alone,  f 
 
 You  will  be  curious  to  know  what  are  the  weighty  reasons 
 *  Sessio  xxi.  de  Com*  sub  utraq.  spec.  cap.  1,  2,  3.         -f-  lb.  can.  1,  2,  3. 
 
i  m;  lord's  SUPPBR.  '21  1 
 
 i»\  wfii.ii  the  church  has  been  induced  to  make  thii  c  -^t'nt inl 
 change  in  ihe  original  institution.  Vou  shall  hear  them. 
 "  First,  Greal  care  was  to  be  taken  lest  the  blood  of  our  Lord 
 should  be  spilt  upon  the  ground,  and  this  did  not  seem 
 to  be  avoided  if  it  should  be  administered  among  a  great  mul- 
 titude of  people.  Secondly,  Since  the  sacred  Eucharist  ought 
 to  be  in  readiness  for  the  >ick,  it  was  much  to  be  feared  that, 
 if  the  specie-  of  wine  were  to  be  kept  somewhat  longer,  it 
 might  become  sour."  The  catechism  of  Pope  Pius,  from 
 which  these  reasons  are  extracted,  does  not  tell  us  what  would 
 be  the  consequence ;  but  as,  if  the  wine  is  sour  at  first,  it  is 
 not  changed  into  the  blood  of  Christ  by  the  words  of  conse- 
 cration, the  danger  to  be  apprehended  probably  is,  that,  it 
 the  species,  that  is,  the  accidents,  should  become  sour,  the 
 blood  wrould  be  turned  again  into  wine.  "  Thirdly,  There 
 are  very  many  who  can  by  no  means  endure  the  taste,  nor  so 
 much,  indeed,  as  the  very  smell  of  wine.  Fourthly,  Where- 
 fore, lest  that  which  was  given  for  the  sake  of  spiritual  health 
 might  hurt  the  health  of  the  body,  it  was  very  wisely  estab- 
 lished by  the  church  that  the  faithful  should  receive  only  the 
 species  of  bread.  Fifthly,  This  may  be  added  to  the  other 
 reasons,  that  in  very  many  countries  they  have  a  very  great 
 scarcity  of  wine,  nor  can  they  procure  it  from  other  places 
 but  with  great  charges,  and  with  tedious  and  difficult  journies. 
 Lastly,  What  is  most  of  all  to  the  purpose,  the  heresy  of  those 
 was  to  be  rooted  up  who  denied,  that  whole  Christ  is  in  each 
 species,  and  asserted  that  the  body  only,  without  the  blood,  is 
 contained  in  the  species  of  bread,  and  that  the  blood  was  con- 
 tained under  that  of  wine.  Now,  therefore,  that  the  truth  of 
 the  Catholic  faith  might  be  more  evidently  placed  before  our 
 eyes,  the  communion  of  one  species,  that  is,  of  bread,  was 
 wisely  introduced."  * 
 
 This  last  reason  is  founded  on  the  doctrine  of  concomitance. 
 This  term  is  used  by  the  Popish  Church  to  signify  that  whole 
 Christ  is  present  under  either  of  the  species,  t  Although  the 
 bread  is  said  to  be  changed  into  his  body,  and  the  wine  into 
 his  blood,  yet  his  body  and  blood  are  not  to  be  considered  as 
 in  a  state  of  separation.  Wherever  his  body  is  there  i>  ha 
 *  Cat.  Con.  Trid.  Pars  ii.  de  Euch.  Sac.  §.  7<>.  t  Ib-  $•  33. 
 
212         THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  oi  GRACE: 
 
 blood  ;  and  wherever  his  blood  is,  there  is  his  body.  Botli 
 are  present  under  each  of  the  species  ;  and  if  you  divide  the 
 species  of  bread  into  particles,  and  the  wine  into  drops,  Christ 
 is  in  every  one  of  them,  in  his  body,  soul,  and  Divinity,  as 
 much  as  in  the  whole  bread  and  the  whole  wine.  Hence  you 
 perceive  how  the  denial  of  the  cup  to  the  laity  has  originated 
 in  transubstantiation.  It  was  first  supposed  that  he  was  cor- 
 poreally present  in  the  Eucharist ;  and  then  it  followed,  as 
 Christ  cannot  be  divided,  that  whoever  received  one  specie*, 
 was  as  fully  a  partaker  of  him  as  if  he  had  received  both 
 species.  The  cup  was  superfluous  ;  nothing  was  lost  by  its 
 being  withheld.  By  the  same  reasoning  it  might  have  been 
 given  to  the  laity,  and  the  bread  been  denied. 
 
 As  the  Church  of  Rome  believes  the  doctrine  of  concomi- 
 tance to  be  true,  it  should  have  the  same  effect  in  relation  to 
 the  priests  as  to  the  people ;  and  as  the  priests  receive  a  whole 
 Christ  under  the  species  of  bread,  there  is  no  good  reason 
 why  the  cup  should  be  given  to  them  any  more  than  to  others. 
 It  was  necessary,  however,  to  make  a  distinction  between 
 them  and  the  laity,  and  to  secure  that  profound  veneration 
 for  their  persons  as  sacred,  which  it  is  the  great  object  of  the 
 whole  system  to  maintain.  But  the  doctrine  of  concomitance 
 is  false,  because  its  foundation  is  false.  There  is  a  peculiar 
 absurdity  in  it ;  for  the  Church  of  Rome  exhibits  separately 
 the  signs  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  at  the  same 
 time  assures  us  that  they  are  not  separate  but  conjoined.  For 
 what  purpose  were  separate  symbols  instituted,  if  the  things 
 which  they  signify  are  blended  together,  or  the  one  is  included 
 in  the  other  ?  Whatever  papists  may  affirm,  as  the  Lord's 
 Supper  is  a  memorial  of  his  death,  he  is  represented  in  it  as 
 dead,  and  his  blood  as  poured  out  from  his  body  as  an  atone- 
 ment for  sin.  They  exist  separately  in  the  signs,  and  are 
 given  separately  to  the  communicants.  To  affirm,  therefore, 
 that  they  are  concomitant,  or  that  either  of  the  symbols  com- 
 prehends both,  is  to  destroy  the  meaning,  and  to  defeat  the 
 design  of  the  institution.  As  they  do  not  plead  Scripture  or 
 apostolical  tradition  for  taking  away  the  cup  from  the  people, 
 there  is  no  occasion  to  bring  forward  arguments  in  refutation 
 of  their  practice.     They  are  self-condemned ;  they  acknow- 
 
LOKD'fl  SDPPBB.  2  I  3 
 
 Ledge  thai  tin*  word  of  God,  and  the  primitive  church,  arc 
 against  them.  We  are  fully  warranted  to  affirm,  that  the 
 Eucharist,  as  administered  by  them,  is  no  sacrament,  anessei*- 
 tial  part  being  wanting.  The  command  to  drink  the  wine  is 
 as  express  as  the  command  to  eat  the  bread;  and  with  respect 
 to  the  former,  our  Saviour  has  been  more  explicit,  as  he  fore- 
 saw the  daring  impiety  of  the  followers  of  Antichrist.  Of 
 the  bread,  he  simply  said,  according  to  Matthew's  account, 
 M  Take,  eat ;"  but  when  he  gave  the  cup,  he  said,  "  drink  ye 
 all  of  it."  * 
 
 I  proceed  to  lay  before  you  the  opinions  of  Protestants  re- 
 specting the  Lord's  Supper ;  and  I  shall  begin  with  that  of 
 the  Lutheran  Church. 
 
 Although  Luther  perceived  the  absurdity  of  transubstan- 
 tiation,  and  renounced  it,  yet  the  literal  interpretation  of  our 
 Saviour's  words,  to  which  he  had  so  long  been  accustomed, 
 retained  a  firm  hold  of  his  mind,  and  led  him  to  adopt  an  opi- 
 nion equally  unintelligible  and  unscriptural.  He  believed, 
 that  although  the  bread  and  wine  are  not  changed  into  the 
 body  and  blood  of  Christ,  yet  that  his  real  body  and  blood  are 
 received  by  the  communicants  along  with  the  symbols.  This 
 is  called  consubstantiation,  to  signify  that  the  substance  of  the 
 body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  present  in,  with,  or  under  the 
 substance  of  the  elements  ;  and  sometimes  impanation,  a  word 
 which  imports  that  he  is  in  the  bread.  Papists  say  that  the 
 substance  of  the  elements  is  annihilated,  and  only  the  acci- 
 dents remain  ;  Lutherans  affirm  that  they  retain  their  proper 
 nature,  and  that  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is  mysteriously 
 conjoined  with  them.  Luther  indeed  pretended  to  give  an 
 explanation  of  his  doctrine  by  saying,  that  as  fire  and  iron  are 
 united,  so  the  body  of  Christ  is  joined  to  the  bread  in  the 
 Eucharist.  His  followers,  however,  acknowledge  that  it  is  a 
 •ry  which  we  cannot  comprehend,  but  w hich  we  are  bound 
 to  believe  on  the  authority  of  Scripture,  and  however  incredi- 
 ble this  union  may  seem  to  us,  the  almighty  power  of  God 
 is  able  to  effect  it. 
 
 Luther  supported  his  doctrine  by  this  argument,  that  Christ 
 is   at    the  right  hand  of  God,   and  the  right  hand  of  God   is 
 *  Bfatth.  \x\i.  27. 
 
214         THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 everywhere ;  but  he  afterwards  abandoned  it,  and  with  good 
 reason.  The  right  hand  of  God  does  not  signify  his  power, 
 which  is  omnipresent  as  his  essence  is,  but  the  highest  glory 
 and  authority.  It  is  a  figurative  expression,  which  when  in- 
 terpreted according  to  the  laws  of  sound  criticism,  appears  not 
 to  have  the  most  remote  connexion  with  the  subject  in  ques- 
 tion ;  for  by  no  species  of  reasoning  does  it  follow,  that  the 
 human  nature  of  our  Saviour  is  omnipresent,  because  it  is 
 exalted  above  all  principalities  and  powers.  If  the  "  right 
 hand  of  God"  has  any  relation  to  place,  it  is  in  the  higher  re- 
 gions of  the  universe  ;  and  Christ  "  sitting  at  it,"  overthrows 
 the  doctrine  of  consubstantiation,  for  God  is  said  to  have  "  set 
 him  at  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places."  *  The  argu- 
 ment was  revived  by  some  of  the  followers  of  Luther,  who 
 maintained  the  ubiquity  of  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  and 
 accounted  for  it  by  the  power  of  God,  which,  they  alleged, 
 could  render  it  omnipresent ;  or  by  the  personal  union  between 
 it  and  his  divine  nature,  in  consequence  of  which  the  proper- 
 ties of  the  latter  were  communicated  to  the  former.  An  ap- 
 peal to  the  power  of  God  overawes  the  mind,  and  there  is  an 
 appearance  of  presumption  and  impiety  in  calling  in  question 
 the  possibility  of  any  thing  which  is  said  to  be  done  by  it. 
 But  as  it  is  no  limitation  of  the  divine  omniscience,  that  it 
 does  not  know  what  is  unknowable,  so  it  is  no  limitation  of 
 omnipotence,  to  say  that  it  cannot  perform  what  is  impossi- 
 ble. God  cannot  make  a  circle  square,  because  it  would  then 
 cease  to  be  a  circle ;  or  a  rod  straight  and  crooked  at  the  same 
 time,  because  the  thing  implies  a  contradiction.  In  like  man- 
 ner, he  cannot  make  the  body  of  Christ  omnipresent,  because 
 place  or  locality  is  an  attribute  of  body,  and  to  ascribe  omni- 
 presence to  it  is  to  destroy  its  essence.  Lutherans  indeed  have 
 assigned  a  double  presence  to  it,  the  one  circumscribed  and  local, 
 and  the  other  celestial,  supernatural,  and  divine.  But  this  is 
 an  arbitrary  distinction  contrived  to  support  their  hypothesis, 
 and  besides  it  destroys  itself;  for  if  the  human  nature  of 
 Christ  have  a  local  presence,  it  cannot  also  have  ubiquity ; 
 and  if  it  have  ubiquity,  it  cannot  at  the  same  time  be  con- 
 fined to  a  place.     The  communication  of  the  properties  of 
 
 *  Eph.  i.  20. 
 
I  m;  LOBD'l  lUPPBB.  215 
 
 ihe  divine  to  the  human  nature  is  inconceivable,  and  would 
 
 not  have  been  admitted,  out  ttS  an  expedient  to  extricate  them 
 from  a  difficulty.  The  doctrine  of  the  church  in  all  ages, — and 
 liveable  to  Scripture, — hat  been  that  the  two  natures  of 
 Christ,  although  hypostatically  united,  continue  distinct;  that 
 each  retains  its  peculiar  attributes ;  that  omnipotence,  omni- 
 science, and  omnipresence,  although  predicated  of  the  person, 
 belong  to  him  only  as  God  ;  ami  that  the  sole  effect  of  the 
 union  with  respect  to  the  human  nature,  is  to  enhance  the 
 value  of  its  actions,  which  are  truly  the  actions  of  the  only- 
 begotten  of  the  Father.  To  suppose  that  divine properti, 
 communicated  to  the  human  nature,  is  to  confound  the  Creator 
 with  the  creature ;  and  it  may  be  confidently  affirmed  to  be 
 impossible  even  for  omnipotence  to  make  that  infinite  which  is 
 finite. 
 
 Consubstantiation  is  liable  to  many  of  the  same  objections 
 which  may  be  advanced  against  transubstantiation.  It  sup- 
 the  body  of  Christ  to  be  at  the  same  time  in  heaven  and 
 on  earth,  in  Europe  and  in  America  ;  it  supposes  it  to  be  in 
 a  state  of  glory,  and  in  a  state  of  humiliation  ;  it  supposes  it 
 to  be  present,  and  yet  to  be  imperceptible  to  any  of  our  senses, 
 and  therefore  to  be  present  after  the  manner  of  a  spirit ;  it  sup- 
 poses it  to  be  taken  into  the  mouths  of  the  communicants,  and 
 chewed,  and  swallowed,  and  digested  ;  it  supposes  that  at  the 
 last  supper,  Christ  sat  at  table  with  his  disciples,  and  was  at 
 the  same  time  in  the  bread  ;  that  he  held  himself  in  his  hand, 
 and  then  transferred  himself  from  his  own  hand  into  the  hands 
 of  the  Apostles  ;  and  that  while  they  saw  him  at  some  distance 
 from  them,  he  was  in  their  mouths.  How  strong  is  the  power 
 of  prejudice,  which  can  make  any  man  believe,  or  imagine  that 
 he  believes  such  absurdities  !  After  this,  there  is  nothing  so 
 monstrous  and  incredible  which  he  might  not  be  prevailed  upon 
 to  acknowledge,  if  he  were  first  persuaded  that  it  is  taught  in 
 the  Scriptures. 
 
 That  consubstantiation  is  not  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  might 
 be  proved  by  all  the  arguments  which  have  been  adduced  to 
 shew,  that  the  literal  interpretation  of  the  words,  "  This  i<  my 
 body,"  "  This  is  my  blood,"  is  false.      These  ir  is  unneces^nry 
 
 lately  laid  before  vou.     It 
 
216  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 deserves  attention,  that  the  interpretation  of  the  Lutheran 
 church  is  more  forced  and  unnatural  than  that  of  the  Romish 
 church.     The  Papist,  suspecting  no  figure  in  the  case,  with 
 childish  simplicity  takes  the  words  as  they  stand,   "  this  bread 
 is  my  body,"  and  believes  that  the  one  is  miraculously  changed 
 into  the  other.     The  Lutheran  employs  some  thought,  and 
 exercises  a  little  ingenuity,  and  finds  that  the  words  signify, 
 not  "  This  bread  is  my  body,"  but  "  This  bread  contains  my 
 body."     By  what  law  does  he  deviate  from  the  strict  inter- 
 pretation ?     Where  does  he  find,   that  the  verb  of  existence, 
 is,  signifies  in,  with,  or  under  ?     Not  in  any  of  the  canons  of 
 criticism,  but  in  the  necessity  of  his  system,   which  cannot  be 
 supported  without  this  explanation.     Hence  it  is  evident,  that 
 the  Papist  has  the  advantage  of  the  Lutheran  ;  and  that,  if 
 the  words  are  to  be  literally  understood,  they  favour  transub- 
 stantiation,  and  consubstantiation  is  founded  on  a  perversion 
 of  them.     Both  doctrines  are  contrary  to  Scripture,  as  well  as 
 to  reason  and  common  sense ;  but  that  of  Lutherans  offers  more 
 direct  violence  to  the  words  of  inspiration. 
 
 However  objectionable  consubstantiation  may  be,  it  is,  whe.i 
 compared  with  the  favourite  dogma  of  Papists,  a  harmless  ab- 
 surdity, as  it  is  not  clogged  with  the  impious  consequences  which 
 are  deduced  from  transubstantiation.  Although  Lutherans 
 believe  the  corporeal  presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  they 
 condemn  the  worship  of  it  as  idolatrous  ;  they  do  not  maintain 
 the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  nor  withhold  the  cup  from  the  laity. 
 It  is  an  opinion  which  has  no  influence  upon  their  practice, 
 and  does  not  lead  them  into  error  respecting  other  doctrines 
 of  religion.  On  this  account,  it  has  been  regarded  by  the 
 Reformed  churches  with  less  displeasure  than  the  Popish 
 tenet,  and  has  been  considered  by  many  as  not  constituting  an 
 insurmountable  obstacle  to  communion  between  them. 
 
 The  opinion  of  Zuinglius  comes  next  to  be  considered. 
 Although  he  does  not  hold  so  distinguished  a  place  as  Luther 
 in  the  history  of  the  Protestant  Churches,  yet  it  is  certain 
 that  he  preceded  him  in  openly  opposing  the  errors  and  cor- 
 ruptions of  the  Church  of  Rome,  made  earlier  and  more 
 rapid  progress  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  entertained 
 far  more  enlightened  views  on  the  subject  of  the    Eucharist 
 
tin:  LORD'fl  81  i  i  21  7 
 
 than  the  Oniinaa  Reformer.     He  began  to  preach  the  gospel, 
 
 as  we  are  informed  by  himself,  the  J  oar  before  Luther  finf 
 declaimed  ■gainst  indulgences,  and  while  the  name  of  the 
 latter  was  unknown  in  Switzerland.  "  He  saw,"  as  Melchior 
 Adam  relates  in  his  life,  "  the  error  of  transubstantiation,  or 
 of  the  substantial  conversion  of  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
 and  blood  of  Christ,  the  accidents  only  remaining  ;  he  saw  that 
 the  dogma  of  consubstantiation,  or  impanation,  that  is,  of  the 
 corporeal  presence  of  Christ  in  the  bread  and  wine,  their  sub- 
 stance remaining-,  which  Luther  embraced,  agreed  neither 
 with  the  words  of  our  Lord,  nor  with  the  analogy  of  Christian 
 faith,  nor  with  the  consent  of  orthodox  antiquity  ;  for  he  saw 
 that  it  had  not  been  said  by  Christ,  '  Let  this  be  or  become 
 my  body,'  nor  even,  '  Under  this,  or  in  this,  my  body  is,  or 
 is  contained.'  Yet  he  did  not  see  what  he  should  safely 
 adopt,  till,  having  weighed  many  similar  passages  of  Scrip- 
 ture, and  consulted  orthodox  antiquity,  as  Tertullian,  Am- 
 brose, Augustine,  Theodoret,  Bertram,  and  others,  he  at 
 h  determined,  that  in  the  words  of  our  Lord,  •  This  is 
 my  body,'  or,  '  This  bread  is  my  body,'  there  is  a  metony- 
 my peculiar  to  the  Hebrew  language,  and  that  metonymically 
 the  name  of  the  thing  signified  is  transferred  to  the  sign ;  that 
 the  bread  is  called  the  body  of  the  Lord,  and  the  wine  the 
 blood  of  the  New  Testament,  because  they  are  symbols  of  the 
 body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  or  because  they  signify  the  body 
 and  blood  of  the  Lord  sacramentally.  Before  he  published 
 this  opinion,  he  not  only  communicated  it  to  his  faithful 
 friends,  but  took  care  that  it  should  be  made  known  to  all 
 persons  in  Germany  and  France  who  were  distinguished  for 
 learning  and  authority ;  for  he  foresaw  that  the  opposite  opi- 
 nion, which  for  so  many  ages  had  taken  deep  root  in  the 
 minds  of  men,  would  with  great  difficulty  be  eradicated."  ' 
 The  opinion  which  he  finally  adopted  was  this, — "  That  the 
 bread  and  Mine  were  no  more  than  a  representation  of  the 
 body  and  blood  of  Christ  ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  signs  ap- 
 pointed to  denote  the  benefits  that  were  conferred  upon  man- 
 kind in  consequence  of  the  death  of  Christ :  that,  therefore, 
 Christians  derived  no  other  fruit  from  the  participation  of  the 
 •  Mclch.  Adanri  Vita  Genu.  Thcol.  Vila  Zuiut/lii,  p.  30,  in. 
 
218  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Lord's  Supper,  than  a  mere  commemoration  and  remembrance 
 of  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  or- 
 dinance but  a  memorial  of  Christ." 
 
 That  both  Papists  and  Lutherans  should  have  exclaimed 
 against  this  simple  view  of  the  sacred  institution,  can  excite 
 no  surprise.  To  some  who  had  renounced  the  errors  of  both, 
 he  appeared  to  have  gone  to  the  opposite  extreme.  Those, 
 therefore,  who  did  not  choose  to  condemn  his  opinion  in  ex- 
 press terms,  deemed  it  necessary  to  make  an  apology  for  it. 
 Thus  Bucer,  his  con  temporary,  having  remarked  that  in  the 
 epistles  of  Zuinglius  concerning  the  sacraments,  some  things 
 are  found,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  he  did  not  at- 
 tribute as  much  to  the  sacraments  as  ought  to  be  ascribed  to 
 them,  admonishes  the  reader,  that  Zuinglius  did  not  deny 
 that  the  sacraments  are  symbols  of  grace,  and  in  their  own 
 way  are  auxiliary  to  faith ;  and  goes  on  to  state,  that  his  ob- 
 ject in  speaking  of  them  as  he  did,  was,  to  guard  men  against 
 putting  confidence  in  the  external  work,  not  to  evacuate  the 
 sacraments  of  Christ.  "  For  he  had  to  do  with  those  who 
 defended  the  vulgar  impiety  by  which  some  men  are  led  to 
 seek  salvation  from  the  opus  operatum,  as  they  call  it,  that  is, 
 from  the  ceremony  itself  externally  performed,  being  alto- 
 gether careless  of  faith  in  the  promises.  Against  these  he 
 justly  contended,  that  Christ  our  Lord  restores  us  to  the 
 favour  of  his  Father ;  and  not  the  sacraments,  or  the  external 
 action  of  the  priests  in  the  administration  of  the  sacraments. 
 Whatever  therefore  you  shall  read  in  these  epistles  which  shall 
 seem  to  detract  something  from  the  sacraments,  understand 
 all  that  to  be  said  concerning  the  external  action,  to  the  ex- 
 clusion of  the  Spirit  of  Christ."  * 
 
 It  had  appeared  to  some  that  Zuinglius  denied  the  efficacy 
 of  the  sacraments,  and  reduced  them  to  mere  signs  which 
 work  solely  by  a  moral  influence ;  and  this  apology  was  un- 
 dertaken to  shew  that  this  was  not  his  intention.  To  have 
 represented  them  as  naked  signs,  would  no  doubt  have  been 
 improper  ;  because,  if  they  were  instituted  for  the  confirma- 
 tion of  our  faith,  they  could  not  have  accomplished  this  de- 
 sign without  the  communication  of  grace  ;  but  there  seems 
 *  Buceri  Epist.  in  Melch.  Adami  Vita  Zuinglii,  p.  41,  42. 
 
thi  lord's  bi  ppil  219 
 
 to  have  been  ■  disposition  in  t liar  age,  to  believe,  that  there 
 was  a  niXTBCW  of  Christ  in  the  Kucharist  different  from  liis 
 presence  in  the  other  ordinances  of  the  gospel;  an  undefined 
 something,  which  corresponded  to  the  strong  language  used 
 at  the  institution  of  the  Supper,  "  This  is  my  body, — this  is 
 my  Mood."  Acknowledging  it  to  be  figurative,  many  still 
 thought  that  a  mystery  was  couched  under  it.  It  was  not, 
 indeed,  easy  for  those  who  had  long  been  accustomed  to  the 
 notion  of  the  bodily  presence  of  Christ,  at  once  to  simplify 
 their  ideas ;  and  perhaps,  too,  they  were  induced  to  express 
 themselves  as  they  did,  with  a  view  to  give  less  offence  to  the 
 Lutherans.  Whatever  was  their  motive,  their  language  is 
 not  always  sufficiently  guarded.  Hence  Bucer  adds,  "  When 
 ir  is  said  that  Christ,  having  left  this  world  and  carried  his 
 body  to  heaven,  cannot  be  consubstantiated  with  the  bread, 
 do  not  think  that  in  our  churches  he  is  excluded  from  the 
 sacred  Supper,  and  that  bread  and  wine  alone  are  administered 
 ipty  >\mbols.  As  the  passage  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 into  heaven,  implies  only  that  he  is  not  here  after  the  man- 
 ner of  this  world ;  so  we  do  not  deny  that  he  is  united  to  the 
 bread,  or  locally  included  in  the  bread ;  but  not  naturally,  and 
 after  the  manner  of  this  world.  We  acknowledge  that  the 
 true  body  and  the  true  blood  of  Christ,  true  Christ  himself, 
 God  and  man,  is  present  to  us  in  the  Supper ;  that  by  the 
 words  and  symbols  he  is  exhibited,  not  for  the  perishing  food 
 of  the  flesh,  but  for  the  eternal  food  of  the  soul,  and  on  that  ac- 
 count is  not  perceived  by  sense  and  reason,  but  by  true  faith."  * 
 These  words  are  very  unguarded.  While  they  deny,  they 
 seem  also  to  affirm,  the  real  presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament 
 in  some  mysterious  manner,  and  are  calculated  to  mislead 
 and  to  confound  the  mind.  Had  it  been  said  that  the  bread 
 and  wine  are  merely  signs  of  his  body  and  blood,  but  that  he 
 is  contemplated  and  enjoyed  by  the  communicants  in  the  ex- 
 ercises of  meditation  and  faith,  we  could  have  understood  it ; 
 but  what  idea  can  we  affix  to  the  presence  of  the  true  body 
 and  the  true  blood  of  Christ,  "  not  naturally,  and  after  the 
 manner  of  this  world  ?"  Would  not  Papists  and  Lutherans 
 >;i\   the  same  thing  ? 
 
 •  Huccri  Epist.  ubi  supia. 
 
220  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 The  name  of  Calvin  ought  always  to  be  mentioned  with 
 respect.  He  was  one  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the  Re- 
 formation, and  in  learning,  genius,  and  zeal,  had  few  equals, 
 and  no  superior.  His  opposition  both  to  transubstantiation  and 
 to  consubstantiation  is  well  known  ;  and  yet,  in  speaking  of 
 the  Lord's  Supper,  he  has  expressed  himself  in  the  following 
 manner :  "  The  sum  is,  that  our  souls  are  not  otherwise  fed 
 with  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  than  bread  and  wine  sus- 
 tain our  corporeal  life.  Nor  would  the  analogy  of  the  sign 
 otherwise  agree,  unless  souls  found  their  nourishment  in 
 Christ ;  which  cannot  be,  unless  Christ  truly  coalesce  with  us 
 into  one,  and  restore  us  by  the  eating  of  his  flesh  and  the 
 drinking  of  his  blood.  But  although  it  seems  incredible  that, 
 the  places  being  so  distant,  the  flesh  of  Christ  should  pene- 
 trate to  us  so  as  to  be  our  food,  let  us  remember  how  much 
 the  secret  power  of  the  Spirit  exceeds  our  senses,  and  how 
 foolish  it  is  to  attempt  to  measure  his  immensity  by  our  stan- 
 dard. What  our  mind  does  not  comprehend,  let  faith  con- 
 ceive, that  the  Spirit  truly  unites  things  which  are  disjoined 
 in  place.  That  sacred  communication  of  his  flesh  and  blood, 
 by  which  Christ  transfuses  his  life  into  us,  no  otherwise  than  if 
 he  penetrated  into  our  bones  and  marrow,  he  attests  and  seals 
 in  the  Supper ;  not  indeed  in  a  vain  and  empty  sign,  but 
 there  exerting  the  efficacy  of  his  Spirit,  by  w7hich  he  fulfils 
 what  he  promises."  * 
 
 I  confess  that  I  do  not  understand  this  passage.  It  sup- 
 poses a  communion  of  believers  and  the  human  nature  of 
 our  Saviour  in  the  Eucharist ;  and  endeavours  to  remove  the 
 objection  arising  from  the  distance  of  place,  by  a  reference 
 to  the  almighty  power  of  the  Spirit,  much  in  the  same  way 
 as  Papists  and  Lutherans  solve  the  difficulty  attending  their 
 respective  systems.  If  Calvin  had  meant  only  that,  in  the 
 Sacred  Supper,  believers  have  fellowship  with  Christ  in  his 
 death,  he  would  have  asserted  an  important  truth,  attested 
 by  the  experience  of  the  people  of  God  in  every  age ;  but 
 why  did  he  obscure  it,  and  destroy  its  simplicity,  by  involving 
 it  in  ambiguous  language  ?  If  he  had  any  thing  different 
 in  view  ;  if  he  meant  that  there  is  some  mysterious  commu- 
 
 *  Calvini  Instit.  lib.  iv,  cap.  xvii.  sect.  10. 
 
1 111.  i  ord's  si  ri  221 
 
 nication  with  his  human  nature,  we  must  be  permitted  to  aay 
 that  the  notion  was  as  incomprehensible  to  himself  as  it  is 
 to  liis  readers.  The  error  into  which  he  and  others  have 
 fallen  is  this,  that  while  they  acknowledge  the  words  of  in- 
 stitution to  be  figurative,  they  speak  of  them  occasionally  in 
 such  terms  as  import  the  literal  sense  ;  not  attending  to  this 
 obvious  canon  of  interpretation,  that,  in  explaining  a  figure, 
 we  should  give  the  true  sense  in  other  terms,  and  uniformly 
 adhere  to  it ;  and  that  to  mix  together  the  figure  and  the 
 literal  sense,  sometimes  bringing  forward  the  one  and  some- 
 times the  other,  creates  confusion  in  the  minds  of  others,  and, 
 instead  of  illustrating  the  subject,  involves  it  in  obscurity. 
 
LECTURE  XCII. 
 
 OX  THE 
 
 SACRAMENT  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 TRUE  NATURE  OF  THE  EUCHARIST IN  WHAT  KAVVE1  CHRIST  IS  PRESENT 
 
 IN  IT. — OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  TIME  OF  INSTITUTION  ;    THE   SYMBOLS  ; 
 
 THE  3IODE  OF  ADMINISTRATION WHAT   IS  IMPLIED    TN  PARTAKING    OF 
 
 IT. WHO  MAY  PARTAKE PERIODS  OF  CELEBRATING  IT. 
 
 We  have  reviewed  the  opinions  of  different  denominations  of 
 Christians  concerning  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  have  seen  that 
 even  some  of  those  who  denied  the  real  presence,  have  not 
 always  expressed  themselves  with  sufficient  clearness  and  sim- 
 plicity. The  words  of  institution  have  impressed  them  with 
 an  idea,  that,  although  there  is  no  change  of  the  elements, 
 and  the  true  body  and  blood  of  our  Redeemer  are  not  con- 
 tained in  them,  yet  something  mysterious  is  implied.  This 
 charge,  at  least,  may  be  fairly  advanced  against  those  whom 
 we  find,  even  although  they  profess  to  explain  the  subject, 
 making  use  of  figurative  language.  It  is  true  that,  since  our 
 Lord  calls  the  bread  and  wine  his  body  and  blood,  we  may 
 be  said  to  eat  his  body  when  we  eat  the  bread,  and  to  drink 
 his  blood  when  we  drink  the  wine ;  but  then  it  should  be  con- 
 sidered, that  we  can  only  eat  the  one  and  drink  the  other,  in 
 the  same  sense  in  which  the  former  is  called  his  body,  and  the 
 latter  his  blood,  that  is,  figuratively.  Stript  of  all  metaphori- 
 cal terms,  the  action  must  mean  that,  in  the  believing  and 
 grateful  commemoration  of  his  death,  we  enjoy  the  blessings 
 which  were  purchased  by  it,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  we 
 
Tin;  LORD'fl  B!  PI 
 
 enjoy  them  when  we  exercise  faith  in  hearing  the  GospeL 
 Why,  then,  should  any  man  talk,  as  Calvin  does,  of  Bom* 
 inexplicable  communion  in  this  ordinance  with  the  human 
 
 nature  of  Christ  ;  and  tell  us  that,  although  it  seems  impossi- 
 ble, on  account  of  the  distance  to  which  he  is  removed  from 
 lis,  we  are  not  to  measure  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit  by 
 our  standard  ?  I  am  sure  that  the  person  who  speaks  so, 
 conveys  no  idea  into  the  minds  of  those  whom  he  addles 
 and  1  am  equally  certain  that  he  does  not  understand  himself. 
 When  our  Lord  speaks,  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  of  eating  his 
 Beth  and  drinking"  his  blood,  all  Protestants  will  acknowledge 
 that  he  simply  means  our  reception  of  him  and  his  benefits  by 
 faith.  Why  should  it  be  supposed  that  any  other  thing  is 
 signified  by  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  which  the  language  is 
 virtually  the  same?  What  rule  of  interpretation  will  justify 
 us  in  entertaining  the  idea  of  something  more  mysterious  in 
 the  one  case  than  in  the  other  ?  There  is  an  absurdity  in 
 the  notion,  that  there  is  any  communion  with  the  body  and 
 blood  of  Christ,  considered  in  themselves  ;  that  he  intended 
 any  such  thing  ;  or  that  it  could  be  of  any  advantage  to  us. 
 There  is  an  absurdity  in  imagining  that,  by  calling  the  sym- 
 bols his  body  and  blood,  he  meant  to  fix  our  attention  upon 
 these,  materially  considered ;  and  in  not  acknowledging  that 
 his  design  was  to  direct  our  thoughts  to  himself,  as  our  incar- 
 nate Redeemer,  who  was  substituted  in  our  room,  expiated 
 our  sins,  and  has  obtained  a  perfect  salvation  for  us.  The 
 ordinance  is  misunderstood,  when  it  gives  rise  to  carnal  medi- 
 tations ;  and  is  then  only  observed  aright,  when  our  minds 
 are  employed  in  the  spiritual  contemplation  of  his  atonement, 
 and  its  effects.  When  our  Church,  therefore,  says  that  "  the 
 body  and  blood  are  as  really,  but  spiritually,  present  to  the 
 faith  of  believers  in  that  ordinance,  as  the  elements  themselves 
 are  to  their  outward  senses,"  *  and,  that  they  "  feed  upon  his 
 body  and  blood,  to  their  spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in 
 grace,"  t  it  can  mean  only,  that  our  incarnate  suffering  Saviour 
 is  apprehended  by  their  minds,  through  the  instituted  signs  ; 
 and  that,  by  faith,  they  enjoy  peace  and  hope;  or  it  means 
 something  unintelligible  and  unscriptural.     Plain,  literal  lan- 
 
 •  Conf.  ch.  xxix.  §.  7.  f  Larger  Cat.  Q.  1G8. 
 
224  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 guage  is  best,  especially  on  spiritual  subjects,  and  should  have 
 been  employed  by  Protestant  Churches  with  the  utmost  care, 
 as  the  figurative  terms  of  Scripture  have  been  so  grossly 
 mistaken.  On  this  ground,  I  object  to  the  following  words 
 in  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Reformed  Churches  of 
 France  :  "  We  confess  that,  in  the  Holy  Supper,  Jesus 
 Christ  feeds  and  nourishes  us  truly  with  his  flesh  and  blood, 
 that  we  may  be  one  with  him,  and  that  his  life  may  be  com- 
 municated to  us.  For,  although  he  is  in  heaven  till  he  come 
 to  judge  the  world,  yet  we  believe  that,  by  the  secret  and 
 incomprehensible  virtue  of  his  Spirit,  he  nourishes  and 
 quickens  us  with  the  substance  of  his  body  and  blood.  We 
 hold  that  this  is  done  spiritually,  not  to  put  imaginations  and 
 thoughts  in  the  place  of  the  effect  and  the  truth,  but  inas- 
 much as  this  mystery  surmounts,  by  its  height,  the  measure 
 of  our  senses,  and  the  whole  order  of  nature."  * 
 
 It  is  not  the  design  of  these  observations  to  deny,  or  call 
 in  question,  the  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Eucharist.  I  should 
 not  hesitate  to  affirm  a  real,  in  opposition  to  an  imaginary, 
 and  in  distinction  from  a  symbolical,  presence,  had  not  the 
 phrase  been  abused  to  express  a  doctrine  inconsistent  with 
 Scripture  and  common  sense.  But  the  doctrine  of  his  pre- 
 sence I  would  not  found,  as  others  do,  upon  the  words  of 
 institution,  which,  when  justly  interpreted,  merely  import  that 
 the  elements  are  signs  of  his  body  and  blood.  Now,  a  sign 
 is  very  far  from  implying  that  the  thing  signified  is  present. 
 It  is  rather  understood  to  represent  an  absent  object,  and  is 
 put  in  its  place  to  remind  us  of  it,  because  it  is  removed  to  a 
 distance  from  us.  Instead  of  being  a  fair  conclusion  from 
 the  words  of  institution,  that  there  is  a  peculiar,  mysterious 
 presence  of  our  Saviour,  which  can  be  accounted  for  only  by 
 the  miraculous  power  of  the  Spirit,  it  might  rather  be  inferred 
 that  he  is  not  present  at  all,  and  that  the  design  of  the  sym- 
 bols is  to  call  him  to  remembrance  in  his  absence.  The  doc- 
 trine of  his  presence  in  the  Sacred  Supper,  is  legitimately 
 deduced  from  his  general  promise,  which  relates  to  all  his 
 ordinances  without  any  special  respect  to  the  Supper  :  "  Where 
 two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  I  am 
 *  Art.  xxxvi.  Vide  Quick's  Synodicon,  vol.  i.  p.  14. 
 
]  in:  LORD'S 
 
 in  the  midst  of  them."*  It  is  this  promise  which  givea  u 
 ground  to  consider  him  as  present  in  the  Eucharist,  in  bap- 
 tism, in  prayer,  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  In  all  these 
 ordinances  he  is  present ;  and  he  is  present  in  the  same  manner 
 
 in  them  all,  namely,  by  his  Spirit,  who  renders  them  effectual 
 means  of  salvation.  This  sentiment  would  be  pronounced 
 heretical  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  by  the  followers  of 
 Luther  ;  and  would  even  incur  the  disapprobation  of  many 
 Protestants,  who  have  been  accustomed  to  think  that  Christ 
 is  somehow  in  the  Eucharist,  as  he  is  not  in  any  other  ordi- 
 nance. But  their  belief  and  their  confident  affirmation  are  of 
 no  value,  if  they  are  not  supported  by  Scripture.  And  where 
 do  they  find  any  ground  for  their  opinion  but  in  human  sys- 
 tems ?  It  is  indeed  said,  that  "  the  bread  which  we  break  is 
 the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  cup  which  we 
 drink  is  the  communion  of  his  blood."  f  No  man  who  admits 
 that  the  bread  and  wine  are  only  signs  and  figures,  can  con- 
 sistently suppose  the  words  now  quoted  to  have  any  other 
 meaning,  than  that  we  have  communion  with  Christ  in  the 
 fruits  of  his  sufferings  and  death ;  or  that,  receiving  the  sym- 
 bols, we  receive  by  faith  the  benefits  procured  by  the  pains 
 of  his  body,  and  the  effusion  of  his  blood.  If  it  should  still 
 be  thought  that  the  strong  terms  used  by  our  Lord  imply 
 something  peculiar  to  this  ordinance,  I  would  remind  you 
 that  the  same  language  is  employed  in  reference  to  the  Gos- 
 pel ;  for  our  Saviour  is  speaking  of  it,  and  not  of  the  Eucharist, 
 when  he  says,  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man, 
 and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you."  if  Now,  as  the 
 man  who  believes  the  Gospel,  eats  the  flesh  and  drinks  the 
 blood  of  Christ,  as  well  as  he  who  partakes  of  the  sacred 
 Supper,  it  follows,  that  in  both  communion  with  him  is  of 
 the  same  kind,  and  that  there  is  no  reason  to  imagine  any 
 presence  of  our  Saviour  in  the  Eucharist  which  is  not  in  the 
 word. 
 
 VN  hat  has  been  now  said,  has  no  tendency  to  diminish  our 
 reverence  for  the  Eucharist.  It  is  no  true  respect  for  it, 
 which  is  founded  on  a  mistaken  view  of  its  nature.  It  is  still 
 a  holy  institution,  in  which  believers  enjoy  intimate  fellowship 
 
 •  Matth.  xviii.  2U.  f  1  Cor.  x.  1C.  t  J<*"  vi-  ::;- 
 
 VOL.   IV.  p 
 
226  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 with  Christ ;  and  is  guarded  by  an  awful  sanction,  that  none 
 may  dare  to  engage  in  the  service  unprepared  :  "  He  that 
 eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  condem- 
 nation to  himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body."  * 
 
 I  shall  now  proceed  to  give  you  an  account  of  the  Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 The  occasion  on  which  it  was  instituted  by  Christ,  was  the 
 celebration  of  the  passover  with  his  disciples.  Having  sent 
 some  of  them  to  procure  a  place,  and  to  make  ready  all  things 
 for  the  feast,  "  when  the  even  was  come,  he  sat  down  with 
 the  twelve.  And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,  and 
 blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,"  &c.  f  You 
 will  observe  that  it  was  during  the  time  of  the  passover,  while 
 they  were  eating,  and  probably  towards  the  end  of  the  feast, 
 that  our  Lord  instituted  the  Eucharist.  The  one  was  not 
 finished  when  the  other  commenced  ;  and,  by  this  continuity, 
 it  was  intimated  that  the  one  wTas  changed  into  the  other,  and 
 that  the  latter  was  henceforth  to  supply  the  place  of  the  former. 
 The  time  of  the  institution  was  the  night  on  which  he  was 
 betrayed.  He  was  to  be  put  to  death  the  next  day ;  and,  in 
 the  view  of  that  event,  he  appointed  the  Supper  to  be  a  per- 
 petual memorial  of  it.  The  time  was  calculated  to  invest  it 
 with  a  particular  interest,  as  his  disciples  would  connect  with 
 the  celebration  of  it  the  recollection  of  the  awful  scenes  which 
 immediately  ensued.  To  his  followers  in  every  age,  it  is  a 
 proof  of  his  singular  love  to  them,  that  while  his  own  dreadful 
 sufferings  were  so  near,  he  thought  of  them  with  the  most 
 tender  regard,  and  provided  for  their  encouragement  and  con- 
 solation amidst  the  evils  of  life.  They  are  excited  to  remem- 
 ber him,  by  this  testimony  that  he  remembers  them. 
 
 The  symbols  which  he  selected  wTere  bread  and  wine,  of 
 which  the  former  represents  his  body,  and  the  latter  his  blood. 
 The  bread  and  wine  were  such  as  had  been  placed  on  the 
 table  for  the  purpose  of  celebrating  the  passover.  A  dispute 
 arose,  in  former  times,  between  the  Eastern  and  the  Western 
 Church,  whether  the  bread  should  be  leavened  or  unleavened. 
 The  Greeks  maintain  that  it  should  be  leavened,  because  our 
 Lord,   they  think,   ate  the  passover  the  day  before  it  was 
 
 *  1  Cor.  xi.  29.  f  Matth.  xxvi.  20,  26. 
 
 » 
 
I  ill.   I  ORDfS  81  l'J'KU. 
 
 eaten  1>\  the  Jews,  and  consequently,  before  the  use  of  un- 
 
 leavcned  bread  had  begun.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Latins 
 affirm  that  he  observed  the  passover  at  the  usual  time,  and, 
 of  course,  used  unleavened  bread,  according  to  the  law.  This 
 controversy  contributed,  with  other  causes,  to  the  schism  be- 
 tween the  Churches,  which  has  lasted  for  many  centuries.  It 
 is  in  the  highest  degree  insignificant,  as  the  use  of  either  the 
 one  kind  or  the  other  was  purely  accidental,  and  the  quality 
 of  the  bread  has  no  connexion  with  the  nature  and  design  of 
 the  ordinance.  The  practice  of  dividing  the  bread  into  small 
 pieces,  called  wafers,  and  putting  them  into  the  mouths  of 
 the  communicants,  is  a  corruption  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 which  takes  away  the  significant  action  of  breaking  the  bread, 
 and  the  emblem  of  the  union  and  fellowship  of  Christians, 
 expressed  by  their  partaking  of  one  bread,  or  one  loaf,  accord- 
 ing to  the  words  of  the  Apostle  :  "  For  we,  being  many,  are 
 one  body,  and  one  bread :  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one 
 bread."*  With  respect  to  the  wine,  it  has  been  inquired, 
 whether  it  should  be  mingled  with  water,  or  exhibited  pure? 
 We  are  told  that  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  mix  water  with 
 their  wine,  and  that  they  did  so  particularly  at  the  passover  ; 
 and  it  has  been  inferred  that  our  Saviour  complied  with  the 
 custom  of  his  country.  There  is  little  doubt  that  he  would 
 do  so  in  a  matter  so  indifferent ;  but  we  do  not  know  what 
 t  he  custom  in  his  days,  except  from  Jewish  tradition,  on 
 which  no  dependence  can  be  placed.  This  practice  generally 
 obtained  in  Christian  churches,  and,  as  is  usual,  mystical 
 reasons  were  assigned  for  it ;  that  the  wine  and  water  signified 
 the  blood  and  water  which  flowed  from  our  Saviour's  side  ; 
 that  they  denoted  the  union  of  his  two  natures  in  one  person  ; 
 and  that,  as  nations  are  called  waters  in  the  visions  of  the 
 Apocalypse,  the  mixture  was  expressive  of  the  union  of  be- 
 lievers to  Christ.  Such  fancies  are  childish  and  contemptible. 
 As  nothing  is  said  of  any  mixture  in  the  Scriptures,  it  is 
 natural  to  conclude  that  the  wine  should  be  pure.  It  has 
 been  farther  inquired,  whether,  in  cases  where  bread  and 
 wine  cannot  be  procured,  it  would  be  lawful  to  make  use  of 
 corresponding  substances?     To  us  the   question   is   a   mere 
 
 •  1  tor.  x.  17. 
 
228  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  ! 
 
 speculation,  on  which  we  are  not  called  to  decide  ;  but,  as 
 necessity  supersedes  positive  law,  it  would  be  hard  to  affirm 
 that  the  Lord's  Supper  should  not  be  celebrated,  where  the 
 identical  materials  could  not  be  found  which  were  used  at  the 
 original  institution. 
 
 Our  Lord  took  the  bread,  and  after  supper  the  cup.  This 
 has  been  supposed  to  be  a  significant  action,  and  has  been  ex- 
 plained in  different  ways ;  some  making  it  import,  that  God 
 took  his  own  Son  to  be  mediator  between  him  and  us,  and  a 
 propitiation  for  our  sins ;  and  others  conceiving  it  to  mean,  that 
 Christ  assumed  our  nature  to  die  in  it.  The  other  actions 
 are  understood  from  their  own  nature,  or  from  the  words  of 
 Scripture  ;  but  the  meaning  of  this  action  is  the  subject  only 
 of  conjecture,  and  hence  there  are  different  views  of  its  import. 
 In  other  words,  it  is  explained  according  to  every  man's  fancy. 
 As  the  Scripture  relates  the  fact,  but  subjoins  no  observation 
 upon  it,  we  are  at  liberty  to  reject  human  commentaries.  I 
 am  disposed  to  think,  that  the  taking  of  the  bread  and  wine 
 was  not  a  sacramental  action,  but  merely  a  preliminary  step 
 to  the  institution.  Bread  and  wine  were  upon  the  table  for 
 the  purpose  of  the  passover,  which  Jesus,  as  Master  of  the 
 family,  had  already  sanctified  by  prayer  and  thanksgiving. 
 It  was  necessary,  as  he  was  to  commence  a  new  feast,  that  he 
 should  take  them  again  and  distribute  them,  in  order  to  shew 
 the  disciples  that  this  was  a  new  feast,  and  not  a  continuation 
 of  the  former.  The  taking  of  the  elements  by  the  minister 
 before  prayer,  appears  to  me  to  be  a  matter  of  indifference. 
 I  should  not  blame  him  who  omitted,  or  him  who  observed 
 it ;  but  I  could  not  go  along  with  the  latter,  if  he  considered 
 it  as  an  essential  part  of  the  ordinance. 
 
 Let  us  now  attend  to  the  first  action  of  our  Lord,  with  re- 
 spect to  the  bread  and  the  wine,  after  he  had  taken  them.  Two 
 words  are  employed,  which  signify  to  bless,  and  to  give  thanks. 
 The  latter  alone  is  used  in  reference  to  the  cup,  but  both  are 
 used  in  reference  to  the  bread,  and  hence  it  appears  that  they 
 have  virtually  the  same  meaning,  as  one  writer  has  chosen  the 
 one,  and  another  writer  the  other.  We  read  in  our  transla- 
 tion that  Jesus  "  blessed  the  bread ;"  and  hence  it  has  been 
 inferred  that  he  consecrated  it,  or  set  it  apart  from  a  common 
 
till:  LORD'S  8UPPEH,  229 
 
 i    ate.      The  term,    consecration,    has  found  its  way 
 even  into  Protestant  churches,   in  relation  to  the  sacraments  ; 
 
 and  ministers  often  speak  of  setting  apart  the  elements  from  a 
 common  to  a  holy  use.  I  presume  that  they  are  consecrated 
 or  set  apart,  not  by  the  actions  of  men,  but  by  the  institution 
 of  Christ,  or  become  sacred  by  being  devoted  to  a  sacred  use. 
 He  this  as  it  may,  the  inference  from  the  words  of  Scripture 
 is  groundless  ;  because  the  original  says  simply,  that  our  Sa- 
 viour "blessed,"  not  that  he  blessed  the  bread,  for  the  pronoun 
 it  is  a  supplement.  The  meaning  is,  that  he  blessed  God, 
 as  the  substitution  of  the  word,  to  give  tluniks*  by  some  of  the 
 Evangelists,  plainly  shews.  He  blessed,  or  gave  thanks  to 
 his  Father,  we  may  presume,  for  his  love  in  sending  him  into 
 the  world  to  save  our  fallen  race,  by  his  obedience  unto  death. 
 It  may  be  questionable  whether  we  should  venture  to  imitate 
 him  in  the  consecration  of  the  elements,  the  right  to  do  which 
 seems  to  be  exclusively  vested  in  him,  as  the  Head  of  the 
 church,  to  whom  it  belongs  to  separate  persons  and  things  to 
 the  service  of  God  ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  it  is  our 
 duty  to  imitate  him  in  his  thanksgiving.  We  should  never 
 reflect  upon  his  death  without  emotions  of  gratitude ;  and 
 these  should  be  particularly  strong  when  the  memorial  of  it 
 is  before  our  eyes,  and  we  are  assembled  to  receive  a  token  of 
 our  interest  in  his  atonement,  and  of  our  title  to  the  precious 
 blessings  which  it  has  procured.  There  is  no  occasion  on 
 which  the  words  of  the  Psalmist  may  be  adopted  with  greater 
 propriety,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all 
 his  benefits." 
 
 Having  blessed  or  given  thanks,  he  constituted  the  bread 
 and  wine  signs  of  his  body  and  blood.  This  is  the  proper  place 
 to  take  notice  of  this  important  fact,  although  the  elements  were 
 made  significant  in  the  act  of  giving  them  to  the  disciples.  He 
 said  of  the  bread,  "  This  is  my  body  ;"  and  of  the  wine, 
 ?'  This  is  my  blood."  Thus,  what  is  called  a  sacramental 
 union  was  established  ;  by  which  nothing  more  is  meant,  than 
 that  the  elements  become  signs  or  figures  of  his  body  and 
 blood,  and  bear  the  names  of  the  things  which  they  represent. 
 I  have  already  shewn  you  that  the  notion  of  some  mystical 
 •   Mark  xiv.  23.      Luke  xxii.  10. 
 
230  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE : 
 
 union,  which  cannot  be  explained  or  understood,  is  unscrip- 
 tural  and  superstitious.     The  relation  of  the  symbols  to  the 
 realities  is  the  same  as  was  the  relation  of  the  paschal  lamb 
 to  our  Redeemer,  or  as  is  the  relation  of  the  water  in  baptism  to 
 the  influences  of  the   Spirit.     In  all  these  cases,   something 
 distant  and  invisible  is  represented  by  another  thing  which  is 
 placed  within  the  range  of  our  senses.     It  does  not  belong  to 
 man  to  appoint  signs  of   Christ's  body  and  blood.     This  has 
 been  already  done  by  his  institution,   and  bread  and  wine  be- 
 come such  signs  to  us,  when,  with  prayer  to  God,  we  set  them 
 apart  for  this  purpose.     The  muttering  of  the  words  of  insti- 
 tution over  the  elements,   to  consecrate  them,  or  transubstan- 
 tiate them,  more  resembles,  as  we  have  said,  a  charm  than  an 
 act  of  religious  worship,   and  falsely  supposes  that  this  makes 
 the  sacrament,  while  it  is  made  by  the  appointment  of  Christ. 
 Jesus  brake  the  bread.     It  has  been  inquired,  whether  this 
 circumstance  is  essential  to  the  ordinance,  or  may  be  omitted  ; 
 as  it  is  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  where  the  bread  is  exhibited 
 in  small  separate  pieces,  called  wafers,   one  of  which  is  put 
 into  the  mouth  of  each  communicant.     We  have  no  hesitation 
 in  saying  that  it  is  essential ;  that,  when  it  is  wanting,  the 
 sacrament  is  not  celebrated  according  to  the  original  institu- 
 tion ;  and  that  all  the  reasons  which  require  other  parts  of  the 
 ordinance  to  be  retained,   may  be  alleged  with  equal  justice 
 for  the  retention  of  this.     It  is,  indeed,  so  essential,  that  the 
 Lord's  Supper  is  sometimes  designated  from  it  alone,   and  is 
 called  "  the  breaking  of  bread."     The  rite  is  significant,  and 
 is  appropriate  to  the  design  of  the  institution,  which  is  to  com- 
 memorate   our    Saviour's   death.     He  himself  explained   it, 
 when  he  said,   "  This  is  my  body  which  is  broken  for  you," 
 intimating  that  the  broken  bread  is  a  figure  of  his  body  as 
 wounded  and  lacerated  for  our  salvation.     But  of  this  impor- 
 tant fact  there  is  no  representation,   when  a  small  morsel  of 
 bread,  in  its  entire  form,  is  distributed  to  the  communicants. 
 We  are  reminded  by  the  breaking  of  the  bread,  of  the  severe 
 suffering  which  our   Lord  endured,   when  his  back  was  torn 
 with  a  scourge,  his  hands  and  feet  were  pierced  with  nails, 
 and   his  head  was  crowned  with  thorns  ;  and  our  minds  are 
 naturally  led  to  contemplate  the  sorrows  of  his  soul,   which 
 
i  HE   LORD  -  Bl  ri'i.K.  23  I 
 
 had  almost  overwhelmed  him, — sorrows  which  no  man  can 
 comprehend,   but  which  undoubtedly  arose  from  a  sense  <>f 
 
 Divine  wrath,  on  account  of  the  sins  of  his  people  which  he 
 had  undertaken  to  expiate.  I  may  remark,  before  leaving 
 this  particular,  that  as,  in  this  ordinance,  Christ  is  represented 
 as  dead  for  our  salvation,  not  only  is  the  bread  broken,  but 
 the  sigD  of  his  blood  is  separately  exhibited,  with  an  obvious 
 intention  to  signify  that  he  died  by  the  effusion  of  his  blood, 
 or  by  its  separation  from  his  body.  It  is  the  practice  in  some  of 
 the  Eastern  churches  to  give  the  bread  dipped  in  wine.  But, 
 as  this  is  an  unauthorized  innovation,  so  it  quite  subverts  the 
 design  of  the  ordinance,  so  far  as  it  is  figurative;  because  it 
 exhibits  his  blood  as  remaining  in  his  body,  or  conjoined  with 
 it,  instead  of  representing  it  as  shed,  according  to  the  express 
 words  of  our  Lord  :  "  This  is  my  blood  which  is  shed  for  the 
 remission  of  sins." 
 
 Lastly,  Our  Saviour  gave  the  bread  and  the  cup  to  his  dis- 
 ciples. I  formerly  shewed  you,  that  the  seals  of  covenants  are 
 intended  to  be  used  in  different  ways  ;  to  be  looked  at,  as  the 
 rainbow  in  the  clouds  ;  to  be  applied  externally  to  the  body, 
 as  water  in  baptism  ;  to  be  taken  for  food,  as  the  bread  and 
 wine  in  the  Eucharist.  With  regard  to  a  seal  of  the  last  de- 
 scription, it  was  evidently  necessary  that  it  should  be  put  into 
 our  hands,  to  denote  the  divine  grant  of  it,  and  our  right  to 
 make  use  of  it.  By  giving  the  bread  and  wine  to  the  disci- 
 ples, we  may  conceiveour  Lord  to  have  signified, — and  the  rite 
 is  still  of  the  same  import, — that  he  and  his  Father  freely  and 
 irrevocably  give  the  blessings  of  redemption  to  believers.  His 
 atonement,  with  all  its  precious  fruits,  is  as  truly  theirs,  as  the 
 bread  and  wine  which  have  been  put  into  their  hands.  The 
 Eucharist  is  therefore  with  propriety  denominated  a  seal,  the 
 purpose  of  which  is  to  authenticate  a  deed.  Christ  gives  to 
 worthy  communicants,  not  his  real  body  and  blood,  from  which 
 they  could  derive  no  advantage,  but  the  invaluable  benefits 
 which  were  purchased  by  the  sufferings  of  his  body  and  the 
 ion  of  his  blood ;  and  by  the  external  action  ratifies  the 
 gift. 
 
 Let  its  next  attend  to  the  actions  of  the  disciples.      The  de- 
 sign ot   the  Lord's  Supper  being   to  confirm  the  covenant   of 
 
232  THE   EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  \ 
 
 God  with  his  people,  it  was  necessary,  on  the  one  hand,  that 
 the  ordinance  should  be  instituted  by  our  Saviour,  and  on  the 
 other,  that  something  should  be  done  by  us  to  signify  our 
 consent  to  the  covenant.  With  this  view,  we  are  commanded 
 to  take  the  bread  and  eat  it,  and  to  take  the  cup  and  drink  it. 
 This  is  all  that  is  enjoined  upon  the  communicants.  Various 
 observances  are  prescribed  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  which 
 being  inventions  of  her  own  are  unworthy  of  notice  ;  and  in 
 the  Church  of  England,  the  communicants  are  required  to  re- 
 ceive the  sacrament  kneeling.  It  is  a  vestige  of  Popery, 
 which  it  is  a  dishonour  to  a  Protestant  church  to  retain.  We 
 can  understand  the  reason  why  a  Papist  kneels,  for  he  believes 
 that  what  he  sees  is  the  real  body  of  Christ,  which  he  is 
 bound  to  adore ;  but  we  may  be  justly  surprised  to  find  a  per- 
 son of  a  different  faith  complying  with  the  usage,  when  the 
 reason  of  it  is  gone.  He  symbolizes  with  idolaters  ;  and  if  a 
 silly  love  of  pomp  and  form,  and  an  unscriptural  reverence  for 
 antiquity,  had  not  prevailed  at  the  Reformation  in  England, 
 this  and  other  superstitious  practices  would  have  been  swept  as 
 rubbish  out  of  the  temple  of  God.  It  might  move  our  in- 
 dignation to  hear  that  church  requiring  kneeling  from  greater 
 respect  for  the  sacrament,  although  till  lately  she  wTas  accus- 
 tomed to  profane  it  in  the  grossest  manner,  by  administering 
 it  to  the  most  notorious  profligates,  as  a  qualification  for  office. 
 Kneeling  is  a  manifest  deviation  from  the  original  institution. 
 The  disciples  celebrated  the  supper  in  the  posture  which  they 
 observed  at  their  ordinary  meals.  They  were  reclining  upon 
 couches,  according  to  the  custom  of  their  country  ;  and  w7e  imi- 
 tate their  example  when  wTe  sit  at  the  Lord's  table,  as  we  do 
 at  our  own  tables. 
 
 In  the  early  periods  of  society,  when  language  is  not  co- 
 pious, men  express  their  sentiments  by  actions  as  well  as  by 
 words.  This  mode  was  adopted  by  the  prophets,  who  some- 
 times accompanied  their  revelations  with  significant  signs. 
 It  is  retained  in  symbolical  ordinances,  and  some  traces  of  it 
 are  seen  in  the  daily  intercourse  of  life.  When  a  proposal  is 
 made  by  one  man  to  another,  or  a  question  is  asked,  which  re- 
 quires an  answer  in  the  affirmative,  he  is  understood  to  consent 
 to  the  proposal,  or  to  answer  the  question,  by  bowing  his  head, 
 
i m:  LORD'S  si  PPER.  233 
 
 without  uttering  a  syllable.     Our  silent  actions  at  the  table  of 
 
 the  Lord  are  a  declaration  of  our  sentiments,  as  distinct  and 
 intelligible  as  if  we  had  clothed  them  in  words.  The  cruci- 
 Bed  Saviour  is  presented  to  us  under  the  figures  of  bread  and 
 wine  ;  and  by  taking  and  using  these  we  plainly  signify,  that 
 radially  receive  him  as  our  Saviour.  God  gives  us  sen- 
 sible signs,  to  assure  us  that  his  covenant  is  immutable,  and 
 his  promises  shall  be  performed;  and  we,  by  accepting  the 
 signs,  express  our  confidence  in  his  faithfulness,  and  our  cer- 
 tain expectation  of  the  blessings  which  he  has  engaged  to 
 bestow.  Hence  w7e  perceive  the  import  of  the  words  of  the 
 Apostle,  which  have  been  repeatedly  quoted  :  "  The  cup  of 
 blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood 
 of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion 
 of  the  body  of  Christ  ?"  '  They  signify  that  believers  enjoy 
 fellowship  with  their  Saviour  in  the  holy  supper.  His  death 
 is  exhibited  as  the  meritorious  cause  of  their  reconciliation  to 
 God  ;  and  it  is  exhibited  in  so  impressive  a  manner,  as  to 
 strengthen  their  faith,  and  to  fill  them  with  joy  and  peace  in 
 believing.  But  this  is  the  privilege  of  those  alone  who  are 
 possessed  of  the  faith  of  which  the  actions  performed  by  them 
 are  expressive.  When  it  is  wanting,  the  actions  are  hypocri- 
 tical ;  the  symbols  are  received,  but  the  Saviour  is  rejected; 
 and  the  unworthy  communicant  is  guilty  of  the  body  and 
 blood  of  the  Lord  ;  that  is,  the  irreverence  with  which  he  uses 
 the  symbols  terminates  upon  him  whom  they  represent,  and  he, 
 as  it  were,  crucifies  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  puts  him  to 
 open  shame. 
 
 From  this  view  of  the  actions  enjoined  upon  Christians  in 
 the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist,  it  appears,  that  it  is  intended 
 to  be  a  public  declaration  of  our  faith  in  Christ.  When  he  in- 
 stituted the  ordinance,  he  said,  "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of 
 me."  It  is  a  memorial  of  his  death,  which  serves  not  only  to 
 perpetuate  the  knowledge  of  that  event,  but  to  signify  in  what 
 m  it  is  held,  and  what  importance  is  attached  to  it  by  his 
 followers.  It  is  commemorated  not  merely  as  the  death  of  a 
 friend  and  benefactor,  of  a  teacher  distinguished  by  his  wisdom, 
 or  of  a  saint  illustrious  for  his  virtues ;  but  of  a  Redeemer  who 
 
 •   1  Cor.  x.  16. 
 
234  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 laid  down  his  life  as  a  ransom  for  our  souls.  Every  man  who 
 partakes  of  the  sacred  symbols  is  understood  to  declare,  what- 
 ever may  be  his  secret  sentiments,  that  he  acknowledges  Jesus 
 Christ  in  the  character  of  his  Saviour,  and  founds  his  hope  of 
 salvation  upon  his  sacrifice.  He  presents  to  God  the  death  of 
 his  Son,  as  his  only  plea  for  his  favour;  and  avows  to  the  world, 
 that  however  lightly  they  may  esteem  the  salvation  of  Christ, 
 he  prefers  it  to  every  sublunary  enjoyment. 
 
 Again,  in  the  Lord's  Supper  we  enter  into  a  solemn  engage- 
 ment to  serve  him,  who  loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us. 
 I  formerly  remarked,  that  it  is  commonly  supposed  to  have 
 been  called  a  sacrament,  in  allusion  to  the  military  oath  of  the 
 Romans  to  be  obedient  to  their  general.  I  assigned  my  rea- 
 son for  thinking  that  this  is  a  mistake ;  and  that  the  word,  sa- 
 crament, was  used  as  equivalent  to  mystery.  Be  this  however 
 as  it  may,  the  celebrated  passage  in  the  epistle  of  the  younger 
 Pliny  to  Trajan,  which  represents  the  primitive  Christians  as 
 binding  themselves  by  an  oath  not  to  commit  murder,  theft, 
 adultery,  or  any  other  crime,  and  which  I  have  no  doubt  refers 
 to  the  Lord's  supper,  points  out  the  view  which  was  then  en- 
 tertained of  that  ordinance.  While  it  was  a  commemoration 
 of  the  death  of  Christ,  it  was  understood  to  be  an  engagement 
 to  duty.  It  is  an  acknowledgment  that  we  are  not  our  own, 
 but  are  bought  with  a  price,  and  that  we  are  therefore  bound 
 to  glorify  our  Saviour,  with  our  bodies  and  our  spirits  which 
 are  his.  And  as  there  is  no  communion  between  light  and 
 darkness,  those  are  guilty  of  the  vilest  hypocrisy,  and  of  a 
 daring  profanation  of  the  ordinance,  who  observe  it  while  they 
 are  living  in  known  and  deliberate  sin,  and  are  resolved  to  con- 
 tinue any  practice  which  is  forbidden  by  the  law  of  Christ,  or 
 to  omit  any  duty  which  it  enjoins. 
 
 Once  more,  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist  is  an  expressive 
 sign  of  the  communion  of  Christians  with  one  another  in  love  ; 
 for  they  meet  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  as  brethren  and  children 
 of  the  same  family,  to  partake  of  the  same  spiritual  feast.  The 
 Apostle  authorises  this  view  of  the  subject  by  the  words  for- 
 merly quoted.  "  For  we  being  many,  are  one  body,  and  one 
 bread,"  or  one  loaf,  "for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  loaf."  * 
 *  l  Cor.  x.  17. 
 
lord's  SUP! 
 
 It  stems  to  have  been  the  custom  to  provide  ■  loaf  of  breads 
 which  was  broken,  and  distributed  to  the  communicants  ;  and 
 tJie  Apostle  observes,  that  they  were  one  like  the  loaf  of  which 
 they  all  shared  ;  their  participation  of  it  being  a  symbol  of  their 
 union  to  one  another,  as  well  as  to  Christ,  the  head  of  his  mys- 
 tical body.  In  testimony  of  their  mutual  love,  the  primitive 
 Christians  were  wont,  at  least  in  the  second  century,  before 
 they  proceeded  to  celebrate  the  Eucharist,  to  give  each  other 
 the  kiss  of  charity  ;  and  immediately  after,  as  we  likewise  learn 
 from  Justin  Martyr,  "they  contributed  according  to  their 
 ability  and  inclination ;  and  what  was  collected  was  delivered 
 to  the  bishop  or  president  of  the  assembly,  who  relieved  with 
 it  widows  and  orphans,  the  sick,  and  those  who  were  in  want 
 from  any  other  cause,  prisoners,  travellers,  and  strangers,  and 
 in  a  word,  all  that  had  need."  *  Paul  exhorts  the  Corinthians 
 to  "  keep  the  feast,  not  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wicked- 
 ness;"! intimating  that  envy,  resentment,  hatred,  and  revenge, 
 which  so  ill  accord  with  the  Christian  character  at  any  time, 
 are  particularly  incongruous  on  this  occasion,  when  no  affec- 
 tion towards  our  brethren  should  be  entertained  but  the  purest 
 charity.  There  are  several  considerations,  which  will  natu- 
 rally occur,  and  are  calculated  to  draw  Christians  together  in 
 the  strictest  bonds  of  friendship.  Their  character  is  the  same, 
 for  they  are  all  professed  disciples  of  one  Master ;  their  pri- 
 vileges are  the  same,  for  they  are  admitted  to  the  same  holy 
 communion  with  him  ;  they  are  all,  if  they  are  genuine  be- 
 lievers, equally  dear  to  the  Saviour ;  and  they  have  the  hope 
 of  meeting  in  their  Father's  house,  and  spending  eternity  in  the 
 most  delightful  intercourse. 
 
 Our  Lord  has  shewn  for  whose  use  this  ordinance  is  in- 
 tended, by  administering  it  to  his  disciples  ;  and  a  conclusion 
 may  be  deduced  from  the  passover,  to  which  the  Israelites 
 alone  had  access,  and  those  who  had  joined  themselves  to 
 them  by  .submitting  to  circumcision^  "  This  is  the  ordi- 
 nance of  the  passover ;  There  shall  no  stranger  eat  thereof. 
 And  when  a  stranger  shall  sojourn  with  thee,  and  will  keep 
 the  passover  to  the  Lord,  let  all  his  males  be  circumcised,  and 
 then  let  him  come  near  and   keep  it  ;  and  he  shall  be  as  one 
 
 •  Just.  Mart.  A  pel.  2.  +   1  Cor.  v.  8. 
 
236  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 that  is  born  in  the  land  :  for  no  uncircumcised  person  shall 
 eat  thereof."  *  Since  circumcision  was  an  indispensable  qua- 
 lification for  eating  the  passover,  it  follows  that  baptism, 
 which  has  succeeded  to  it,  is  requisite  to  entitle  a  person  to  a 
 seat  at  the  table  of  the  Lord.  I  do  not  know  that  this  was 
 ever  called  in  question  till  lately,  that  a  controversy  has  arisen 
 among  the  English  Baptists,  whether  persons  of  other  Chris- 
 tian denominations  may  not  be  occasionally  admitted  to  the 
 holy  communion  with  them ;  and  it  became  necessary  for 
 those  who  adopted  the  affirmative,  to  maintain  that  baptism 
 is  not  a  previous  condition.  This  assertion  arose  out  of  their 
 peculiar  system,  which  denies  the  validity  of  infant  baptism. 
 But  to  every  man  who  contents  himself  with  a  plain  view  of 
 the  subject,  and  has  no  purpose  to  serve  by  subtleties  and 
 refinements,  it  will  appear  that  baptism  is  as  much  the  initiat- 
 ing ordinance  of  the  Christian,  as  circumcision  was  of  the 
 Jewish,  dispensation.  An  uncircumcised  man  was  not  per- 
 mitted to  eat  the  passover,  and  an  unbaptized  man  should  not 
 be  permitted  to  partake  of  the  Eucharist. 
 
 But  baptism  is  not  the  only  qualification.  We  learn  from 
 the  law  of  Moses,  that  when  any  of  the  Israelites  had  con- 
 tracted ceremonial  uncleanness,  they  were  not  allowed  to  join 
 with  their  brethren  in  the  paschal  solemnity ;  and  for  their 
 accommodation,  a  second  passover  was  appointed  at  the  dis- 
 tance of  a  month,  during  which  they  would  be  purified,  f 
 Every  person  who  has  been  baptized  does  not  possess  the 
 moral  qualifications  which  would  entitle  him  to  be  accounted 
 a  disciple  of  Christ.  He  may  be  an  open  apostate  from  the 
 faith ;  or  he  may  be  so  ignorant  of  religion,  and  so  irregular 
 in  his  conduct,  that  it  would  be  an  abuse  of  charity  to  con- 
 sider him  as  a  Christian.  Hence  we  demand,  in  candidates 
 for  the  Lord's  table,  a  competent  measure  of  knowledge,  a 
 profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  a  behaviour  which  will  jus- 
 tify us  in  believing  them  to  be  sincere.  "  All  ignorant  and 
 ungodly  persons,"  says  our  Church,  "  as  they  are  unfit  to 
 enjoy  communion  with  him,  so  are  they  unworthy  of  the 
 Lord's  table,  and  cannot,  without  great  sin  against  Christ, 
 *  Exod.  xii.  43;  48.  t  Numb.  ix.  6—12. 
 
lord'i  ii  ppih,  237 
 
 while  tlifv  remain  sut-h,  partake  of  these  holy  mysteries,  01 
 be  admitted  thereunto.'1 ' 
 
 Hitherto  I  have  spoken  of  those  who  have  a  right  of  ad- 
 mission in  the  judgment  of  the  Church.      But  its  judgment  is 
 
 fallible,  as  the  state  of  the  heart  cannot  be  certainly  known, 
 and  it  rests  solely  upon  external  evidence.  If  it  be  inquired, 
 Who  have  a  right  before  God  ?  we  must  answer,  that  be- 
 lievers are  the  only  persons  ;  and  for  this  obvious  reason,  that 
 the  Eucharist  is  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  an  interest 
 in  which  is  obtained  by  faith.  But  even  believers  are  not 
 always  prepared  to  engage  in  this  spiritual  service.  If  their 
 faith  has  declined ;  if  their  consciences  are  wounded  by  sin  ; 
 if  they  have  incurred  the  displeasure  of  God  ;  they  are  not 
 worthy  to  appear  before  him,  nor  capable  of  the  holy  exercises 
 which  the  ordinance  calls  for,  till  they  are  renewed  by  re- 
 pentance. 
 
 The  reason  why  the  exhortation  of  Paul  to  the  Corin- 
 thians, "  Let  a  man  examine  himself,"  is  still  brought  for- 
 ward by  the  ministers  of  religion,  is  the  mixed  nature  of  the 
 societies  over  which  they  preside,  and  the  imperfect  state 
 even  of  genuine  Christians.  An  investigation  of  their  cha- 
 racter by  the  light  of  Scripture,  may  discover  to  some  an  un- 
 worthiness  which  they  did  not  suspect,  and  to  others  a  fitness 
 of  which  they  were  in  doubt.  It  is  a  mistake,  however,  to 
 suppose  that  self-examination  must  precede  the  participation 
 of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the  case  of  every  man  upon  every 
 occasion.  There  can  be  no  reason  for  instituting  an  inquiry 
 respecting  a  point  which  is  fully  ascertained.  He  who  pos- 
 sesses the  assurance  of  faith,  and  walks  in  the  light  of  God's 
 countenance  ;  he  who  loves  the  law  of  God,  and  whose  con- 
 science bears  testimony  to  his  sincerity,  knows  his  right,  and 
 may  exercise  it  when  he  has  an  opportunity.  The  exhorta- 
 tion of  Paul  primarily  respected  a  society  of  professed  Chris- 
 tians, among  whom  great  irregularities  prevailed,  and  to 
 whom  a  call  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  themselves  was  season- 
 ably and  properly  addressed. 
 
 To  assist  Christians  in  this  inquiry,  is  the  design  of  that 
 part   of  the  service  in  our  Church  which  is  commonly  called 
 
 •  Conf.  xxix.  5-  8. 
 
238  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Fencing  the  Tables.  You  will  remember,  however,  that  it  is 
 merely  an  expedient  suggested  by  human  prudence,  and  that 
 it  is  not  supported  by  scriptural  precept,  or  apostolical  ex- 
 ample. It  is  therefore  a  vulgar  prejudice  to  account  it  essen^ 
 tial  to  the  ordinance,  and  to  imagine  that  it  adds  any  thing  to 
 its  perfection  or  solemnity.  The  truth  is,  that  to  aid  his  peo^ 
 pie  in  examining  themselves,  should  be  the  object  of  a  minister 
 from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  year ;  and  that  he  should 
 study  so  to  divide  the  word  of  truth,  that  all  may  be  furnished 
 with  the  means  of  ascertaining  their  state  and  character  before 
 they  assemble  to  celebrate  the  Supper.  But  although  this 
 part  of  the  service  is  not  necessary,  is  not  adopted  in  many 
 Christian  societies,  and  might  be  laid  aside  without  in  any 
 degree  impairing  the  original  institution,  at  which  it  was  not 
 observed ;  yet  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  has  been  productive  of 
 good,  and  might  have  produced  more,  if  it  had  been  judi- 
 ciously conducted.  Ministers  should  beware  of  the  two  ex- 
 tremes, of  being  too  easy  or  too  severe  ;  of  being  too  easy, 
 lest  they  embolden  the  profane  ;  and  of  being  too  severe,  lest 
 they  discourage  the  pious.  There  is  danger  to  be  apprehend- 
 ed from  their  boundless  charity,  and  from  their  gloominess  and 
 narrow-mindedness.  The  word  of  God  is  the  only  standard 
 of  character ;  and  as  it  excludes  all  who  are  living  in  sin,  so 
 it  invites  all  who  love  the  Saviour,  although  their  love  should 
 be  as  a  grain  of  mustard-seed.  The  plan  at  present  pursued 
 in  our  Church  is  preferable  to  that  of  our  predecessors,  who, 
 taking  the  decalogue  as  their  standard,  excommunicated  sin- 
 ners of  every  description  and  degree,  many  of  whom  were 
 known  not  to  be  present,  and  would  have  disclaimed  the 
 privilege  which  was  publicly  denied  to  them.  What  had 
 they  to  do  to  judge  those  who  were  without ;  ought  they  not 
 to  have  judged  those  alone  who  were  within  ?  * 
 
 How  often  the  Lord's  Supper  should  be  celebrated,  is  a 
 question  which  has  undergone  much  discussion.  Some  con- 
 tend that  it  should  be  administered  every  Sabbath  ;  but  in 
 my  opinion,  the  proof  from  Scripture  completely  fails.  No- 
 thing can  be  inferred  from  the  words  of  Luke  concerning  the 
 primitive  disciples,  that  "  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the 
 
 •  1  Cor.  v.  12. 
 
lord's  91  PP1R, 
 
 Apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread, 
 and  in  prayers, H  *  unless  ir  should  be  said,   that  they  ate  the 
 
 Lord's  Sapper  as  often  as  they  prayed,  which  no  man  in  his 
 senses  ever  affirmed.  The  ease  of  the  disciples  at  Troas  is  as 
 little  to  the  purpose  ;  for  when  we  read,  that  "  on  the  first 
 day  of  the  week,  when  they  came  together  to  break  bread, 
 Paid  preached  unto  them,"  f  it  would  be  a  strange  fancy  to 
 suppose,  that  to  break  bread  was  the  uniform  design  of  their 
 meetings  on  the  Sabbath.  We  should  thus  suppose,  contrary 
 to  Scripture,  and  to  the  history  of  the  primitive  church,  that 
 this  was  the  main  object  of  all  their  religious  assemblies,  that 
 for  which  their  meetings  were  held,  and  to  which  the  preach- 
 ing of  the  gospel  was  secondary  and  subservient ;  whereas  the 
 narrative  plainly  imports  that  it  was  an  occasional  design, 
 suggested  by  the  incidental  presence  of  the  Apostle.  From 
 the  words  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  "  ye  come  together 
 not  for  the  better,  but  for  the  worse,"  compared  with  what  he 
 afterwards  says,  "  when  ye  come  together,  this  is  not  to  eat 
 the  Lord's  Supper,"  J  it  has  been  concluded,  that  always 
 when  they  came  together  they  observed  this  ordinance  ;  be- 
 cause, otherwise,  there  could  be  no  force  in  the  argument,  that 
 they  came  together  for  the  worse,  which  refers  to  the  dis- 
 orders of  which  they  were  guilty  in  communicating.  This  is 
 truly  wonderful  logic,  which  the  initiated  may  understand, 
 but  to  every  other  person  it  is  unintelligible.  All  that  the 
 Apostle  affirms  is,  that  when  the  Corinthians  celebrated  the 
 Lord's  Supper  in  a  riotous  manner,  they  came  together  for 
 the  worse.  He  says  not  one  word  about  the  frequency  or  the 
 rareness  of  their  meetings.  The  stupidity  of  this  criticism  is 
 almost  equalled  by  that  which  is  founded  on  the  words,  "  As 
 often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,"  and  represents 
 our  Lord  as  enjoining  a  frequent  celebration  of  the  Supper ; 
 whereas  every  person  knows  that  we  use  the  phrase,  as  often, 
 in  reference  to  an  action  which  we  perform  only  once  a  year, 
 
 11  as  to  an  action  which  we  perform  once  a  day.  As  ofti  n 
 as  I  take  a  meal,  I  ask  the  Divine  blessing  upon  it.  This 
 happens  three  or  four  times  a  day.  As  often  as  I  go  to  Edin- 
 burgh,   I  go  by  a    particular  road.     This  happens   once  or 
 
 •  Acts  ii.  42.  f  lb.  xx.  7-  t  1  Or.  xi.  17,  20. 
 
240  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 twice  a-year.  Both  expressions  are  equally  proper,  and 
 imply  only,  that  when  the  one  thing  takes  place,  the  other 
 always  accompanies  it. 
 
 Were  we  to  judge  of  the  Eucharist  by  human  commemora- 
 tive institutions,  we  should  suppose  it  to  return  at  distant  in- 
 tervals ;  or,  were  we  to  judge  of  it  by  similar  institutions  of 
 Divine  appointment,  as  the  Passover,  Pentecost,  and  the  Feast 
 of  Tabernacles,  we  should  conclude  that  it  was  to  be  observed 
 once  a  year.  There  is  no  precept  of  Scripture,  no  apostolical 
 example,  to  regulate  our  practice.  Churches  are  left  at  liberty 
 to  order  their  procedure  according  to  their  own  views  of  ex- 
 pedience and  utility.  The  sacred  feast  should  not  be  treated 
 as  if  it  were  of  no  value,  and  so  rarely  celebrated  as  to  be 
 almost  forgotten ;  nor  should  it  be  magnified  above  other 
 ordinances,  and  represented  as  of  indispensable  necessity 
 on  every  occasion.  And  it  is  arrogance  in  any  denomination 
 of  Christians  to  imagine  that  they  excel  other  Christians, 
 merely  because  this  ordinance  is  more  frequently  dispensed 
 among  them. 
 
LECTURE  XCIII. 
 
 ON  PRAYER. 
 
 PRAYER    NATURAL  TO  MAX DEFINITION    OF    rRAYER  :     COMPREHENSIVE 
 
 OF  ADORATION,    THANKSGIVING,     CONFESSION,    AND    PETITION. OBJECT 
 
 OF  PRAYER,  GOD CONNEXION    BETWEEN   THE  CHARACTER  OF   GOD  AND 
 
 THE  DUTY  OF   PRAYER ADDRESSED  TO  GOD  THE  FATHER. — NOTICE  OF 
 
 OBJECTIONS   TO  PRAYER THE   WORD  OF  GOD,   THE  RULE  OF    PRAYER. 
 
 BLESSINGS  TO  BE  IMPLORED. 
 
 In  the  Gospel,  Jesus  Christ  addresses  us  in  the  name  of  his 
 Father,  declaring  his  gracious  counsels,  and  presenting  to  us 
 the  blessings  of  salvation,  accompanied  with  an  invitation  and 
 command  to  receive  them.  In  the  sacraments,  the  same  sub- 
 jects are  exhibited  by  symbols ;  and  as  they  are  signs  of  re- 
 demption, so  they  are  seals  for  the  confirmation  of  the  pro- 
 mises, that  the  faith  of  true  Christians  may  be  strengthened, 
 and  they  may  abound  in  consolation  and  hope.  This  external 
 dispensation  of  religion  requires,  on  their  part,  certain  senti- 
 ments and  affections  of  the  mind,  corresponding  to  the  nature 
 of  the  truths  proclaimed,  and  the  facts  brought  under  their 
 view;  and  certain  actions  significant  of  their  internal  emotions, 
 and  of  their  consent  to  the  covenant  into  which  God  has  ad- 
 mitted them.  But  the  whole  of  religion  is  not  comprehended 
 in  the  manifestations  of  his  good-will  towards  them,  and  the 
 silent  expressions  of  their  faith ;  as  he  speaks  to  them,  it  is 
 their  duty  to  speak  to  him  in  the  humble  and  animated 
 language  of  devotion.  Nor  does  their  duty  consist  solely 
 vol.  iv.  q 
 
242  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 in  accepting  the  gifts  which  he  is  pleased  to  bestow  ;  they  are 
 enjoined  not  to  wait  supinely  for  the  visitations  of  his  favour, 
 but  to  solicit  them,  and  to  present  their  requests  in  every 
 season  of  need. 
 
 Man  is  so  constituted,  that  the  movements  of  his  mind  give 
 an  impulse  to  his  body,  and  discover  themselves  by  external 
 signs.  The  contemplation  of  high  degrees  of  excellence,  the 
 reception  of  valuable  benefits,  the  apprehension  of  change, 
 and  the  feeling  of  distress,  give  rise  to  involuntary  exclama- 
 tions, to  gestures,  and  to  modifications  of  the  features.  Thus 
 a  foundation  is  laid  in  human  nature  for  the  outward  signs  of 
 devotion,  whether  they  consist  in  words  or  in  postures  of  the 
 body.  When  the  Scripture  commands  us  to  bow  down  and 
 kneel  before  God,  and  to  "  lift  our  eyes  and  our  hands"  to 
 his  oracle,  to  "  make  known  our  requests"  to  him  in  words, 
 and  "  to  call  upon  his  name,"  "  to  cry  with  a  loud  voice," 
 and  to  "'  praise  him  in  songs,"  it  merely  calls  upon  us,  in  our 
 intercourse  with  him,  to  give  scope  to  propensities  or  tenden- 
 cies of  our  nature,  which  are  called  forth  on  other  occasions, 
 when  our  sentiments  and  feelings  are  powerfully  excited. 
 Religion  does  not  consist  solely  in  silent  meditation.  It  de- 
 mands the  service  of  the  whole  man  ;  and  there  are  moments 
 when  the  tongue  must  be  employed  to  give  utterance  to  the 
 varied  affections  of  the  heart. 
 
 The  subject  to  which  I  purpose  now  to  direct  your  attention 
 is  Prayer.  It  may  be  strictly  defined  to  be  the  supplicatory 
 address  of  a  creature  to  his  Creator,  in  which  he  humbly  en- 
 treats him  to  confer  some  blessing,  to  remove  some  present 
 evil,  or  to  defend  him  from  future  danger,  which  he  has  reason 
 to  fear.  It  is  usually  understood,  however,  with  greater  lati- 
 tude; and  comprehends,  according  to  the  definition  of  our 
 Church,  petition,  confession,  and  thanksgiving,  to  which  may 
 be  added  adoration.* 
 
 Adoration  is  the  devout  celebration  of  the  perfections  of 
 God,  and  of  his  works,  in  which  they  are  displayed.  It  is 
 incumbent  upon  us  to  admire  the  transcendent  excellence  of 
 his  character,  to  acknowledge  him  as  the  first  and  the  greatest 
 of  all  beings,  and  to  record  to  his  honour  the  wonderful  mani- 
 •  Larger  Cat.  Q.  178.     Shorter  Cat.  Q.  98. 
 
l'K.W  248 
 
 iwrtatktui  of  himself  which  he  has  made  in  creation,  provi- 
 dence, and  redemption.     The  Scriptures  are  full  of  eTwmplei 
 
 which  it  would  be  endless  to  cite  :  M  O  Lord  my  God,  thou 
 art  very  great  :  thou  art  clothed  with  honour  and  majesty  ; 
 who  cOTeretf  thyself  with  light  as  with  a  garment;  who 
 stretehest  out  the  heavens  like  a  curtain."*  W  e,  indeed,  can 
 add  nothing  to  his  glory  and  felicity,  nor,  in  our  highest  eleva- 
 tion, can  we  think  of  him  in  a  manner  at  all  worthy  of  his 
 greatness  ;  but  sentiments  of  reverence  and  admiration  neces- 
 sarily arise  in  the  mind  which  contemplates  him,  and  adoration 
 is  the  tribute  which  we  owe  to  the  Author  of  our  existence, 
 who  has  revealed  himself  to  our  eyes.  This  act  of  devotion 
 is  expressed  by  praising  and  blessing  God.  We  bless  him,  or 
 pronounce  him  to  be  blessed,  in  whom  there  is  an  assemblage 
 of  every  thing  great,  and  good,  and  lovely,  and  who,  indepen- 
 dent of  his  creatures,  possesses  all  his  resources  in  himself;  and 
 Ave  praise  him  as  the  model  of  perfection,  the  eternal  source 
 of  life,  and  beauty,  and  felicity,  the  incomparable  One,  before 
 whom  the  universe  is  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity  :  "Of 
 him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things  :  to  whom 
 be  glory  for  ever.     Amen." 
 
 Thanksgiving  is  the  expression  of  our  gratitude  for  the 
 favours  which  we  have  received  from  him.  They  are  bestow- 
 ed without  the  expectation  of  a  recompense  ;  and,  indeed,  as 
 he  stands  in  need  of  nothing,  so  we  have  nothing  to  give ; 
 but  nature  itself  dictates,  and  religion  demands,  that  we  should 
 entertain  a  lively  sense  of  his  goodness,  and  should  give  ut- 
 terance to  our  feelings  on  appropriate  occasions.  Devout 
 men  of  former  times  have  set  us  an  example :  "  Bless  the 
 Lord,  O  my  soul,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "  and  all  that  is  within 
 me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and 
 forget  not  all  his  benefits :  who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities  ; 
 who  healeth  all  thy  diseases  ;  who  redeemeth  thy  life  from 
 destruction  ;  who  crowneth  thee  with  loving-kindness  and 
 tender  mercies."  1  Thanksgivings  naturally  are  associated 
 with  petitions;  for  it  is  impossible,  when  we  present  ourselves 
 before  a  benefactor  to  solicit  him  to  befriend  us  again,  not 
 to  recall  former  tokens  of  his  kindness  :  and  we  shall  have  the 
 
 •  Ps.  civ.  1,  2.  +    Ps.  ciii.  1—4. 
 
244  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 surer  hope  of  success  in  our  new  application,  when  we  shew 
 that  we  have  been  duly  impressed  by  the  past.  We  find  the 
 Apostle  Paul  repeatedly  mingling  thanksgivings  with  his 
 prayers. 
 
 Confession  is  the  acknowledgment  of  our  sins  to  God, 
 whom  wTe  have  offended.  It  is  the  natural  expression  of  ge- 
 nuine repentance,  which  so  affects  us  with  a  sense  of  our  base- 
 ness and  demerit,  that  we  cannot  refrain  from  accusing  and 
 condemning  ourselves.  With  many  of  our  sins,  our  fellow- 
 men  have  nothing  to  do  ;  and  if  they  are  secret,  we  are  under 
 no  obligation  to  publish  them.  They  have  no  right  to  call 
 us  to  account,  and  no  power  to  pardon  us.  God  knows  them 
 all ;  and  we  confess  them  to  him,  not  to  give  him  information, 
 but  to  own  our  guilt,  to  abase  ourselves  in  his  presence,  to 
 glorify  his  holiness  and  justice,  and  to  signify  that  we  are 
 worthy  of  punishment,  and  hope  to  be  forgiven  and  restored 
 to  favour  only  through  his  mercy.  Of  this  description  was 
 the  prayer  of  David :  "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,  ac- 
 cording to  thy  loving-kindness  ;  according  unto  the  multitude 
 of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot  out  my  transgressions.  For  I 
 acknowledge  my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  ever  before  me. 
 Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in 
 thy  sight ;  that  thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest, 
 and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest."  *  The  prayer  of  the  Phari- 
 see was  rejected,  because  it  consisted  of  thanksgiving  alone  ; 
 the  formal,  hypocritical  thanksgiving  of  a  man  who  gloried 
 in  his  fancied  superiority  to  others,  but  for  the  sake  of  deco- 
 rum paid  a  passing  compliment  to  God  for  having  helped  him 
 to  attain  this  pre-eminence  :  "  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am 
 not  as  other  men  are."  f 
 
 Petition  is  the  request  of  some  favours  from  God.  I  have 
 already  observed  that  prayer,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  word, 
 consists  in  petition  alone.  We  ask  blessings  from  God,  because 
 he  is  the  sole  fountain  of  good ;  and  we  ask  blessings  of  every 
 kind,  because  they  are  all  at  his  disposal.  "  Every  good  gift,  and 
 every  perfect  gift,  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the 
 Father  of  lights,  with  whom  there  is  no  variableness,  neither 
 shadow  of  turning."  J     Our  state  of  constant  dependence  and 
 
 •  Ps.  liu  1,  3,  4.  -f-   Luke  xviii.  11.  +  James  i.  !/• 
 
PRAYER,  145 
 
 constant  want,  renders  it  necessary  that  we  should  be  always 
 presenting  petitions.  Wo  have  no  permanent  source  of  supply 
 at  our  command,  and  even  what  we  possess  we  cannot  call  our 
 own.  He  who  has  received  grace,  should  pray  that  it  may  be 
 continued  and  increased  ;  he  who  possesses  a  competent  por- 
 tion of  this  world's  goods,  should  still  pray  for  his  daily  bread, 
 because,  without  the  Divine  blessing,  his  riches  will  make  to 
 themselves  wings,  and  rly  away  as  an  eagle  towards  heaven  ; 
 his  food  will  not  nourish,  and  his  garments  will  not  warm  him. 
 
 Prayer  should  be  addressed  to  God  alone  :  "  Thou  shalt 
 worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."* 
 Nothing  can  be  more  explicit  than  this  declaration,  which 
 should  have  precluded,  among  those  who  acknowledge  the 
 Divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  all  deviations  from  the 
 path  of  duty  so  clearly  marked  out  in  them.  It  is  sufficient 
 to  justify  us  in  rejecting  the  worship  which  is  given  in  the 
 Church  of  Rome  to  saints  and  angels,  and  in  pronouncing 
 it  to  be  idolatrous.  As  the  statute  is  express,  so  the  reasons 
 on  which  it  is  founded  are  obvious. 
 
 First,  God  alone  can  hear  all  our  requests.  He  is  present 
 with  us  wherever  we  are,  and  not  only  listens  to  our  words, 
 but  understands  our  thoughts  and  the  desires  of  our  hearts. 
 In  vain  should  we  address  ourselves  to  a  being,  with  respect 
 to  whom  we  were  in  doubt  whether  our  voice  could  reach 
 him,  and  he  were  able  to  look  beyond  the  exterior,  and  to 
 judge  of  our  sincerity.  This  consideration  alone  demonstrates 
 the  folly,  as  well  as  the  impiety,  of  addressing  prayers  to  crea- 
 tures. High  as  is  the  rank  of  glorified  spirits,  and  great  as 
 i^  the  enlargement  of  their  powers,  we  have  no  authentic 
 information  that  they  are  acquainted  with  the  affairs  of  men 
 upon  the  earth.  It  is  not  improbable  that,  except  so  far  as 
 God  may  be  pleased  to  make  discoveries  to  them  for  particular 
 purposes,  they  are  ignorant  of  our  affairs  ;  and  to  suppose 
 them  to  know  all  things,  and  especially  to  know  the  heart, 
 would  be  to  suppose  them  to  be  gods.  The  ironical  words  of 
 Elijah  to  the  priests  of  Baal,  may  be  addressed  with  the 
 utmost  propriety  to  the  man  who  prays  to  a  saint :  "  Cry 
 aloud,  for  either  he  is  talking  0r  he  is  pursuing)  or  peradven- 
 •  Matth.  iv.  10. 
 
246  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 ture  he  sleepeth,  and  must  be  awaked."  *  But  all  things  are 
 "  naked  and  manifest  to  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do;"  and 
 we  pray  to  him,  because  we  are  assured  that  his  ear  is  always 
 open  to  our  cry.  Besides  the  simple  knowledge  of  our  re- 
 quests, his  unerring  wisdom  can  decide  upon  every  case  which 
 comes  under  his  notice.  None  of  those  mistakes  will  happen, 
 which  result  from  the  short-sighted  benevolence  of  human 
 benefactors ;  he  perceives  what  will  be  for  our  good,  and  what 
 would  be  prejudicial  to  us,  and  we  may  implicitly  resign  our- 
 selves to  his  disposal. 
 
 Secondly,  God  alone  can  grant  our  requests.  There  is 
 nothing  at  the  absolute  disposal  of  creatures.  As  there  are 
 many  things  which  they  cannot  do  at  all,  so  those  things 
 which  are  understood  to  lie  within  the  sphere  of  their  ability, 
 they  can  do  only  when  God  permits,  and  assists  them  by  his 
 providence  or  grace.  Why  then  should  we  apply  to  saints, 
 or  even  to  angels,  who  are  dependent  as  well  as  we,  and, 
 although  superior  to  us,  are  subject  to  similar  restraints  ? 
 An  angel  could  not  deliver  us  from  death,  for  he  does  not 
 hold  the  keys  of  the  grave  and  the  invisible  world ;  an  angel 
 could  not  pardon  our  sins,  for  he  is  not  the  Supreme  Law- 
 giver, and  the  dispenser  of  mercy.  A  saint,  a  glorified  saint, 
 has  no  grace  to  communicate  to  us,  for  he  has  not  more  than 
 he  needs  for  himself;  he  could  not,  by  his  own  power,  relieve 
 us  for  a  single  moment  from  pain,  or  procure  for  us  a  draught 
 of  water  in  the  parched  and  thirsty  wilderness.  To  the 
 worshippers  of  such  beings  we  may  apply  the  words  of  the 
 prophet,  "  They  have  no  knowledge  that  pray  unto  a  god  that 
 cannot  save  ;"  f  and  we  may  add,  that  they  would  not  save 
 although  they  could,  for  the  blessed  inhabitants  of  heaven  are 
 too  zealous  for  the  Divine  glory,  to  appropriate  any  part  of 
 it  to  themselves,  or  to  sympathize  with  the  impious  men  who 
 attempt  to  raise  them  to  an  equal  rank  with  the  Most  High. 
 To  him  the  earth  belongs,  and  the  fulness  thereof;  the  heaven 
 also  is  his,  with  all  its  treasures,  and  what  good  thing  can  his 
 creatures  ask  which  he  is  not  able  to  bestow  ?  "  My  God 
 shall  supply  all  your  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory 
 by  Christ  Jesus."  t  We  come,  in  prayer,  to  a  fountain  which 
 *  1  Kings  xviii.  27.  t  Isa-  xlv-  20-  +  phil-  iv-  19- 
 
PRAYBB,  247 
 
 iiriii-4-  our  a  copious  and  overflowing  stream  of  blessings, 
 and  vet  is  always  full.  As  withholding  doth  not  enrich,  so 
 giving  doth  not  impoverish  him  ;  and  we  have  do  reaeoHj 
 therefore,  to  tear  lest  our  frequent  demands  should  exhaust 
 bis  beneficence,  or  our  importunity  should  displease  him. 
 The  benevolence  of  creatures  may  be  restrained  by  the  appre- 
 hension that,  by  giving  much  to  others,  they  shall  not  have 
 enough  for  themselves  ;  but  God  is  all-sufficient,  and  his  favour 
 is  never  solicited  in  vain. 
 
 This  leads  me  to  remark,  in  the  third  place,  that  God  is 
 willing  to  grant  our  requests.  Prayer  proceeds  upon  the  idea 
 of  the  benevolence  of  his  nature.  Were  we  to  conceive  of 
 him  as  a  malevolent  or  a  selfish  Being  ;  were  we  to  imagine 
 even  that  he  is  indifferent,  or  that  he  would  deem  it  beneath 
 his  dignity  to  take  notice  of  such  insignificant  creatures  and 
 their  petty  affairs,  there  would  be  no  inducement  to  present 
 our  petitions  to  him,  and  our  labour  would  be  bestowed  in 
 vain.  On  such  views  of  the  Deity,  the  Epicureans  pronounced 
 all  religion  to  be  vain  ;  and  some  modern  philosophers  place 
 him  at  such  a  distance  from  men,  that  every  tie  which  seemed 
 to  unite  them  is  broken ;  and  shut  up  in  the  mysteriousness  of 
 his  essence,  he  is  only  an  object  of  uninteresting  speculation. 
 The  Divine  Being  is  communicative,  not  however  necessarily, 
 as  the  sun  gives  out  his  rays,  or  the  fountain  its  streams,  for 
 then  the  universe  should  have  existed  from  eternity,  and  all 
 its  inhabitants  would  be  happy,  and  happy  in  the  highest 
 degree.  But  there  is  a  principle  in  God  which  disposes  him 
 to  diffuse  felicity,  according  to  the  dictates  of  hi^  wisdom,  and 
 in  accordance  with  his  other  perfections ;  and  in  this  principle 
 originated  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  dispen- 
 sations of  providence  and  grace.  It  is  the  knowledge  of  this 
 feature  in  the  Divine  character,  which  encourages  us  to  pre- 
 sent our  supplications.  He  is  good,  and  does  good,  and  for 
 this  reason  we  pray  to  him.  And  surely,  when  we  reflect 
 upon  the  infinite  fulness  of  God,  to  which  the  goodness  of  the 
 dsssI  perfect  creature  bears  a  less  proportion  than  a  drop  b 
 to  all  the  waters  on  the  surface  and  in  the  bowels  of  the  globe  ; 
 and  upon  his  willingness  to  exercise  it,  which  the  Script) 
 labour  to  express  by  the  selection  of  a  variety  of  terms,  calling 
 
248  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 it  his  love,  grace,  mercy,  good  pleasure,  and  compassion ;  we 
 may  say  of  those  who  address  their  prayers  to  the  angels  or 
 the  saints,  in  the  words  of  God  concerning  the  Israelites,  who 
 transferred  their  homage  from  him  to  the  gods  of  the  sur- 
 rounding nations,  "  My  people  have  committed  two  evils  : 
 they  have  forsaken  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed 
 them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns  that  can  hold  no  water."  * 
 
 It  were  easy  to  shew  that  all  the  other  parts  of  prayer, 
 when  taken  in  its  most  extensive  sense,  are  founded  on  the 
 character  and  perfections  of  God  ;  adoration  on  his  transcend- 
 ent excellence  and  unrivalled  greatness  ;  thanksgiving  on  the 
 numerous  and  valuable  benefits  which  he  confers ;  confession 
 on  the  relation  in  which  he  stands  to  us,  as  our  offended 
 Maker  and  Judge.  But  I  have  confined  myself  to  prayer, 
 properly  so  called,  or  petition  ;  and  in  this  light  it  will  be 
 viewed,  in  what  I  have  farther  to  say  upon  the  subject. 
 
 The  reasons  which  have  been  now  stated,  hold  out  encou- 
 ragement to  pray,  and  prove  that  our  prayers  should  be  ad- 
 dressed to  God  alone.  But  in  consequence  of  the  situation  in 
 which  we  are  placed  as  sinful  creatures,  something  further  is 
 necessary  to  be  known  with  respect  to  the  object  of  worship. 
 The  conclusions  which  innocent  beings  may  legitimately  deduce 
 from  his  character,  are  not  applicable  to  the  case  of  the  guilty  ; 
 who,  if  they  reasoned  justly,  would  infer  that  from  his  good- 
 ness they  have  nothing  to  expect,  and  that  his  perfect  know- 
 ledge supplies  the  evidence  on  which  his  power  will  be  justly 
 exerted  in  subjecting  them  to  punishment.  The  criminal  may 
 venture  to  solicit  the  favour  of  his  judge ;  but  what  would  be 
 the  foundation  of  his  hope,  if  there  were  no  indication  that  he 
 is  mercifully  disposed? 
 
 The  prayers  which  sinners  offer  up  to  God  are  founded,  or 
 should  be  founded,  on  the  dispensation  of  grace.  The  impor- 
 tant question  whether  God  is  placable,  upon  which  the  reli- 
 gion of  the  guilty  depends,  is  answered  by  the  gospel,  which 
 declares  that  he  is  not  only  willing  to  be  appeased,  but  that 
 he  is  actually  reconciled  to  us  by  the  atonement  of  his  Son. 
 The  obstacle  to  the  reception  of  fallen  men,  and  the  communi- 
 cation of  blessings  to  them,  is  removed.    The  demands  of  jus- 
 
 *  Jer.  ii.  13. 
 
PRAYER.  249 
 
 lice  have  been  satisfied  ;  the  law  which  they  had  broken,  hai 
 been  honoured  by  the  fulfilment  of  its  precepts,  and  the  esta- 
 blishment of  its  authority  ;  and  consistently  with  the  hotinesfl 
 and  righteousness  of  his  character  and  administration,  God  may- 
 extend  Ins  favour  to  those  who  in  themselves  deserved  con- 
 demnation and  wrath.  Spiritual  and  heavenly  blessings  have 
 been  obtained  for  them,  and  exhibited  in  the  promises ;  and 
 these  are  ratified  with  the  blood  of  our  Saviour.  Hence  you 
 perceive,  that  all  our  prayers  should  have  a  respect  to  his 
 mediation.  God  should  be  contemplated  as  manifested  in 
 him,  and  the  displays  of  his  perfections  in  creation  and  provi- 
 dence can  give  encouragement  to  us,  only  when  they  are 
 viewed  in  connexion  with  the  work  of  redemption,  in  which 
 they  assume  an  aspect  of  benevolence  to  man,  and  are  engaged, 
 if  I  may  speak  so,  to  co-operate  for  our  good.  The  Maker  of 
 heaven  and  earth  will  appear  to  the  person  who  is  apprized  of 
 his  natural  condition,  to  be  an  object  of  confidence  and  hope, 
 only  when  he  is  considered  at  the  same  time  as  the  God  and 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  him  the  Father  of 
 mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  grace  and  consolation.  The 
 mediation  of  Christ  furnishes  the  sole  ground  on  which  we  can 
 expect  success;  it  supplies  the  arguments  with  which  we  should 
 enforce  our  petitions ;  and  when  we  do  receive  a  favourable 
 answer,  it  is  granted  in  consideration,  not  of  our  sincerity  and 
 fervour,  but  of  his  merit  and  intercession.  Hence  you  per- 
 ceive for  what  reason  our  Saviour  has  commanded  us  to  ask 
 all  things  in  his  name,  and  also  when  we  do  comply  with  this 
 injunction.  The  mere  mention  of  his  name  is  not  sufficient ; 
 for  it  is  introduced  into  many  a  prayer,  which  breathes  a  spirit 
 the  most  adverse  to  the  Gospel,  into  the  prayers  of  the  self- 
 righteous,  who  trust  much  more  to  themselves  than  to  him. 
 They  alone  pray  in  his  name,  who,  fully  convinced  of  their  own 
 unworthiness,  depend  on  him  alone  for  acceptance.  "  We  are 
 the  circumcision,  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  rejoice  in 
 Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh."  *  There 
 is  then  an  essentia]  difference  between  the  prayers  of  a  Chris- 
 tian, and  those  of  the  professor  of  any  other  religion.  The 
 latter  addresses  God   as  the  Creator  ;   but   the  former  as   the 
 
 •  Phil.  iii.  3. 
 
250  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 Redeemer  of  the  human  race.  Both  may  appeal  to  the  divine 
 mercy  ;  but  the  one  contemplates  it  under  the  vague  and  gene- 
 ral notion  of  benevolence  awakened  by  the  spectacle  of  misery, 
 leaving  the  idea  of  justice  or  moral  rectitude  out  of  sight ; 
 while  the  other  fixes  his  attention  upon  the  specific  mani- 
 festation of  it  in  harmony  with  all  the  attributes  of  the  Deity. 
 The  Christian  approaches  God  by  an  intercessor,  whose  merits 
 will  secure  the  acceptance  of  his  requests  ;  but  the  Mahometan 
 and  the  philosopher  appears  for  himself,  and  trusts  that  the 
 naked  representation  of  his  case  will  prevail  upon  the  Al- 
 mighty to  regard  him  with  a  propitious  eye.  We  are  not  left 
 in  doubt  which  of  these  modes  of  prayer  is  pleasing  to  God, 
 and  will  draw  down  his  blessing  upon  us.  "I  am  the  way, 
 the  truth,  and  the  life,  and  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but 
 by  me."  * 
 
 As  God  is  revealed  to  us  in  a  plurality  of  perspns,  when  we 
 say  that  he  is  the  object  of  prayer,  we  must  be  understood  to 
 mean,  that  prayer  should  be  addressed  to  each  of  those  per- 
 sons. A  title  to  religious  worship  is  not  peculiar  to  any  of 
 them,  but  is  common  to  them  all.  There  is  the  same  ground 
 of  honour  in  each,  namely,  the  possession  of  the  divine  essence 
 and  perfections.  The  Father  is  first  in  order ;  but  we  must 
 not  add  with  some,  in  dignity  also,  lest  we  destroy  the  equality 
 and  undeify  the  other  persons  of  the  Trinity.  There  is  no 
 perfection  in  the  Father,  which  is  not  also  in  the  Son  and  in 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  Examples  of  religious  worship  addressed  to 
 them  as  well  as  to  the  Father  occur  in  the  Scriptures,  which 
 are  the  standard  of  our  faith  and  practice.  In  his  last  mo- 
 ments, the  blessed  martyr  Stephen  prayed  to  Jesus  Christ, 
 whom  he  saw  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God  :  "  Lord 
 Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  t  Equal  honour  is  given  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  He  is  understood  to  be  signified  by  the  seven  Spirits 
 before  the  throne,  to  whom  John  prayed  for  grace  to  the 
 churches,|  as  well  as  the  eternal  Father,  and  his  Son  the  only- 
 begotten  from  the  dead  ;  and  we  continue  to  pray  to  him  in  our 
 public  assemblies,  when,  in  the  language  of  an  Apostle,  we 
 say,  "  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
 God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  you. 
 •  John  xiv.  6.  f  Acts  vii.  59.  %  Rev.  i.  4. 
 
FRA1  l2.)\ 
 
 Anion."  '  Thus  We  bare  a  full  warrant  to  call  upon  a 
 I Ik>  Wllul  persons  of  the  Godhead.  They  arc  all  present  to 
 hear  and  to  help  U8 J  and  the  part  which  each  sustains  in  the 
 economy  of  redemption,  holds  out  the  highest  encouragement 
 to  make  known  our  requests  to  him.  We  may  with  all  con- 
 fidence draw  near  to  the  Father  who  loved  us,  to  the  Son  who 
 died  for  us,  and  to  the  Spirit  who  sanctifies  and  comforts  us. 
 
 But  the  ordinary  mode  of  worship,  which  is  established  by 
 the  Christian  dispensation,  is  to  address  the  Father,  in  the 
 name  of  the  Son,  and  by  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 
 and  it  is  pointed  out  by  the  Apostle  in  the  following  words. 
 "  Through  him,"  that  is,  Christ,  "  we  both  have  access  by 
 one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."  f  To  the  Father  a  place  of 
 eminence  and  dignity  is  assigned  in  redemption.  He  is,  if  I 
 may  express  myself  so,  the  representative  of  the  Godhead,  who 
 asserts  its  rights,  and  demands  satisfaction  to  its  justice  ;  and 
 hence,  although  all  the  persons  were  equally  dishonoured  by 
 the  sins  of  men,  and  the  scheme  of  salvation  originated  in  their 
 common  consent,  it  was  his  anger  which  the  sacrifice  of  the 
 cross  was  offered  to  avert,  and  it  is  his  favour  which  we  are 
 directed  to  implore.  The  love  of  the  divine  nature  is  mani- 
 fested and  exercised  towards  us  in  the  person  of  the  Father. 
 On  this  account,  although  not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other 
 persons, — who,  as  we  have  seen,  may  be  directly  addressed, — 
 he  is  the  object  of  those  devotional  duties,  in  which  the  feelings 
 excited  in  our  souls  by  the  contemplation  and  experience  of 
 divine  goodness  are  expressed.  In  him  the  infinite  glory,  the 
 unbounded  perfection,  the  transcendent  benevolence  of  the 
 Godhead,  are  manifested ;  and  we  look  to  him  as  our  refuge, 
 and  our  strength,  and  our  present  help  in  trouble.  Through 
 Christ  we  believe  in  God,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead. 
 Christ  was  constituted  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,  that  we 
 might  come  to  the  Father ;  his  blood  was  shed  that  we  might 
 have  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  of  all.  Since  then  it 
 appears  from  the  New  Testament,  and  from  the  remarks  which 
 have  been  made,  that  the  Father  is  the  ordinary  object  of 
 Christian  worship,  it  will  be  proper  to  inquire  distinctly  in 
 what  light  he  should  be  viewed  when  we  pray  to  him. 
 •  2  Cor.  xiii.  14.  f  Eph.  ii.  18. 
 
252  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 First,  We  must  beware  of  considering  him  as  alone,  or  as 
 exclusively  entitled  to  our  worship,  and  should  remember  that 
 the  pre-eminence  which  is  implied  in  his  being  the  peculiar 
 object  of  our  prayers,  is  merely  economical.  Even  when  we 
 address  the  Father,  we  do  not  give  honour  to  him  alone.  As 
 the  Divine  nature  which  is  in  him  is  also  in  the  Son  and 
 the  Spirit,  in  worshipping  him  we  worship  the  whole  Trinity. 
 We  worship  God,  and  each  of  these  persons  is  God.  In  con- 
 sequence of  the  essential  union,  although  one  of  the  persons 
 may  be  immediately  in  the  contemplation  of  the  mind,  we 
 cannot  divide  the  honour  so  as  to  withhold  it  from  another  ; 
 and,  besides,  as  the  Father  is  the  representative  of  the  God- 
 head, the  glory  which  terminates  in  the  first  instance  upon  him, 
 redounds  to  the  Son  and  the  Spirit.  We  honour  them  in  the 
 Father,  with  whom  they  are  one.  This  reasoning  is  justified 
 by  our  Lord's  express  declaration  :  "  He  that  hath  seen  me, 
 hath  seen  the  Father."  * 
 
 Secondly,  It  is  evident  from  what  has  been  already  said, 
 that  we  must  consider  him  as  reconciled.  In  this  light  the 
 gospel  reveals  him  as  the  object  of  prayer.  The  majesty, 
 and  power,  and  moral  purity  of  the  mysterious  Being  who 
 presides  over  nature  and  pervades  all  space,  are  calculated  to 
 overwhelm  us  with  awe  and  terror ;  but  the  mild  glory  of 
 mercy  shining  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  revives  and  com- 
 forts the  amazed  and  trembling  soul.  "  There  is  forgiveness 
 with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared." 
 
 Lastly,  We  should  consider  him  as  our  Father ;  and  in  this 
 relation  believers  are  authorized  to  claim  him,  in  consequence 
 of  his  relation  to  their  Saviour.  "  I  ascend  to  my  Father 
 and  your  Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God."  f  When 
 our  Lord  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  he  directed  them  to 
 begin  with  saying,  "  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven." 
 This  character,  which  he  has  condescended  to  assume,  re- 
 minds us  of  the  temper  of  mind  with  which  we  should  ap- 
 proach the  throne  of  heaven  ;  not  as  slaves,  who  are  afraid  to 
 utter  their  requests  before  a  haughty  and  unfeeling  master  ; 
 nor  as  criminals,  trembling  in  the  presence  of  a  judge  who 
 has  their  life  at  his  disposal ;  but  as  children  confident  of  the 
 
 *  John  xiv.  9.  f  Ib'  xx*  *?• 
 
affection  oi  their  parent,  with  the  language  of  faith  in  our 
 mouths  and  the  expectation  of  grace  in  our  hearts.  The 
 name  of  Father  awakens  every  pleasing  emotion.     Will  he 
 
 not  lend  an  ear  to  our  requests,  although  presented  with  mueh 
 on  worthiness  ?  Will  not  his  compassion  prompt  him  to  re- 
 lieve our  distress  ?  Will  not  his  hand  bestow  all  the  blessings 
 which  we  need?  Christians  should  reflect,  that  they  are 
 speaking  to  a  Father  whose  heart  is  more  tender  than  that  of 
 the  most  affectionate  earthly  parent,  from  whose  ample  stores 
 they  may  expect  the  supply  of  all  their  wants,  and  to  whose 
 all-wrise  disposal  they  may  resign  themselves  without  fear. 
 
 In  speaking  of  the  object  of  worship,  I  have  shewn  that 
 his  essential  attributes,  his  dispensations,  and  the  character 
 of  a  Father  which  he  has  assumed,  lay  a  foundation  for  the 
 duty  of  prayer,  and  hold  out  encouragement  to  engage  in  it. 
 But  the  same  subject  is  viewed  in  different  lights,  according 
 to  the  different  states  of  mind  in  individuals,  the  associations 
 which  the}'  have  formed,  the  dispositions  which  predominate, 
 and  the  objects  which  they  have  in  view.  Hence,  we  find 
 men  not  only  contending  about  principles,  but  sometimes 
 drawing  from  the  same  principle  the  most  opposite  inferences. 
 A  striking  example  is  furnished  by  the  different  conclusions  at 
 which  men  have  arrived  respecting  the  connexion  between  the 
 character  of  God  and  the  duty  of  prayer.  While  we  have 
 endeavoured  to  prove  that  his  character  authorizes  and  en- 
 courages the  duty,  others  have  inferred  that  it  is  no  duty  at 
 all,  and  have  supported  the  assertion  by  an  appeal  to  the 
 same  grounds  on  which  our  reasoning  is  founded.  Since 
 God  knows  our  wants,  it  can  serve  no  purpose  to  tell  him  of 
 them,  as  if  he  needed  information ;  and  if  he  is  a  Being  of 
 infinite  benevolence,  there  is  no  occasion  to  make  use  of 
 entreaties,  and  to  fill  our  mouths  with  arguments,  because 
 his  own  nature  will  undoubtedly  prompt  him  to  promote  the 
 happiness  of  his  creatures.  There  is  another  argument  against 
 prayer,  derived  from  the  wisdom  and  immutability  of  God. 
 As  he  is  an  infallible  judge  of  what  is  proper  to  be  done,  he 
 surely  will  do  it  whether  we  ask  him  or  not ;  and  if  he  has 
 determined  that  it   is   not  proper,   vain   and   presumptuous  is 
 
254  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 the  hope  that  we  shall  prevail  upon  him  to  alter  his  purpose 
 by  our  importunity. 
 
 In  answer  to  these  objections,  I  would  observe,  that  al- 
 though prayer  is  certainly  not  necessary  to  give  information 
 to  God,  yet  it  does  not  follow  from  this  concession  that  it  is 
 superfluous,  because  there  may  be  other  reasons  of  great  im- 
 portance for  which  it  is  required.  It  may  be  enjoined  as  the 
 means  of  impressing  our  own  minds  more  deeply  with  a  sense 
 of  our  wants,  and  of  bringing  them  into  that  state  in  which 
 alone  it  is  proper  that  blessings  should  be  bestowed  upon  us. 
 It  may  be  enjoined,  too,  to  affect  us  more  strongly  with  a 
 feeling  of  our  dependence  upon  God,  and  to  express  that 
 feeling  to  others  who  witness  our  prayers,  with  a  view  to 
 convince  them  and  ourselves,  that  the  good  things  which  we 
 obtain  do  not  come  to  us  by  chance,  but  by  his  appointment 
 and  agency.  To  suppose  that  his  infinite  goodness  will 
 prompt  him  to  supply  our  wants  without  any  solicitation  on 
 our  part,  is  a  hasty  inference  from  a  partial  view  of  his  cha- 
 racter, and  is  contrary  to  the  analogy  of  his  general  adminis- 
 tration. The  supposition  proceeds  upon  the  idea,  that  bene- 
 volence is  the  only  attribute  of  his  nature,  and  that  he  is  in- 
 stinctively and  necessarily  impelled  by  it  to  communicate 
 himself,  as  the  sun  necessarily  gives  light,  or  a  fountain 
 pours  out  its  contents.  But  as  God  is  possessed  of  other 
 perfections,  there  may  be  moral  restraints  upon  his  benevo- 
 lence ;  there  may  be  reasons  why  it  should  not  be  exercised 
 indiscriminately,  and  why  the  supplications  of  his  creatures 
 should  precede  the  distribution  of  his  gifts.  The  argument 
 proves  nothing,  by  proving  too  much ;  for  if  we  infer  from 
 his  benevolence  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  prayer,  we 
 might  also  infer  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  means  of  any 
 kind,  and  that  all  our  wants  will  be  supplied  without  labour. 
 God,  however,  has  not  ordained  that  the  earth  should  sponta- 
 neously yield  its  fruits,  but  has  made  its  productions  the  reward 
 of  cultivation  ;  and  it  is  therefore  conformable  to  the  order  of 
 things  that  men  should  first  ask,  and  then  receive. 
 
 The  argument  from  the  wisdom  of  God,  which,  it  is  said, 
 will  lead  him  to  do  what  is  fit  without  being  asked,  establishes 
 the  very  point  which  it  is  intended  to  disprove.     There  are 
 
1»K.\  . 
 
 many  things,  no  doubt*  which  will  advance  bis  glory,  and 
 which  In*  will  therefore  do  independently  of  km  i   but  the  point 
 now  under  consideration,  is  the  communication  of  bleesu 
 individuals   and  the  question  is,    Whether  it  would  be  propel 
 to    bestow  favours   upon   them  without  prayer  ?    We  answer, 
 that  it  would  not  be  proper,  because  it  would  tend  to  cherish 
 I  spirit  of  impiety,  to  dissolve  the  moral  relation  of  man  to  his 
 Maker,  to  encourage  the  neglect  of  him,  which  is  too  natural, 
 and    the    ingratitude    which   we  so  often    display  amidst  the 
 most  abundant  tokens   of  his  goodness.      Would  it  be  proper 
 that   a   guilty  man  should  be  pardoned,  who  will  not  be  at 
 pains  to  implore  the  mercy  of  his  sovereign  ?  or  that  Divine 
 grace  should  help  and  comfort  us,  while  we  are  too  indifferent 
 to  request  in  assistance  ?     To  talk  of  wisdom  doing  what  is 
 fit  to  be  done,  as  a  reason  why  prayer  should   be   restrained, 
 is  to  ose  words  which  either  mean  nothing,  or  lead  to  a  con- 
 elusion  exactly  the  reverse  of  that  which  is  deduced  from  them. 
 God  will  do  what  is  worthy  of  himself;  but  it  would  not  be 
 worthy  of  him  to  adopt  a  mode  of  procedure  which  would  ter- 
 minate in  the  extinction  of  religious  sentiments.     We  acknow- 
 ledge that  God  is  immutable,  and  therefore  acknowledge  that 
 it  would  be  vain  to  hope  that  we  shall  change  his  purpose  by 
 our  entreaties.     Our  prayers  are  offered  up  with  no  such  de- 
 sign.    We  do  not  conceive  that  there  is  any  decree  which 
 must  be  reversed  before  they  can  be  answered.     If  there  is 
 any  case  in  which  it  is  uncertain  whether  our  wishes  are  in 
 unison  with  the  will  of  God,  as  when  we  pray  for  the  reco- 
 very of  others  from  sickness,  our  petitions  are  presented  with 
 this  reservation.     In  other  cases,  we  assume,  upon  the  autho- 
 rity of  his  word,  that  he  is  ready  to  bestow  blessings  upon 
 us,  and  only  waits  till  we  have  made  our  humble  and  earnest 
 request.     We  ask  them  with  confidence,  because  we  knowT 
 that  he  is  willing  to   give  them  to  those  who  ask  in  faith. 
 W  i'  do  not  call  upon  God  to  alter  the  established  order  of  his 
 administration,  but  to   act  conformably  to  it ;  and  this  is  the 
 order,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  highest  authority  :   "  Ask, 
 and  it  shall  be  grata  you;   seek,   and  ye  shall  find;   knock, 
 and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  (      Now,  here  is  nothing  to 
 
 *    Matth.  vii.  7. 
 
25G        ON  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 be  changed,  no  new  inclination  to  be  excited  in  the  object  of 
 worship.  It  is  agreeable  to  his  character  and  his  purpose  to 
 attend  to  the  supplications  of  men,  for  he  is  described  in  his 
 own  word  as  the  Hearer  of  prayer.  Whatever  false  notions 
 the  ignorant  may  entertain  of  God,  as  if  he  resembled  a  man, 
 whose  judgment  may  be  convinced  by  arguments,  and  whose 
 affection  may  be  gained  over  to  those  whom  he  has  formerly 
 regarded  with  aversion  ;  true  Christians  believe  that  he  is  of 
 himself  disposed  to  fulfil  our  desires.  They  do,  indeed,  ex- 
 pect that  he  will  do  something  for  them,  in  consequence  of 
 their  prayers,  which  he  would  not  have  done  if  they  had  not 
 prayed;  but  they  do  not,  therefore,  consider  him  to  be  a 
 changeable  Being.  To  give  blessings  when  they  are  asked, 
 which  he  would  not  have  given  if  they  had  not  been  asked,  is 
 not  more  a  proof  of  mutability,  than  it  is  to  crown  with  his 
 goodness  a  cultivated  field,  which  would  have  yielded  nothing 
 for  the  nourishment  of  men,  if  it  had  not  been  ploughed  and 
 sown.  Prayer,  then,  is  not  an  attempt  to  prevail  upon  the 
 Almighty  to  alter  his  plan ;  but  it  either  supposes  or  produces 
 in  us  that  state  of  mind  which  his  wisdom  requires  as  a  pre- 
 paration for  the  reception  of  his  favours.  And  certainly  it 
 does  not  destroy  or  diminish  the  freeness  of  Divine  mercies, 
 that  they  must  be  sought  before  they  can  be  obtained.  Who 
 would  call  in  question  the  benevolence  of  the  man  who  was 
 disposed  to  assist  every  person  who  applied  to  him  ? 
 
 Thus,  it  appears  that  the  objections  urged  against  prayer 
 have  no  force,  and  are  as  little  founded  on  reason  as  in  Scrip- 
 ture. They  have  been  suggested  by  the  spirit  of  irreligion, 
 which  labours  to  estrange  man  from  his  Maker,  and  says  to 
 the  Almighty,  "  Depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  know- 
 ledge of  thy  ways." 
 
 The  rule  of  prayer  is  the  word  of  God.  Experience,  in- 
 deed, makes  us  acquainted  with  our  wants  ;  but  the  informa- 
 tion which  we  derive  from  it,  relates  chiefly  to  the  necessities 
 of  the  body,  and  of  the  present  life.  The  wants  of  the  soul 
 are  little  felt,  till  the  mind  is  enlightened,  and  the  conscience 
 is  awakened  by  the  truths  of  revelation.  It  is  only  in  its  light 
 that  we  see  ourselves  to  be  ignorant,  guilty,  polluted,  miser- 
 able,  and  helpless,   when  left  to  our  own  resources  and  the 
 
PRATER.  si:>~, 
 
 •instance  of  our  (felk>w«<reatures.  A  sense  of  need  Lb  an  indis- 
 pensable pre-requisite  to  prayer;  but  it  still  remains  to  ascertain 
 whether  God  is  willing  to  relieve  oj,  and  to  what  extent  we 
 may  expect  Ids  goodness  to  be  exercised.     It  is  evident  that, 
 
 on  this  subject,  we  can  obtain  satisfactory  information  only  from 
 himself  and  that  without  an  express  manifestation  of  his  good 
 will,  we  could  have  no  sure  ground  to  go  upon  in  our  request-. 
 We  might  ask  what  he  has  no  intention  to  bestow,  and  neglect 
 what  he  is  ready  to  give.  "  The  whole  word  of  God  is  of 
 use  to  direct  us  in  prayer ;"  its  doctrines  exhibiting  the  privi- 
 leges which  he  confers  upon  believers  ;  its  precepts  enjoining 
 duties  which  only  his  grace  can  enable  us  to  perform ;  its  his- 
 tories relating  the  blessings  which  men  in  former  ages  have 
 obtained  ;  its  threatenings  denouncing  evils  from  which  no 
 arm  but  his  own  can  deliver  us  ;  its  promises  holding  out  to 
 us  the  good  things  prepared  for  those  who  seek  him  ;  and  the 
 prayers  of  the  saints  being  recorded  as  patterns  to  us,  when 
 we  are  placed  in  similar  circumstances. 
 
 It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  attend  to  this  rule  in  our 
 supplications.  In  reference  to  this  subject,  we  may  say  that 
 a  man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given  him  from  above  ; 
 or,  in  other  words,  has  no  ground  to  expect  any  blessing  from 
 God,  unless  there  be  a  warrant  for  asking  it  in  his  word. 
 The  prayers  of  ungodly  men,  for  they  sometimes  pray,  are 
 not  regulated  by  this  standard,  but  by  the  suggestions  of 
 imagination,  and  the  desires  of  their  hearts.  Give  us  riches, 
 they  say,  give  us  honours,  give  us  long  life,  give  us  something 
 to  gratify  our  appetites,  our  ambition,  our  avarice.  Even  if 
 they  should  happen  to  present  their  petitions  for  blessings 
 which  God  has  promised,  they  have  no  respect  to  his  wisdom 
 and  goodness,  as  pledged  in  his  faithful  word,  but  are  impelled 
 solely  by  their  eager  wishes  to  obtain  what  will  contribute  to 
 improve  their  condition.  But  we  are  not  permitted  to  assail 
 his  throne  with  our  crude  and  random  petitions.  The  Spirit, 
 who  "  makes  intercession  for  the  saints,"  enables  them  to  inter- 
 cede for  themselves,  "  according  to  the  will  of  God."*  His 
 grace  is  the  source  of  supply  ;  and  it  therefore  becomes  our 
 duty  to  conform  our  requests  to  the  rule  or  measure  of  distri- 
 
 •   Rom.  viii.  27- 
 vol..  IV.  R 
 
258  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 bution  established  by  himself.  We  proceed  safely,  and  may 
 feel  the  utmost  confidence,  when  we  found  our  petitions  upon 
 Scripture ;  for  we  are  certain  that,  in  this  case,  we  are  doing 
 what  is  agreeable  to  God,  and  there  is  a  perfect  harmony  be- 
 tween his  will  and  our  desires.  But,  as  soon  as  we  permit 
 our  own  views  of  expedience  and  advantage  to  dictate,  we 
 must  be  perplexed  with  doubt  and  the  fear  of  offending,  un- 
 less all  misgivings  of  mind  be  precluded  by  profound  igno- 
 rance, and  complete  moral  insensibility.  Then  only  can  we 
 pray  in  faith,  when  we  have  a  Divine  declaration  or  promise 
 as  the  ground  of  our  petition,  and  can  address  God  in  the 
 words  of  the  holy  Psalmist :  "  And  now,  O  Lord  God,  the 
 word  that  thou  hast  spoken  concerning  thy  servant,  and  con- 
 cerning his  house,  establish  it  for  ever,  and  do  as  thou  hast 
 said."  * 
 
 The  word  of  God  is  our  directory  in  prayer.  It  holds  out 
 encouragement  to  us  to  pray  for  all  blessings ;  for  it  says, 
 "  Be  careful  for  nothing;  but  in  every  thing,  by  prayer  and  sup- 
 plication, with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made  known 
 unto  God.  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  under- 
 standing, shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through  Jesus 
 Christ."  f  Nothing  really  necessary  to  us  can  be  pointed  out, 
 which  is  not  contained  in  some  declaration  or  promise.  The 
 blessings  for  which  we  should  pray  may  be  distributed  into 
 two  classes,  temporal  and  spiritual.  Spiritual  blessings  are, 
 the  pardon  of  sin,  peace  with  God,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 the  continual  influences  of  grace,  the  Divine  presence  in  the 
 ordinances  of  religion,  assistance  in  duties  and  temptations, 
 comfort  in  affliction  and  its  salutary  fruits,  hope  in  death,  and 
 a  happy  eternity.  The  incalculable  value  of  these  blessings 
 should  give  them  the  first  place  in  our  prayers,  and  excite  our 
 fervent  and  importunate  desires  ;  and  that  man  is  destitute 
 of  the  spirit  of  devotion,  who  looks  upon  them  as  secondary 
 things,  and  is  more  remiss  in  asking  them  than  in  his  petitions 
 for  temporal  blessings.  With  respect  to  the  latter,  it  may  be 
 observed,  that  we  have  no  authority  to  seek  great  things  for 
 ourselves.  On  this  subject,  we  are  altogether  disqualified  to 
 judge,  and  should  keep  a  strict  watch  upon  our  desires,  which 
 *  2  Sam.  vii.  25.  +  Phil.  iv.  6,  7. 
 
I*K  \^  BR. 
 
 are  naturally  immoderate,  and  would  prompt  u^  to  solicit 
 what  it  ini^lit  not  be  tor  our  good  to  possess,  or  tor  tin-  glory 
 of  God  to  bestow.  We  ought  to  content  ourselves  with  praying 
 tor  a  competent  portion,  and  should  leave  its  amount  to  ho  de- 
 termined by  Divine  wisdom.  We  may  pray  for  health,  and 
 the  continuance  of  lite,  and  other  worldly  enjoyments  ;  but,  at 
 the  same  time,  we  should  cultivate  a  submissive  temper,  which 
 will  acquiesce  in  the  event  without  a  murmur.  Our  Saviour 
 has  given  us  directions  in  the  following  words  :  "  Seek  ye  first 
 the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these 
 things  shall  be  added  unto  you."  '  The  first  care  of  every 
 man  should  be  to  obtain  an  interest  in  the  salvation  of  Christ, 
 and  God  will  provide  for  his  temporal  wants.  But  our  Sa- 
 viour is  not  to  be  understood  as  forbidding  ns  to  pray  for  tem- 
 poral blessiuo-v,  either  in  this  passage,  or  in  the  preceding 
 -,  where  he  gives  this  admonition  to  his  disciples, 
 "  Therefore,  take  no  thought,  saying,  What  shall  we  eat?  or, 
 What  shall  we  drink  ?  or,  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ? 
 For  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek ;  for  your 
 heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these 
 things."  f  The  knowledge  of  our  heavenly  Father  is  not 
 adduced  as  a  reason  why  we  should  not  pray  for  food  and 
 raiment,  nor  is  this  the  design  of  the  promise,  that  they  shall 
 be  given  ;  but  the  intention  of  both  is  to  preserve  his  followers 
 from  anxiety,  and  fear,  and  distrust.  His  injunctions  in  one 
 place,  must  be  explained  consistently  with  those  in  another  ; 
 and  while  he  assures  such  as  believe  in  him,  that  those  things 
 which  are  needful  for  the  body  shall  not  be  withheld  from 
 them,  he  shews  it  to  be  their  duty  to  make  them  the  subject 
 of  their  petitions  to  God,  by  teaching  them  to  say,  "  Give  as 
 this  day  our  daily  bread." 
 
 •  littth.  vi.  33.  +.  lb.  31,  32. 
 
LECTURE  XCIV. 
 
 ON  PRAYER. 
 
 ON  PRAYER  FOR  OTHERS PUBLIC  PRAYER. — PRIVATE  PRAYER SECRET 
 
 PRAYER EJACULATORY  PRAYER. — SEASONS  OF  PRAYER. FORMS  OF 
 
 PRAYER  OBJECTIONABLE. — ACCEPTABLE  PRAYER. — ANSWER  TO  PRAY'ER. 
 
 In  the  preceding  lecture,  I  explained  the  nature  of  prayer, 
 shewed  that  it  should  be  addressed  to  God  alone,  removed 
 some  objections  against  it,  pointed  out  the  rule,  and  specified 
 the  blessings  for  which  we  should  present  our  petitions. 
 
 It  is  acknowledged  that  our  prayers  should  not  be  confined 
 to  ourselves,  but  that  there  are  others  in  whose  behalf  we 
 should  offer  up  our  supplications  to  God.  Who  these  are,  we 
 learn  from  the  following  words  :  "I  exhort  therefore,  that, 
 first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of 
 thanks,  be  made  for  all  men ;  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in 
 authority,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all 
 godliness  and  honesty."  *  While  it  is  evident  from  Scripture, 
 and  from  the  dictates  of  nature,  that  certain  individuals,  re- 
 lated to  us  by  the  ties  of  blood,  and  friendship,  and  religion, 
 should  have  a  particular  place  in  our  prayers,  it  appears  from 
 the  words  now  quoted,  that  men  of  every  nation,  and  of  every 
 degree,  should  be  remembered  by  us  when  we  draw  near  to 
 the  throne  of  grace.  Our  hearts,  like  our  religion,  should  be 
 expanded  to  embrace  the  whole  family  of  mankind. 
 •  1  Tim.  ii.  1,  2. 
 
PRATER.  'ifil 
 
 It  is  an  inference  from  the  command   to   pray  for  otmehrei 
 and  others,  that  there  ifl  some  efficacy  in  prayer.     It  m  not 
 
 only  an  expression  of  our  desires,  but  a  mean  of  obtaining  the 
 divine  bleating.  It  is  improper,  therefore,  to  consider  it  as 
 solely  intended  for  our  personal  improvement,  by  awakening 
 devout  sentiments  and  feelings,  and  giving  scope  for  the  ex- 
 ercise of  Christian  tempers  ;  there  is  a  connexion  between  it 
 and  the  end  proposed,  similar  to  the  connexion  between  means 
 and  ends  in  the  economy  of  nature.  To  encourage  Christians 
 to  pray  for  their  afflicted  brethren,  the  Apostle  James  says, 
 that  "  the  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth 
 much ;"  *  and  confirms  the  assertion  by  the  example  of 
 Elijah,  in  answer  to  whose  prayers,  rain  was  first  suspended 
 and  afterwards  given.  If  it  should  be  thought  that  their  case 
 was  singular  and  miraculous,  I  would  refer  you  to  the  words 
 of  our  Saviour  which  are  addressed  to  his  disciples  in  general  : 
 "  Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you,  seek  and  ye  shall  find,  knock 
 and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  f  The  efficacy  which  we 
 a^eribe  to  prayer,  does  not  resemble  that  which  the  heathens 
 imagined  to  be  in  certain  words,  by  the  repetition  of  which  the 
 aid  of  invisible  beings  was  obtained ;  nor  does  it  arise  from 
 any  merit  in  the  duty,  which  imposes  an  obligation  upon  the 
 Supreme  Being  to  grant  our  request.  It  is  the  result  of  a 
 free  gracious  constitution,  by  which  God  has  engaged  to  be- 
 stow blessings  upon  those  who  ask  them  in  faith.  Strictly, 
 the  efficacy  of  prayer  proceeds  from  the  divine  promise.  We 
 succeed  in  our  supplications,  because  God  has  pledged  himself 
 to  attend  to  them ;  but  they  must  precede  the  exercise  of  his 
 goodness,  and  no  encouragement  is  given  to  us  to  expect  any 
 thing  from  him,  if  they  are  withheld.  When  he  promises 
 blessings  he  says,  "  For  these  things  will  I  be  inquired  of  by 
 the  house  of  Israel."  J 
 
 The  efficacy  of  prayer  being  ascertained,  we  are  authorised 
 to  hope  that  our  supplications  will  be  useful  to  others  as  well 
 i  ourselves,  and  are  encouraged  to  intercede  for  them. 
 W  e  shonld  be  excited  to  the  performance  of  the  duty,  by  re- 
 flecting that  they  as  well  as  we  are  dependent  upon  God  ;  that 
 they  are  subject  to  the  same  necessities,  and  infirmities,  and 
 •  James  v.  16.  f   Matth.  vii.  7.  *   Kzck.  xxxvi.  3J. 
 
2()*2  THE  EXTERNAL  MEAN'S  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 distresses,  which  fall  to  our  lot ;  that  they  have  wants  which 
 he  only  can  supply,  and  sins  which  he  only  can  pardon ;  that 
 they  are  actuated  by  the  same  desire  for  happiness  which  we 
 feel,  are  in  danger  of  eternal  perdition,  being  by  nature  chil- 
 dren of  wrath,  but  are  capable  of  heavenly  bliss.  If  they 
 pray  for  themselves,  we  should  unite  our  interest  with  theirs, 
 if  we  have  any  interest  with  the  object  of  worship,  that  they 
 may  not  fail  of  success ;  if,  thoughtless  and  impious,  they  are 
 living  without  God  in  the  world,  they  are  the  more  the  objects 
 of  our  pity,  and  we  are  the  more  loudly  called  to  remember 
 them  because  they  are  forgetful  of  themselves.  Our  prayers  will 
 thus  be  a  becoming  expression  of  love  to  our  brethren  of  man- 
 kind ;  and  among  all  the  offices  of  kindness  by  which  we  should 
 shew  our  love,  there  is  none  more  decisive,  and  more  fitted  to  ac- 
 complish the  end  which  we  have  in  view,  if  wTe  sincerely  desire 
 their  welfare,  than  our  earnest  recommendation  of  them  to  the 
 favour  and  care  of  the  Father  of  mercies. 
 
 In  behalf  of  others,  we  should  ask  the  same  temporal  and 
 spiritual  blessings  which  we  ask  for  ourselves.  We  should  pray 
 for  the  poor,  that  their  wants  may  be  supplied ;  for  the  afflicted, 
 that  they  may  be  restored  to  health,  and  fitted  by  divine  grace 
 for  life  or  death ;  for  mourners,  that  they  may  be  comforted  ; 
 for  the  oppressed,  that  they  may  be  delivered.  We  should  pray 
 for  the  young,  that  the  seeds  of  piety  may  be  sown  in  their 
 hearts  ;  for  the  old,  that  they  may  have  wisdom  to  improve  the 
 short  remainder  of  life,  and  to  exhibit  a  salutary  example  to 
 their  inferiors  in  years ;  for  persons  in  the  other  stages  of  life, 
 that  they  may  perform  the  duties  of  their  stations,  and  fulfil 
 the  purpose  of  their  being.  We  should  pray  for  those  who 
 are  in  sin,  that  they  may  be  awakened  and  converted ;  and  for 
 those  who  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  that  their  faith  may  be 
 strengthened,  and  that  amidst  difficulties  and  temptations,  they 
 may  persevere  to  the  end.  We  should  pray  for  magistrates, 
 that  they  may  be  just,  and  may  rule  over  us  in  the  fear  of  the 
 Lord,  and  that  under  their  protection  we  may  enjoy  all  the 
 rights  and  privileges  which  belong  to  us  as  men  and  Christians. 
 We  should  pray  for  the  ministers  of  religion,  that  they  may 
 be  faithful  and  zealous,  and  that  their  labours  may  be  crowned 
 with  success ;  and  for  the  Christian  people,  that  they  may  re- 
 
i:  \\  ER. 
 
 reive  "with  meekness  the  ingrafted  teed  of  the  word,''  and  walk 
 in  the  ordinance*  and  commandments  of  the  Lord.  We  should 
 pray  for  the  catholic  church,  that  truth,  and  peace,  and  holi- 
 neai  may  flourish  in  it ;  that  its  limits  may  be  extended  till  it 
 comprehend  all  the  inhabited  regions  of  the  earth  ;  and  that  the 
 time  may  come  when  it  shall  be  said  to  it,  "  Arise,  shine, 
 for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  hath  arisen 
 upon  thee."  "  Lift  up  thine  eyes  round  about,  and  see  ;  all 
 they  gather  themselves  together,  they  come  to  thee;  thy 
 sons  shall  come  from  far,  and  thy  daughters  shall  be  nursed  at 
 thy  side."  * 
 
 One  exception  however  is  mentioned  by  the  Apostle  John  : 
 M  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not  unto  death, 
 he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not 
 unto  death.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death  ;  I  do  not  say  that  he 
 shall  pray  for  it."  t  There  is  a  degree  of  obscurity  in  these 
 words;  but  the  sin  unto  death  most  probably  is  the  sin  agaiiwt 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  which  alone  is  pronounced  to  be  unpardon- 
 able. Its  irremissible  nature  is  evidently  the  reason  why  prayer 
 is  forbidden  for  the  person  who  is  guilty  of  it.  It  is  extreme- 
 ly difficult  to  say  in  what  it  consists ;  and  as  Christians  are 
 divided  in  their  sentiments  on  this  subject,  and  it  is  impossi- 
 ble to  determine  when  a  person  is  chargeable  with  it, — if  it  was 
 not  confined,  as  some  have  thought,  to  the  age  of  miracles, — 
 the  exception  stated  by  John  is  practically  no  exception  to  us. 
 We  may  pray  for  the  greatest  sinners,  since,  for  aught  that  we 
 can  tell,  they  are  wdthin  the  reach  of  mercy,  and  God  may  give 
 them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth. 
 
 Prayer  may  be  distinguished  into  public,  private,  and  secret. 
 
 Public  prayer  is  that  which  is  offered  up  in  the  church,  or 
 in  any  other  place,  where  many  are  assembled  to  observe  the 
 ordinances  of  religion  ;  and  it  appears  from  ancient  records  to 
 have  made  a  part  of  the  service  in  the  meetings  of  Christians 
 from  the  earliest  times.  It  is  an  acknowledgment  of  God  by 
 those  who  are  present;  an  acknowledgment  of  their  dependence 
 upon  him,  of  their  expectations  from  him,  of  their  desire  for 
 his  grace,  by  which  only  the  institutions  of  religion  will  be 
 rendered  effectual.  On  such  occasions  one  necessarily  speaks 
 •  Is.  be  1,4.  f  1  John  v.  1G. 
 
264  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 in  the  name  of  the  rest,  but  all  are  understood  to  join  in  the 
 petitions.  It  is  not  the  minister  alone  who  prays,  it  is  the 
 congregation  which  addresses  God  by  his  mouth  ;  and  every 
 man  should  make  the  petitions  his  own  by  serious  attention  to 
 them,  and  by  stirring  up  the  sentiments  and  affections  of  which 
 they  are  expressive. 
 
 Private  prayer  is  offered  up  in  select  associations,  and  parti- 
 cularly in  families.  Our  Saviour  has  given  an  example  in  his 
 prayers  for  his  disciples ;  it  is  implied  in  the  accounts  of  good 
 men,  which  we  find  in  the  Scriptures  ;  and  it  has  been  practised 
 in  all  ages  by  the  saints.  The  motive  which  excites  a  man 
 to  pray  for  himself,  will  lead  him  also  to  pray  for  his  family, 
 and  with  them.  The  relations  in  which  they  stand  to  one 
 another  give  them  a  sort  of  individuality  ;  as  there  are  benefits 
 which  they  all  need,  so  there  are  mercies  for  which  they  should 
 be  all  thankful ;  and  interwoven  as  their  interests  are,  the  good 
 which  any  of  them  obtains  will  be  regarded  as  a  common 
 blessing.  There  is  no  fear  of  God  in  that  house,  in  which  the 
 exercises  of  devotion  are  unknown ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  obser- 
 vation, while  the  fact  may  seem  strange,  and  is  deeply  to  be 
 lamented,  that  it  is  only  among  professed  Christians  that  pri- 
 vate worship  is  neglected,  and  that  Mahometans  and  even 
 Heathens  act  more  consistently  in  carrying  their  religion  into 
 the  bosom  of  their  families,  and  the  ordinary  transactions  of 
 life. 
 
 Secret  prayer  is  offered  up  by  an  individual  in  some  place 
 of  retirement.  Withdrawing  from  the  world,  and  even  from 
 his  most  intimate  friends,  he  converses  with  God  alone. 
 Seclusion  is  necessary  to  the  collection  of  his  thoughts,  and 
 the  full  unrestrained  expression  of  his  desires.  He  has  wants 
 which  God  alone  can  supply,  and  sorrows  amidst  which  he 
 alone  can  comfort  him ;  he  needs  counsel  to  direct  him  in  his 
 personal  conduct,  and  assistance  under  infirmities,  the  sense 
 of  which  overwhelms  him.  Our  Saviour  has  enjoined  this 
 duty  upon  us  :  "  But  thou,  when  thou  pray  est,  enter  into 
 thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  the  door,  pray  to  thy 
 Father  which  is  in  secret,  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret 
 shall  reward  thee  openly."*  Secret  prayer  is  so  characteristic 
 •  Matth.  vi.  G. 
 
PRAYEB.  -2*i.') 
 
 of  |  Christian,  that  we  may  pronounce  liim  to  be  a  mere 
 pretender  t<>  the  name  who  habitually  neglects  it,  or  contents 
 himself  with  the  occasional  and  formal  performance  of  the 
 duty.  When  Ananias  seemed  to  doubt  of  the  conversion  of 
 Paul,  or  at  least  hesitated  to  commit  himself  to  a  man  of  whom 
 he  had  never  heard  before  but  in  the  character  of  a  persecutor, 
 our  Lord  gave  him  this  sign,  "  Behold,  he  prayeth."*  This 
 will  be  the  constant  effect  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  soul  of 
 man.  It  will  awaken  feelings  which  will  irresistibly  draw  him 
 to  the  throne  of  grace  ;  and  it  will  be  as  impossible  for  him 
 to  live  without  prayer,  as  to  live  without  his  daily  food.  His 
 graces  would  decline  ;  his  spirits  would  sink  ;  his  activity 
 would  abate  ;  his  joy  would  fail,  as  the  fruits  of  the  earth 
 languish  and  wither  in  the  want  of  rain.  Prayer  brings  down 
 the  Divine  blessing,  with  all  its  precious  attendants,  light, 
 and  peace,  and  strength,  and  hope. 
 
 I  may  add  to  these,  ejaculatory  prayer,  or  prayer  not  offered 
 up  on  stated  occasions,  and  in  consequence  of  a  previous  pur- 
 pose, but  called  forth  by  some  unexpected  circumstance; 
 prayer  prompted  by  unforeseen  perplexity  and  danger,  by 
 something  afflicting  which  we  see  or  hear,  by  an  unlooked  for 
 deliverance,  or  by  the  sudden  incursion  of  temptation.  So 
 natural,  indeed,  is  it  to  have  recourse  to  God  under  strong 
 momentary  impressions,  that  often  they  call  upon  him  then, 
 who  at  other  times  spend  days  and  weeks  without  ever  bowing 
 a  knee ;  and  in  this  impulse  of  the  mind  have  originated  those 
 exclamations  or  prayers, — that  God  would  bless  and  preserve 
 them, — which  are  so  frequently  in  the  mouths  of  the  profane. 
 The  ejaculations  of  which  I  speak,  are  the  effusions  of  a 
 devout  soul,  which  knows  God,  and  loves  him,  and  sponta- 
 neously flees  to  him  as  its  refuge  in  the  season  of  need. 
 Assured  that  he  is  at  hand,  and  that  his  ear  is  ahvays  open, 
 it  implores  his  favour,  and  commits  itself  to  his  care.  Hence, 
 we  perceive  of  how  much  importance  it  is  to  cultivate  a 
 habit  of  piety,  and  to  establish,  if  I  may  speak  so,  a  familiar 
 correspondence  with  him  who  compasses  our  path,  and  is 
 acquainted  with  all  our  ways ;  for  occasions  will  often  occur 
 when  our  own  resources  will  prove  insufficient,  and  no  friend 
 
 *  Acts  ix.  11. 
 
266 
 
 THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE 
 
 will  be  at  hand  to  help,  or  when  a  friend  could  afford  us  no 
 effectual  aid.  How  happy,  in  such  a  case,  is  he  who  is  not 
 confounded  and  driven  to  despair,  like  the  men  of  the  world, 
 but  knows  of  an  asylum  to  which  he  may  run,  and,  by  the 
 prayer  of  faith,  throws  himself  into  the  arms  of  almighty 
 power  and  love  ! 
 
 The  design  of  one  of  our  Saviour's  parables  is  to  teach  us, 
 "  that  men  should  pray  always,  and  not  faint."  *  And  an 
 Apostle  exhorts  Christians  to  "  pray  always,  with  all  prayer 
 and  supplication  in  the  Spirit."!  Such  passages  cannot  be 
 misunderstood.  Uninterrupted  prayer  is  impossible ;  both 
 mind  and  body  wTould  fail,  if  they  were  not  relieved  by  inter- 
 vals of  repose,  and  a  change  of  employment ;  and  when  devo- 
 tion is  prolonged  beyond  a  reasonable  time,  varying,  no  doubt, 
 according  to  the  circumstances  of  individuals,  it  degenerates 
 into  bodily  exercise,  the  mere  labour  of  the  lips.  The  busi- 
 ness allotted  to  men  in  this  world,  comprehends  a  variety  of 
 duties  which  demand  his  attention,  and  will  occupy  a  consi- 
 derable portion  of  his  time.  Persecution  first  drove  Christians 
 into  deserts,  and  from  this  accident  arose  the  practice  which 
 afterwards  led  thousands  to  bury  themselves  in  solitudes,  and 
 within  the  walls  of  a  cloister,  where  their  days  were  spent 
 in  the  offices  of  piety.  But  it  is  superstition  which  has  sug- 
 gested the  idea  of  superior  sanctity,  in  thus  abandoning  the 
 active  duties  of  life ;  and  had  the  voice  of  true  religion  been 
 attended  to,  it  would  have  brought  them  back  to  the  world, 
 and  prevailed  upon  them  to  enter  into  the  common  relations 
 of  society,  and  conscientiously  to  perform  the  duties  arising 
 from  them.  There  are  two  tables  of  the  law,  and  he  only  is 
 a  perfect  Christian,  who  makes  both  the  rule  of  his  conduct. 
 Nothing  is  meant  by  the  exhortation  to  constant  prayer,  but 
 that  we  should  be  frequently  and  regularly  engaged  in  it ; 
 that  we  should  pray  at  all  the  stated  times ;  that  we  should 
 comply  with  every  call  to  it  from  Providence  and  our  own 
 feelings ;  that  we  should  cultivate  a  habit  of  devotion,  and 
 lift  up  our  hearts  to  God,  when  we  are  walking  by  the  way, 
 as  well  as  when  we  are  sitting  in  our  houses ;  in  company  as 
 well  as  in  solitude ;  in  the  midst  of  business,  as  well  as  in  the 
 *  Luke  xviii.  1.  +  Eph.  vi.  18. 
 
PEA! IK. 
 
 houn  sacred  to  religion.  When  Cornelius  ii  said  to  have 
 "  prayed  to  God  alway,"1  the  historian,  by  specifying  the 
 ninth  hour,  plainly  signifies  his  meaning  to  be,  that  the  cen- 
 turion regularly  engaged  in  prayer  at  the  hours  which  were 
 observed  by  the  Jews. 
 
 By  these  remarks,  I  am  naturally  led  to  inquire  what  arc 
 the  proper  seasons  of  prayer.  The  holy  Psalmist  speaks,  in 
 one  place,  of  engaging  in  devotional  exercises  seven  times 
 a-day  ;  f  in  another,  of  morning,  evening,  and  noon  ;  X  and 
 again  he  says,  that  it  is  a  good  thing  to  shew  forth  the  loving 
 kindness  of  God  in  the  morning,  and  his  faithfulness  every 
 night.  ||  Religion  ought  not  to  be  subjected  to  mechanical 
 rules.  Although  it  is  enjoined  by  authority,  yet  its  exercises 
 must  be  spontaneous,  or  they  will  not  be  acceptable  to  God  ; 
 and  their  multiplicity  will  not  compensate  for  this  defect.  Yet 
 it  may  be  subjected  to  regulation,  without  interfering  with  its 
 free  and  liberal  spirit ;  and  although  no  attempt  should  be 
 made  to  impose  restraints  upon  a  person  whose  heart  impels 
 him  to  make  frequent  approaches  to  the  throne  of  God,  and 
 no  man  can  decide  for  another  in  a  matter  which  his  own  feel- 
 alone  can  determine ;  yet,  we  may  say  without  hesitation, 
 that  there  are  two  seasons  which  seem  to  be  pointed  out  by 
 the  hand  of  nature  itself  as  peculiarly  suitable, — the  morning 
 and  the  evening.  These,  however,  are  not  mentioned  as  the 
 only  seasons,  but  as  times  at  which  there  is  a  particular  call 
 to  the  duty ;  which  have  been  uniformly  dedicated  to  a  sacred 
 use  by  the  people  of  God ;  and  which,  therefore,  should  not  be 
 permitted  to  pass  without  a  solemn  address  to  Him  who  makes 
 the  sun  know  his  time  of  rising  and  going  down.  There 
 would  be  no  overstraining  in  considering  the  law  which  com- 
 manded the  Israelites  to  offer  sacrifices  in  the  morning  and  the 
 evening,  as  intended  to  admonish  us  that  wre  should  begin 
 and  end  the  day  with  our  sacrifices  of  prayer  and  praise. 
 
 In  the  morning  we  have  awaked  from  a  refreshing  sleep, 
 and  life  has  been,  as  it  wTere,  restored  to  us  with  fresh  vigour 
 after  the  exhaustion  caused  by  the  labours  of  the  preceding 
 day.  As  our  situation  evidently  calls  for  praises  to  the  Author 
 of  our  mercies,  so  it  no  less  plainly  points  out  the  seasonable* 
 
 '  Acts  x.  2.  f  Ps.  cxix.  1G4.  +  lb.  lv.  17-  ||  lb.  xcii.  2. 
 
268         THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 ness  of  prayer,  in  the  view  of  the  events  of  the  day  upon 
 which  we  have  entered.  There  are  duties  to  be  performed,  of 
 great  importance  to  ourselves  and  others,  and  connected  with 
 the  glory  of  God,  by  a  failure  in  which  we  shall  incur  guilt, 
 and  a  train  of  consequences  fatal  to  our  peace  and  happiness. 
 There  are  temptations  to  be  encountered,  arising  from  our 
 intercourse  with  the  world,  against  which  our  own  vigilance 
 is  an  insufficient  defence,  as  they  often  assail  us  in  an  imper- 
 ceptible manner,  and  our  hearts  are  too  prone  to  give  them  a 
 favourable  reception.  We  are  exposed  to  danger  at  every 
 step  ;  and  the  calamities  which  befal  men  in  circumstances 
 that  give  no  warning  of  evil,  are  a  proof  of  our  constant 
 insecurity  while Sve  are  not  under  the  protection  of  Provi- 
 dence. These  considerations  shew  that  the  morning,  when 
 we  are  about  to  plunge  into  the  busy  perilous  scene,  is  a  sea- 
 son when  we  should  solemnly  commit  ourselves,  and  those 
 with  whom  we  are  connected,  to  the  care  of  the  Most  High, 
 who  is  near  to  them  who  call  upon  him  in  truth  and  sincerity. 
 The  man  who,  by  the  prayer  of  faith,  has  obtained  the  pro- 
 tection of  the  Almighty,  may  walk  forth  with  humble  confi- 
 dence ;  not  trusting  in  his  prayers,  but  in  Him  to  whom  they 
 were  addressed,  and  assuring  himself  that  no  real  evil  shall  be 
 permitted  to  befal  him.  "  He  shall  cover  thee  with  his 
 feathers,  and  under  his  wings  shalt  thou  trust ;  his  truth  shall 
 be  thy  shield  and  buckler."  * 
 
 When  the  evening  comes,  there  is  a  new  call,  not  only  to 
 thanksgiving,  but  also  to  confession  and  supplication.  If 
 we  review  the  transactions  of  the  day,  we  shall  not  fail  to 
 perceive  that  we  have  been  ungrateful  for  mercies,  and  negli- 
 gent of  duties ;  that  we  have  offended  in  deed,  and  word,  and, 
 above  all,  in  thought ;  and  our  only  refuge  from  guilt  and  its 
 consequences  is  in  the  Divine  mercy,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
 We  are  about  to  lie  down  upon  our  beds,  and  to  close  our 
 eyes  in  sleep,  from  which  we  may  never  awake.  Is  not  this 
 a  season  to  implore  the  favour  of  that  Being  into  whose  im- 
 mediate presence  death  will  introduce  us,  and  earnestly  to 
 entreat  that  we  may  be  so  prepared  for  the  awful  event,  that 
 we  shall  find  ourselves  in   that  blessed  world  on  which  the 
 
 *  Ps.  xci.  4. 
 
V\i\\  IK. 
 
 shades  of  night  aevex  descend?  We  are  exposed  to  dai 
 by  night  m  well  a<  by  day.  The  storm  may  arise,  and  bury 
 us  under  the  rains  of  our  houses.  We  may  awake  amidst 
 flames  from  which  it  is  impossible  to  escape.  The  midnight 
 robber  may  break  into  our  dwellings,  and,  to  make  sure  of 
 I un  prey,  may  deprive  us  of  life.  What  security  have  we  for 
 our  preservation  but  the  providence  of  God?  How  unavailing 
 would  our  precautions  be,  if  the  Lord  himself  did  not  keep 
 the  house  !  The  fearlessness  with  which  many  lie  down  and 
 rise  up,  is  the  effect  of  thoughtlessness  and  insensibility.  In 
 calculating  chances,  they  appear  to  be  in  their  favour,  and 
 the  agency  of  God  does  not  enter  into  their  reckoning.  But 
 rational,  solid,  imperturbable  peace,  can  be  enjoyed  only  by 
 the  man  who  commits  himself  to  the  Shepherd  of  Israel,  who 
 neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps.  "  I  will  both  lay  me  down  in 
 peace,  and  sleep  :  for  thou,  Lord,  only  makest  me  dwell  in 
 safety."  * 
 
 The  question,  Whether  forms  of  prayer  should  be  used  in 
 the  worship  of  God  ?  has  given  rise  to  much  controversy, 
 particularly  between  the  Church  of  England  and  Dissenters. 
 That  they  may  be  lawfully  adopted  by  children,  and  others 
 who  are  incapable  of  praying  without  assistance,  we  do  not 
 deny  ;  but  the  subject  of  our  present  inquiry  is,  Whether  a 
 liturgy  should  be  composed  and  enjoined  upon  the  ministers 
 of  religion  in  their  public  administrations,  and  private  Chris- 
 tians should  be  called  upon  to  adhere  to  it  in  their  families 
 and  closets  ?  It  is  certain  that  no  trace  of  this  practice  can  be 
 discovered  in  the  Apostolical  church ;  and  it  has  been  satis- 
 factorily shewn,  that,  although  afterwards  an  order  was  esta- 
 blished for  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  and  in  differ- 
 ent places  the  prayers  might  bear  a  considerable  resemblance 
 to  one  another  in  respect  of  their  matter,  prescribed  forms 
 were  unknown  for  several  centuries.  When  Justin  Martyr  is 
 describing  the  worship  of  the  second  century,  he  says,  "  that 
 the  president  or  officiating  minister  offers  up  prayers  and 
 thanksgiving — oai)  twa/ui  avTic — according  to  his  ability  ;"t  an 
 expression  which  would  be  unmeaning  if  he  had  read  prayers 
 irom  a  book,  as  in  this  case  no  mental  ability  is  required,  and 
 
 •  Ps.  iv.  8.  f  Apolog.  Secund. 
 
2/0  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 it  is  only  necessary  that  he  should  use  his  eyes  and  his  voice. 
 Tertullian,  in  the  same  century,  says,  Sine  monitor e  quia  de 
 pectore  oramus  ;  M  We  pray  without  a  monitor,  because  we 
 pray  from  the  heart."  * 
 
 We  object  to  forms  of  prayer,  on  the  ground  that  there  is 
 no  warrant  for  them  in  Scripture,  and  that  they  are  not  sanc- 
 tioned by  the  example  of  the  primitive  church.  We  object 
 to  them,  because  they  interfere  with  the  office  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  who  is  sent  not  only  to  inspire  us  with  devotional  sen- 
 timents, but  also  to  suggest  petitions ;  for  this  surely  is  implied 
 in  his  "  helping  our  infirmities,"  "  and  making  intercession 
 for  us  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered."  f  And  if  we 
 dispassionately  reflect  upon  the  subject,  it  will  appear  more 
 consonant  to  common  sense,  as  well  as  to  religion,  that  a 
 person  should  be  allowed  to  express  the  feelings  and  desires 
 which  spontaneously  arise  in  his  mind,  than  that  he  should  be 
 under  the  necessity  of  conforming  them  to  a  standard  prepared 
 by  another.  Would  it  not  be  preposterous  to  confine  a  son 
 to  a  collection  of  written  requests,  from  which  he  was  never 
 to  deviate,  in  his  addresses  to  his  father  ?  This  leads  me  to 
 state  farther,  that  we  object  to  forms  of  prayer,  because  they 
 cannot  be  adapted  to  the  endlessly-diversified  and  ever-varying 
 circumstances  of  the  people  of  God,  and  must  therefore  prove 
 a  painful  and  injurious  restraint  upon  the  liberty  of  spirit 
 which  the  divine  promises  encourage  us  to  exercise.  The 
 minister  must  pray  for  nothing  in  public,  nor  the  private 
 Christian  in  his  family  and  closet,  however  urgent  is  the  de- 
 mand for  it,  if  he  do  not  find  it  in  his  books.  We  object, 
 once  more,  to  forms  of  prayer,  on  account  of  their  tendency 
 to  produce  coldness  and  listlessness  in  the  offices  of  religion. 
 The  human  mind  needs  to  be  kept  awake  ;  and  nothing  is  so 
 much  calculated  to  throw  it  into  an  inattentive,  slumbering 
 state,  as  the  dulness  of  uniformity.  The  perpetual  recur- 
 rence of  the  same  sounds,  the  accustomed  transitions  from 
 one  subject  to  another,  and  the  unvaried  length  of  the  ser- 
 vice, must  create  a  monotonous  state  of  mind,  if  not  an  ab- 
 sence of  thought,  and  convert  prayer  into  a  mere  bodily 
 exercise.     The  careless  and  unvaried  manner  in  which  prayers 
 
 *  Apolog.  c.  30.  f  Rom.  viii.  20'. 
 
*271 
 
 are  often  road  in  the   English  Church,  prove!  too  well  thai 
 there  is  ground  for  this  objection. 
 
 I  the  praise  bestowed  upon  the  liturgy  of  that  church 
 exceeds  all  hounds.  It  is  "  an  excellent  liturgy,"  an  *k  admi- 
 rable liturgy,"  an  "  incomparable  liturgy,"  an  "  all  hut  in- 
 spired liturgy ."  This  extravagant  language M  quite  in  unison 
 with  the  pretensions  of  that  arrogant  church,  which,  like  the 
 Church  of  Rome,  her  prototype  in  pride,  says,  "  I  sit  as  a 
 queen,  and  shall  never  see  sorrow  ;"  looking  haughtily  down 
 upon  us  as  hardly  worthy  to  be  accounted  Christians,  pro- 
 nouncing our  assemblies  to  be  conventicles,  and  our  ministers 
 to  be  without  ordination ;  and  sometimes  going  so  far  as  to 
 exclude  us  from  any  interest  in  the  promises,  and  leaving  us 
 to  what  is  called  the  uncovenanted  mercy  of  God.  "  Let 
 another  praise  thee,7'  says  the  wise  man,  "  and  not  thine  own 
 mouth  ;  a  stranger,  and  not  thine  own  lips."  If  this  wonder- 
 ful liturgy  be  brought  to  the  test   of  Scripture  and  sound 
 
 n,  it<  vaunted  excellence  will  vanish  as  a  dream  of  fancy. 
 To  say  nothing  of  the  superstitious  rites  which  it  inculcates, 
 and  the  false  doctrine  which  it  teaches,  while  it  assumes  in  the 
 burial  service  the  salvation  of  all  but  self-murderers  and  ex- 
 communicated persons,  and  asserts  the  regeneration  of  all 
 infants  who  are  baptized,  it  has  been  justly  charged  with  de- 
 fects and  redundancies  ;  with  omitting  some  important  peti- 
 tions, and  unnecessarily  repeating  others  ;  with  dealing  in 
 generalities,  without  descending  to  particulars  upon  which 
 the  mind  could  fix  ;  confessing,  for  example,  sin  in  general, 
 without  specifying  particular  sins  ;  with  joining  together  peti- 
 tions which  have  no  kind  of  connexion ;  with  prescribing 
 prayers  which  contain,  perhaps,  only  a  single  petition,  ex- 
 preseed  in  two  or  three  words,  while  the  remaining  space  is 
 filled  up  with  a  verbose  introduction  and  conclusion.  A  seri- 
 ous objection  is  the  shortness  of  the  prayers.  The  longest 
 is  ended  almost  before  you  have  time  to  bring  your  mind 
 into  a  proper  frame  for  joining  in  it ;  and  some  of  them,  con- 
 sisting only  of  a  single  sentence,   are  finished  almost  afl 
 
 they  are  begun.     Besides  the  interruption  which  is  thus 
 
 n  to  devotional  feelings,    there  is  a  want  of  dignity,  and 
 of  sense,   in  a  collection   of  what  may  be  called   shreds  and 
 
272  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 fragments  of  prayers.  The  Lord's  prayer  is  sometimes  intro- 
 duced out  of  place,  or  where  no  person  can  perceive  any  reason 
 for  using  it ;  and  it  is  brought  forward  so  often,  four  or  five 
 times  in  the  course  of  one  service,  as  to  have  the  appearance 
 of  vain  repetition,  and  to  give  the  idea  of  children  conning  a 
 task,  rather  than  of  rational  creatures  worshipping  God  with 
 the  understanding.  This  is  that  boasted  liturgy  which  has 
 been  extolled  with  bombastic  praise,  and,  in  comparison  of 
 which,  the  extemporaneous  prayers  of  other  churches  are 
 despised  as  vain  babblings,  or  the  incoherent  effusions  of  en- 
 thusiasm. I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that,  in  those 
 churches,  prayers  far  superior  are  offered  up  every  Sabbath ; 
 and  I  have  frequently  heard  a  prayer  poured  out  by  a  man  of 
 God,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which,  in  my 
 ment,  was  of  more  value  than  the  whole  of  the  liturgy. 
 Let  us  be  thankful  that  we  stand  in  no  need  of  its  proffered 
 assistance,  and  that  our  devotion  is  not  encumbered  and  im- 
 peded by  any  such  human  imposition. 
 
 From  the  observations  which  have  been  already  made,  we 
 can  be  at  no  loss  to  determine  what  prayers  are  acceptable. 
 It  is  evident  that  they  are  prayers  addressed  to  God  alone, 
 and  not  to  any  created  being,  however  highly  exalted  ;  that 
 they  are  prayers  offered  up  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the  only 
 Mediator  between  God  and  man  ;  and  that  they  are  prayers 
 regulated  by  the  Scriptures,  and  consisting  solely  in  petitions 
 for  such  blessings  as  God  has  promised  to  bestow.  I  may 
 add,  that  in  prayer  the  understanding  must  be  exercised,  or 
 it  will  not  be  a  rational  service.  If  men  repeat  a  number  of 
 words  without  knowing  their  meaning,  or  without  reflecting 
 upon  their  import ;  if  they  are  ignorant  or  inattentive,  they 
 are  guilty  of  mocking  God,  and  instead  of  drawing  down  his 
 blessing,  will  incur  his  displeasure.  And  here  we  may  take 
 notice  of  the  practice  of  praying  in  an  unknown  tongue,  when 
 others  are  expected  to  join  with  us  ;  a  practice  so  contrary  to 
 common  sense,  that  not  the  shadow  of  an  argument  can  be 
 alleged  for  it ;  and  it  rests  solely  upon  the  same  authority  which 
 has  instituted  and  corrupted  the  other  ordinances  of  Christ, 
 and  established  iniquity  and  absurdity  by  law.  Had  there 
 been  no  liturgy  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  her  ministers  would 
 
prai  273 
 
 pray  in  the  la:  of  the  countries  in  which  they  officiate  j 
 
 liut  the  forma  of  an  infallible  church  are  immutable,  and  her 
 
 service  is  srill  performed  in  her  ancient  language,  which  has 
 ceased  to  be  vernacular  for  a  thousand  years.  Prayers  must 
 Eered  up  in  sincerity ;  for  God  regards  not  the  words  of 
 the  mouth,  hut  the  desires  of  the  heart,  and  holds  in  abhor- 
 rence those  who  present  to  him  hypocritical  petitions.  "  This 
 people  draweth  near  to  me  with  their  mouths,  and  honoureth 
 me  with  their  lips  ;  but  their  hearts  are  far  from  me."*  They 
 should  be  offered  up  with  fervour  of  spirit,  which  is  the  fire 
 that  should  kindle  our  sacrifices.  We  would  not  grant  a 
 favour  to  a  person  who  asked  it  in  so  indifferent  a  manner,  as 
 to  shew  that  he  was  careless  whether  he  obtained  it  or  not. 
 Now  God,  who  knows  our  hearts,  will  dismiss  those  without 
 an  answer,  whom  he  perceives  to  entertain  no  sense  of  the 
 value  of  his  blessings,  and  upon  whom  therefore  they  would 
 be  thrown  away.  This  qualification  of  prayer  is  connected 
 with  importunity  and  perseverance  ;  with  importunity,  which 
 consists  in  pressing  our  suit,  and  using  arguments  to  enforce 
 it ;  with  perseverance,  which  renews  its  supplications  when 
 disappointed,  applies  again  and  again,  and  does  not  desist  till 
 such  an  answer  is  obtained  as  was  given  to  the  Syrophenician 
 woman,  "  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith  ;  be  it  unto  thee  even 
 as  thou  wilt."  f 
 
 W  e  have  already  seen  that  there  is  an  efficacy  in  prayer, 
 or  that,  in  consequence  of  the  appointment  and  promise  of 
 God,  it  is  effectual  to  obtain  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings. 
 There  would  be  no  motive  to  the  duty  if  God  were  inexorable, 
 or  if  such  an  order  was  established,  that  the  good  things  which 
 we  need  would  come  to  us  as  a  matter  of  course,  without  any 
 effort  on  our  part  to  procure  them.  Where  there  is  such  an 
 order  or  constitution  of  things,  all  supplication  is  superseded. 
 We  do  not  pray  that  the  sun  may  rise  the  next  morning,  be- 
 cause his  return  is  secured  by  the  ordinance  of  heaven,  which 
 will  not  be  changed  till  the  end  of  time ;  but  we  pray  that  we 
 may  again  open  our  eyes  to  behold  his  light.  The  one  event 
 will  certainly  happen  ;  the  other  will  or  will  not  take  place 
 according  to  the  Divine  determination.      Prayer  i<  offered  up 
 
 •   Matth.  xv.  8.  t   Ib-  28- 
 
 vol.  iv.  s 
 
'274  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 in  the  expectation  of  an  answer ;  and  when  it  is  the  prayer  of 
 faith,  it  is  not  presented  in  vain  :  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are 
 over  the  righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers."  " 
 On  this  department  of  the  subject,  let  me  request  your  atten- 
 tion to  the  following  observations. 
 
 First,  God  sometimes  returns  art  immediate  answer  to  the 
 prayers  of  his  people.  In  proof  of  this,  many  instances  might 
 be  collected  from  the  Scriptures.  When  the  Israelites,  in 
 their  flight  from  Egypt,  were  entangled  by  the  Red  Sea  in 
 front,  the  mountains  on  either  hand,  and  the  host  of  Pharaoh 
 behind  them,  the  Lord  said  to  Moses,  who,  in  this  distress, 
 was  pouring  out  his  prayer  before  him,  Why  standest  thou, 
 crying  unto  me?  "  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they 
 go  forward ;"  t  and  immediately  the  waters  were  divided,  and 
 opened  a  passage  to  the  opposite  shore.  When  Elijah  en- 
 treated God  to  determine,  by  a  visible  interposition,  the  con- 
 troversy between  himself  and  Baal,  fire  descended  from  hea- 
 ven, and  consumed  not  only  the  sacrifice,  but  also  the  stones 
 of  the  altar,  t  These  are  the  words  of  God  concerning  his 
 people  :  "  They  shall  not  labour  in  vain,  nor  bring  forth  for 
 trouble  ;  for  they  are  the  seed  of  the  blessed  of  the  Lord,  and 
 their  offspring  with  them.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
 before  they  call,  I  will  answer  ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speak- 
 ing, I  will  hear."  |  The  idea  suggested,  is  the  promptitude 
 of  the  answer.  While  the  petitions  are  yet  upon  their  lips, 
 and  before  that  they  have  had  time  to  express  all  that  they 
 had  conceived  in  their  hearts,  he  will  send  down  from  heaven 
 the  blessing  which  they  desire.  No  sooner  had  the  Apostles 
 prayed  that  "  the  Lord  would  grant  unto  his  servants,  that 
 with  all  boldness  they  might  speak  his  word,"  than  "  the 
 place  was  shaken  where  they  were  assembled  together,  and 
 they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,"  §  who  inspired 
 them  with  heavenly  eloquence  and  undaunted  courage.  God 
 returns  a  speedy  answer  to  the  prayers  of  his  people  when  the 
 case  is  urgent,  and  delay  would  prove  injurious ;  and  while 
 he  thus  puts  honour  upon  the  duty  of  prayer,  and  holds  out 
 encouragement  to  persevere  in  it,  he  furnishes  a  proof,   by 
 
 *  1  Pet.  iii.  12.  f  Exod.  xiv.  15.         +1  Kings  xviii.  38. 
 
 ||  Is.  lxv.  23,  24.  §  Acts  iv.  29,  31. 
 
PRAYER.  27'> 
 
 which  all  should  be  convinced,  thai  there  ii  profit  in  serving 
 
 the  Lord.      When  an   audible  answer  had  been  returned  I 
 heaven  to  our  Lord  upon  a  certain  occasion,  he  said,  "  This 
 
 voice  came  not  because  of  me,  but  for  your  sakes."  * 
 
 Secondly,    Although  God  has  heard  the  prayers  of  his 
 people,  vet  he  sometimes  delays  to  answer  them.     Whatever 
 
 conclusion  their  impatient  minds  may  draw,  their  petitions  are 
 not  rejected  because  the  favour  asked  is  not  immediately  con- 
 ferred. David  was  convinced  of  this  truth,  as  we  see  from  his 
 exercise  recorded  in  the  hundred  and  thirtieth  psalm  :  "  Lord, 
 hear  my  voice ;  let  thine  cars  be  attentive  to  the  voice  of  my 
 supplications."  Afterwards  he  adds,  "  I  wait  for  the  Lord, 
 ul  doth  wait,  and  in  his  word  do  I  hope.  My  soul 
 waiteth  for  the  Lord  more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morn- 
 ing." t  This  is  the  language  of  expectation.  He  did  not 
 receive  an  immediate  answer  :  but  he  did  not  sink  into  despon- 
 dency. He  looked  for  the  blessing,  as  the  sick  man  or  the 
 benighted  traveller  waits  for  the  morning  light,  and  supported 
 himself  by  the  faithful  promises  of  God,  which  were  the  foun- 
 dation of  his  hope  :  "  Though  the  vision  tarry,"  says  the 
 prophet,  "  wait  for  it,  because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will 
 not  tarry."  |  While  God  grants  full  liberty  to  his  people  to 
 address  him  on  every  occasion,  and  promises  that  all  their 
 wants  shall  be  supplied,  he  does  not  permit  them  to  dictate  to 
 him  with  respect  to  the  times  and  seasons  of  his  interposition. 
 His  own  wisdom,  and  not  their  anxiety,  is  the  rule  of  his  pro- 
 cedure. They  are  incompetent  judges,  as  they  know  little 
 more  than  their  own  feelings,  and  are  unable  to  take  a  com- 
 prehensive view  of  the  relations  and  consequences  of  the 
 Divine  dispensations.  It  is  enough  to  be  assured  that  God 
 never  turns  away  his  ear  from  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  that 
 nothing  truly  good  shall  be  withheld  from  those  who  fear  him. 
 Perhaps  they  are  not  yet  in  a  proper  state  of  mind  for  the  re- 
 ception of  the  blessings  which  they  ask,  not  duly  humbled  by 
 a  sense  of  their  unworthiness,  and  consequently  not  prepared 
 to  estimate  them  according  to  their  value,  and  to  feel  all 
 that  warmth  of  gratitude  which  would  lead  to  sincere  and 
 fervent   thanksgiving.       The  delav  may   serve   the   salutary 
 
 •  John  xii.  30.         f  Ps.  exxx   2,  ;>,  G.  ||   Hab.  i 
 
276  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  t 
 
 purpose  of  awakening  their  dormant  piety,  or  of  increasing  its 
 vigour  and  activity.  It  will  teach  them  to  live  by  faith,  to 
 support  themselves  by  dependence  upon  his  promises,  to  serve 
 him  in  hope,  instead  of  always  being  impelled  by  the  actual 
 experience  of  his  goodness.  It  will  lead  their  thoughts  more 
 to  God,  and  render  their  supplications  more  earnest  and  im- 
 portunate ;  and  such  is  the  constitution  of  human  nature,  that 
 mercies  which  have  been  long  sought,  and  sometimes  despaired 
 of,  but  at  last  obtained,  acquire  in  our  eyes  a  double  value, 
 and  are  enjoyed  with  a  keener  relish.  For  these  and  other 
 reasons,  there  is  sometimes  a  considerable  interval  between 
 the  prayer  and  the  answer,  but  none  of  those  who  wait  upon 
 God  shall  be  ashamed.  The  prayer  was  heard  when  it  was 
 presented  ;  it  was  remembered,  although  the  saint  might  have 
 been  tempted  to  exclaim,  '  The  Lord  hath  forgotten  me ;'  and 
 when  the  proper  season  has  arrived,  a  testimony  of  the  Divine 
 favour  is  given  to  convince  them,  that  blessed  are  they  who 
 wait  upon  the  Lord. 
 
 Thirdly,  The  prayer  of  faith  is  heard  even  when  the  bless- 
 ing sought  is  withheld,  but  another  more  expedient  is  bestow- 
 ed. When  the  disciples,  at  their  last  meeting  with  our  Savi- 
 our, said  to  him,  "  Lord,  wilt  thou,  at  this  time,  restore  the 
 kingdom  to  Israel  ?"  he  did  not  return  an  answer,  for  a  reason 
 which  is  assigned  in  the  following  words  :  "  It  is  not  for  you 
 to  know  the  times  and  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put 
 in  his  own  power."  *  But,  although  he  refused  to  gratify 
 their  curiosity  on  this  subject,  yet  he  promised  them  what  was 
 of  far  greater  value  than  the  information  which  they  were 
 anxious  to  obtain  :  "  Ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the 
 Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you."  He  would  give  them  the 
 Spirit,  to  teach  them  all  mysteries,  and  all  necessary  know- 
 ledge. When  the  Apostle  Paul  thrice  entreated  the  Lord, 
 that  the  messenger  of  Satan,  sent  to  buffet  him,  might  be 
 removed,  he  obtained  only  this  answer,  "  My  grace  is  suffi- 
 cient for  thee  ;  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  f 
 He  was  not  relieved  from  his  present  distress,  but  he  was 
 assured  of  grace  to  support  him.  God  reserves  to  himself  the 
 power  of  judging  what  answer  he  shall  return  to  the  prayers 
 •  Acts  i.  6;  7.  t  2  Cor*  xii-  9" 
 
PRAYER.  277 
 
 of  \\\>  people;  and  it  is  a  power  in  which  they  should  cheer* 
 fully  acquiesce,  as  it  will  be  always  exercised  for  their  best 
 
 interests.  From  their  imperfect  knowledge,  they  may  com- 
 mit mistakes  with  respect  to  the  ohject  of  their  requests  ;  but 
 their  petitions  are  pleasing  to  him,  as  expressions  of  their 
 faith,  and  hope,  and  humble  desires ;  and  he  therefore  bestows 
 in  return  a  blessing  more  suitable  to  their  circumstances 
 and  conducive  to  their  good,  which  they  afterwards  per- 
 ceive to  be  preferable  to  that  which  was  selected  by  them- 
 selves. 
 
 I  observe,  in  the  last  place,  that  God  hears  the  prayers  of 
 his  people,  even  when  he  does  not  return  any  direct  answer  to 
 them.  A  Christian  may  pray,  as  he  is  bound  in  duty,  for  the 
 recovery  of  a  friend  who  is  sick,  and  yet  his  friend  may  die  ; 
 or  he  may  pray  for  the  conversion  of  particular  persons,  who 
 may  never  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  In  such  cases 
 a  distinction  should  be  made,  and  we  must  say,  that,  although 
 the  prayers  are  not  heard,  so  far  as  this  implies  the  obtaining 
 of  an  answer,  yet  they  are  acceptable  to  God,  as  proceeding 
 from  a  holy  heart,  and  being  conformable  to  the  general  rule 
 of  Scripture.  The  exercise  of  grace  maybe  pleasing  to  God, 
 although  the  occasion  of  its  exercise  be  a  mistake.  The  love 
 which  a  saint  bears  to  a  hypocrite,  whom,  in  charity,  he  sup- 
 poses to  be  a  saint,  is  the  fulfilment  of  the  law,  and  receives 
 the  Divine  approbation  as  well  as  any  other  duty.  The  un- 
 worthiness  of  the  object  does  not  destroy  its  value,  because 
 his  real  character  is  unknown,  and  the  formal  reason  of  it  is 
 his  profession  of  piety.  Notwithstanding  the  error  of  those 
 members  of  the  Church  at  Rome,  who,  not  considering  that 
 the  ceremonial  law  was  abolished,  observed  a  distinction  of 
 days  and  meats  from  a  principle  of  conscience,  we  are  assured 
 by  Paul  that  the  Lord  received  them.*  We  may  therefore 
 conclude  that,  although  the  people  of  God  should,  in  parti- 
 cular circumstances,  present  their  petitions  for  favours  which 
 Ins  wisdom  does  not  judge  it  proper  to  bestow,  yet  he  is 
 pleased  with  their  pravers,  because  they  are  founded  on  the 
 general  promises  of  Scripture.     Such  pravers  ought  not  to  be 
 
 •  Rom.  xiv.  3. 
 
278  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 considered  as  lost.     They  are  among  the  works  of  faith,   and 
 labours  of  love,  which  God  will  not  forget. 
 
 The  prayer  of  faith  is  always  heard.  It  brings  down, 
 sooner  or  later,  the  specific  blessing,  or  another  of  equal 
 value ;  and  although  no  direct  answer  should  be  returned,  it 
 is  still  a  sacrifice  pleasing  to  God,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
 "  Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
 we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  us  in  time  of 
 need."  * 
 
 *  Heb.  iv.  16. 
 
LECTURE  XCV. 
 
 ON  PRAYER. 
 
 THE    LORD  S   PRAYER ITS  USE  AS    A    FORM    AND    AS  A   PATTERN IS    I  1     A 
 
 COMPILATION'   ? ITS    PARTS COMMENTARY    UPON     IT DISPUTE      RE- 
 SPECTING THE  GENUINENESS  OF  THE  DOXOLOGY'. 
 
 In  the  course  of  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  our  Saviour  said 
 to  his  disciples,  "  After  this  manner,  pray  ye.  Our  Father 
 which  art  in  heaven.  Hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy  king- 
 dom come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
 Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive  us  our  debts 
 as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation, 
 but  deliver  us  from  evil.  For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the 
 power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever.  Amen."  *  The  same  prayer  in 
 substance  occurs  in  the  gospel  of  Luke,  f  but  there  are  some 
 verbal  differences,  and  the  doxology  is  omitted.  On  this  ac- 
 count, and  because  it  was  pronounced  by  our  Lord  the  second 
 time,  in  answer  to  the  request  of  one  of  his  disciples,  who  said, 
 "  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John  also  taught  his  disciples," 
 Origen,  in  his  treatise,  -n-epi  evx*p,  thinks  that  they  should  be 
 considered  as  different  prayers.  This,  however,  is  too  nice  a 
 distinction  ;  and  it  is  not  easy  to  see  on  what  it  is  founded,  as 
 with  the  alteration  of  a  word  or  two,  all  the  petitions  are  exactly 
 the  same.  If  you  should  inquire  how  this  disciple  came  to  ask 
 Christ  to  teach  them  to  pray,  although  he  had  taught  them 
 •  Mttth,  vi.  y — 13.  +  Luke  xi.  2—4, 
 
280  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 already,  the  same  Father  will  tell  you,  that  perhaps  he  was 
 not  present  when  it  was  first  delivered,  or  he  had  forgotten 
 what  was  said. 
 
 It  has  been  asked,  whether  this  prayer  was  intended  to  be  a 
 form,  or  a  pattern ;  and  the  question  has  given  rise  to  various 
 opinions,  and  to  arguments  for  and  against.  Those  who  main- 
 tain that  it  is  only  a  pattern,  besides  other  reasons,  allege  the 
 words  in  Matthew,  "  After  this  manner,  pray  ye  ;"  but  their 
 criticism  is  founded  on  the  English  version.  The  original 
 word  ovtivs,  may  be  rendered,  "  after  this  manner,"  but  also 
 more  simply,  "  thus,"  and  is  used  in  Scripture,  in  reference  to 
 the  identical  words  which  were  spoken.  They  also  forget  that 
 in  Luke,  our  Lord  said  without  any  qualifying  term,  "  When 
 ye  pray,  say."  If  it  were  only  meant,  that  our  Lord  did  not 
 intend  to  confine  them  to  this  prayer,  to  enjoin  the  constant 
 unaltered  use  of  it,  to  prohibit  prayer  in  any  other  terms,  we 
 should  certainly  concur  with  them  ;  but  it  is  not  a  little  sur- 
 prising to  find  some  persons  discovering  an  anxiety  to  prove, 
 that  we  should  cautiously  avoid  the  words  which  were  dictated 
 by  the  Son  of  God  himself,  and  should  apply  them  to  no  other 
 purpose,  but  as  a  guide  in  prayers  of  our  own  composition. 
 It  has  the  appearance  of  impiety,  or,  to  use  a  softer  term,  of 
 very  great  folly ;  and  it  can  be  accounted  for  only  on  the  prin- 
 ciple which  directs  the  conduct  of  w7eak-minded  men,  that  of 
 guarding  against  one  extreme  by  running  into  another.  They 
 imagine  that  they  cannot  remove  to  too  great  a  distance  from 
 any  thing  which  they  conceive  to  be  wrong,  and  if  their  an- 
 tagonist should  go  to  the  east,  they  know  of  no  better  way  of 
 testifying  their  disapprobation  than  by  walking  in  all  haste  to 
 the  west.  There  is  no  doubt  that  in  some  churches,  and  par- 
 ticularly the  Church  of  England,  the  Lord's  prayer  is  impro- 
 perly used,  being  introduced  into  the  service  unseasonably, 
 and  repeated  over  and  over,  as  if  there  wrere  supposed  to  be 
 some  magical  virtue  in  the  words.  But  this  is  no  reason  why 
 others  should  treat  it,  as  Hezekiah  did  the  brazen  serpent, 
 which  he  broke  in  pieces,  because  it  had  been  made  the  object 
 of  idolatrous  worship.  It  is  not  profaned  by  man's  abuse ;  it 
 is  still  the  best  and  most  comprehensive  of  all  prayers  ;  and 
 when  offered  up  with  suitable  sentiments  and  affections,  is 
 acceptable  to  our  Father  in  heaven.     Who  is  the  presump- 
 
PRATBR.  281 
 
 tuouf  man  who  dares  to  think,  that  he  can  find  more  propef 
 wonU  to  wnrnm  the  desires  of  his  heart?     I  acknowledges  at 
 
 the  sunt'  lime,  that  it  was  chiefly  intended  to  be  a  pattern  ; 
 that  it  is  only  a  ^ummary  of  the  blessings  for  which  we  should 
 pray  :  and  that  the  Scriptures  shew,  and  our  own  hearts  dictate, 
 that  in  our  addresses  to  God,  it  is  necessary  to  be  more  full 
 and  particular.  But  this  concession  does  not  in  any  degree 
 derogate  from  its  excellence.  As  a  pattern  it  is  unavoidably 
 concise ;  and  its  design  was  not  to  enter  into  a  minute  detail, 
 but  to  furnish  us  with  hints  which  we  might  improve,  with 
 the  assistance  of  the  other  parts  of  the  word  of  God.  Thus 
 we  unite  the  two  contending  opinions,  which  never  would  have 
 been  disjoined  had  it  not  been  for  ignorant  zeal.  The  Lord's 
 prayer  is  both  a  form  and  a  pattern. 
 
 It  is  the  opinion  of  many  learned  men,  that  this  prayer  is 
 not  an  original  composition,  but  a  compilation.  They  affirm 
 that  it  was  not  dictated  by  our  Saviour  in  the  exercise  of  his 
 own  wisdom,  and  that  he  only  displayed  judgment  in  select- 
 ing it  from  the  prayers  which  were  then  current  among  the 
 .lews.  Accordingly,  quotations  have  been  given  from  their 
 different  books,  in  which  we  find  the  same  or  nearly  the  same 
 expressions,  which  are  here  brought  together.  *  It  has  been 
 said,  that  it  is  contrary  to  all  probability,  that  such  a  corres- 
 pondence of  words  and  phrases  should  have  happened  by 
 chance ;  and  hence  either  of  these  suppositions  must  be  made, 
 that  the  Jews  have  transferred  those  things  from  the  gospel  to 
 the  use  of  the  Synagogue,  or  that  Christ  borrowed  them  from 
 the  Jews,  and  consecrated  them  for  the  use  of  his  disciples. 
 Either  supposition,  it  is  added,  will  redound  to  the  honour  of 
 our  Saviour.  If  the  Jews,  the  avowed  enemies  of  the  Gospel, 
 have  adopted  this  prayer  from  it,  they  shew  their  high  opinion 
 of  its  wisdom  and  piety,  which  has  led  them  to  receive  it  into 
 their  liturgy,  notwithstanding  their  violent  prejudices  against 
 its  Author.  But  it  is  incredible  that  they  would  have  yielded 
 so  tar,  and  it  is  more  reasonable  to  believe  that  our  Lord,  in 
 accommodation  to  them,  converted  to  his  own  purpose  these 
 scattered  fragments  of  devotion,  these  golden  remains  of 
 ancient  piety.  There  is  one  point,  however,  which  it  fa  n 
 *  Vide  W 'itsii  Exercit.  in  Orat.  Dom.  vi.  §.  32—38. 
 
282  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 sary  previously  to  ascertain,  whether  the  books  in  which  the 
 component  parts  of  this  prayer  are  found,  are  more  ancient  than 
 the  days  of  our  Saviour.  If,  as  I  presume,  they  are  all  of  a 
 posterior  date,  the  idea  that  our  Saviour  borrowed  from  the 
 Jews,  rests  on  slender  grounds,  as  we  have  no  certainty  that 
 the  expressions  which  we  now  find  in  their  books  were  then 
 known  to  them.  In  estimating  probabilities,  men  are  often 
 influenced  by  prior  associations  which  have  a  powerful  effect 
 upon  their  judgment ;  and  hence  what  seems  probable  to  one 
 person,  may  appear  in  a  different  light  to  another.  I  confess 
 that  I  cannot  reconcile  the  supposition,  that  our  Lord  was 
 indebted  to  any  human  help  in  instructing  his  disciples,  with 
 the  idea  which  I  entertain  of  the  dignity  of  his  character,  as 
 the  great  Prophet,  whose  doctrine  was  from  heaven,  and  not 
 from  men ;  and  nothing  should  induce  me  to  assent  to  it,  but 
 evidence  much  stronger  than  has  yet  been  produced.  In  this 
 as  in  similar  cases,  the  claim  of  originality  should  be  decided 
 by  the  question  of  priority.  We  know  when  our  Lord  deli- 
 vered this  prayer  to  his  disciples  ;  but  we  have  no  certain  in- 
 formation respecting  the  time  when  the  corresponding  ex- 
 pressions were  adopted  by  the  Jews.  It  is  a  conjecture  of  a 
 learned  man,  that  they  came  into  use  among  them,  by  means 
 of  such  of  the  Judaizing  Christians  as  apostatized,  who  having 
 been  taught  this  prayer,  communicated  it  to  their  brethren. 
 As  it  contains  no  reference  to  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  there 
 is  no  part  of  it  which  does  not  accord  with  their  own  Scrip- 
 tures, as  understood  by  themselves,  it  would  the  more  readily 
 meet  with  a  favourable  reception.  If  it  should  still  seem  in- 
 credible, that  the  Jews  should  have  ever  been  persuaded  to 
 give  the  sanction  of  their  approbation  to  any  thing,  of  which 
 a  person  so  obnoxious  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  Author, 
 I  would  remind  you  that  the  case  is  not  without  a  parallel,  for 
 never  was  man  more  hated  by  Papists  than  Calvin,  and  the 
 object  of  more  violent  abuse,  and  yet  it  is  known  that  some  of 
 their  writers  have  made  free  use  of  his  works  in  the  composition 
 of  their  own. 
 
 The  Lord's  prayer  consists  of  three  parts, — an  address  to 
 God  in  the  character  of  our  Father,  a  number  of  petitions, 
 
PRA1  UU 
 
 and  a  doxologv.     I  intend  to  give  you  a  *hort  oommentarj 
 upon  it  in  the  subsequent  part  of  this  lecture. 
 
 Our  Saviour  directs  us  to  begin  with  addressing  God  in 
 the  character  of  our  Father  :  "  Our  Father  which  art  in  hea- 
 ven." Now,  God  may  be  called  our  Father  on  two  account < ; 
 because  he  is  the  Author  of  our  being  ;  and,  secondly, 
 became  by  his  grace  he  has  adopted  us  into  his  family.  In 
 the  first  respect,  he  is  the  Father  of  the  whole  human  race  : 
 and  hence  the  Prophet  asks,  "  Have  we  not  all  one  Father, 
 and  hath  not  one  God  created  u<  .}"  Creation  and  genera- 
 tion are  indeed  two  things  totally  different,  and  it  is  upon  the 
 latter  that  the  paternal  relation  is  founded ;  but  they  agree  in 
 tin  general  idea  of  the  communication  of  life,  and  hence  God  is 
 called  our  Father,  although  he  did  not  beget,  but  created  us. 
 In  the  second  respect,  he  is  the  Father  of  believers  alone,  or 
 of  those  who  hare  been  made  his  children  by  faith  in  Christ 
 Jesus  ;  and  it  is  primarily,  although  not  exclusively,  in  this 
 relation  that  we  should  contemplate  him  when  we  offer  up 
 our  prayers.  His  greatness  would  overawe  us,  and  the  re- 
 flection that  he  gave  us  existence,  would  not  relieve  us 
 from  our  fears,  conscious  as  we  are  that  we  have  been  un- 
 grateful for  the  gift,  and  have  degraded  our  nature,  which 
 was  originally  adorned  w  ith  his  image  ;  but  the  grace,  and 
 condescension,  and  tender  pity,  which  the  new  character  of 
 Father  implies,  inspire  us  with  hope,  and  embolden  us  to 
 approach  to  his  throne,  and  to  present  our  requests. — The 
 words,  "  in  heaven,"  do  not  refer  to  the  local  residence  of 
 the  Deity.  If  he  were  in  heaven  as  created  beings  are  in  a 
 place,  the  heavens  would  be  greater  in  extent  than  he,  and 
 consequently  he  would  be  limited.  Against  the  mistake  into 
 which  the  sound  of  the  words  might  lead  an  ignorant  person, 
 it  is  not  necessary  to  put  those  on  their  guard  who  have  read 
 in  the  Scriptures  the  sublime  descriptions  of  the  immensity  of 
 the  Divine  essence;  and  all  that  is  incumbent  upon  us  is,  to 
 inquire  for  what  reason  the  infinite  Creator  is  represented  as 
 in  heaven.  The  common  answer  is  the  just  one  ;  that,  as 
 there  must  be  a  region  of  the  universe  in  which  he  confers 
 their  full  reward  upon   his  holy  creatures,   he  is   -aid  to  be  in 
 
 '  Mai.  ii.  in. 
 
284  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 it,  because  he  there  gives  the  highest  manifestations  of  his 
 goodness  and  glory.  As  it  is  a  natural  thought  that  this 
 place  is  elevated  above  this  terrestial  and  the  visible  creation, 
 we  point  upwards  when  we  are  speaking  of  the  habitation  of 
 the  Divinity,  as  our  Saviour  lifted  up  his  eyes  when  he 
 prayed,  acting  on  that  occasion  under  the  influence  of  the 
 ideas  and  feelings  of  a  man. — This  preliminary  address  is  an 
 appropriate  introduction  to  the  prayer  which  follows  ;  for  the 
 contemplation  of  God  as  our  Father,  will  give  us  an  interest 
 in  his  glory,  which  is  the  subject  of  the  first  petition,  and 
 will  encourage  us  to  ask  the  blessings  which  are  mentioned  in 
 the  other  petitions. 
 
 The  first  petition  is,  "  Hallowed,"  or  sanctified,  "  be  thy 
 name  ;"  in  which  the  meaning  of  the  two  words,  name  and 
 sanctify,  must  be  ascertained.  A  name  properly  signifies  the 
 discriminative  appellation  of  an  individual ;  and  in  this  sense 
 our  Father  in  heaven  has  different  names,  as  Jehovah,  God, 
 Lord,  &c.  But  the  term  is  used  in  other  significations,  and 
 particularly,  I  apprehend,  denotes  on  some  occasions  God 
 himself.  As  the  Jews  were  wont  to  call  him  the  Name  of  the 
 heavens,  and  the  Name,  absolutely ;  so,  when  the  Scripture  calls 
 us  to  give  thanks  to  his  name,  it  evidently  calls  us  to  give 
 thanks  to  himself.  In  the  present  case,  it  is  frequently  explained 
 to  be,  every  thing  whereby  God  makes  himself  known ;  but 
 then  the  prayer,  that  every  thing  whereby  he  makes  himself 
 known  may  be  sanctified  or  glorified,  is  not  very  intelligible. 
 I  think  it  therefore  preferable,  to  consider  the  name  of  God 
 in  this  place  as  signifying  God  himself,  the  idea  of  his  being 
 manifested  to  his  creatures  being  necessarily  implied  in  the 
 petition.  The  word  a^ia^eus,  signifies  to  make  holy  ;  but  this 
 cannot  be  its  meaning  here  ;  for  we  should  either  utter  words 
 to  which  we  attached  no  idea,  or  express  a  sentiment  full  of 
 impiety  and  blasphemy,  if  we  prayed  that  God  might  be 
 made  holy.  "A^ia^etp,  signifies  also  to  separate  from  a  com- 
 mon to  a  peculiar  use,  and  hence,  also,  to  treat  any  thing 
 with  reverence  as  sacred.  Now,  as  a  person  who  is  honoured 
 is  distinguished  or  separated  from  other  persons,  is  the  object 
 of  respect  and  homage,  to  sanctify,  comes  to  be  equivalent  to 
 glorify.     The  true  sense,  therefore,  of  the  petition  before  us 
 
PRAYKB. 
 
 is.  Lei  God  be  glorified.  The  two  words  eridently  conrey 
 tlio  same  meaning;  in  the  following  passage:  k*  I  will  be 
 sanctified  in  thorn  that  come  nigh  me,  and  before  all  the 
 people  I  will  be  glorified." '  The  petition,  therefore,  may 
 be  understood  as  a  prayer  that  God  would  glorify  himself,  and 
 thai  he  would  enable  ns  and  others  to  glorify  him. 
 
 God  has  already  glorified  himself  in  the  works  of  creation  ; 
 and  he  continues  to  glorify  himself  in  his  dispensations  of 
 providence  and  ijrace.  He  glorifies  himself  when  he  performs 
 such  works  as  afford  bright  and  impressive  manifestations  of 
 his  power,  wisdom,  goodness,  justice,  and  holiness.  To  men- 
 tion only  one  instance, — he  i>  said  to  honour  himself  by  exe- 
 cuting vengeance  upon  sinners,  whose  daring  crimes  seemed 
 to  call  for  his  interposition.  The  words  lately  quoted  were 
 spoken  immediately  after  the  death  of  Xadab  and  Abihu,  who 
 were  destroyed  by  lightning  from  the  oracle,  because,  in  a 
 state  of  intoxication  as  it  would  seem,  they  had  offered  strange 
 fire  in  the  sanctuary.  In  reference  to  the  doom  of  Pharaoh 
 and  his  army,  who  were  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  he  said, 
 M  I  will  get  me  honour  upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon  all  his  host, 
 upon  his  chariots,  and  upon  his  horsemen."  |  We  there- 
 fore pray  that  God  would  give  such  manifestations  of  his 
 glory  in  the  course  of  events,  as  shall  make  man  know  that 
 "  he  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  is  the  Most  High  God 
 over  all  the  earth." 
 
 If  it  is  our  duty  to  pray  that  God  would  glorify  himself,  it 
 is  undoubtedly  incumbent  upon  us  to  pray  also  that  we  may 
 be  disposed  and  enabled  to  concur  in  this  design,  which  is 
 the  ultimate  end  of  our  creation  and  redemption.  We  hallow 
 his  name,  when  we  observe,  and  admire,  and  acknowledge 
 the  displays  of  his  perfections  in  nature,  and  providence,  and 
 grace  ;  when  we  elevate  our  minds  and  hearts  to  him,  as  the 
 greatest,  the  holiest,  the  wisest,  the  best  of  all  beings ;  when 
 we  worship  him  according  to  his  own  institution  ;  when  we 
 speak  to  the  honour  of  his  character  and  dispensations,  and 
 vindicate  them  from  the  accusations  of  impiety;  and  when 
 we  cheerfully  obey  the  precepts  which  prescribe  the  objects 
 and  the  extent  of  our  dutv.  "  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified, 
 •  Lev.  x.  3.  f  Exod.  xiv.  17- 
 
280  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  : 
 
 that  ye  bear  much  fruit."  *  The  Greek  commentator  Theo- 
 phylact,  thus  briefly  explains  the  petition  :  "  Let  thy  name 
 be  sanctified ;  that  is,  make  us  holy,  that  thou  mayest  be 
 glorified  on  our  account.  For  as  God  is  blasphemed,  so  he 
 is  sanctified,  on  my  account ;  that  is,  is  glorified  as  holy." 
 
 "  Thy  kingdom  come."  God,  who  is  the  Creator,  is  also 
 the  Lord  of  the  universe,  and  his  kingdom  of  providence  rules 
 over  all,  and  admits  of  no  increase  of  power  and  dominion. 
 The  petition  has  no  reference  to  it,  because  it  would  be  ab- 
 surd to  pray  that  that  may  come,  which  is  come  already. 
 But  there  is  a  kingdom  which  was  announced  in  the  Old 
 Testament  as  future,  and  concerning  which  we  have  the 
 following  prophecy  of  Daniel :  "  In  the  days  of  these  kings," 
 that  is,  before  the  four  great  monarchies  were  ended,  "  the 
 God  of  heaven  shall  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be 
 destroyed  :  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  people, 
 but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms, 
 and  it  shall  stand  for  ever."  f  In  the  New  Testament  it  is 
 called  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  and 
 this  name  is  given  to  the  dispensation  of  grace  under  the  Mes- 
 siah, which  is  carried  on  by  the  gospel  and  the  institutions  of 
 our  Saviour,  and  by  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It 
 also  is  already  come.  It  commenced  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
 cost, and  has  continued,  amidst  various  vicissitudes,  to  the 
 present  hour ;  but,  in  its  most  prosperous  state,  it  never  was 
 established  except  over  a  small  portion  of  the  earth.  Besides, 
 almost  from  the  beginning,  its  strength  has  been  impaired  by 
 internal  divisions,  and  its  glory  obscured  by  manifold  corrup- 
 tions ;  and  in  not  a  few  places  it  subsists  only  in  name,  and 
 what  is  called  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  should  rather  be  con- 
 sidered as  a  province  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 
 
 At  the  time  when  our  Lord  taught  this  prayer  to  his  disci- 
 ples, their  notions  of  his  kingdom  were  very  imperfect ;  but 
 he  called  upon  them  to  pray  for  the  propagation  of  his  religion 
 in  the  world,  the  conversion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  the 
 universal  reign  of  righteousness  and  truth.  There  are  still 
 valid  reasons  for  continuing  to  present  this  petition.  We  do 
 not  yet  see  all  things  put  under  Christ.     A  great  part  of  the 
 
 *  John  xv.  8.  -f-  Dan.  ii.  44. 
 
PI  \' 
 
 world  ifl  subject  to  the  dominion  of  his  adversary,  whom  he 
 was  manifested  to  destroy.     Heathenism  spreads  its  deepest 
 
 shades  over  many  a  wide  and  populous  region  ;  Mahometanism 
 tramples  00  the  eross  in  eonntries  where  his  religion  once 
 flourished  ;  Popery  has  degraded  it  into  a  profligate  and  con- 
 temptihle  superstition  ;  and  among  those  who  profess  a  purer 
 faith,  there  are  comparatively  few  who  honour  him  with  the 
 homage  of  their  hearts.  Ought  we  not,  then,  to  pray  that  his 
 kingdom  may  come?  We  are  authorized  by  prophecy  to 
 look  for  a  more  glorious  dispensation,  when  "  the  Spirit  shall 
 be  poured  out  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  and  the  soli- 
 tary place  shall  he  glad,  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and 
 blossom  as  the  rose  ;"  for  a  time  "  when  the  knowledge  of 
 the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 
 As  the  bold  and  magnificent  language  of  prophecy  may  re- 
 quire a  cautious  and  sober  interpretation,  it  is  uncertain  whe- 
 ther the  true  religion  will  ever  be  strictly  universal ;  and  some 
 obscure  hints  render  it  doubtful :  but  if  the  w7hole  human  race 
 should,  at  a  future  period,  be  the  faithful  subjects  of  Christ, 
 it  would  then  be  their  duty,  not  to  pray  for  the  coming  of  his 
 kingdom,  but  to  rejoice  because  it  had  come.  It  should  be 
 remembered,  that  the  event  to  which  we  should  look  forward, 
 is  not  the  general  prevalence  of  a  profession  of  his  religion, 
 but  a  cordial  acceptance  of  it,  accompanied  with  subjection  to 
 his  laws  and  institutions ;  and  consequently,  that  we  ought  to 
 pray  for  the  exertion  of  Divine  power,  by  which  only  this 
 great  spiritual  revolution  will  be  effected.  The  kingdom  of 
 God  comes  when  it  is  established  in  the  heart. 
 
 Some  have  understood  the  kingdom  to  mean  the  second 
 coming  of  Christ.  "  He  who  has  a  bold  or  assured  con- 
 science," says  Theophylact,  "  will  wish  the  resurrection  and 
 judgment  to  come."  It  is  the  character  of  believers,  that 
 they  are  looking  for  and  hastening  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord  ; 
 and  when  their  faith  is  strong,  they  will  say  with  the  beloved 
 disciple,  "  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus."  I  presume,  how- 
 ever, that  we  have  given  the  true  sense  of  the  petition,  when 
 we  have  explained  it  as  a  prayer  for  the  enlargement  and 
 prosperity  of  the  Church. 
 
 The  petition  which  is   next  in   order,   ifl  closely  connected 
 
288  THE  EXTERNAL  MK\Ns  OF  GRACE: 
 
 with  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  for  when  the  gospel, 
 by  which  it  is  advanced,  is  accompanied  with  Divine  power, 
 men  are  disposed  and  enabled  to  do  the  will  of  God.  "  Thy 
 will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  Divines  speak  of 
 the  secret  and  the  revealed  will  of  God ;  but  with  the  former 
 we  have  nothing  to  do,  and  this  petition  respects  the  latter 
 alone.  It  is  his  will  made  known  to  us  as  the  rule  of  our 
 conduct,  by  positive  precepts,  and  by  the  dispensations  of 
 Providence.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  submit  to  the 
 appointments  of  heaven,  to  bear  trials  without  murmuring,  to 
 be  content  with  his  condition ;  it  is  his  duty  to  pay  a  sacred 
 regard  to  all  the  commands  of  his  Maker,  and  to  perform  with 
 fidelity  the  various  offices  of  piety,  justice,  and  charity.  There 
 are  several  important  ideas  suggested  by  this  petition  : — that 
 the  will  of  God  is  the  reason  of  obedience,  or  the  foundation 
 of  morality  ;  that  it  is  a  law  to  all  men  without  exception  ; 
 that  it  should  be  carefully  studied  by  us,  and  kept  constantly 
 in  view  as  the  standard  of  our  actions ;  that  it  is  only  by 
 Divine  assistance  that  we  shall  be  enabled  to  obey  it ;  and, 
 that  we  should  pray  for  grace  to  others  as  well  as  ourselves. 
 The  notion,  that  men  possess  a  natural  power  to  obey,  as 
 Pelagians  affirm,  or  that  they  have  all  received  sufficient 
 grace,  is  contradictory  to  this  petition,  which  manifestly  sup- 
 poses that  we  have  no  such  power,  and  must  therefore  ask  it 
 from  God. 
 
 In  presenting  this  petition,  we  are  directed  to  have  in  our 
 eye  the  example  of  obedience  exhibited  by  the  inhabitants  of 
 heaven,  or  the  angels  of  God,  concerning  whom  it  is  said, 
 that  "  they  do  his  commandments,  hearkening  to  the  voice  of 
 his  word."*  We  cannot,  indeed,  hope  to  attain  to  equal 
 perfection ;  but  it  should  be  our  constant  aim,  and  every 
 endeavour  should  be  used  to  make  the  nearest  approach  to  it. 
 The  utmost  which  we  can  hope  in  the  present  state,  is  the 
 perfection  of  sincerity,  consisting  in  integrity  of  heart,  and 
 leading  us  to  esteem  the  Divine  precepts  concerning  all  things 
 to  be  right.  If  we  are  sincere,  our  obedience  will  resemble 
 that  of  the  angels  in  promptitude  and  cheerfulness.  Not 
 hesitating  from  fear  of  the  consequences,  nor  retarded  by  the 
 
 *  Ps.  ciii.  20. 
 
PRA1  BR. 
 
 love  ♦>!   ease,  and  the  interference  of  other  demands,  \\e  will 
 
 immediately  and  willingly  comply  with  the  calls  of  duty,  like 
 those  blessed  spirits,  who,  as  m»<>ii  a>  the  command  is  given, 
 fly,  like  the  lightning,  from  heaven  to  earth,  to  execute  his 
 
 order-. 
 
 The  next  petition  respects  our  temporal  affairs :  "  Give  as 
 this  day  our  daily  bread."  The  word  translated  bread,  is 
 used  both  in  Greek  and  in  Hebrew,  in  its  proper  significa- 
 tion :  but  it  is  also  put,  by  a  figure,  for  the  whole  of  our  tem- 
 poral provision,  because  bread  is  called  in  Scripture  the  staff 
 of  life,  and  among  the  eastern  nations  was  a  principal  article  of 
 food.  It  is  altogether  fanciful  to  say, — what  you  have  no  doubt 
 heard, — that  the  people  of  God  should  be  content  if  they 
 have  only  bread  and  water,  because  these  only  are  contained 
 in  the  promise,  "  His  bread  shall  be  given  him,  his  water  shall 
 be  -ure."*  Undoubtedly,  they  should  be  pleased  with  the 
 scantiest  portion  which  may  be  assigned  to  them  ;  but  they 
 have  better  reasons  for  contentment  than  this  or  any  similar 
 promise.  The  interpretation  may  be  called  pious  ;  but  it  is 
 entitled  to  no  other  praise,  and  betrays  ignorance  of  the  rules 
 according  to  which  Scripture  should  be  explained.  Bread 
 stands  as  a  part  for  the  whole,  and  denotes  all  the  necessaries 
 of  life ;  and  our  Church  gives  a  more  rational  view  of  the 
 petition,  when  it  represents  it  as  teaching  us,  to  ask  not  a 
 bare  subsistence,  but  "  a  competent  portion." 
 
 The  true  sense  of  the  word  translated  daily,  it  is  more 
 difficult  to  settle.  The  Greek  term  is  e-iovoio?,  concerning 
 which  Origen  observes,  that  it  was  not  used  by  either  the 
 learned  or  the  vulgar,  and  seems  to  have  been  formed  by  the 
 Evangelists.  There  is,  therefore,  no  resource  left  but  etymo- 
 logy, which  has  guided  Jerome  in  his  translation,  who  calls 
 it  in  Matthew  super-substantialis,  but  in  Luke  quotidianus. 
 Now,  super-substantialis  is  a  very  literal  version  of  e-iovaios, 
 which  is  compounded  of  e-n-i,  upon,  and  ovaia,  essence  or  sub- 
 stance. But  such  versions  are  the  result  of  ignorance,  and 
 prove  that  the  translator  understands  only  the  component 
 parts  of  a  word,  but  not  the  word  itself.  Super-substantialis 
 unintelligible  as   c-iovato*,  although   it  lias    been  sup- 
 
 •  Is.  xxxiii.  1C. 
 VOL.   IV.  T 
 
290  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 posed  to  moan  the  bread  of  the  Eucharist,  a  supposition  utter- 
 ly absurd.  Some  have  thought  that  it  is  derived  from  the 
 verb  errei/bLi,  which  signifies  to  remain,  to  be  after ;  and  that 
 a/>ro?  eTTwuaio?  is  our  future  bread,  the  bread  of  to-morrow. 
 But  the  petition  thus  understood  would  sound  harshly,  "  Give 
 us  this  day,"  or,  as  in  Luke,  "  Give  us  day  by  day  the  bread 
 of  the  next  day ;"  and  seems  not  to  be  consistent  with  trust  in 
 God,  and  with  our  Saviour's  exhortation  not  to  take  thought 
 for  the  morrow.  The  word  is  not  so  explained  by  any  of  the 
 ancients  ;  and  this  sense  is  rejected  by  Origen,  who  mentions 
 it  only  as  a  sense  which  might  occur  to  some  of  his  readers. 
 A/9tos  eTTiovaio?  is  explained  by  Chrysostom  and  others,  who 
 were  the  most  competent  judges,  to  be  bread  which  passes  into 
 the  essence  or  substance  of  our  bodies,  bread  which  is  sufficient 
 for  the  preservation  of  our  bodily  substance ;  and  they  under- 
 stand by  it,  not  the  luxuries  and  superfluities  of  life,  but 
 those  things  which  are  necessary  for  its  support.* 
 
 We  are  forbidden  to  seek  high  things,  and  if  we  are  duly 
 influenced  by  the  glorious  discoveries  of  the  Gospel,  we  will 
 feel  a  great  degree  of  indifference  to  the  enjoyments  and  splen- 
 dours of  the  world.  But  daily  bread  is  not  to  be  confined  to 
 those  things  which  are  usually  called  the  necessaries  of  life. 
 Even  the  phrase,  the  necessaries  of  life,  does  not  convey  a  de- 
 finite idea,  as  the  circumstances  of  individuals  are  so  much 
 diversified,  and  what  is  sufficient  for  one  would  be  totally  in- 
 adequate to  the  wants  of  another.  God,  who  has  placed  man 
 in  different  situations,  has  himself  rendered  a  larger  share  of 
 worldly  good  things  necessary  to  a  man  of  rank,  for  example, 
 than  to  an  obscure  person,  to  the  father  of  a  numerous  family 
 than  to  him  who  is  childless.  Our  Saviour  has  in  his  wisdom 
 employed  a  general  expression,  which  admits  of  considerable 
 latitude  of  application,  and  authorises  us  to  pray  for  sufficient 
 bread,  for  a  competent  portion,  for  all  that  our  station  requires. 
 The  prayer  of  Agur  will  serve  as  a  model,  and  will  shew  us, 
 that,  although  we  should  not  presume  to  dictate  to  God,  yet 
 there  are  two  extremes  from  which  we  may  pray  to  be  pre- 
 served, as  there  is  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  both.  "  Two 
 things  have  I  required  of  thee ;  deny  me  them  not  before   I 
 
 *  Vide  Wits,  in  Symbolum  Exercit.  xi.  de  Pane  Qnotidiano,  §.  10. 
 
PRAYBB.  291 
 
 die:  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies;  give  me  neither 
 poverty  nor  riches;  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me  :  led 
 
 I  be  fill]  and  deny  thee,   and  say,   Who  is  the  Lord.'   or  let!    I 
 
 be  poor,  and  steal,  and  take  the  name  of  my  God  in  vain."  ' 
 
 It  i^  almost  unnecessary  to  add,  that  this  prayer  does  not 
 supersede  the  use  of  means  ;  for  it  is  only  in  conforming  to 
 
 the  established  order  of  providence,  that  we  ought  to  expect 
 it  to  be  answered.  The  prayer  imports  that  our  temporal 
 blessings  come  from  God,  in  whatever  channel  they  may  be 
 communicated  ;  that  without  his  blessing  our  industry  and  fore- 
 sight will  prove  unavailing  ;  and  that  our  dependence  upon 
 him  is  constant  :  and  hence  we  are  directed  to  present  this 
 petition,  not  at  distant  intervals,  but  from  day  to  day.  Even 
 the  rich  man  who  thinks  that  he  has  goods  laid  up  for  many 
 years,  should  ask  his  daily  bread  from  God  ;  for  when  it  is  in 
 his  hand,  providence  could  snatch  it  from  him,  and  scatter  in 
 an  hour  his  wealth  to  the  winds. 
 
 In  the  next  petition,  we  pray  for  the  remission  of  sin  : 
 "  And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors."  Our 
 debts  are  our  sins,  and  accordingly  the  latter  word  is  used  when 
 the  prayer  is  repeated  in  Luke.  They  are  called  our  debts, 
 because  they  formally  consist  in  the  non-payment  of  the  obe- 
 dience which  we  owed  to  God,  or  as  some  think,  because  the 
 sinner  has  a  debt  of  punishment  to  pay  to  divine  justice.  If 
 our  debts  are  our  offences  against  God,  it  follows  that  our 
 debtors  are  not  those  who  owe  us  money,  but  those  who  have 
 injured  us  in  word  and  deed,  and  from  whom  we  might  think 
 ourselves  entitled  to  demand  satisfaction. 
 
 It  is  unnecessary  to  inquire  what  is  implied  in  the  forgiving 
 of  our  debts,  as  this  important  subject  was  explained  in  its 
 proper  place  ;  and  remission  is  well  known  to  consist  in  our 
 absolution  from  the  sentence  of  condemnation  pronounced 
 upon  us  for  our  sins.  Nor  is  there  any  occasion  at  present  for 
 shewing  that  God  alone  can  forgive  sin,  and  that  although  no 
 mention  is  made  of  the  atonement  of  Christ,  it  must  be  under- 
 stood to  be  referred  to  ;  agreeably  to  the  uniform  doctrine  of 
 Scripture,  that  it  is  solely  for  his  sake  that  God  bestows  this 
 -ing  upon  us.      Waiving  these  points  as  not  now  demand- 
 
 ■   Prov.  xxx.  7 — 9- 
 
*2lJ'2  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE  I 
 
 ing  our  attention,  let  us  consider  the  subjoined  condition  or 
 qualification,  as  it  seems  to  be,  with  which  our  Lord  has  con- 
 nected this  petition  :  "  As  we  forgive  our  debtors."  And 
 certainly  no  small  difficulty  here  presents  itself  to  those  who 
 hold  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  grace  without  any  con- 
 ditions. It  does  not  appear  easy  to  reconcile  with  that  doc- 
 trine, this  petition  as  expressed  in  Matthew,  and  still  more 
 strongly  in  Luke  :  "  For  we  also  forgive  every  one  that  is 
 indebted  to  us."  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  point 
 out  their  harmony ;  but  some  of  them  have  not  been  suc- 
 cessful. 
 
 It  has  been  said  that  our  forgiving  others  is  an  evidence  of 
 the  grace  of  God  towards  us,  from  which  it  appears,  that  we 
 are  not  given  up  to  our  sinful  affections,  and  his  Spirit  has  not 
 utterly  departed  from  us,  and  that  hence  we  may  hope  for 
 new  displays  of  his  grace.  It  has  also  been  said  that  our  for- 
 giving others  must  precede  the  sense  of  our  own  forgiveness, 
 and  that  we  cannot  expect  to  experience  joy  and  peace,  if  we 
 do  not  exercise  charity  towards  our  brethren.  But  this  rea- 
 soning shifts  the  state  of  the  question,  and  supposes  the  person 
 in  whom  this  qualification  is  required,  to  have  been  already 
 forgiven.  It  is  a  better  solution  of  the  difficulty,  to  represent 
 the  petition  as  containing  an  argument  from  the  less  to  the 
 greater,  which  may  be  thus  stated  : — '  Our  Father  in  heaven,  if 
 we  whose  goodness  is  so  limited  are  so  affected  towards  others 
 as  not  unwillingly  to  pardon  their  offences,  with  how7  much  con- 
 fidence can  we  ask  the  same  thing  to  ourselves  from  thee,  whose 
 benignity  has  neither  measure  nor  bounds  !'  Our  Lord  reasons 
 in  a  similar  manner  :  "If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to 
 give  good  gifts  unto  your  children  ;  how  much  more  shall  your 
 heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?"* 
 
 I  have  long  thought  that  the  difficulty  may  be  more  satis- 
 factorily removed  in  a  different  way.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
 pardon, — legal  pardon,  and  fatherly  pardon ;  of  which  the 
 one  consists  in  the  repeal  of  the  curse  of  the  law,  or  the  sen- 
 tence of  condemnation  ;  and  the  other,  in  the  removal  of  the 
 chastisements  to  which  the  children  of  God  are  subjected  for 
 their  offences.  The  first  is  obtained  by  faith  alone,  without 
 •  JLuke  xi.  11. 
 
PRAYER.  *29;S 
 
 works,  l)ut  the  second  is  suspended  upon  conditions,— repent- 
 ance, confession,  prayer,  and  the  performance  of  duty.  Our 
 Lord  taught  this  prayer  to  his  disciples,  who  were  already  tn 
 a  State  of  grace  ;  and  it  begins  with  an  address  to  Clod  as  our 
 lather,  which  supposes  us  to  stand  in  the  relation  of  children 
 to  him.  It  is  the  prayer  of  a  believer,  who,  having-  been 
 freely  forgiven  when  he  was  justified,  has  still  to  ask  the  par- 
 don of  his  daily  offences.  Now,  that  he  may  recover  a  com- 
 fortable sense  of  the  love  of  God,  and  again  enjoy  the  light 
 of  his  countenance,  it  is  necessary  that  he  should  be  in  a  pro- 
 per disposition  of  mind,  and  particularly  that  he  should  be  in 
 a  state  of  charity  towards  his  brethren  of  mankind,  and  espe- 
 cially towards  those  who  have  offended  him.  "  If  ye  forgive 
 men  their  trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive 
 you.  But  if  ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will 
 your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses."  *  By  subjoining  this 
 qualification  to  the  petition,  our  Lord  reminds  his  disciples 
 of  the  necessity  of  being  placable  and  merciful,  and  encour- 
 ages them,  when  they  are  conscious  of  this  temper,  to  expect 
 mercy  from  God.  The  petition  points  out  the  order,  accord- 
 ing to  which  God  dispenses  favours  to  his  people.  He  will 
 withdraw  his  chastening  hand  w7hen  they  return  to  a  sense  of 
 their  duty.     When  they  forgive  others,  he  will  forgive  them. 
 
 If  wre  take  this  view  of  the  subject,  the  difficulty  is  re- 
 moved. It  is  not  the  condition  of  their  original  pardon  which 
 is  prescribed,  but  of  the  forgiveness  of  their  subsequent  fail- 
 ings and  imperfections. 
 
 We  cannot  pray  in  sincerity  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  without 
 feeling  an  abhorrence  of  it,  and  forming  a  resolution  hence- 
 forth to  renounce  it.  Our  Saviour  has  therefore  taught  us  to 
 say  in  the  next  place,  "  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but 
 deliver  us  from  evil."  Temptation  signifies  any  thing  which 
 entices  us  to  sin.  It  would  be  foreign  to  our  present  design, 
 lo  impure  what  are  the  various  sources  of  temptation  ;  but  it 
 is  necessary  to  ascertain  what  is  implied  in  not  leading  us 
 into  it.  The  expression  has  rather  a  strange  sound,  as  it 
 OCCltrs  in  an  ad  God,  and  it  seems  to  import  that  God 
 
 Blight  he  actively  concerned  in  tempting  us,   in  direct  contra- 
 
 •   Matth.  vi.  1  I,    15. 
 
294  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE: 
 
 diction  to  the  following  words  :  "  Let  no  man  say  when  he 
 is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God ;  for  God  cannot  be  tempted 
 with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man."  *  It  is  certain  that 
 God  may  give  permission  to  wicked  spirits  and  bad  men  to 
 tempt  us,  for  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  could  restrain  them  ; 
 that,  in  the  course  of  his  providence,  he  may  place  us  in. cir- 
 cumstances which  have  a  tendency  to  stimulate  our  corrupt 
 desires  and  passions  ;  and  that  he  may  leave  us  to  act  accord- 
 ing to  the  inclinations  of  our  hearts.  Thus  far  we  may  con- 
 ceive him  to  lead  us  into  temptation ;  but  to  suppose  him  to 
 exert  any  direct  influence  to  excite  us  to  comply  with  it, 
 would  be  to  represent  him  as  the  author  of  sin.  The  words 
 before  us,  and  all  similar  expressions,  ought  to  be  explained 
 consistently  with  the  perfect  purity  of  the  Divine  nature  ;  and 
 we  should  avoid  all  those  metaphysical  speculations  concern- 
 ing the  agency  of  God  in  the  actions  of  his  creatures,  which 
 bewilder  the  mind,  and  lead  us  so  far,  that  we  can  only  escape 
 the  impious  conclusion  by  retracting  our  own  reasonings,  and 
 resting,  where  we  should  have  always  rested,  in  the  incon- 
 trovertible truth,  that  "  God  is  light,  and  in  him  there  is  no 
 darkness  at  all."  This  petition,  then,  is  expressive  of  two 
 things  ;  first,  of  a  request,  founded  on  a  humble  sense  of  our 
 weakness  and  liability  to  err,  that  God  would  keep  tempta- 
 tion at  a  distance  from  us ;  and,  secondly,  of  a  request  that, 
 if  for  wise  reasons  he  shall  be  pleased  to  expose  us  to  it,  he 
 would  assist  and  strengthen  us  in  the  evil  hour.  It  is  a  direct 
 acknowledgment  of  our  inability  to  preserve  ourselves.  Ac- 
 cordingly, we  are  directed  farther  to  say,  "  Deliver  us  from 
 evil ;"  signifying,  that  our  own  wisdom  and  resolution  are 
 insufficient,  and  that  our  only  resource  is  the  power  of  God. 
 Evil  is  generally  understood  to  be  sin ;  but  in  the  original, 
 the  article  is  prefixed  to  it — pvoai  ?)««<?  a-o  rov  rroinjpov ;  which 
 may  be  translated,  from  the  evil  one.  It  was  generally  so 
 explained  by  the  Fathers.  The  character  of  the  evil  one  is 
 justly  given  to  the  apostate  spirit  who  was  the  first  transgres- 
 sor, and  is  continually  soliciting  others  to  transgress;  and 
 the  description  of  him  "asa  roaring  lion,  that  goes  about 
 seeking  whom  he  may  devour,"  f  shews  the  danger  which  we 
 *  James  i.  13.  f  1  rct-  v-  »• 
 
V\i\\  l.K. 
 
 have  reason  to  dread  from  him,  and  the  urgent  necessity  of 
 prayer  that  ire  may  be  preserved  from  his  power.  When 
 ( Ihristians  arc  exhorted  to  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God, — 
 the  breastplate  of  righteousness,  the  helmet  of  salvation,  the 
 
 shield  of  faith,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit, — it  is  added, 
 "  praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit, 
 and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance."  ' 
 
 The  prayer  is  concluded  with  this  doxology  :  "  For  thine 
 is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory  for  ever. 
 Amen."  It  may  be  considered,  not  only  as  an  ascription  of 
 praise  to  God,  but  as  containing  reasons  or  motives  to  en- 
 courage  us  to  offer  up  the  preceding  petitions.  The  kingdom 
 belongs  to  God  ;  who  is  the  Sovereign  of  the  universe,  and, 
 having  all  things  at  his  disposal,  can  bestow  the  blessings 
 which  we  ask.  The  power  belongs  to  him  ;  and  therefore  no 
 obstacle  can  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  his  gracious  de- 
 signs. The  glory  belongs  to  him  ;  and  therefore  we  infer 
 that  he  will  grant  our  requests,  because  in  the  dispensations 
 of  his  providence  and  grace  his  name  will  be  glorified.  To 
 the  whole  prayer,  the  Hebrew  word  "  Amen"  is  subjoined, 
 which,  in  this  connexion,  is  expressive  of  our  desire,  and  of 
 our  confidence  that  we  shall  be  heard. 
 
 It  is  proper  to  observe,  that  the  genuineness  of  the  doxo- 
 logy  has  been  called  in  question  by  many  learned  men,  and 
 that  it  is  supposed  to  be  an  interpolation  transferred  into  the 
 text  from  the  ancient  liturgies,  in  which  it  was  used  after  the 
 prayer  was  recited.  It  is  remarked,  that  it  is  wanting  in 
 Luke,  where  this  prayer  is  repeated,  only  with  some  unim- 
 portant alterations  ;  but  if  the  doxology  is  interpolated  in 
 Matthew,  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive  why  it  has  been  left  out 
 in  Luke,  as  it  would  have  been  as  easy  to  introduce  it  in  the 
 one  place  as  in  the  other.  Its  presence  in  the  former  Gospel, 
 and  its  absence  in  the  latter,  seem  rather  to  prove  it  to  be 
 genuine.  It  is  not  found  in  many  manuscripts,  in  the  writ- 
 ings of  some  of  the  Greek  Fathers  even  when  they  profess- 
 edly explain  the  Lord's  prayer,  in  several  ancient  versions, 
 and  in  the  Fathers  of  the  Latin  Church.  On  the  other 
 hand,   there  are  several    ancient  versions    in  which  it  i>  found, 
 
 •  Eph.  vi.  l  r>. 
 
296  THE  EXTERNAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 
 
 and  Greek  and  Latin  writers  by  whom  it  is  quoted  and  com- 
 mented upon  ;  and  it  is  asserted  also,  that  it  appears  in  many 
 manuscripts,  some  of  which  are  of  high  antiquity.  Griesbach 
 has  ejected  it  from  the  text ;  but,  although  his  authority  is 
 great,  the  discussions  of  some  learned  men  have  made  some 
 abatement  from  it,  and  shewn  us  that  we  ought  not  implicitly 
 to  bow  to  his  decisions.  I  do  not  pretend  to  determine  a 
 question,  with  respect  to  which  the  most  eminent  critics  are 
 divided  in  sentiment. 
 
 In  this  formulary,  we  have  all  the  constituent  parts  of 
 prayer.  It  begins  and  ends  with  adoration  and  thanksgiving  ; 
 and  it  contains  petitions  for  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings, 
 some  of  which  obviously  imply  confession  of  our  sinfulness 
 and  weakness.  It  is  an  admirable  guide  to  us  in  our  devo- 
 tions ;  and  prayers  conformable  to  this  pattern  are  acceptable 
 to  God,  when  they  flow  from  a  heart  purified  by  faith.  It  is 
 entitled  to  the  highest  respect,  as  a  form  to  be  occasionally 
 used  in  public  and  private ;  and  to  lay  piety  out  of  the  ques- 
 tion, we  could  not  say  much  for  the  modesty  of  the  man  who 
 should  presume  to  think  that  any  prayer  which  he  could  com- 
 pose would  be  better.  Our  Directory  for  Public  Worship 
 says,  "  Because  the  prayer  which  Christ  taught  his  disciples 
 is  not  only  a  pattern  of  prayer,  but  itself  a  most  comprehen- 
 sive prayer,  we  recommend  it  also  to  be  used  in  the  prayers 
 of  the  church." 
 
LECTURE  XCVI. 
 
 ON  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 DIFFERENT  MEANINGS  OF  THE  TERM,  CHURCH IMPORT  OF  THE  DIS- 
 TINCTIONS INTO  THE  VISIHLE  AND  INVISIBLE,  MILITANT  AND  TRIUM- 
 PHANT, CHl'lldl. — THE  DESIGN  OF   THE   CHURCH. THE   QUALIFICATION 
 
 OF  ITS  MEMBERS  ;  BAFTISM,  KNOWLEDGE,  FAITH,  AND  A  CREDIBLE  PRO- 
 1  E88IOH THE  UNITY,  UNIVERSALITY,  PERPETUITY,  AND  INFALLIBI- 
 LITY OF   THE   TRUE  CHURCH. 
 
 The  design  of  God  in  the  various  dispensations  of  religion, 
 has  been  to  establish  and  uphold  a  society  of  a  singular  cha- 
 racter, separated  from  the  world,  dedicated  to  his  service,  and 
 distinguished  by  the  high  privileges  conferred  upon  the  mem- 
 bers. As  this  society  is  the  object  of  his  special  care,  and  it 
 is  in  it  that  revelation  is  preserved,  the  ordinances  of  the  true 
 religion  are  administered,  and  the  blessings  of  salvation  are 
 enjoyed,  it  is  entitled  to  particular  attention. 
 
 The  name  by  which  it  is  known  among  us  is  the  Church, 
 and  this  term  is  used  as  equivalent  to  the  Hebrew  word  Snp, 
 and  the  Greek  word  eticXqaia.  As  Snp  signifies  a  congrega- 
 tion, or  a  number  of  persons  gathered  together,  so  this  is  the 
 import  of  ecc\iy*ca,  which  denoted,  among  the  Greeks,  an 
 ibly  of  the  people  convoked  by  lawful  authority.  Ac- 
 cordingly, the  former  word  is  frequently  translated  by  the 
 latter  in  the  Septuagint,  and  occurs  likewise  as  is  substitute 
 in  the  New  Testament.  In  the  fortieth  psalm,  the  Messiah 
 "  I  have  declared  thy  righteousness  in  thegreal  COHgre- 
 tioa  ;"-  a a     and  the  passage  is  thus  quoted  in  the  Epistle 
 
298  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 to    the    Hebrews,      Ev    peffiv    ciacXrjffias  v/ivrjoio    <xc  ;     "    In    the 
 
 midst  of  the  church  I  will  sing  praise  to  thee."  *     The  Sep- 
 tuagint  here  employs  the  word  ^vvu-pc^ij. 
 
 The  word  ocKXrjffia  bears  a  variety  of  senses,  which  either 
 are  found  in  Scripture,  or  have  been  since  attached  to  it  in  the 
 common  language  of  Christians.  It  is  not  certain  that  it  any 
 where  signifies,  in  the  New  Testament,  the  place  of  meeting  for 
 the  worship  of  God,  (see  1  Cor.  xi.  22.)  although  it  very  early 
 received  this  meaning  by  metonymy,  according  to  which  the 
 thing  containing  is  called  by  the  name  of  that  which  it  con- 
 tains ;  and,  in  imitation  of  the  ancients,  we  give  the  designa- 
 tion of  churches  to  those  houses  in  which  Christians  hold 
 their  religious  assemblies.  As  it  would  serve  no  purpose 
 to  inquire  whether  there  were  any  houses  so  denominated  in 
 the  days  of  the  Apostles,  I  proceed  to  observe,  that  the 
 Church  sometimes  denotes  a  single  family,  or  rather  a  few  in- 
 dividuals associated  together  in  observing  the  institutions  of 
 the  Gospel.  This  appears  from  such  passages  as  the  follow- 
 ing :  "  Greet  the  church  that  is  in  the  house  of  Aquila  and 
 Priscilla."  "  Salute  the  church  which  is  in  the  house  of 
 Nymphas."  f  It  is  highly  probable  that  those  churches  con- 
 sisted, not  only  of  the  children  and  servants  belonging  to  the 
 persons  named,  but  of  others,  who,  professing  the  faith,  re- 
 paired to  their  houses  at  stated  times  to  hear  the  word,  and  to 
 unite  in  the  exercises  of  prayer  and  praise.  There  is  little 
 reason  to  think  that  the  primitive  disciples  had  any  other 
 houses  in  which  they  might  hold  their  conventicles,  as  they 
 were  an  infant  sect,  and  were  surrounded  with  enemies,  whose 
 notice  it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  attract  by  a  public 
 display.  However  few  in  number,  they  were  encouraged  to 
 meet  by  the  gracious  promise  of  our  Saviour,  that  "  where 
 two  or  three  are  met  together  in  his  name,  he  is  in  the  midst 
 of  them." 
 
 Again,  The  Church  signifies  all  the  Christians  in  a  particu- 
 lar city,  whether  they  assembled  for  religious  offices  in  one 
 place,  or  in  several  places.  This  is  plain  from  the  following 
 words  :  "  Now  there  were  in  the  church  that  was  at  Antioch 
 certain  prophets  and  teachers."  %     All  the  disciples  in  that 
 
 *  Heb.  ii.  12.  f  Rom.  xvi.  5.     Col.  iv.  15.  %  Acts  xiii.  1. 
 
THE  c  ill  iu  H. 
 
 celebrated  city  were  accounted  one  church  ;  while  it  is  beyond 
 doubt  that  they  were  too  many  to  form  only  one  congrega- 
 tion.     On  this  subject,    indeed,    there  has  been  a  diversity  of 
 
 opinion  ;  and,  in  particular,  Independents  have  discovered  an 
 anxious  wish  to  prove  the  negative,  because  the  fact  which  I 
 am  stating  is  at  variance  with  their  notions  of  the  constitution 
 of  a  church.  But  let  us  attend  to  the  language  in  which  the 
 sacred  historian  speaks  of  the  success  of  the  Gospel  among  its 
 inhabitants  :  "  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them  ; 
 and  a  great  number  believed,  and  turned  to  the  Lord."  "  And 
 it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole  year  Saul  and  Barnabas  assem- 
 bled themselves  with  the  church,  and  taught  much  people  ; 
 and  the  disciples  w  ere  first  called  Christians  at  Antioch."  ' 
 When  we  consider  that  there  wTere  many  converts  before  the 
 arrival  of  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and  that  they  had  laboured  with 
 success  for  a  whole  year  prior  to  the  time  when  the  church  is 
 spoken  of  as  one,  it  must  be  strong  prejudice  which  leads 
 any  person  to  deny  that  the  word  is  used  as  a  general  term 
 comprehending  several  congregations  ;  for  it  is  altogether  in- 
 credible that  the  disciples  would  have  been  called  "  a  great 
 number,"  and  "  much  people,"  if  they  could  have  been  con- 
 vened in  one  house,  and  for  the  reason  given  above,  probably 
 a  private  house.  In  the  same  sense  the  word  is  used  in  re- 
 ference to  Jerusalem,  all  the  disciples  in  which  are  repeatedly 
 represented  as  one  church. f  But  that  there  were  more  assem- 
 blies than  one  in  that  city  is  evident,  not  only  from  the  num- 
 ber of  converts  specified  in  the  Acts,  many  of  whom  might  be 
 strangers,  who  afterwards  removed  to  different  places  ;  but 
 from  the  fact  that  the  Apostles  continued  a  long  time  in  it 
 after  the  day  of  Pentecost,  not  surely  to  minister  to  a  single 
 society  of  believers  ;  and  that  the  poor  were  so  numerous,  that 
 not  one  deacon,  but  seven,  were  appointed  to  take  care  of 
 them.  I  have  dwelt  rather  long  upon  this  point;  but  as  this 
 application  of  the  term  has  been  contested,  some  discussion 
 was  necessary,  and  I  have  thus  been  led  to  anticipate  an  ar- 
 gument which  will  again  be  brought  forward  in  favour  of  the 
 form  of  church-government  which  we  have  adopted. 
 
 There  is  another  sense  of  the  term  which  is  now  common, 
 t   lb.  v.  11.  a 
 
300  THE   CHURCH. 
 
 but  of  which  I  do  not  find  any  example  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, namely,  when  it  is  employed  to  denote  the  inhabitants 
 of  a  whole  country  united  in  the  same  religious  profession. 
 There  we  read  of  the  churches  of  Judea,  the  churches  of  Ga- 
 latia,  the  churches  of  Macedonia,  the  churches  of  Asia.  We, 
 in  this  country,  speak  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  the  Church 
 of  England,  the  Church  of  Holland,  &c.  This  phraseology 
 has  arisen  from  the  connexion  of  the  church  with  the  state,  in 
 consequence  of  which,  Christianity,  or  rather  a  particular  mo- 
 dification of  Christianity,  is  established  by  law  in  a  particular 
 country,  and  all  the  inhabitants  are  required  to  adopt  it  in 
 that  form,  unless  a  toleration  be  granted  to  dissenters  to  wor- 
 ship God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences.  This 
 has  originated  in  an  attempt  to  make  Christianity  a  national 
 affair,  and  to  render  the  church  commensurate  with  the  terri- 
 tory over  which  the  power  of  the  civil  government  extends. 
 It  would  lead  us  away  from  our  present  design,  to  enter  upon 
 the  question  concerning  the  lawfulness  of  civil  establishments 
 of  religion.  In  general,  we  may  say,  that,  so  far  as  they 
 blend  together  secular  and  spiritual  things,  interfere  with  re- 
 ligious liberty,  and  consider  men  as  Christians,  merely  be- 
 cause they  are  subjects  of  the  state,  they  are  unscriptural,  and 
 must  prove  the  source  of  manifold  and  grievous  corruptions. 
 
 Farther,  The  word  has  been  supposed  to  denote,  not  a 
 whole  religious  society,  but  only  the  office-bearers  in  it.  It 
 has  been  considered  as  bearing  this  sense  in  the  following 
 words  :  "  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  thee,  tell  it  to  the 
 church ;  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto 
 thee  as  an  heathen  man,  and  a  publican."  '  It  is  evident  that 
 the  offending  brother  is  to  be  brought  before  the  church  for 
 judgment ;  and  if  he  prove  refractory,  to  be  excommunicated. 
 The  power  of  government,  Presbyterians  affirm,  is  not  vested 
 in  the  people,  but  in  those  who  preside  over  them  ;  and  conse- 
 quently, if  they  are  right,  the  church  must  here  mean  the 
 ministers  and  rulers.  Independents,  of  course,  reject  this  in- 
 terpretation ;  and  some  who  differ  from  them  in  their  views  of 
 church  government,  explain  the  words  in  a  different  manner. 
 To  settle  this  controversy,  would  require  a  train  of  circuitous 
 
 *  Matth.  xviii.  17« 
 
mi    i  in  R<  h.  301 
 
 ning,  into  which  this  i^  not  the  proper  time  to  eater,  I 
 shall  therefore  pan  over  thn  sense  of  the  term,  and  proceed tt 
 another,  coDcerning  which  there  is  no  dispute. 
 
 I  observe,  in  the  last  place,  that  the  church  signifies  all 
 the  disciples  of  Chris*  throughout  the  world.  There  are  many 
 examples  of  this  extensive  meaning  of  the  term  :  "  The  church 
 of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood." 
 "  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it."  "  The 
 church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."* 
 In  these  passages,  the  meaning  of  the  term  is  more  extensive 
 than  in  any  of  the  former  instances,  and  comprehends  all  in 
 every  country,  and  in  every  age,  who  acknowledge  Jesus 
 Christ  as  their  spiritual  head. 
 
 In  speaking  of  the  church  in  this  general  view,  it  is  neces- 
 sary to  consider  it  under  two  aspects,  and  to  attend  to  the 
 distinction  which  is  commonly  made  of  it  into  visible  and 
 invisible. 
 
 "  The  visible  church,"  says  our  Confession  of  Faith,  "  con- 
 ^wr>  of  all  those  throughout  the  world  that  profess  the  true 
 religion,  together  with  their  children  ;  and  is  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  house  and  family  of  God,  out  of 
 which  there  is  no  ordinary  possibility  of  salvation."  f  It  com- 
 prehends, therefore,  various  sects,  differing  from  each  other  in 
 some  particulars,  but  united  in  acknowledging  the  Scriptures 
 of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
 tice, and  observing  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  The  Church 
 of  England  calls  the  visible  church  "  a  congregation  of  faith- 
 ful men,  in  the  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preached,  and 
 the  sacraments  be  duly  ministered,  according  to  Christ's  or- 
 dinance, in  all  those  things  that  of  necessity  are  requisite  to 
 the  same."+  We  may  acquiesce  in  both  definitions  ;  but  they 
 are  general,  and  particularly  the  first,  so  that  we  may  find 
 some  difficulty  in  practically  applying  them,  to  ascertain  who 
 are  the  true  members  of  this  church.  Some  sects  we  must 
 exclude,  because  they  deny  the  fundamental  articles  of  the 
 Christian  religion,  as  Unitarians  do  ;  but  others  hold  a  mixture 
 of  truth  and  error,  and  hence  it  may  not  be  easy  to  determine 
 whether  they  should  be  admitted  for  the  truth,  or  rejected  for 
 •  Acts  xx.  28.  Eph.  v.  25.  1  Tim.  iii.  15.       f  (onf-  xxv-  *■        5  An-  xix- 
 
302 
 
 THE   CHURCH. 
 
 the  error.  Again,  if  the  visible  church  consists  of  those  who 
 profess  the  true  religion,  and  is  an  assembly  of  faithful  men, 
 it  follows  that  those  who  do  not  fall  under  this  description, — 
 men  who  are  ignorant  of  the  doctrines  of  religion,  disregard 
 its  ordinances,  and  openly  transgress  its  laws, — cannot  be 
 considered  as  belonging  to  it.  However  contradictory,  there- 
 fore, may  be  the  practice  of  the  two  churches  of  Scotland  and 
 England,  the  creed  of  neither  encourages  the  idea  of  national 
 Christianity,  or  of  holding  every  person  who  is  born  in  a  par- 
 ticular country  to  be  a  member  of  the  church,  merely  because 
 he  has  been  baptized  by  it,  and  is  living  within  its  bounds. 
 The  phrase,  the  visible  church,  is  used  very  loosely  by  us 
 all ;  but,  if  we  would  speak  scripturally,  and  even  rationally, 
 wTe  would  not  include  in  it  the  grossly  ignorant  and  openly  pro- 
 fane, any  more  than  heathens  and  Mahometans ;  for  the  former 
 are  as  little  connected  with  Jesus  Christ,  even  in  outward  ap- 
 pearance, as  the  latter.  We  would  comprehend  in  the  visible 
 church  none  but  those  who  make  a  credible  profession  of  re- 
 ligion ;  that  is,  none  but  persons  who  possess  a  competent 
 knowledge  of  its  doctrines,  observe  its  institutions,  and  regu- 
 late their  conduct  by  its  laws.  Were  this  mode  of  settling  its 
 limits  adopted,  they  would  be  very  much  narrowed,  and  a 
 great  part  of  what  is  called  the  Christian  world  would  be  left 
 without  its  pale. 
 
 This  church  is  called  visible,  not  only  because  the  persons 
 who  compose  it  are  not  angels  or  separate  spirits,  but  men 
 dwelling  in  mortal  flesh,  but  because,  as  a  society,  it  falls 
 under  the  observation  of  our  senses.  The  members  are  known  ; 
 their  assemblies  are  public  ;  we  may  be  present  in  them,  and 
 observe  the  celebration  of  the  several  parts  of  their  worship. 
 It  is  distinguishable,  like  any  other  society  ;  and  we  can  say, 
 Here  is  the  church  of  Christ ;  but  there  is  the  church  of  the 
 Jews  or  of  the  Mahometans.  Nothing  more  is  necessary  to 
 discover  it  than  the  use  of  our  senses.  Having  learned,  by  the 
 perusal  of  the  Scriptures,  what  are  the  discriminating  charac- 
 ters of  the  church,  wherever  we  perceive  a  society  whose  creed 
 and  observances  are  upon  the  whole  conformable  to  this  pat- 
 tern, we  are  authorised  to  say,  This  is  the  church,  or  rather, 
 a  part  of  the  church. 
 
"  The  invisible  church,"   I  again  quote  the  words  of  our 
 Confiestioa,  M  ucinintn  <>f  the  whole  Dumber  of  the  elect  thai 
 have  been,  arc,  orihall  be  gathered  into  one,  tinder  Christ 
 the  head  thereof;  and  is  the  spouse,  the  hod}-,  the  fulness  of 
 him  that  tillcth  all  in  all."*      This  is  a  definition  of  the  church 
 tor  which  Christ  gave  himself;  for  he  died  for  all  who  were 
 chosen  in  him  to  salvation  ;  but  not  an  accurate  definition  of 
 the  invisible  church  as  actually  existing,  in  which  not  all  the 
 elect  are  comprehended,  but  those  only  who  have  believed.      1 
 consider  the  invisible  church  to  be  the  congregation  of  those 
 who  have  been  called  by  Divine  grace  into  the  fellowship  of 
 the  gospel,  and  sanctified   by  the   truth ;  and   they  are  one 
 congregation,  because,  however  distant  in  place  and  diversi- 
 fied  in   circumstances,   they  are  united   by  closer  bonds  than 
 those  of  external  communion.     "  By  one   Spirit  we  have  all 
 been  baptized  into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Greeks, 
 whether  we  be  bond  or  free,  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink 
 into  that  one  Spirit."!     In  the  visible  church  there  is  a  mixture 
 its  and  sinners,  as  there  is  of  chaff  and  grain  in  the  barn- 
 floor,   and  of  wheat  and  tares  in  the  field  ;   but  this  society  is 
 pure ;  not   that  the  individuals  who  compose  it  are  free  from 
 sin,  but  that  they  are  all  of  one  description,  having  been  born 
 from  above.     This  is  the  true  church,   in  which  God  dwells, 
 and  to  which  the   promises  are  made.     This  is  the  body  of 
 Christ,  to  which  he  communicates  spiritual  influences,  that  it 
 may  "  increase  with  the  increase  of  God." 
 
 This  church  is  said  to  be  invisible,  because  it  cannot  be 
 discovered  by  the  eye.  It  is  not  separated  from  the  world  in 
 respect  of  place,  but  of  state.  It  lies  hidden  in  the  visible 
 church,  from  which  it  cannot  be  certainly  distinguished. 
 The  qualifications  of  its  members  are  internal ;  their  faith  and 
 love  are  not  the  objects  of  sense.  Towards  our  fellow  men 
 we  can  exercise  only  the  judgment  of  charity,  founded  on 
 probable  grounds  ;  but  we  are  liable  to  err,  and  from  various 
 causes  may  suppose  saints  to  be  hypocrites,  and  hypocrites  to 
 be  saints.  It  is  unseen  by  every  eye  but  that  which 
 urches  the  heart  and  tries  the  reins  of  the  children  of  men." 
 *'  The  Lord,"  and  he  only,  "  knows  them  that  are  his." 
 •  Conf.  xxv.  1.  f  1  Cor.  xii.  IS. 
 
304  the  church. 
 
 Hitherto  I  have  spoken  of  the  Church  as  subsisting  exclu- 
 sively upon  earth  ;  but  there  is  another  distinction  which  re- 
 lates to  it,  as  subsisting  both  on  earth  and  in  heaven.  Taken 
 in  this  comprehensive  sense,  it  is  divided  into  the  church 
 militant,  and  the  church  triumphant.  The  former  compre- 
 hends those  who  are  engaged  in  the  spiritual  warfare,  wrestling 
 against  principalities  and  powers,  struggling  with  the  flesh 
 and  the  solicitations  of  the  world,  and,  in  some  cases,  resist- 
 ing even  unto  blood  in  their  opposition  to  sin.  The  latter  is 
 made  up  of  the  glorified  saints,  who  have  overcome  by  the 
 blood  of  the  Lamb  and  the  word  of  their  testimony,  and  have 
 obtained  the  crown  of  life  which  fades  not  away.  Let  it  be 
 observed,  that  these  constitute  only  one  church,  one  family 
 in  heaven  and  on  earth,  being  subject  to  the  same  Head, 
 animated  by  the  same  spirit,  and,  notwithstanding  their  dis- 
 tance, holding  holy  communion,  while  they  take  an  interest 
 in  one  another's  joys  and  sorrows,  and  unite  in  the  worship  of 
 Him  who  sits  upon  the  throne,  and  of  the  Lamb. 
 
 The  design  of  the  establishment  of  the  church  will  be  ex- 
 plained  by  the  following  particulars.  First,  It  is  appointed 
 to  be  the  depository  of  divine  truth,  in  which  it  should  be 
 preserved,  and  by  which  it  should  be  published  to  the  world. 
 To  the  Jews  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God  in  ancient 
 times;  but  the  custody  of  them  is  now  transferred  to  the 
 Christian  church.  Hence  it  is  called,  in  a  passage  formerly 
 quoted,  "  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."  Secondly,  It 
 is  an  important  part  of  its  duty,  to  maintain  and  observe  the 
 ordinances  of  Christ,  that  the  ends  of  their  institution  may  be 
 accomplished  in  the  salvation  of  men,  and  He  may  receive 
 due  honour,  as  the  exalted  Lord  to  whom  every  knee  should 
 bow  of  things  on  earth.  Thirdly,  It  is  intended  to  be  the 
 asylum  of  sinners,  who  are  called  upon  to  leave  the  society 
 of  the  world,  and  to  enter  into  it  by  faith,  that  they  may 
 escape  the  destruction  which  is  coming  upon  the  wicked. 
 It  is  like  the  cities  of  refuge  in  the  promised  land,  into  which 
 the  man-slayer  fled  from  the  pursuit  of  the  avenger  of  blood. 
 Lastly,  It  is  the  nursery  of  the  saints,  in  which  they  are 
 trained  for  the  duties  of  the  present  life  and  the  happiness  of 
 
TBI  (  in  K(  II. 
 
 the  next,  l>\  spiritual  instruction  and  watchful  superintendence, 
 by  doctrine  and  discipline. 
 
 From  tlif  general  remarks  which  have  heen  already  made, 
 it  has  appeared  who  are  the  members  of  the  church,  consider- 
 ed both  as  risible  and  as  invisible.  With  respect  to  the  latter, 
 it  is  unnecessary  to  say  any  thing  farther,  as  there  can  be  no 
 doubt  that  the  members  are  believers,  regenerated  persons, 
 saints,  since  the  Scripture  says  expressly,  "  If  any  man  have 
 not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  '  But  concern- 
 ing the  qualifications  of  the  members  of  the  visible  church,  it 
 will  be  proper  to  enter  into  a  more  particular  discussion. 
 
 First,  An  indispensable  qualification  of  the  members  of  the 
 visible  church  is  baptism,  which  has  been  called  the  initiatory 
 seal  of  the  new  covenant,  and  is  the  rite  by  which  our  ad- 
 mission into  the  society  of  the  faithful  is  declared.  When 
 Jesus  Christ  sent  his  Apostles  to  establish  his  church  upon 
 earth,  he  said  to  them,  "  Go  ye  therefore  and  teach,"  or  rather, 
 
 make    disciples    of     "    all    nations" /u.a0q7evff(ne  iravra  ia  cOwq 
 
 — "  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  t  They  were  to  be  made  disciples 
 by  baptism  ;  not  that  the  simple  administration  of  this  rite 
 would  constitute  them  such,  or  that  it  was  to  be  administered 
 to  all  who  should  come  in  the  way  of  the  Apostles,  but  that 
 when  they  found  persons  who,  having  heard  the  gospel,  pro- 
 fessed faith  in  Christ,  they  should  baptize  them,  and  in  this 
 manner  receive  them  into  the  number  of  his  followers.  As 
 the  uncircumcised  were  not  admitted  into  the  congregation  of 
 Israel,  so  the  unbaptized  have  no  right  to  enter  into  the 
 church.  In  this  respect  the  two  ordinances  resemble  each 
 other,  that  both  were  instituted  as  a  preliminary  step  to  the 
 enjoyment  of  the  other  privileges  of  the  people  of  God.  It 
 does  not  however  follow,  that  baptism  is-  necessary  to  salva- 
 tion ;  for  we  may  conceive  a  case,  and  it  has  actually  hap- 
 pened, that  a  man  has  by  some  means — for  example,  by  the 
 perusal  of  the  Scriptures — been  savingly  enlightened,  who, 
 at  the  same  time,  was  in  such  a  situation  that  he  could  not 
 obtain  the  external  sign  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.  There 
 i*  no  doubt  that  such   a  man  went   to  heaven  at   death,  and 
 
 *  Rom.  viii.  9.  f  Matth.  xxviii.  19, 
 
 VOL.  IV.  r 
 
30(3 
 
 THE  church. 
 
 that  he  was  a  member  of  the  invisible  church,  which  is  united 
 to  its  exalted  Head  by  the  Spirit ;  but  of  the  visible  church 
 he  was  not  a  member,  because  he  wanted,  yet  without  any 
 fault  on  his  part,  the  distinguishing  badge  of  Christianity. 
 Hence  you  perceive  the  reason  that  our  Confession  expresses 
 itself  with  some  degree  of  caution,  when  it  says,  that  "  out 
 of  the  visible  church  there  is  no  ordinary  possibility  of  salva- 
 tion." There  is  a  possibility  of  salvation  without  its  pale ; 
 but  the  cases  are  extraordinary,  and  such  as  those  to  which 
 I  have  just  now  referred.  When  men  have  access  to  the 
 church,  they  are  bound  by  the  highest  authority  to  enter  into 
 its  communion,  and  therefore  to  submit  to  baptism,  which  is 
 the  door  of  admission.  If  any  person,  knowing  baptism  to  be 
 an  ordinance  of  Christ,  should  deliberately  and  contemptu- 
 ously neglect  it,  he  would  no  more  be  a  disciple  of  Christ 
 than  a  heathen  or  a  Mahometan,  and  his  final  salvation  would 
 be  as  impossible  as  if  he  had  lived  and  died  in  the  habitual 
 violation  of  any  moral  precept. 
 
 The  second  qualification  of  the  members  of  the  church,  is 
 knowledge ;  for  Jesus  Christ  does  not  want  blind  followers, 
 who  are  attached  to  him  merely  for  his  name,  or  in  conse- 
 quence of  their  local  situation  ;  and  the  ignorant  are  utterly 
 incapable  of  performing  the  duties  incumbent  upon  the  mem- 
 bers of  this  spiritual  society.  What  degree  of  knowledge  is 
 requisite,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine  with  accuracy.  Men 
 differ  much  in  education,  in  talents,  in  opportunities,  so  that  it 
 would  be  equally  absurd  to  demand  the  same  proficiency  in 
 all  the  candidates,  as  to  insist  that  they  should  be  all  of  the 
 same  stature.  But  unless  a  person  know  something  about 
 his  own  natural  character  and  state,  something  about  the  per- 
 son, and  office,  and  work  of  the  Saviour,  something  about 
 the  promises  of  God  and  the  duties  of  a  Christian,  he  cannot 
 make  a  rational  profession  of  faith,  and  consequently  ought  not 
 to  be  admitted.  The  Church  of  Rome  requires  implicit  faith 
 in  the  members.  This  does  not  mean,  as  you  might  suppose 
 from  the  terms,  a  belief  of  certain  doctrines  simply  upon  the 
 authority  of  the  church,  but  something  much  more  mysterious, 
 and  of  which  the  world  never  had  an  idea  till  it  was  revealed 
 by  the   Schoolmen.     Implicit  faith  is  a  belief  that  all  the 
 
ii.  307 
 
 doctrinei  held  by  the  church  are  true,  although  \<m  know 
 
 BOthlBg  about  tlirm,  and  nrviT  so  much  BJ  heard  them  men- 
 tioned. It  matters  not  to  you  what  the  church  beU 
 and  you  need  not  pre  yourself  the  trouble  to  inquire  ;  it'  you 
 believe  that  all  that  she  believes  is  agreeable  to  truth,  you  arc 
 an  orthodox  Christian,  and  are  sure  to  go  to  heaven.  In 
 short,  the  Church  of  Rome  teaches  men  to  believe  by  proxy, 
 to  have  faith  without  having  one  idea  of  the  object  of  faith,  to 
 it  to  a  creed  of  which  they  know  as  little  as  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  Tartary.  Such  a  faith  ifl  very  suitable  to  a  church 
 which  holds  that  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devotion  ;  but 
 would  ill  accord  with  the  church  of  Christ,  which  proposes 
 its  creed  to  be  read  and  studied  by  all,  invites  and  encourages 
 inquiry,  and  demands  from  men  a  rational  service.  Those 
 are  commended  who,  like  the  Bereans,  search  the  Scriptures 
 daily,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  whether  the  doctrines  proposed 
 to  them  are  true ;  and  every  member  is  called  upon  to  be 
 always  ready  to  give  "  a  reason  of  the  hope  which  is  in  him, 
 to  any  man  who  asks  him." 
 
 The  standard  by  which  the  knowledge  of  those  who  seek 
 admission  into  the  church  should  be  tried,  is  the  Scriptures. 
 But  the  several  churches  of  Christendom  have  adopted,  be- 
 sides the  Scriptures,  what  have  been  called  subordinate  stan- 
 dards,— creeds,  articles,  and  confessions.  At  first  it  may  seem 
 that  this  is  an  unwarrantable  addition,  and  derogates  from 
 the  perfection  and  permanent  authority  of  the  word  of  God  ; 
 but  their  conduct  admits  of  a  satisfactory  explanation.  In 
 the  first  place,  They  profess — and  this  is  true  at  least  of  Pro- 
 testant churches — to  exhibit  in  their  creeds  only  the  doctrines 
 of  Scripture,  and  to  exclude  all  human  dogmas.  But  if  this 
 is  a  fair  representation  of  the  design  of  their  creeds,  it  may 
 be  said  that  they  are  of  no  use,  as  the  Scriptures  contain  all 
 that  they  tell  us.  In  answer  to  this  objection,  I  observe,  in 
 the-  second  place,  That  they  are  necessary  for  the  defence  of 
 the  truth  against  heresies  and  errors.  The  authors  of  these 
 profess  great  reverence  for  the  Scriptures,  and  are  ready  at 
 any  time  to  give  an  account  of  their  faith  couched  in  their 
 .  while  they  affix  to  it  a  sense  totally  different  from 
 that  which  you  understand  it   to  convey.      Hence   arose  the 
 
308  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 necessity  of  employing-  a  test  to  ascertain  their  real  senti- 
 ments ;  and  such  a  test  is  a  creed  expressed  in  human  words, 
 which  established  usage  has  rendered  definite  and  incapable  of 
 perversion.  This  is  a  short  account  of  the  origin  of  creeds ; 
 and  those  who  exclaim  most  vehemently  against  them,  are 
 the  causes  of  the  evil  of  which  they  complain. 
 
 When  churches  employ  their  subordinate  standards  as  a 
 test  of  religious  sentiments,  their  reason  is  not  that  they  con- 
 sider them  as  having  any  authority  in  themselves,  but  that 
 they  appear  to  them  to  be  founded  on  Scripture,  and  proper 
 therefore  to  be  used  as  a  means  of  discovering  the  real  senti- 
 ments of  those  who  are  desirous  to  be  received  into  their  fel- 
 lowship. It  is  evident,  however,  that  if  the  assent  of  private 
 members  is  to  be  required  to  them,  they  ought  to  be  very 
 short  and  simple  ;  and  some  modern  creeds,  however  excellent, 
 are  too  copious,  and  involve  too  many  intricate  points,  to  be  fit 
 for  this  purpose. 
 
 I  might  add  as  a  third  qualification  of  the  members  of  the 
 church,  a  profession  of  faith  ;  for  it  is  not  the  simple  possession 
 of  knowledge  which  entitles  any  man  to  be  admitted  into  its 
 communion,  but  a  declaration,  explicit  or  implied,  that  he  be- 
 lieves the  doctrines  in  which  he  has  been  instructed,  acknow- 
 ledges Jesus  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  submits  to  his  authority, 
 and  is  resolved  to  yield  obedience  to  his  laws  and  institutions. 
 This  profession  is  made  by  adults  at  their  baptism,  and  by 
 those  who  were  baptized  in  infancy,  by  their  attendance  upon 
 the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  by  the  answers  returned  to  the 
 questions  proposed  to  them  when  they  apply  for  admission  to 
 the  Lord's  table. 
 
 The  last  qualification  which  I  shall  mention,  is  a  character 
 which  shall  give  credibility  to  this  profession.  If  men  profess 
 to  know  God,  but  deny  him  in  works,  their  conduct  neutralizes 
 their  profession,  and  it  is  no  breach  of  charity  to  consider  it  as 
 insincere.  Of  faith  as  it  exists  in  the  heart,  we  can  have  no 
 knowledge  but  by  external  signs,  which  are  to  be  sought  for 
 in  the  practice ;  because  the  truths  of  religion,  when  believed, 
 do  not  remain  as  an  intellectual  treasure  n  the  understanding, 
 but  exerting  their  power  upon  the  heart,  give  rise  to  a  con- 
 duct becoming  the  gospel.     Our  Lord  has  laid  down  a  rule  to 
 
i  in.  <  in  i;<  n.  309 
 
 direct  us  in  our  private  and  public  judgmeifta  ofoui  brethren, 
 "Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.    Do  men  gather  grapes  of 
 
 thorns,  or  tigs  of  thistles?  Kven  so  every  good  treebringeth  forth 
 good  fruit,  hut  a  corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit."  '  All 
 Christians  might  be  expected  to  agree,  that  into  a  society 
 founded  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  dedicated  to  his  service,  those 
 should  not  be  permitted  to  enter,  who  shew,  by  their  disregard 
 of  piety  and  their  unholy  actions,  that  whatever  they  pretend, 
 they  are  hostile  to  his  religion  ;  and  that  a  church  is  criminally 
 negligent,  and  guilty  of  a  violation  of  her  trust,  which  lays  open 
 her  fellowship  to  the  profane  and  worldly.  The  members  of  the 
 primitive  church  are  addressed  as  "  saints,"  and  "  faithful  in 
 Christ  Jesus,"  and  were  so  called  perhaps,  because  the  majority 
 were  truly  entitled  to  this  appellation,  or  at  least  because  they 
 \\  ere  saints  in  appearance.  There  were  great  irregularities  in  that 
 church ;  but  these  were  unavoidable  in  a  society,  all  the  mem- 
 bers of  which  were  imperfect,  and  into  which  some  unworthy 
 persons  had  intruded  under  the  mask  of  hypocrisy.  They 
 were  not  however  allowed,  and  discipline  was  employed  to 
 correct  them,  and  to  expel  those  who  refused  to  be  reformed. 
 From  the  account  which  has  been  given  of  the  necessary 
 qualifications  for  admission  into  the  visible  church,  it  follows 
 that  it  is  not  regeneration  by  the  Spirit  which  is  an  indispen- 
 sable pre-requisite,  but  the  appearance  of  it ;  and  after  all  that 
 can  be  said  upon  the  subject,  in  this  the  greatest  zealots  for 
 purity  of  communion  must  virtually  acquiesce.  It  is  certain, 
 that  God  has  not  given  the  church  authority  to  scrutinize  the 
 hearts  of  candidates,  because  he  has  not  furnished  the  means. 
 The  gift  of  discerning  spirits  has  long  since  ceased,  and  the 
 present  rulers  of  the  church  can  judge  only  by  profession  and 
 practice.  To  attempt  to  penetrate  into  the  recesses  of  the 
 soul,  is  to  erect  an  inquisitorial  tribunal  for  the  trial  of  men's 
 spiritual  state  ;  and  as  long  as  there  are  hypocrisy  and  self-de- 
 eeit  in  the  world,  the  sentences  pronounced  from  it  will  be 
 often  exceedingly  unjust.  The  Apostles  appear  to  have  re- 
 ceived disciples  upon  such  a  profession  of  faith  as  we  require 
 from  our  applicants  ;  and  although  it  is  manifest  from  the  New 
 Testament,  that  there  were  onregenerated  persons  in  the  pri- 
 
 •  Matth.  vii.  10,  17- 
 
310  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 mitivc  church,  we  do  not  find  that  they  thought  of  expelling 
 them  on  this  ground,  if  they  were  free  from  scandalous  crimes. 
 Without  regeneration,  however,  we  readily  acknowledge  exter- 
 nal connexion  with  the  visible  church  will  be  of  no  avail,  "  for 
 in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
 uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature."  * 
 
 In  the  sequel  of  this  lecture,  I  shall  direct  your  attention  to 
 some  general  characters  or  properties  of  the  church. 
 
 The  first  is  its  unity.  It  is  one  church,  and  must  be  so 
 called,  whether  we  consider  it  as  invisible  or  visible.  With 
 regard  to  the  former  there  is  no  doubt,  as  all  its  members 
 are  united  to  Jesus  Christ  as  their  head,  animated  by  the  Spirit 
 of  holiness,  and  thus  compacted  into  one  body.  The  unity 
 may  not  be  so  obvious  with  respect  to  the  latter,  because  it 
 is  divided  into  different  societies,  not  only  distinct  in  place, 
 but  also  disjoined  by  the  peculiarity  of  their  tenets  and  usages. 
 But  the  appearance  of  disunion  will  be  diminished,  if  we  at- 
 tend to  what  was  formerly  hinted,  that  although  the  designa- 
 tion of  the  visible  church  is  employed  in  common  language 
 with  great  latitude,  yet  we  cannot  rationally  and  scripturally 
 comprehend  in  it  any  society,  which  does  not  profess  the  true 
 religion  in  its  essential  parts.  We  thus  exclude  heretical 
 sects,  and  recognize  as  the  constituent  members,  those  only 
 who  acknowledge  "  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one 
 God  and  Father  of  all."  These  we  account  one  on  the  ground 
 of  the  fundamental  points  in  which  they  agree,  and  do  not 
 consider  the  unity  as  destroyed  by  the  minor  point  in  which 
 they  disagree.  Particular  churches  would  do  well  to  look 
 upon  themselves  only  as  integral  parts,  and  not  as  the  whole. 
 The  latter  idea  is  too  much  encouraged  by  the  illiberal  views 
 and  high  pretensions  of  some  parties.  In  certain  cases  it  is 
 avowed;  and  thus,  while  certain  societies  appropriate  the  name 
 and  privileges  of  the  church,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others, 
 they  prove  themselves  to  be  no  part  of  it  at  all,  but  are  self- 
 excommunicated,  cut  off  by  their  own  act  from  all  interest  in 
 the  body  of  Christ. 
 
 The  second  character  of  the  church  is  its  universality.  It 
 is   the  catholic  church ;  and  this  epithet  is   explained   by  the 
 
 *  Gal.  v.  6. 
 
mi:  mi  k<  ir.  31  1 
 
 Fatten  to  mean  tliat  it  extends  throughout  the  world,  rcachei 
 from  one  end  of  the  earth  to  another,  as  a  body,  Bayi  Theo- 
 ph\  laet,  consisting  of  the  churches  every  where,  having  Christ 
 as  its  head.  It  is  ealled  Catholic,  to  signify  that  it  is  not 
 confined  to  a  particular  country  or  sect,  hut  comprehends  all 
 who  profess  the  true  religion,  and  observe  the  ordinances  of 
 the  gospel.  It  is  not  Catholic  <tc  Jacto,  if  we  mean  by  this 
 word  unin  rsally  diffused;  for  we  know  that  there  are  extensive 
 regions  and  populous  nations  in  which  it  has  not  been  esta- 
 blished, or  claims  only  ■  very  few  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
 w  hole  number  of  nominal  Christians  amounts  only  to  a  fifth 
 or  a  sixth  part  of  the  human  race.  But  it  is  Catholic  dv 
 /'///•(,  because  "  the  heathen  have  been  given  to  Christ  for  his 
 inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  pos- 
 session." His  commission  authorized  the  Apostles  and  their 
 successors  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ;  and  the 
 sei^e  in  which  we  understand  prophecy,  encourages  us  to  hope 
 that  in  a  future  age,  the  light  of  truth,  like  that  of  the  sun, 
 will  illuminate  every  region  ;  that  the  whole  world  will  be  con- 
 verted into  a  temple,  and  all  its  inhabitants  will  be  worship- 
 pers of  the  living  God.  The  claims  of  the  Church  of  Rome 
 to  be  the  Catholic  Church  are  well  known,  and  to  every  man 
 who  understands  the  Scriptures,  they  appear  equally  pre- 
 sumptuous and  ridiculous.  Their  arrogant  style  is  too  much 
 imitated  by  some  Protestants.  In  the  southern  part  of  the 
 Island,  the  cry  of  "  the  Church,"  "  the  Church,"  is  raised  by 
 proud,  intolerant,  uncharitable  men,  who  appropriate  this  name 
 to  their  own  society,  and  pronounce  all  who  do  not  submit  to  the 
 government  of  bishops,  to  be  schismatics  and  sectarians,  who 
 have  no  hope  of  salvation  but  through  the  uncovenanted  mercy 
 of  God.  But  "  we  have  not  so  learned  Christ."  We  ac- 
 know  ledge  as  a  part  of  the  church  "  every  congregation  of 
 faithful  men  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preached,  and 
 the  sacraments  are  duly  administered." 
 
 The  third  character  of  the  church  is  its  perpetuity.     The 
 
 declarations  and  promises  concerning  Zion,    that  God  would 
 
 establish  it,  and  that  it  should  be  his  rest  for  ever,  are  fulfilled 
 
 in  that  society  of  which  it  was  a  figure.      We  believe  upon  the 
 
 authority,  that  as  the  church  has  subsisted  from  its  erec- 
 
312  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 tion  to  the  present  hour,  so  it  will  continue  through  all  sub- 
 sequent ages,  till  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  "  Upon  this 
 rock  will  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
 prevail  against  it ;"  *  neither  death,  which  is  daily  making 
 havock  among  the  members,  and  is  probably  meant  by  the 
 gates  of  Hades,  nor  the  powers  of  darkness,  as  the  words  in 
 our  translation  seem  to  import.  In  the  most  degenerate  times 
 God  has  had  a  seed  to  serve  him,  a  remnant  has  been  saved  ; 
 as  in  the  days  of  Elijah,  who  supposed  himself  to  be  the  sole 
 worshipper  of  God,  while  there  were  seven  thousand  in  Israel 
 wTho  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal.  There 
 has  always,  too,  been  a  visible  profession  of  Christianity  ;  there 
 have  been  assemblies  held,  in  which  its  forms  of  worship  have 
 been  observed ;  and  although  many  of  these  have  been  so 
 corrupt,  that  they  might  rather  have  been  considered  as 
 synagogues  of  Satan,  yet  even  during  the  reign  of  Antichrist, 
 it  appears  that  in  some  corner  or  other  of  Christendom,  there 
 were  men  enlightened  by  divine  grace,  who  escaped  the  gene- 
 ral pollution,  and  maintained  the  truth  at  the  peril  of  their 
 lives. 
 
 With  the  perpetuity  of  the  church,  is  intimately  connected 
 the  question  concerning  its  infallibility.  It  is  one  of  the  prin- 
 cipal points  of  discussion  between  Protestants  and  Papists. 
 The  latter  strenuously  maintain  that  the  church  cannot  err  ; 
 and  appropriating  this  prerogative  to  their  own  church,  they 
 call  upon  all  men,  under  the  pain  of  damnation,  to  submit  to 
 its  authority.  In  settling  the  point  to  which  this  infallibility 
 extends,  they  differ  among  themselves ;  but  all  agree  that  it 
 is  lodged  somewhere  in  the  church,  in  the  Pope,  or  in  a  ge- 
 neral council,  or  in  both  united.  The  doctrine  of  Protestants 
 is  stated  in  our  Confession  of  Faith,  in  the  following  passages. 
 "  All  synods  or  councils  since  the  Apostles'  time,  whether 
 general  or  particular,  may 'err,  and  many  have  erred."  "  The 
 purest  churches  upon  earth  are  subject  both  to  mixture  and 
 error,  and  some  have  so  degenerated  as  to  become  no  churches 
 of  Christ,  but  synagogues  of  Satan."  f  These  assertions  it 
 would  be  easy  to  support,  both  by  reasoning  from  Scripture, 
 and  by  an  appeal  to  the  history  of  religion  in  the  ages  which 
 *  Matth.  xvi.  18.  -f   Conf.  xxxi.  4.    xxv.  5. 
 
TBI  (  IK  lt(  II.  313 
 
 are  past.  We  believe  that  infallibility  can  be  predicated  of 
 do  assembly,  bowevei  learned,  of  do  association  of  prof 
 Christians,  and  Still  loss  of  any  individual,  although  dignified 
 with  the  high  title  of  the  vicegerent  of  Christ.  Still,  there  is 
 a  tense  in  which  the  church  may  be  said  to  be  infallible,  and 
 must  he  considered  as  such,  if  we  hold  its  perpetuity.  The 
 true  faith  can  never  be  utterly  lost,  because,  if  such  a  calamity 
 could  take  place,  the  church  would  be  annihilated.  The 
 truth  will  be  known  and  professed  by  some  society  or  other, 
 greater  or  less,  in  all  generations,  and  all  the  true  members 
 of  the  church  are  under  the  unerring  guidance  of  the  Spirit ; 
 so  that,  although  they  may  mistake  in  some  points,  and  be 
 for  a  time  seduced  by  temptation,  they  shall  not  totally  and 
 finally  apostatize.  This  view  of  the  matter  does  not  in  any 
 degree  favour  the  pretensions  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  or  se- 
 cure the  faith  of  one  society  more  than  that  of  another.  It  is 
 applicable  to  no  particular  church,  and  merely  affirms  that, 
 however  widely  error  may  be  diffused,  and  whatever  desola- 
 tion persecution  may  work,  the  power  of  Jesus  Christ  will 
 preserve  his  own  religion,  and  raise  up  some  persons  to  pro- 
 -  it. 
 
LECTURE  XCVII. 
 
 ON  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 TRUE  NATURE  OF  SCHISM SEPARATION,     WHEN  JUSTIFIARLE GOVERN- 
 MENT OF  THE  CHURCH. — DIFFERENT  OPINIONS  RESPECTING  IT. POPISH 
 
 FORM ASSUMPTIONS  ON  WHICH  IT  IS  FOUNDED,  EXAMINED  AND  DIS- 
 PROVED  EPISCOPACY EXAMINATION  OF  THE  ARGUMENTS  IN  ITS  FA- 
 VOUR  PROOF     THAT     PRESBYTERS    AND    BISHOPS    ARE    OF     THE     SAME 
 
 ORDER. 
 
 It  is  the  duty  of  the  members  of  the  church  to  dwell  together 
 as  brethren  in  unity.  Many  arguments  are  employed  in 
 Scripture  to  inculcate  mutual  love  ;  but  there  is  one  derived, 
 in  particular,  from  the  connexion  which  subsists  between  them 
 as  parts  of  a  whole  :  "  God,"  says  Paul,  "  has  tempered  the 
 human  body  together,  that  there  should  be  no  schism  in  it, 
 but  that  the  members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for  an- 
 other. And  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members 
 suffer  with  it ;  or  one  member  be  honoured,  all  the  members 
 rejoice  with  it.  Now,"  he  adds,  "  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ, 
 and  members  in  particular ;"  *  applying  this  illustration  to  the 
 church,  and  signifying  that  the  members  should  sympathize 
 with  each  other. 
 
 Opposed  to  this  love,  which  should  characterize  the  dis- 
 ciples of  Christ,  is  schism  ;  an  evil  which  is  highly  detrimental 
 to  the  interests  of  religion,  and  of  which  it  is  the  more  neces- 
 sary to  take  notice,  because  its  true  nature  has  been  often 
 misunderstood.     In  common  language,   it  signifies  an  open 
 
 *   1  Cor.  xii.  24—27. 
 
tin:  (  in -iu  11. 
 
 division  among  Christiana  ;  and  tl  ailed  schismatics, 
 
 who  have  withdrawn  from  the  communion  of  ii  church,  and 
 formed  themselves  into  a  separate  party.  I)r  Campbell,  in 
 bis  Preliminarv  Dissertations,*  has  explained  the  scriptural 
 sense  of  the  term.  His  view  of  it,  however,  is  not  new,  but 
 had  been  adopted  long  before  him  by  many  writers,  who  had 
 accurately  examined  its  import.  The  Apostle  Paul  uses  the 
 word  to  denote  an  internal  division  in  the  church,  arising  from 
 alienation  of  affection.  Hence  he  says  to  the  Corinthians, 
 M  Now,  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  that  there  be  no  schisms  among  you."  f  He 
 addressed  this  earnest  exhortation  to  them,  not  so  much  to 
 prevent  the  evil,  as  to  suppress  it,  for  he  knew  that  it  already 
 existed  :  "  When  ye  come  together  in  the  church,  I  hear  that 
 there  are  schisms  among  you,  and  I  partly  believe  it."  J  As 
 liorts  them,  at  the  same  time,  to  be  perfectly  joined  to- 
 gether in  the  same  mind,  and  in  the  same  judgment,  he  inti- 
 mates that  their  schisms  proceeded  from  a  difference  of  senti- 
 ment ;  and  it  is  certain  that,  if  men  were  agreed  in  all  their  views, 
 the  utmost  harmony  would  prevail.  But,  whatever  is  the  cause, 
 schism  itself  consists  in  the  want  of  love  among  the  members  of 
 the  church,  and  may  exist  in  full  force  while  there  is  no  visible 
 breach  in  their  external  communion.  If,  in  a  church,  there 
 are  two  parties  who  meet  in  the  same  places  of  worship,  and 
 are  subject  to  the  same  rulers,  but,  at  the  same  time,  are  ac- 
 tuated by  mutual  jealousy,  and  are  secretly  endeavouring  to 
 counteract  and  undermine  each  other  ;  in  that  church  there  is 
 a  schism.  United  in  their  sentiments  respecting  articles  of 
 faith  and  modes  of  worship,  Christians  may  be  divided  about 
 matters  of  inferior  moment,  as  we  too  often  see  the  peace  of 
 congregations  disturbed,  and  hostile  parties  formed,  about  the 
 management  of  their  temporal  affairs,  or  the  election  of  a  mi- 
 nister, or  some  point  much  more  insignificant.  The  schism 
 in  the  Church  of  Corinth  originated  in  the  preference  of  one 
 minister  to  another  ;  while  one  said,  "  I  am  of  Paul,  and  an- 
 other, I  am  of  Apollos,  and  a  third,  I  am  of  Cephas."  ||  In 
 all  such  eases  a  schism  exists,  because  that  love  is  wanting, 
 without  which  a  society  of  professed  Christians  is  not  one 
 •   Diss  ix.  p.  3.         f   1  Cor.  i.  10.  4   lb.  xi.  18.         ||   lb.  i.  IS. 
 
316 
 
 THE  CHURCH 
 
 body,  but  a  number  of  parts  in  juxta-position,  or  a  chaos  of 
 discordant  elements. 
 
 Let  us  proceed  to  speak  of  separation  from  a  church.  Now 
 the  question,  whether  in  any  case  it  is  lawful,  relates  to  a 
 particular,  not  to  the  universal  church ;  for,  to  separate  from 
 the  latter,  would  be  to  renounce  Christianity,  and  to  excom- 
 municate ourselves  from  Jesus  Christ  himself.  There  have 
 been  individuals  so  situated,  that  they  could  not  hold  fellow- 
 ship with  any  society  of  Christians ;  but  they  considered  them- 
 selves as  still  belonging  to  the  true  church,  and  were  ready  to 
 unite  themselves  visibly  to  it  as  soon  as  they  should  enjoy  an 
 opportunity.  A  total  separation  from  it  takes  place  in  cases 
 of  apostasy,  as  when  a  person,  who  had  been  baptized,  be- 
 comes an  Infidel,  a  Jew,  a  Mahometan,  or  a  Heathen.  It  is, 
 therefore,  only  concerning  the  lawfulness  of  separation  from  a 
 particular  church,  that  there  is  any  room  for  discussion.  I 
 begin  with  observing,  that  no  particular  church  has  a  claim, 
 distinct  from  the  truth  of  its  principles,  upon  any  man  to 
 enter  into  its  communion,  rather  than  into  that  of  any  other 
 church  which  is  equally  pure.  He  may  have  been  baptized  by 
 its  ministers  ;  but  as  the  sacraments  are  not  badges  of  a  party, 
 but  belong  to  the  whole  body  of  Christians,  he  must  be  con- 
 sidered as  having  been  baptized  into  the  communion  of  the 
 Catholic  Church.  His  accession  to  a  particular  church,  when 
 he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  maturity,  ought  to  be  the  result 
 of  a  serious  examination  whether  its  creed  accords  with  the 
 infallible  standard.  When  he  has  found  such  a  church,  he 
 ought  not  to  withdraw  from  it  upon  light  grounds  ;  and  no- 
 thing is  more  unbecoming  the  Christian  profession,  than  the 
 conduct  of  those  who  run  from  one  society  to  another,  from 
 restlessness  of  temper,  or  in  resentment  of  some  occasional 
 offence  which  has  arisen,  not  from  the  fault  of  the  church,  but 
 from  the  imprudence  of  some  individual.  There  is  not,  how- 
 ever, a  greater  absurdity,  than  to  suppose  that,  when  a  man  has 
 connected  himself  with  a  church,  he  should  remain  in  it,  what- 
 ever may  be  its  errors  in  doctrine,  and  corruption  in  practice. 
 Many  reason  in  this  manner,  and  none  are  more  apt  to  do  so 
 than  the  members  of  an  established  church,  in  whose  eyes  its 
 connexion  with  the  state  gives  it  a  sacredness  and  an  autho- 
 
n  :U7 
 
 rhy  which  do  not  seem  to  belong  t<>  other  denominations* 
 Hut  this  is  merely  an  adventitious  circumstance  ;  and  prejudice 
 being  laid  aside,  an  established  church,  considered  rimpl; 
 
 a  religious  society,  will  appear  to  every  person,  who  ju 
 according  to  sound  reason,  to  he  exactly  on  a  level  in  respect 
 of  it8  spiritual  claims  with  the  Sects  which  exist  in  its  vicinity. 
 That  man  has  a  very  taint  idea  of  his  duty  to  Jesus  Christ, 
 who  imagines  that  he  is  hound  to  continue  in  a  church  which 
 is  corrupt  in  doctrine,  superstitious  in  worship,  tyrannical  in 
 government,  and,  by  the  relaxation  or  total  neglect  of  discip- 
 line, profanes  its  privileges  by  extending-  them  to  the  unholy, 
 and  convert^  itself  into  a  worldly  society.  It  is  not,  however, 
 every  thing  exceptionable  in  the  order  and  proceedings  of  a 
 church  which  will  justify  us  in  forsaking  it.  Those  who  ac- 
 knowledge that  men  are  imperfect,  are  not  very  consistent  in 
 expecting  perfection  in  any  association  made  up  of  such  fallible 
 materials,  liven  great  corruptions  will  not  authorize  us  to  se- 
 parate, till  means  have  been  used  to  remedy  them  ;  but,  when 
 every  endeavour  has  failed,  and  the  prevailing  party  are  de- 
 termined to  persist,  no  enlightened  Christian  can  be  at  a  loss 
 with  respect  to  his  duty.  He  must  listen  to  the  voice  of  con- 
 science ;  he  must  obey  God  rather  than  men.  He  may  be 
 stigmatized  as  a  separatist  and  a  schismatic ;  but  he  is  guilt- 
 less in  the  sight  of  God,  and  those  alone  are  responsible  for 
 the  consequences,  who  have  laid  him  under  the  necessity  of 
 maintaining,  in  this  manner,  his  fidelity  to  Christ.  It  is  a 
 consolation  to  know  that  he  is  still  in  the  church  of  the  living 
 God,  which  is  not  circumscribed  by  legal  boundaries,  and  is 
 independent  of  acts  of  the  legislature,  and  the  patronage  of 
 the  great. 
 
 To  the  constitution  of  any  society,  laws  are  necessary,  and 
 persons  appointed  to  execute  them ;  a  number  of  individuals 
 without  government  are  a  disorderly  crowd.  As  Jesus  Christ 
 has  founded  his  church  to  be  the  seat  of  love,  and  peace,  and 
 holy  order,  it  may  be  presumed  that  he  has  given  direction 
 concerning  the  manner  in  which  its  affairs  should  be  conducted. 
 As  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures,  what  office-bearers  he  has 
 instituted,  and  what  laws  he  has  given  to  regulate  the  con- 
 duct of  individuals,  it  is  natural  to  expect  that  we  shall  receive 
 
318  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 some  information  from  them  with  regard  to  the  form  which 
 this  spiritual  society  should  sustain,  and  the  power  which 
 should  be  exercised  for  the  settlement  of  its  concerns.  Some 
 have  supposed  that  the  government  of  the  church  is  ambula- 
 tory; by  which  they  mean,  that  no  precise  form  has  been 
 prescribed,  and  that  it  is  left  to  the  wisdom  of  men  to  vary 
 the  form  according  to  circumstances;  to  adapt  it  to  the  genius, 
 and  habits,  and  civil  constitution  of  different  nations.  This 
 is  a  summary  mode  of  terminating  all  disputes  about  the  sub- 
 ject. Nothing  more  is  necessary  than  the  exercise  of  political 
 wisdom,  accompanied  with  due  care  that  the  arrangements 
 which  are  made  may  be  Christian  in  their  general  character, 
 and  may  not  interfere  with  any  of  the  acknowledged  purposes 
 which  a  church  is  intended  to  serve.  Episcopacy  will  be  the 
 proper  form  in  one  country,  Presbytery  in  another,  and  Inde- 
 pendency in  a  third.  The  first  will  accord  best  with  a  mon- 
 archical government  in  the  state,  and  the  two  latter  with  a 
 republic. 
 
 Although  this  opinion  has  found  many  patrons,  yet  most 
 Christians  are  disposed  to  think  that  a  particular  form  of 
 government  was  appointed  by  Christ  and  his  Apostles ;  which 
 consequently  is  of  Divine  right,  ought  to  be  adopted  in  all 
 countries,  and  preserved  inviolate  to  the  end  of  the  wrorld. 
 Hence  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  and  Independents,  ad- 
 vance a  claim  of  preference  in  favour  of  their  respective 
 models ;  and  the  controversy  has  been  carried  on  with  great 
 warmth,  and  not  always  with  a*  Christian  temper.  It  is 
 argued  that,  if  no  human  society  can  subsist  without  govern- 
 ment, it  is  incredible  that  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  the  care  of 
 the  church  is  committed,  should  have  left  it  without  this 
 necessary  provision  for  its  welfare ;  that  human  wisdom  was 
 not  competent  to  supply  this  defect,  because  it  is  apt  to  err 
 even  in  temporal  affairs,  and  still  more  in  those  of  a  spiritual 
 nature,  and  experience  shows  what  horrible  corruptions  it  has 
 introduced  under  various  pretexts ;  that,  wThen  the  ends  of 
 church  government  are  considered,  it  was  evidently  of  the 
 utmost  importance  that  specific  directions  should  be  given,  as 
 the  credit  of  religion,  the  advancement  of  piety  and  holiness, 
 the  encouragement  of  the  good,  and  the  restraint  of  the  bad, 
 
I'Ol'KM    I'oHM. 
 
 so  much  depend  upon  the  due  administration  of  it  j  thai  a  form 
 of  government  was  a>  necessary  to  the  Christian,  as  it  was  t<> 
 the  Jewish  Church;  and  we  cannot  reasonably  tuppose  that, 
 while  the  government  of  the  latter  was  so  exactly  delineated, 
 that  of  the  former  has  been  totally  neglected. 
 
 [t  is  hazardous  and  presumptuous  to  reason  a  priori  con- 
 cerning what  God  oiiirht  to  have  done,  and  hence  to  infer 
 what  lie  has  actually  done.  This  is  a  speculation  too  high 
 for  us  ;  it  is  arrogant  in  short-sighted  mortals,  to  point  out 
 the  line  of  conduct  which  it  behoved  an  infinite  Being  to 
 pursue.  Yet  some  have  ventured  to  introduce  a  priori  argu- 
 ment on  the  subject  of  church  government,  and  to  say,  that 
 certainly  the  wisdom  of  our  Saviour  would  lead  him  to  do 
 what  seemed  proper  to  them.  At  the  same  time,  it  cannot 
 he  denied  that  there  is  considerable  force  in  the  arguments 
 mentioned  above,  particularly  in  that  taken  from  the  consti- 
 tution of  the  Jewish  Church  ;  and  on  these  grounds,  most 
 Christians  believe  that  there  may  be  found  in  the  Scriptures 
 the  outlines  of  a  plan  for  the  government  of  that  spiritual 
 society,  over  which  Jesus  Christ  presides  as  Lord  and  King. 
 
 There  is  no  point,  however,  about  which  Christians  are 
 more  divided  in  sentiment ;  and  this  diversity  may  be  owing 
 partly  to  prejudices  of  various  kinds,  and  partly  to  the  fact, 
 which  none  but  furious  zealots  will  deny,  that  the  form  of 
 government  is  not  so  fully  and  explicitly  taught  in  Scripture, 
 as  the  fundamental  articles  of  faith,  and  the  great  duties  of 
 morality.  The  three  forms  of  government  which  it  is  neces- 
 sary to  discuss,  are  the  Episcopalian,  the  Independent,  and 
 the  Presbyterian  ;  but  before  we  enter  upon  these,  we  must 
 turn  our  attention  for  a  little  to  the  Church  of  Rome. 
 
 Papists  affirm  that  there  is  a  visible  head  of  the  Church 
 upon  earth,  and  that  this  dignity  is  assigned  to  the  bishop  of 
 Home  ;  that  he  is  properly  the  only  bishop  by  Divine  right, 
 the  whole  episcopate  being  vested  in  him,  and  from  him  all 
 other  bishops  derive  their  authority  ;  that  he  has  dominion 
 over  the  whole  Christian  world  ;  that  all  Christians  are  bound 
 to  submit  to  him,  and  that  those  who  refuse  to  do  so  are 
 heretics,  and  are  exposed  to  eternal  damnation  ;  and  that  he 
 possesses  this  supreme  and  uncontrolled  power  as  the  successor 
 
320  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 of  Peter,  who  was  bishop  of  Rome,  and  at  his  death  left  all 
 his  authority  and  prerogatives  to  his  successors  in  that  See. 
 There  are  disputes  among  Roman  Catholics,  Whether  infalli- 
 bility is  lodged  in  the  Pope  or  in  a  general  council  ?  and 
 whether  the  Pope  is  superior  to  a  council,  or  a  council  to  the 
 Pope?  but  they  all  acknowledge  him  to  be  the  universal 
 bishop,  and  the  vicegerent  of  Christ. 
 
 Three  points  are  assumed  as  the  foundation  of  these  extra- 
 vagant claims  ;  the  supremacy  of  Peter,  his  residence  in  Rome 
 in  the  character  of  its  bishop,  and  the  transmission  of  his 
 power  to  those  who  occupy  the  same  station. 
 
 With  respect  to  the  supremacy  of  Peter,  it  is  founded,  as 
 Papists  allege,  upon  the  pre-eminence  which  is  given  to  him 
 in  the  evangelical  history,  and  upon  some  things  which  our 
 Lord  said  to  him  in  particular.  I  shall  take  notice  only  of 
 the  principal  passage  :  "I  say  unto  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter, 
 and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  ;  and  the  gates  of 
 hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it ;"  *  which  is  applied  without 
 hesitation  to  the  person  of  Peter.  There  is  indeed  an  allu- 
 sion to  his  name,  which,  both  in  Syriac  and  in  Greek,  sig- 
 nifies a  stone  ;  but  it  is  questionable  whether  any  thing  more 
 was  intended.     You  will  observe  that  there  is  a  slight  change 
 
 in  the  Original 2v  ei  Uerpos,    icai  ewe  Tavrij  rrj  Treipa  oucotio/uijcriv 
 
 /u,ov    Tt]v    eKK\t)Giav.       Had  he  Said,    ejn    aoi   oiKobofxrfaiv^    or,    ewi 
 
 tovtw  tu>  irerpuo  oiKoSofirjaio,  the  inference  which  Papists  draw 
 would  have  seemed  to  be  more  legitimate ;  but  as  the  words  are 
 studiously  varied, — the  one,  Trerpos,  being  in  the  masculine,  and 
 the  other,  Trejpa,  in  the  feminine  gender, — there  is  reason  to  be- 
 lieve that  our  Lord  merely  alluded  to  his  name  ;  and  that  the 
 Rock  is  either  Christ  himself,  or  the  confession  which  Peter  had 
 made,  that  he  is  the  Messiah,  and  the  Son  of  the  living  God ; 
 for  those  are  the  truths  upon  which  the  Christian  religion  and 
 the  faith  of  the  church  are  founded.  In  this  sense  the  words 
 have  been  understood  by  some  learned  and  distinguished 
 members  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  bishops,  archbishops,  and 
 cardinals ;  who  have  honestly  acknowledged  that  Christ  alone 
 is  the  Rock,  and  that  it  is  absurd  to  interpret  it  of  a  man 
 who,  like  Peter,  was  subject  to  infirmity.     It  is  indeed  add- 
 
 *  Matth.  xvi.  18. 
 
popish  roRM.  321 
 
 ed,  "  And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven  :  and  whatsoever  thou  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
 
 hound  in  heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
 shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  But  the  same  words  were  Med 
 on  another  occasion,  when  our  Lord  was  speaking  to  all  the 
 Apostles,*  and  consequently  they  do  not  imply  any  thing  pe- 
 culiar to  Peter  ;  and  after  his  resurrection  he  gave  them  all 
 equal  authority,  when  he  breathed  on  them,  and  said,  "  Re- 
 ceive ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose  soever  sins  ye  remit,  they 
 are  remitted  unto  them  ;  and  whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they 
 are  retained."  f  As,  however,  the  words  were  addressed  in 
 the  first  instance  to  Peter,  and  to  him  alone,  some  Protestants 
 are  disposed  to  admit  that  they  import  something  peculiar, — 
 not  a  superiority  to  his  brethren,  but  a  priority  in  the  order 
 of  ministration  ;  and  think  that  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven  were  said  to  be  given  to  him  in  particular,  because 
 Jesus  Christ  had  destined  him  to  be  the  person  who  should  open 
 the  kingdom,  to  the  Jews  by  preaching  to  them  on  the  day 
 of  Pentecost,  and  to  the  Gentiles  by  preaching  to  Cornelius. 
 We  do  not  find  that  the  supremacy  of  Peter  was  acknow- 
 ledged by  his  contemporaries.  It  rather  appears  that  it  was 
 utterly  unknown  to  them,  and  that  he  is  indebted  for  his  ex- 
 altation above  the  other  Apostles  to  the  ignorant  and  super- 
 stitious veneration  of  posterity.  He  is  indeed  mentioned  first 
 on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  we  are  informed  that  he  stood 
 up  with  the  eleven ;  but  as  the  ardour  of  his  temper  had  al- 
 ready impelled  him  frequently  to  come  forward,  and  some- 
 times not  much  to  his  honour,  so  now,  when  it  was  under 
 better  direction,  it  would  still  lead  him  to  take  the  precedence 
 of  his  brethren  in  the  performance  of  his  duty.  Besides,  it  is 
 probable  that  he  was  the  oldest  of  the  company,  and  would 
 on  this  account  be  the  spokesman  of  the  rest.  Paul  seems  to 
 have  been  ignorant  of  the  pretended  supremacy  of  Peter, 
 when  he  says,  that  he  himself  was  "  not  a  whit  behind 
 the  very  chiefest  Apostles  ;"  J  for  if  he  had  ever  heard  of 
 it,  he  would  not  have  presumed  to  place  himself  upon  a 
 level  with  Peter,  and,  when  comparing  himself  with  the 
 other  Apostles,  would  have  excepted  him.      He  did  not  ac- 
 
 •  Matth.  xviii.  18.  +  John  xx.  2?,  23.  {  -  Cor.  xi.  5. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  X 
 
322  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 knowledge  his  superiority  at  Antioch,  where  he  "  withstood 
 him  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed"  *  for  symbol- 
 izing with  the  Jews,  from  an  unmanly  fear  of  certain  persons 
 who  had  come  from  Jerusalem.  And  the  brethren  of  Jerusa- 
 lem were  far  from  submitting  to  him  implicitly  as  the  sovereign 
 pontiff  of  the  church,  whose  decisions  should  be  received  by  all 
 Christians  with  profound  respect,  when  they  contended  with 
 him  after  he  had  preached  to  Cornelius,  and  demanded  an 
 account  of  his  conduct,  t 
 
 Having  seen  that  the  supremacy  of  Peter  has  no  founda- 
 tion in  Scripture,  let  us  inquire,  Whether  there  is  any  proof 
 that  he  was  bishop  of  Rome  ?  Some  of  the  ancients  asserted, 
 and  Papists  firmly  believe,  that  he  was  first  bishop  of  Antioch, 
 and  afterwards  removed  to  Rome,  where  he  continued  till 
 his  martyrdom,  during  the  space  of  five-and-twenty  years. 
 Few  of  his  pretended  successors  have  equalled  him  in  the 
 length  of  his  reign  ;  and  as  those  who  are  elected  are  com- 
 monly advanced  in  life,  it  is  customary  to  say  at  the  installa- 
 tion of  a  Pope,  Sancte  pater,  non  videbis  annos  Petri.  I  re- 
 mark, in  the  first  place,  That  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  an 
 Apostle  to  have  been  a  bishop,  because  constant  residence  in 
 any  particular  place  was  contrary  to  the  nature  and  design  of 
 his  office.  The  Apostles  were  appointed  "  to  be  witnesses 
 to  Christ,  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
 and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth."  J  They  were  given 
 to  the  church  at  large ;  and  would  have  been  guilty  of  a  vio- 
 lation of  duty  if  they  had  appropriated  their  labours  to  a  par- 
 ticular part  of  it.  Peter  is  degraded  by  the  supposition,  that 
 from  being  an  Apostle  he  became  bishop  of  Rome,  unless  he 
 wTas  also  constituted  the  visible  head  of  the  church  ;  but  we 
 have  seen  that  the  Scripture  gives  no  countenance  to  his  pre- 
 tended supremacy.  I  remark,  in  the  second  place,  That 
 there  is  no  satisfactory  evidence  that  he  was  bishop  of  Rome. 
 He  is  indeed  called  so  by  Eusebius,  who  wrote  in  the  fourth 
 century  ;  and  the  oldest  writer  who  is  said  to  have  asserted  it, 
 lived  a  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  the  Apostle.  But  in 
 a  case  of  so  much  importance,  it  is  not  human  testimony, 
 however  explicit,  which  would  suffice,  and  far  less  uncertain 
 *  Gal.  ii.  11.  +  Acts  xi.  2.  +  lb.  i.  8. 
 
POPISH    l  OEM. 
 
 tarditioiifi  and  doubtful  arguments.     If  Jesus  Christ  did  appoint 
 
 him  bishop  of  Rome  and  head  of  his  church  upon  earth,  and 
 if  it  was  his  intention  that  nil  the  Subsequent  bishops  of  that 
 city  should  succeed  him  in  his  high  prerogatives,  and  Chris- 
 tians should  look  up  to  them  as  their  guides  and  governors, 
 we  might  reasonably  expect  that  the  fact  upon  which  the 
 mighty  Mipcrstructure  is  reared,  would  be  clearly  delivered  in 
 Scripture.  On  this  subject,  however,  it  preserves  profound 
 silence.  Papists  appeal  to  a  verse  in  the  first  Epistle  of 
 Peter,  which  says,  "  The  church  that  is  at  Babylon  saluteth 
 you ;"  *  and  affirm  that  this  is  Rome,  because  it  is  so  called 
 in  the  Revelation  of  John,  and,  consequently,  that  Peter  was 
 there  when  he  wrote.  But  this  i>  a  miserable  shift.  In  a 
 prophetical  work,  where  symbolical  language  is  used,  Rome 
 might  be  called  Babylon,  on  account  of  its  moral  resemblance 
 to  that  ancient  city ;  but  the  change  of  the  name  would  have 
 been  altogether  improper  in  a  plain  epistle,  in  which  there 
 HIS  no  reason  for  concealment.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he 
 means  the  Babylon  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament. 
 It  i>  decisive  against  the  notion  of  Peter's  residence  in  Rome, 
 that  in  the  Epistle  which  he  addressed  to  the  Christians  there, 
 Paul  sent  no  salutation  to  him,  although  he  saluted  several 
 others  ;  and  that,  although  he  lived  in  Rome  for  at  least  two 
 years,  and  wrote  several  epistles  from  it,  he  never  once 
 mentions  his  name.  How  could  this  have  been  if  he  had  been 
 bishop  of  that  city  ?  Not  to  multiply  arguments,  I  shall  only 
 add,  that  Clement,  who  is  so  honourably  mentioned  in  the 
 New  Testament,  in  an  epistle  written  from  Rome  to  the 
 Church  of  Corinth,  says  that  Paul  suffered  martyrdom  in  the 
 west,  but  takes  no  notice  of  the  martyrdom  of  Peter.  His 
 silence  is  absolutely  unaccountable,  if,  as  Papists  tell  us, 
 Peter  had  been  bishop  of  Rome,  and  had  been  crucified  there 
 before  the  eyes  of  Clement.  The  sum  of  all  that  has  been 
 said  is,  that  we  have  no  evidence  that  Peter  was  ever  in 
 Rome,  and  still  less  that  he  was  its  bishop. 
 
 Thus  we  see  that  the  claims   of  the  Pope  are  the  basr 
 fabric  of  a  vision.      But   although  we  should  grant  the  pre- 
 S,   the   conclusion  would   by  no  means  necessarily  follow. 
 •  1  Pet.  v.  13. 
 
324  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 It  is  not  a  legitimate  inference,  that  because  Peter  was  uni- 
 versal bishop  and  resided  in  Rome,  the  bishops  of  Rome  must 
 be  acknowledged  the  heads  of  the  church,  unless  it  could  be 
 shown  that  he  had  authority  to  transmit,  and  did  actually 
 leave,  all  his  power  and  prerogatives  to  them.  But  at  this 
 point  the  proof  totally  fails.  We  have  only  assertion  instead 
 of  argument ;  and  it  must  be  so,  because  Papists  would  have 
 it  so.  How  does  it  appear  to  have  been  the  will  of  Christ 
 that  there  should  always  be  a  visible  head  of  his  church  upon 
 earth  ?  How  does  it  appear  that  the  bishop  of  Antioch,  where 
 Peter  is  said  to  have  first  had  his  throne,  has  not  as  good  a 
 claim  as  the  bishop  of  Rome  ?  How  comes  it  to  pass  that 
 the  ancient  church  knew  nothing  of  this  supremacy,  and  re- 
 jected all  approaches  to  it  ?  and  that  even  a  bishop  of  Rome 
 thundered  out  anathemas  against  the  bishop  of  Constantinople 
 for  assuming  the  very  title  in  which  his  successors  now  glory  ?  * 
 And  is  it  credible  that  Jesus  Christ  intended  that  they  should 
 be  his  representatives  and  vicegerents,  whose  ignorance,  and 
 profligacy,  and  cruelty,  and  falsehood,  have  stamped  their 
 names  with  infamy  ?  that  the  gift  of  infallibility  should  be 
 conferred  upon  adulterers,  and  robbers,  and  murderers  ?  and 
 the  salvation  of  men  should  be  suspended  upon  submission  to 
 devils  in  human  shape,  as  many  of  the  Popes  well  deserve  to 
 be  called  ?  To  these  questions  we  leave  the  votaries  of  Anti- 
 christ to  return  such  answers  as  they  can. 
 
 It  is  not  necessary  to  proceed  farther  in  the  consideration 
 of  the  form  of  government  established  in  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 and  to  speak  of  its  cardinals  and  its  patriarchs,  and  its 
 different  ecclesiastical  orders.  When  stript  of  some  adventi- 
 tious circumstances,  it  resolves  itself  into  simple  Episcopacy  ; 
 and  our  reasoning  respecting  this  form  of  government  will 
 apply  to  every  church,  whether  Greek,  Papist,  or  Protestant, 
 in  which  it  is  adopted. 
 
 I  shall  now,  therefore,  call  your  attention  to  the  Episcopal 
 form  of  government,  and  in  the  following  remarks,  shall  refer 
 to  it  as  established  in  the  southern  part  of  the  island. 
 
 In  the  Church  of  England,  there  are  three  ecclesiastical 
 orders, — deacons,   priests,   and  bishops.     The  lowest  is  the 
 •  Gregory  the  Great,  in  a.  d.  595. 
 
order  of  deacons,  whose  office  it  is  to  baptize,   to  read  the 
 Scriptures,  homilies,  and  prayers  to  the  people,  to  assist  the 
 
 priests  in  the  distribution  of  the  Eucharist,  and,  if  it  seem 
 good  to  the  bishop,  also  to  preach.  It  is  the  business  of  the 
 priests,  or  presbyters,  to  preach,  to  read  prayers,  to  admi- 
 nister both  sacraments,  and  to  pronounce  the  sentence  of  ab- 
 solution upon  penitents.  To  the  bishop  it  belongs  to  ordain 
 priests  and  deacons,  to  confirm  those  who  have  been  baptized, 
 and  to  rule  over  their  dioceses,  of  which  all  the  clergy  are 
 subject  to  their  authority.  In  the  government  of  the  Church, 
 neither  deacons  nor  priests  have  any  share ;  it  is  vested  solely 
 in  the  bishops.  The  latter  may  preach  if  they  please,  but 
 this  is  a  matter  of  choice.  To  preach  the  gospel  is  not  an 
 essential  duty  of  their  office,  they  are  appointed  merely  to 
 rule  ;  and  hence  it  appears  that,  although  they  receive  double 
 honour,  they  are  not  worthy  of  it,  according  to  the  judg- 
 ment of  Paul,  who  assigned  it  only  to  those  who  both  rule 
 well,  and  labour  in  word  and  doctrine.* 
 
 Hence  you  will  perceive  what  is  the  specific  difference  be- 
 tween Episcopacy  and  Presbytery.  Episcopacy  holds  a  dis- 
 tinction of  ranks  among  the  ministers  of  religion  f  and  its  fun- 
 damental article  is  that  a  bishop  is  superior  to  a  presbyter.  Ac- 
 cording to  Presbytery,  all  the  ministers  of  the  word  are  on  a 
 level  in  respect  of  office  and  authority,  whatever  differences 
 may  be  among  them,  in  age,  and  talents,  and  learning.  A 
 gradation  of  ranks  is  indeed  allowed  even  by  Presbyterians, 
 who  admit  elders  to  rule,  and  deacons  to  serve  the  poor ;  but 
 they  assert  the  parity  of  those  whose  office  it  is  to  preach  and 
 administer  the  sacraments. 
 
 The  arguments  of  Episcopalians  in  favour  of  their  form  of 
 government,  are  derived  from  the  Scriptures,  as  well  as  from 
 the  practice  of  antiquity. 
 
 In  the  first  place,  They  have  sometimes  founded  an  argu- 
 ment upon  the  constitution  of  the  Jewish  Church,  in  which 
 there  was  a  gradation  of  ranks  ;  the  Levites  being  appointed  to 
 perform  various  inferior  services  in  the  tabernacle  and  temple, 
 the  priests  to  offer  sacrifices  upon  the  altar,  and  the  High 
 Priest  to  preside  over  them  all,  and  to  enter  into  the  holy  of 
 •  1  Tim.  v.  17. 
 
326  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 holies.  It  has  hence  been  inferred  that  the  wisdom  of  Jesus 
 Christ  would  undoubtedly  lead  him  to  give  a  similar  constitu- 
 tion to  his  church.  This  however  is  only  a  presumptive  argu- 
 ment, which  is  of  no  weight  unless  it  be  found  to  be  supported 
 by  facts  ;  and  may  be  pronounced  also  to  be  a  presumptuous 
 one,  as  it  prescribes  the  law  of  conduct,  which  he  who  is 
 wiser  than  all  men  was  bound  to  pursue.  The  Christian  dis- 
 pensation is  so  different  from  the  Jewish,  that  no  conclusion 
 with  respect  to  the  former  can  be  drawn  from  the  mode  of 
 administering  the  latter.  The  ceremonial  system  was  totally 
 abolished  at  the  death  of  Christ ;  and  it  is  to  no  purpose  to 
 presume  that  any  part  of  it  was  renewed,  unless  it  can  be 
 proved  that  it  actually  was  so  from  Scripture.  It  is  not  ne- 
 cessary to  proceed  farther  in  the  refutation  of  this  argument, 
 as  it  is  abandoned  and  rejected  as  invalid  by  some  of  the  best 
 writers  of  the  Episcopal  communion. 
 
 In  the  second  place,  They  affirm  that  there  was  a  distinc- 
 tion of  ranks  among  the  office-bearers  of  the  church,  insti- 
 tuted by  our  Lord  himself  during  his  ministry  upon  earth  ; 
 and  they  appeal  for  proof  to  the  Apostles,  who  were  of  the 
 first  degree,  and  to  the  Evangelists,  who  were  of  the  second. 
 The  Apostles  represented  the  bishops  of  the  church,  and  the 
 seventy  disciples  the  presbyters.  But  "  this  comparison," 
 says  Dr  Whitby,  "  will  not  hold,  for  the  seventy  received  not 
 their  mission,  as  Presbyters  do,  from  bishops,  but  immediate- 
 ly from  the  Lord  Christ  as  well  as  the  Apostles,  and  in  their 
 first  mission  were  plainly  sent  on  the  same  mission,  and  with 
 the  same  power."  *  According  to  him,  they  were  not  depen- 
 dent upon  the  Apostles,  and  were  equal  to  them  in  authority ; 
 and  consequently,  this  is  no  warrant  for  Episcopalian  subor- 
 dination. Other  writers  of  the  same  principles  agree  with 
 him.  The  truth  is,  that  the  commission  of  the  seventy  seems 
 to  have  been  temporary,  and  probably  ceased  as  soon  as  it  was 
 executed.  But  the  argument  is  completely  overthrown  by  a 
 consideration  which  has  been  insisted  upon  even  by  an  Epis- 
 copalian author.  "It  is  obviously  observable  in  the  evan- 
 gelical records,  that  the  church  was  not  and  could  not  be 
 founded  till  our  Lord  was  risen  from  the  dead,  seeing  it  was 
 *  Whitby's  Commentary,  note  on  Luke  x.  1. 
 
pacy.  :527 
 
 to  be  founded  on  \n->  resurrection."     Tke  truth  of  tlh<  remark 
 i>  indisputable,  and  so  likewise  is  the  following  reasoning  from 
 
 if.  "  If  the  Christian  church  had  no  being  before  Christ'i  re- 
 surrection] then  certainly  there  was  no  government;  and  if  no 
 rnment,  then  certainly  not  prelatical  government ;  and 
 (jiiently,  the  argument  is  lost  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 
 It  is  clear  as  light,  that  the  followers  of  Christ  in  the  days  of 
 his  flesh,  were  under  no  distinct  government  but  that  of  the 
 Jew  ish  Church,  with  which  they  were  still  incorporated,  and 
 from  which,  as  we  have  already  proved,  no  consequence  can  he 
 drawn  for  the  nature  of  the  Christian  government." 
 
 In  the  third  place,  They  reason  in  favour  of  Episcopacy 
 from  the  cases  of  Timothy  and  Titus,  whom  they  suppose  to 
 have  been  bishops,  the  one  of  Ephesus,  and  the  other  of  Crete. 
 They  are  indeed  so  called  in  the  postscripts  to  theEpistles,which 
 Paul  addressed  to  them  ;  but  he  who  should  reason  from  these 
 would  make  himself  ridiculous,  because  it  is  acknowledged  by 
 all  learned  men,  that  they  are  of  a  later  age,  and  of  no  autho- 
 rity. Presbyterians  affirm  that  there  is  not  only  no  evidence 
 that  Timothy  and  Titus  were  bishops,  but  that  the  contrary 
 is  absolutely  certain.  Timothy  was  of  a  higher  order  even 
 than  a  bishop,  being  expressly  called  an  Evangelist,  who  was 
 next  in  rank  to  an  Apostle,  and,  like  the  Apostles,  had  a  gene- 
 ral care  of  the  churches.  Titus  is  commonly  supposed  to  have 
 held  the  same  office.  It  is  evident  that  Ephesus  was  not  the 
 stated  charge  of  Timothy,  because  he  would  have  left  it  when 
 Paul  went  into  Macedonia,  *  had  not  the  Apostle  entreated 
 him  to  remain,  on  account  of  certain  false  teachers  who  were 
 endeavouring  to  disseminate  error  in  that  church.  Such  intrea- 
 ties  would  not  have  been  necessary,  if  Timothy  had  been  bishop 
 of  Ephesus,  for  such  a  man  would  not  have  thought  of  aban- 
 doning his  station  ;  nor  would  Paul  have  afterwards  requested 
 him  to  come  to  him  at  Rome,  as  he  does  in  the  second  Epistle,! 
 to  be  his  companion  and  assistant  there,  in  the  absence  of  cer- 
 tain other  persons  who  had  withdrawn  for  different  reasons. 
 Hence  it  is  evident  that  his  residence  in  Ephesus  was  merely 
 temporary,  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  particular  purpose  ; 
 and  it  happens  most  unfortunately  for  the  pretended  bishopric  of 
 •   1  Tim.  i.  3.  +  2  Tim.  iv.  {>. 
 
328  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH: 
 
 Timothy,  that  when  Paul  sometime  before  had  an  interview 
 with  the  ministers  of  that  church,  as  we  read  in  the  twen- 
 tieth chapter  of  the  Acts,  he  found  that  they  had  no  need 
 of  a  bishop,  because  they  had  not  only  one  but  many  ;  for 
 he  addresses  all  the  elders,  as  we  shall  afterwards  see,  by  this 
 appellation.* 
 
 It  is  evident  that  the  argument  equally  fails  with  respect  to 
 Titus.  He  was  left  in  Crete  to  ordain  elders,  to  reprove 
 sharply  unruly  and  vain  talkers  and  deceivers,  to  admonish 
 heretics,  and  excommunicate  such  as  were  obstinate,  f  But, 
 according  to  the  principles  of  Episcopalians  themselves,  his 
 office  was  extraordinary.  The  elders  whom  he  was  appointed 
 to  ordain,  are  expressly  called  bishops,  as  we  shall  afterwards 
 shew.  But  to  ordain  bishops  is  not  the  work  of  a  bishop, 
 but  of  an  archbishop  ;  and  none  will  contend  that  there  was 
 any  such  person  in  the  Apostolic  church.  Titus  therefore 
 could  not  be  a  bishop,  but  must  have  held  a  superior  rank. 
 The  case  seems  to  have  been  this,  that  the  affairs  of  the 
 church  in  Crete  were  not  yet  properly  settled,  and  Titus,  with 
 the  power  of  an  Evangelist,  was  left  by  Paul  on  that  island, 
 to  set  in  order  the  things  which  were  wanting,  and  particular- 
 ly to  appoint  ministers  to  labour  in  word  and  doctrine.  That 
 he  was  not  the  bishop  of  Crete  may  be  inferred  from  the  re- 
 quest or  order  of  the  Apostle,  that  he  should  come  to  him  at 
 Nicopolis,  where  he  had  determined  to  winter.  J  Paul  surely 
 would  not  have  called  him  away  from  Crete,  if  it  had  been 
 his  stated  charge ;  for,  however  common  it  has  since  been  for 
 bishops  not  to  reside  in  their  dioceses,  no  such  practice  was 
 then  known  ;  and  had  there  been  any  attempt  to  introduce  it, 
 the  Apostle  would  have  opposed  himself  to  it  as  a  criminal 
 desertion  of  duty. 
 
 In  the  fourth  place,  They  reason  from  the  Epistles  of  Jesus 
 Christ  to  the  seven  churches  of  Asia,  which  are  addressed  to 
 the  angels  of  those  churches,  by  whom  none  can  be  meant  but 
 the  bishops.  I  lay  no  stress  upon  an  argument  which  has 
 been  used  by  Presbyterians,  that  the  angels  are  the  churches 
 themselves,  because  it  appears  from  the  contents  of  the  Epistles, 
 and  from  the  occasional  use  of  the  plural  number,  that  they 
 
 *  Acts  xx.  28.  t  Tit-  i-  5,  &c.  $  Tit.  iii.  12. 
 
i  riM  DPA4  n  .  :V2(J 
 
 arc  addressed  to  the  whole  body  of  Christians.  It  is  incon- 
 eeiYftble  that  a  whole  society  should  be  called  an  angel,  and 
 what  is  still  more  strange,  the  angel  of  itself:  and  then  il  cer- 
 tainly no  reason  for  resorting  to  this  supposition,  as  the  Epis- 
 tlea,  although  intended  for  the  respective  churches,  would  na- 
 turally be  sent  to  the  persons  who  presided  over  them.  I  have 
 therefore  no  doubt  that  the  angel  signifies  an  individual,  but 
 it  does  not  follow  that  it  signifies  a  bishop  in  the  Episcopa- 
 lian sense.  It  is  a  name  not  of  order,  but  of  office,  which  was 
 given  by  the  Jewrs  to  the  president  of  their  synagogues,  and 
 chiefly  for  this  reason,  that  he  offered  up  prayers  to  God  in 
 the  name  of  the  assembly.  This  being  known  to  be  the  sense 
 in  which  the  word  was  understood  by  the  Jews,  John,  who  was 
 himself  a  Jew,  naturally  applied  it  to  the  president  of  a  Chris- 
 tian Church,  or  the  minister  who  officiated  in  holy  things,  and 
 acted  as  intercessor  with  God  for  the  people.  The  utmost 
 which  can  be  fairly  inferred,  is,  that  in  each  of  the  Asiatic 
 churches,  there  was  a  person  who  held  the  first  place  ;  but 
 Episcopalians  can  derive  no  advantage  to  their  cause  from  this 
 circumstance,  because  Presbyterians  hold,  that  in  every  con- 
 gregation there  is,  or  ought  to  be,  one  person  at  least  who  is 
 superior  to  the  rest,  and  to  whom  it  pertains  to  conduct  the 
 public  offices  of  religion. 
 
 Episcopacy  is  founded  on  the  assumption,  that  bishops  are 
 of  a  different  order  from  presbyters.  If  we  can  shew  that,  in 
 the  style  of  Scripture,  they  are  of  the  same  order,  the  whole 
 fabric  falls  to  the  ground.  Now,  when  we  look  into  the  New 
 Testament,  we  find  that  bishop  and  presbyter  are  convertible 
 terms,  and  are  indiscriminately  applied  to  the  same  indivi- 
 duals. When  Paul  was  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  he  stopped 
 at  Miletus,  from  which  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  the 
 elders  or  presbyters  of  the  church.  No  mention,  you  will 
 observe,  is  made  of  the  bishop  ;  but  we  are  at  no  loss  to  find 
 the  reason.  It  had  several  bishops,  and  these  were  the  very 
 presbyters  whom  the  Apostle  had  summoned  to  meet  him,  for 
 he  says  to  them,  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  and  to  all  the 
 flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers."  ( 
 Perhaps  prejudice  or  party-zeal  had  some  influence  in  rcnder- 
 •  Acts  xx.  28. 
 
330  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH. 
 
 ing  the  word  overseers,  in  this  instance,  because  the  term,  in 
 the  original,  if  rendered  in  the  usual  way,  would  not  accord 
 with  the  Episcopalian  scheme.  The  Greek  word  is  cTnaicoTrov?, 
 which,  indeed,  literally  signifies  overseers,  but  should  have 
 been  translated  bishops  here,  as  it  is  in  other  places ;  but,  then, 
 it  would  have  been  evident  to  all,  that  Paul  knew  of  no  dis- 
 tinction between  a  bishop  and  a  presbyter,  because  those  who 
 were  first  called  presbyters,  are  now  called  bishops.  In  his 
 Epistle  to  Titus,  he  says  to  him,  "  For  this  cause  left  I 
 thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldest  set  in  order  the  things  that 
 are  wanting,  and  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  as  I  had  appoint- 
 ed thee.  If  any  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife,  hav- 
 ing faithful  children,  not  accused  of  riot,  or  unruly.  For  a 
 bishop  must  be  blameless,  as  the  steward  of  God."  *  It  would 
 be  a  waste  of  time  to  shew,  that  here  the  bishop  and  the  pres- 
 byter are  the  same  person,  and  no  man  can  resist  the  evidence, 
 however  much  he  may  be  disposed.  The  presbyter  must  be 
 blameless,  for  the  bishop  must  be  blameless.  There  would 
 be  no  force  in  this  conclusion  if  a  bishop  and  a  presbyter  were 
 different  persons.  And  hence  you  perceive  the  reason  why, 
 in  his  First  Epistle  to  Timothy,  he  makes  no  mention  at  all 
 of  presbyters,  but  speaks  only  of  bishops  and  deacons.  It  is, 
 that  he  did  not  consider  the  two  former  as  different ;  and  con- 
 sequently, in  describing  the  qualifications  of  the  one  class,  he 
 describes  those  of  the  other.  For  the  same  reason  he  takes 
 no  notice  of  presbyters,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  but 
 addresses  himself  to  the  bishops  and  deacons,  f  He  thus  fur- 
 nishes us  with  a  new  argument  against  Episcopacy.  There 
 were  several  bishops  in  the  Church  of  Philippi ;  but  how 
 could  this  be,  according  to  the  scheme  of  our  antagonists  ? 
 More  bishops  than  one  in  a  church  seem  to  them  as  mon- 
 strous as  more  heads  than  one  upon  a  human  body.  It  fol- 
 lows that  the  bishops  of  Philippi  were  plain  presbyters,  and 
 that  such  were  the  only  bishops  in  the  apostolic  age.  Wher- 
 ever Episcopacy  may  be  found,  it  is  vain  to  seek  for  it  in  the 
 Scriptures.  Of  this,  its  advocates  are  in  some  degree  sensible, 
 and  therefore  appeal  to  antiquity  ;  but  upon  this  part  of  the 
 argument  we  cannot  at  present  enter. 
 
 •  Tit.  i.  5—7.  t  Phil-  *•  !• 
 
LECTURE  XCVIII. 
 
 ON  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 EXAMINATION  OF   THE  ARGUMENTS  FOR  EPISCOPACY,  DRAWN   FROM  CHRIS- 
 TIAN ANTIQUITY JUST  IMPORT  OF  ITS   TESTIMONY. EXPLANATION  OF 
 
 THi:   RENUNCIATION  OF  EPISCOPACY  IN   THE  SOLEMN  LEAGUE  AND  COVE- 
 
 N  VNT.  —  INDEPENDENT  AND  PRESBYTERIAN    FORMS  OF   GOVERNMENT 
 
 EXAMINATION  OF  THE  ARGUMENTS  FOR  INDEPENDENCY. — PROOF  THAT 
 THE  TERM  u  CHURCH"  IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  INCLUDES  MORE  THAN 
 ONE  CONGREGATION. 
 
 I  concluded  the  last  lecture  by  observing,  that  Episcopa- 
 lians appeal  to  antiquity  in  favour  of  their  scheme  of  ecclesias- 
 tical government.     Many  of  them  have  too  much  wisdom  to 
 think  that  any   decisive  argument  can  be   drawn  from   the 
 Scriptures,   and  they  therefore  have  recourse   to  the  practice 
 of  the  primitive  church ;  contending  that,   as  Episcopacy  is 
 the  most  ancient  form  of  government,  it  should  be  universally 
 adopted.     If  it  could  be  proved  that  there  were  such  bishops 
 as  they  plead  for,  ever  since  the  death  of  the  Apostles,   and 
 that  it  was  universally  affirmed  by  the  earlier  Fathers   that 
 they  were  instituted  by  the  Apostles,  we  might  be  perplexed, 
 but  still  should  not  be  convinced,  while  we  could  find  no  ves- 
 tige of  them  in  the  genuine  apostolical  writings.     It  is  a  Pro- 
 lit  principle,   that  nothing  is  an  article  of  faith  which  is 
 not  delivered  in  the  Scriptures  in  express  terms,  or  by  neM* 
 consequence  ;  and  the  moment  we  deviate  from  this  prin- 
 ciple, and  admit  any  thing  upon  the  authority  of  tradition,  we 
 begin   to   build  upon  the  foundation  of  popery,   and  cannot 
 foresee  the  extent  of  the  superstructure  which  we  may  be  led 
 
332  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH: 
 
 step  by  step  to  raise  upon  it.  It  has  been  observed,  that 
 Episcopalians,  in  managing  the  plea  for  their  church  from  the 
 testimony  of  antiquity,  have  been  compelled  to  use  the  same 
 sort  of  reasoning  in  defence  of  it,  against  the  employment  of 
 which  by  papists,  they  protest  in  their  controversy  with  them  ; 
 that  is,  they  will  not  allow  them  to  argue  from  tradition  in 
 favour  of  their  usages  and  dogmas.  Such  is  the  unhappy 
 effect  of  adopting  a  principle  for  a  particular  purpose,  while 
 we  find  it  inconvenient  to  follow  it  out  into  all  its  conse- 
 quences. We  are  entangled  in  our  own  reasonings  ;  we  are 
 under  the  necessity  of  retracting,  at  one  time,  what  we  had 
 asserted  at  another ;  we  give  our  antagonist  an  advantage 
 which  he  will  not  fail  to  improve,  and  of  which  we  cannot 
 deprive  him  without  totally  shifting  our  ground. 
 
 It  is  not  denied  that  the  Fathers   speak  of  bishops  in  the 
 primitive  church,  and  that  lists  are  given  of  the  succession  of 
 them  in  the  principal  Sees.     With  respect  to  these,  there  is  a 
 good  deal  of  uncertainty ;  and  it  happens  unfortunately  for 
 the  high  claims  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  that  it  is  not  easy  to 
 tell  who  came  in  the  room  of  Peter,  who,  they  pretend,  was 
 the  first  bishop.     Clemens,    Clitus,    Lenius,  and  Anaclitus, 
 have  been  mentioned ;  but  it  is  doubted  whether  Clitus  and 
 Anaclitus  were  not  the  same  individual,  and  in  what  order  the 
 persons  now  named  succeeded  each  other ;  while  some  have 
 suspected   that   they   were   all   contemporary,    and    equally 
 bishops  of  Rome,   as  there  were  several  bishops  at  the  same 
 time  in  Philippi.     But,   although  it  were  granted  that  the 
 catalogues  are  correct,  it  remains  to  be  proved  that  they  were 
 bishops  in  the  Episcopalian,  and  not  merely  in  the  Scriptural 
 sense ;  and  Dr  Stillingfleet,   himself  a  bishop,   has  candidly 
 acknowledged,  "  that  mere  succession  of  single  persons  named 
 above  the  rest,   in  the  successions  in   apostolical  churches, 
 cannot   enforce  any  superiority  of  power  in   the  persons  so 
 named,  above  others  supposed  to  be  joint  governors  of  the 
 churches  with  them."  *     We  have  seen  that  the  titles  of  bi- 
 shops and  presbyters  were  indiscriminately  given   to  all  the 
 ministers  who  conducted  the  religious  service  in  the  apostolic 
 churches.     It  seems,  however,   that  it  was   not  long  till  the 
 •  Works,  vol.  ii.  p.  344,  Diversities  of  forms  of  Church  Gov.  Part  ii.  ch.  iv. 
 
■PI8<  «>i-\<  ^  . 
 
 title  of  bishop  was  appropriated  to  one  of  them  tor  the  follow- 
 ing reason.  When  there  were  more  presbyters  than  one  in 
 a  church,  it  was  neeessary,  for  the  sake  of  order,  that  one 
 should  preside  in  the  meetings  which  were  held  for  the  man- 
 agement of  the  public  affairs.  This  honour  was  naturally 
 assigned  to  the  presbyter  who  was  oldest,  or  who  had  most 
 experience  and  the  greatest  talents ;  and  he  was  known  by 
 the  different  names  of  president,  pastor,  governor,  priest,  and 
 bishop.  As  it  is  not  improbable  that  there  wTere  several  pres- 
 byters in  the  seven  churches,  and  this  is  certain  with  respect 
 to  Ephesus,  when  Paul  had  an  interview  with  them ;  some 
 have  supposed  that  it  is  this  president  who  is  called  the  angel, 
 in  the  epistles  addressed  to  them.  But  he  was  only  primus 
 inter  pares,  the  first  among  his  equals,  and  first  by  their 
 choice  and  consent.  Sir  Peter  King,  in  his  Inquiry  into  the 
 Constitution  of  the  Primitive  Church,  considers  bishops  and 
 presbyters  as  exactly  of  the  same  order,  and  invested  with 
 the  same  powers  ;  and  defines  a  presbyter  to  be  "a  person  in 
 holy  orders,  having  thereby  an  inherent  right  to  perform  the 
 whole  office  of  a  bishop,  but  being  possessed  of  no  place  or 
 parish,  nor  actually  discharging  it,  without  the  permission  and 
 consent  of  the  bishop  of  a  place  or  parish."  '  This  definition 
 differs  a  little,  but  not  materially,  from  the  view  which  we 
 have  taken  of  bishops  and  presbyters  ;  for  it  makes  only  this 
 distinction  between  them,  that  bishops  had  a  charge,  and 
 presbyters  had  not,  and  consequently,  that  presbyters  must 
 have  leave  from  the  bishop  before  they  could  perform  any 
 part  of  their  function  within  the  limits  of  his  jurisdiction. 
 Presbyterians  make  a  similar  distinction,  and  considering  every 
 minister  as  bishop  in  his  own  parish  or  congregation,  ibrbid 
 any  other  minister  to  preach  and  baptize  in  it  without  per- 
 mission asked  and  obtained.  Sir  Peter  proceeds  to  shew,  at 
 considerable  length,  that  the  distinction,  in  the  primitive 
 church,  was  little  more  than  nominal,  because  the  powers  of 
 bishops  and  presbyters  were  the  same.  He  proves,  from  the 
 writing!  of  the  Fathers,  that  presbyters  had  a  right  to  preach  ; 
 that  they  baptized  ;  that  they  administered  the  Eucharist ;  that 
 they  presided  in  the  consistories  together  with  the  bishop  : 
 •  Chap.  iv.  §.  1. 
 
334  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  ! 
 
 that  they  had  power  to  excommunicate,  to  restore  penitents,  and 
 to  confirm  ;  and  lastly,  that  they  had  the  power  of  ordination. 
 He  was  therefore  fully  justified  in  saying,  that  "  they  were  of  the 
 very  same  specific  order  with  bishops,  having  the  same  inhe- 
 rent right  to  perform  all  ecclesiastical  offices."  '  Thus  far  it 
 appears  that  antiquity  gives  no  countenance  to  modern  Epis- 
 copacy, which  affirms  bishops  to  be  of  a  different  order  from 
 presbyters,  and  appropriates  to  them  the  power  of  ordination, 
 and  the  whole  government  of  the  church. 
 
 Episcopalians  appeal  with  much  confidence  to  the  epistles 
 of  Ignatius,  as  furnishing  clear  proof  that,  in  his  time,  the 
 church  was  governed  by  bishops ;  and  they  lay  the  greater 
 stress  upon  his  authority,  because  he  flourished  in  the  first, 
 and  ended  his  course  by  a  glorious  martyrdom  early  in  the 
 second  century,  was  contemporary  at  least  with  some  of  the 
 Apostles,  and  from  an  expression  which  he  uses,  but  which  is 
 ambiguous,  is  supposed  to  have  seen  Christ  in  the  flesh. 
 There  has,  however,  been  much  controversy  respecting  his 
 epistles,  and  it  is  not  yet  terminated.  When  they  were  first 
 published,  they  were  full  of  gross  corruptions,  and  contained 
 heretical  sentiments,  which  such  a  man  as  Ignatius  must  have 
 held  in  abhorrence  ;  and  as  it  thus  appears  that  unprincipled 
 men  had  altered  them  to  serve  their  own  purposes,  it  is  im- 
 possible to  determine  to  what  extent  they  had  carried  their 
 wicked  design.  In  the  more  correct  form  which  they  have  since 
 assumed,  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  with  precision,  what  is 
 genuine  and  what  is  interpolated,  as  some  of  the  most  learned 
 writers  of  the  Church  of  England  have  acknowledged ;  and 
 this  being  the  case,  an  appeal  to  them  cannot  decide  the  con- 
 troversy, because  it  remains  doubtful  whether  it  is  Ignatius 
 himself  who  speaks,  or  some  other  person  in  his  name.  The 
 style  of  the  epistles  concerning  the  dignity,  the  authority,  and 
 the  prerogatives  of  a  bishop,  and  the  demand  of  little  less  than 
 implicit  submission  to  him,  ill  accords  with  the  simplicity  of 
 the  primitive  times,  and  with  the  humility  which  may  be  con- 
 ceived to  have  characterized  a  man  who  had  lived  with  the 
 Apostles,  and  had  imbibed  their  spirit.     Would  the  genuine 
 
 *  Chap.  iv.  §.  3. 
 
BPISCOPACT. 
 
 Ignatius  have  said  without  qualification,  that  what  the  bishop 
 approve*  ii  acceptable  to  Clod  ? 
 
 After  all,  from  those  epistles  as  they  stand,  it  is  the  opinion 
 even  of  some  Episcopalians,  that  little  can  be  drawn  in  favour 
 of  their  selieme.  "  In  all  those  thirty-five  testimonies," 
 Bishop  Stillingfleet,  "  produced  out  of  Ignatius1  epistles  for 
 Episcopacy,  I  can  meet  but  with  one  which  is  brought  to 
 prove  the  least  semblance  of  an  institution  of  Christ  for  Epis- 
 copacy ;  and  if  I  be  not  deceived,  the  sense  of  that  place  is 
 clearly  mistaken  too."  *  From  the  impossibility  of  determining 
 what  is  genuine  and  what  is  interpolated  in  those  epistles,  the 
 utmost  which  we  can  safely  infer  from  them  is,  that  there 
 were  bishops  in  the  days  of  Ignatius  ;  but  this  concession  will 
 not  at  all  serve  the  cause  of  our  antagonists,  because  there  were 
 bishops  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  who,  we  have  seen,  were 
 only  presbyters,  and  because  the  person  to  whom  this  name 
 w  as  afterwards  given  by  way  of  distinction,  was  merely  the 
 president  in  an  assembly  of  his  equals. 
 
 We  have  already  seen,  that  the  bishops  of  the  primitive 
 church  were  very  different  from  the  persons  to  whom  this  title 
 is  given  in  modern  times ;  that  they  possessed  no  peculiar 
 powers,  and  could  do  nothing  which  a  presbyter  was  not  com- 
 petent to  perform.  They  differed  from  them  also  in  the  extent 
 of  their  dioceses.  A  modern  bishop  has  the  superintendence 
 of  many  churches  or  congregations  scattered  over  the  face  of 
 the  country;  but  an  ancient  bishop  presided  over  a  single 
 congregation  only,  or  at  most,  over  the  Christians  of  a  single 
 city.  The  original  meaning  of  the  word  has  not  been  less 
 changed  in  this  respect,  than  by  making  it  denote  a  person  of 
 a  different  order  from  a  presbyter.  There  were  bishops  not 
 Only  in  large  cities,  but  in  small  villages,  as  has  been  shewn 
 in  many  instances.  The  diocese  of  a  bishop  was  exactly  the 
 parish  of  a  Presbyterian  minister  ;  and  many  bishoprics  were 
 much  smaller  than  the  parishes  in  this  country.  The  number 
 of  bishops  shews  that  their  jurisdiction  was  circumscribed 
 within  very  narrow  limits.  In  that  part  of  Africa  which  was 
 subject  to  the  Romans,  there  were  in  the  days  of  Augustine, 
 
 •  Works,   vol.  ii.  p.  349.  Divine  Right  of  Forms   of  Church  Government, 
 Part  ii.   c.  vi. 
 
336  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 about  five  hundred  orthodox  bishops,  and  four  hundred  of  the 
 sect  of  the  Donatists ;  and  in  Ireland,  which  we  have  no  rea- 
 son to  believe  to  have  been  nearly  as  populous  as  at  present, 
 St  Patrick  is  said  to  have  founded  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 
 churches,  each  of  which  was  governed  by  a  bishop.  It  would 
 require  a  very  perspicacious  eye  to  perceive  any  distinction  be- 
 tween such  bishops  and  those  whom  we  call  pastors  of  particular 
 congregations.  There  is  certainly  no  resemblance  between 
 them  and  the  prelates  of  the  English  Church  ;  and  with  what- 
 ever respect  the  latter  may  speak  of  them,  I  suspect  that  if 
 they  were  still  officiating  in  their  humble  charges,  the  bishops 
 of  the  present  age  would  not  acknowledge  them  as  their 
 equals.  It  may  be  thought  that,  however  diminutive  the 
 ancient  dioceses  were,  the  bishops  truly  deserved  the  title, 
 because  they  had  at  least  some  clergy  under  them.  There  is 
 no  doubt  that  sometimes  this  was  the  case ;  and  we  have 
 shewn  that  this  supposition  is  of  little  use  to  establish  the 
 claims  of  modern  Episcopacy,  because  the  bishop  was  at  first 
 only  primus  inter  pares  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  many  of  them 
 laboured  alone,  without  presbyters  to  assist  them  and  execute 
 their  orders.  It  is  not  likely,  for  example,  that  those  Irish 
 bishops  had  inferior  clergy,  whose  churches  were  so  poor  that 
 they  could  afford  them  no  better  endowment  than  as  much 
 ground  as  would  pasture  two  cows.  This,  we  are  informed, 
 was  the  whole  income  of  some  of  them. 
 
 The  epistle  of  Clemens,  "  whose  name,"  says  Paul,  "  is 
 in  the  book  of  life,"  is  supposed  to  have  been  written  between 
 the  years  sixty-four  and  seventy  of  the  first  century,  and  con- 
 sequently before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  ad- 
 dressed to  the  Church  of  Corinth,  and  had  the  same  object 
 with  the  epistles  of  Paul,  to  compose  the  contentions  and 
 divisions  which  existed  in  it.  He  says  that  "  the  Apostles, 
 preaching  through  the  countries  and  cities,  appointed  such  of 
 the  first-fruits  of  their  ministry  as  they  had  proved  by  the 
 Spirit,  to  be  bishops  and  deacons ;"  plainly  referring  to  two 
 orders  only,  whereas  Episcopalians  affirm  that  there  are  three 
 in  the  church.  He  goes  on  to  say  that  "  the  Apostles,  having 
 known  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  there  would  be  great 
 strife  about  the  name  of  Episcopacy,  appointed  the  foresaid 
 
BPIS4  OP  w  1  . 
 
 s,     namely,     bishops   and    deacons     and    ordained    tliat 
 
 there  ihouM  be  a  succession  of  them."  Then,  referring  to  the 
 insubordination  which  prevailed  at  Corinth,  he  adds,  "  It 
 will  be  no  small  sin  if  we  expel  from  the  episcopate  those  who 
 have  blamelessly  and  holily offered  the  gifts.  Blessed  are  the 
 presbyters  who  have  gone  before,  and  who  have  had  a  fruit- 
 ful and  perfect  dissolution,  for  they  do  not  fear  lest  any  person 
 should  remove  them  from  their  settled  place."  It  is  manifest 
 that  he  here  speaks  of  bishops  and  presbyters,  as  the  same 
 persons  ;  and  he  does  so  in  other  parts  of  the  Epistle,  where, 
 omitting  the  mention  of  bishops,  he  speaks  only  of  presby- 
 ters. "  It  is  base,  very  base,  and  unworthy  of  the  conduct  of 
 Christians,  that  the  ancient  church  of  the  Corinthians  should, 
 by  means  of  one  or  two  persons,  make  an  insurrection  against 
 the  presbyters."  *  And  he  tenders  this  exhortation  :  "  Be 
 ye  who  have  made  this  insurrection  subject  to  the  presby- 
 ter-." It  is  obvious  that  Clement  knew  of  no  bishops  in  the 
 Corinthian  Church,  but  presbyters ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that 
 he  never  speaks  of  any  persons  in  that  church  under  the  name 
 of  bishops,  and  still  less  of  one  to  whom  the  title  exclusively 
 belonged. 
 
 Episcopalians  appeal  also  to  Irenseus,  who  presided  over  the 
 Church  of  Lyons  in  the  second  century,  and  imagine  that  he 
 bears  testimony  to  their  cause,  when  he  says,  "  We  can  reckon 
 those  who  were  appointed  bishops  by  the  Apostles  in  the 
 churches,  and  their  successors,  to  our  days,  whom  they  left  as 
 their  successors,  delivering  to  them  the  same  dignity  of  power," 
 as  his  words  have  been  rendered,  but  literally  "  delivering  to 
 them  their  own  place  of  mastership  ;"  evidently  meaning 
 nothing  more  than  that  they  constituted  them  the  supreme 
 office-bearers  in  the  church,  as  we  acknowledge  a  preaching 
 presbyter  to  be.  Irenseus  shews  that  these  were  the  bishops 
 to  whom  he  referred,  by  saying  farther  :  "  It  behoves  us  to 
 hear  the  presbyters  who  are  in  the  church,  those  who  have 
 their  succession  from  the  Apostles,  and  with  the  succession  of 
 the  episcopate,  have  received  the  gift  of  truth  according  to  the 
 good  pleasure  of  the  Father." 
 
 Jerome,  who  in  learning  and  judgment  was  equal  to  any  of 
 
 •   Vid.  Kpist.  1.  ad  Corinth. 
 VOL.  IV.  y 
 
338  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 theFathers,  is  decidedly  against  the  divine  origin  of  Episcopacy. 
 A  deacon  in  the  Church  of  Rome  had  broached  the  opinion 
 that  deacons  were  superior  to  presbyters  ;  Jerome  confutes  it 
 in  one  of  his  epistles  by  this  argument,  that  presbyters  and 
 bishops  were  the  same  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and  that 
 no  man  could  be  so  foolish  as  to  maintain  that  deacons  are 
 superior  to  bishops.  The  proposition  which  is  the  foundation 
 of  his  argument,  he  proves  from  those  passages  of  Scripture 
 which  are  usually  produced  by  us  to  shew  the  identity  of  apos- 
 tolical bishops  and  presbyters.  According  to  this  Father, 
 bishops  and  presbyters  were  not  originally  different,  either  in 
 order  or  in  degree  ;  but  the  titles  were  given  to  the  same  indi- 
 viduals, and  the  distinction  between  them  which  subsisted  in 
 his  time,  was  merely  an  arrangement  of  human  prudence  for 
 the  preservation  of  peace.  This  is  not  a  deduction  from  his 
 argument,  but  it  is  explicitly  stated  by  himself.  "  A  presby- 
 ter is  the  same  with  a  bishop.  Before,  by  the  instigation  of 
 the  devil,  there  were  parties  in  religion,  and  it  was  said,  I  am 
 of  Paul,  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas,  the  churches  were 
 governed  by  the  common  consent  of  presbyters.  But  after- 
 wards it  was  decreed  throughout  the  whole  world,  that  one 
 chosen  from  the  presbyters  should  be  set  over  the  rest,  to  whom 
 the  whole  care  of  the  church  should  pertain,  that  the  seeds  of 
 schism  might  be  plucked  up."  If  Jerome  is  right,  the  plea  of 
 apostolical  authority  in  favour  of  Episcopacy  is  unfounded ;  its 
 jus  divinum  is  a  dream ;  and  its  authors,  more  modest  than  their 
 successors,  rested  it  solely  upon  the  principle  of  expedience. 
 
 It  appears,  then,  that  in  the  controversy  with  the  advocates 
 of  Episcopacy,  we  have  to  encounter  strong  assertions,  but 
 feeble  proofs  ;  lofty  claims,  but  a  very  questionable  title ;  and 
 in  short,  that  their  cause  has  nothing  to  support  it,  but  the 
 sound  of  words  in  opposition  to  the  sense. 
 
 You  may  think  it  unnecessary  to  have  dwelt  so  long  upon 
 this  subject,  as  with  a  few  exceptions,  we  in  this  country  are 
 all  agreed  in  rejecting  the  Episcopalian  government  as  un- 
 scriptural.  But  in  the  other  part  of  the  island  it  is  established 
 by  law,  and  with  the  arrogance  which  has  so  remarkably  cha- 
 racterised it,  pronounces  those  who  have  adopted  a  different 
 form  to  be  schismatics,  and  hardly  entitled  to  the  appellation 
 
U  0PAC1 . 
 
 of  Christians.     Di  ,  we  have  been  told,  have   "a  reli- 
 
 gion without  a  church,"  because  what  they  call  their  church  is 
 not  governed  by  bishops. 
 
 You  are  aware  of  the  violent  struggle  between  Episcopacy 
 and  Presbytery  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  in  the  course  of 
 which  they  displayed  exemplary  zeal,  and  were  subjected  to  se- 
 vere  sufferings,  resisting  even  to  blood.  The  reign  of  Episcopacy 
 in  Scotland  was  marked  by  cruelty  and  murder.  It  was  pub- 
 licly and  solemnly  renounced  at  the  renewal  of  the  National 
 ;iant,  and  afterwards  in  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant 
 of  the  three  kingdoms,  and  was  finally  abolished  at  the  Revo- 
 lution. There  is  a  fact  relative  to  this  business  which  is  not 
 generally  known,  and  deserves  to  be  mentioned  ;  and  I  shall 
 give  it  in  the  words  of  Mr  Baxter  :  "  The  covenant  was  pro- 
 posed by  the  Parliament  to  the  consideration  of  the  Synod  at 
 minster.  The  synod  stumbled  at  some  things  in  it,  and 
 especially  at  the  word  Prelacy.  Mr  Burges,  the  Prolocu- 
 tor, Mr  Gataker,  and  abundance  more,  declared  their  judg- 
 ments to  be  for  Episcopacy,  even  for  the  ancient  moderate 
 Episcopacy,  in  which  one  stated  president  with  his  Presbytery 
 governed  every  church  ;  though  not  for  the  English  diocesan 
 frame,  in  which  one  bishop  without  his  presbytery  did,  by  a 
 lay  chancellor's  court,  govern  all  the  presbyters  and  churches 
 of  a  diocese  being  many  hundreds  ;  and  that  in  a  secular  man- 
 ner, by  abundance  of  upstart  secular  officers,  unknown  to  the 
 primitive  church.  Hereupon  grew  some  debate  in  the  assem- 
 bly, some  being  against  every  degree  of  bishops,  (especially 
 the  Scottish  divines,)  and  others  being  for  a  moderate  Epis- 
 copacy. But  these  English  divines  would  not  subscribe  the 
 covenant,  till  there  were  an  alteration  suited  to  their  judg- 
 ments, and  so  a  parenthesis  was  yielded  to,  as  describing  that 
 sort  of  prelacy  which  they  opposed," — which  follows  the  words, 
 k  We  shall  endeavour  the  extirpation  of  prelacy,' — "  [that  is, 
 church  government  by  archbishops,  bishops,  deans,  and 
 chapters,  archdeacons,  and  all  other  ecclesiastical  officers,  de- 
 pending on  that  hierarchy.]  All  which  conjoined  are  mention- 
 ed as  the  description  of  church  government  which  they  meant 
 by  prelacy,  as  not  extending  to  the  ancient  Episcopacy. 
 W  hen  the  covenant  was  agreed  on,  the  Lords  and  Commons 
 
340  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  I 
 
 first  took  it  themselves  ;  and  Mr  Thomas  Coleman  preached 
 in  the  House  of  Lords,  and  gave  it  them  with  this  public  ex- 
 plication, that  by  prelacy,  we  mean  not  all  Episcopacy,  but  only 
 the  form  which  is  here  described."  Hence  you  learn  that  the 
 Solemn  League  was  not  such  a  security  of  presbytery  as  is 
 commonly  supposed,  having  been  so  framed  that  the  friends 
 of  moderate  Episcopacy  could  enter  into  it ;  but  this  is  a  mat- 
 ter of  little  moment,  since  we  renounce  Episcopacy,  not  be- 
 cause our  fathers  renounced  it,  but  because  we  deem  it  to  be 
 contrary  to  Scripture. 
 
 I  proceed  to  speak  of  Independency  ;  but  it  is  impossible  to 
 examine  its  claims,  without  at  the  same  time  attending  to 
 those  of  Presbytery.  These  are  the  only  forms  of  government 
 which  appear  to  receive  any  countenance  from  Scripture,  so 
 that,  if  we  overthrow  the  one,  we  virtually  establish  the  other ; 
 and  hence,  it  is  necessary  to  view  them  in  connexion.  I  be- 
 gin with  stating  the  principles  of  Independency,  which  are  the 
 following  :  that  every  particular  society  of  visible  professors, 
 agreeing  to  walk  together  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the  gospel, 
 is  a  complete  church  ;  that  the  whole  power  of  government  is 
 vested  in  the  coztus  fidelium,  the  assembly  of  the  faithful ;  and 
 that  all  censures  and  acts  of  government  are  administered  in 
 single  congregations.  The  principles  of  Presbytery  are,  that 
 particular  congregations  are  only  a  part  of  the  church,  which 
 is  composed  of  many  congregations ;  that  the  power  of  go- 
 vernment is  lodged  in  certain  office-bearers,  appointed  by 
 Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  there  is  a  subordination  of  courts,  in 
 which  the  sentences  of  inferior  courts  may  be  reviewed,  and 
 either  affirmed  or  reversed.  Hence  you  perceive  the  reason 
 of  the  names  by  which  these  two  forms  of  government  are  dis- 
 tinguished. The  former  is  called  Independency,  because  each 
 congregation  is  a  church  distinct  from  and  independent  upon 
 all  other  churches  in  the  world,  possessing  all  power  in  itself, 
 and  accountable  only  to  Jesus  Christ  for  its  proceedings.  The 
 latter  is  called  Presbytery,  because  it  is  governed  by  presby- 
 ters, or  teaching  and  ruling  elders,  who,  although  chosen  by 
 the  people,  do  not  derive  their  power  from  them,  but  from 
 *  Baxter's  Narrative  of  his  own  Life  and  Times,  Part  i.  p.  48. 
 
It*DEPBNDEN<  ^   and  l  34  l 
 
 Christ,  and  moot  in  presbyteries, — for  this  is  truly  the  name  of 
 all  our  ecclesiastical  courts,  although,  for  the  sake  of  distinc- 
 tion, they  are  denominated  sessions,  presbyteries,  and  synods, 
 
 meet  in  presbyteries,  I  say,  to  regulate  the  affairs  of  particular 
 congregations,  of  several  congregations  connected  by  vicinity, 
 
 or  of  all  the  congregations  in  a  province  or  a  nation.  You 
 will  observe,  however,  that  these  names  do  not  mark,  with 
 perfect  accuracy,  the  difference  between  the  two  forms  of  go- 
 vernment ;  for  it  is  not  only  possible,  but  it  has  actually  hap- 
 pened, that  a  church  has  been  independent  of  all  other 
 churches,  and  yet  has  been  governed  by  presbyters,  to  the 
 exclusion  of  the  people  ;  but  use  has  affixed  a  definite  sense 
 to  the  words,  and  they  immediately  suggest  the  particular 
 constitution  of  the  churches  to  which  they  are  respectively 
 applied. 
 
 With  a  view  to  establish  the  principle  upon  which  their 
 m  rests  as  its  foundation,  Independents  labour  to  prove, 
 that  the  churches  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  were  all 
 single  congregations.  It  is  granted  that  this  is  sometimes  the 
 meaning  of  the  word,  as  when  the  church  in  the  house  of  a 
 certain  individual  is  spoken  of;  but  I  had  occasion,  in  a 
 former  lecture,  to  remark,  that  there  are  cases  in  which  it  will 
 not  admit  of  so  limited  a  signification.  This  is  a  point  of 
 great  importance  in  the  present  controversy  ;  and  if  it  can  be 
 proved  that  the  word  church  is  used,  when  it  must  be  under- 
 stood to  comprehend  several  congregations,  we  shall  be  autho- 
 rized to  conclude  that  the  plan  of  independency  is  unscriptural. 
 It  will  be  necessary  to  enter  into  some  detail,  and  I  shall 
 select  as  an  example,  the  church  of  Jerusalem. 
 
 Let  it  be  observed  that,  although  we  read  of  the  "  churches 
 of  Judea,"  we  never  read  of  the  "  churches  of  Jerusalem  ;"  but 
 the  "  church"  of  that  city  is  always  mentioned  in  the  singular 
 number.  It  is  impossible  to  account  for  this  fact  upon  the 
 principles  of  Independents,  except  by  supposing,  that  there 
 were  no  more  believers  in  Jerusalem  than  might  be  collected 
 in  one  assembly  ;  and  accordingly,  they  affirm  that  such  was 
 the  case,  and  endeavour  to  explain  the  passages  of  Scripture, 
 from  which  their  antagonists  draw  a  contrary  conclusion,  - 
 to  favour  this  hypothesis      I  think,  however,   that,   to  an  im- 
 
342  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 partial  judge,  it  will  appear  that  the  laws  of  just  criticism  re- 
 quire a  different  interpretation,  and  that  their  comments  do 
 violence  to  the  sacred  text. 
 
 Let  us  attend  to  the  narrative  of  the  success  of  the  Gospel 
 in  Jerusalem.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  Peter  preach- 
 ed to  the  Jews,  "  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were 
 baptized  ;  and  the  same  day,  there  were  added  unto  them 
 about  three  thousand  souls."  The  chapter  closes  with  this 
 remark,  "  And  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as 
 should  be  saved ;"  *  which  is,  indeed,  very  general,  but  conveys 
 to  us  this  information,  that  the  society  was  constantly  receiv- 
 ing an  accession  of  new  converts.  Not  long  after,  Peter 
 again  addressed  the  people,  and  what  was  the  effect  ?  "  Many 
 of  them  which  heard  the  word  believed  ;  and  the  number  of 
 the  men  was  about  five  thousand."  f  The  historian  speaks 
 of  men — tvou  avcpwv, — and  as  this  word  denotes  males,  as  dis- 
 tinguished from  females,  it  may  be  fairly  inferred  that  many 
 women,  although  not  mentioned,  were  converted  at  the  same 
 time,  so  that  the  whole  number  was  probably  much  greater 
 than  five  thousand.  But  whether  we  suppose  females,  as 
 well  as  males,  to  have  believed  on  this  occasion  or  not,  it  is 
 perfectly  plain  that  the  five  thousand  were  additional  to  the 
 three  thousand  who  were  formerly  mentioned.  One  or  two 
 commentators,  of  great  name,  having  unluckily  adopted  the 
 notion  that  the  three  thousand  are  included  in  the  five, 
 Independents  have  eagerly  laid  hold  of  it  to  help  them  out 
 of  a  difficulty.  But  I  would  ask,  whether  this  idea  would 
 present  itself  to  any  person,  whose  mind  was  not  prepossessed 
 with  a  particular  system  ;  and  whether  it  would  not  naturally 
 occur  to  such  a  person,  that  Luke,  who  had  stated  the  effect 
 of  the  first  sermon  of  Peter,  here  states  the  effect  of  the  se- 
 cond, without  referring  to  any  thing  which  is  past.  Were  an- 
 other historian  to  tell  us  that,  on  a  certain  day,  three  thou- 
 sand men  joined  an  army,  and  that  some  days  after,  it  was 
 joined  by  five  thousand,  there  is  not  a  reader  in  the  world 
 who  would  suppose  that  he  included  the  first  number  in  the 
 second.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  any  reason  why  a  reader 
 of  the  Acts  should  form  a  different   opinion  with   respect  to 
 
 •  Acts  ii.  41,  47.  +  lb.  iv.  4. 
 
these  two  distinct  numbers  of  converts.     Thus  we  have 
 
 thousand   disciples  in  Jerusalem,    besides   those  who  wire    be- 
 lievers before  the  day  of  Pentecost,    and    those  who,    without 
 being  specified,  were  daily  added  to  the  church.      It  has 
 said  with  respect   to   those  converts,   and  particularly  such  of 
 them  as  embraced  the  Gospel  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,   that 
 they  were  strangers,   whose  usual  residence  was  in  the  coun- 
 tries enumerated,    but  who  had  come  to  Jerusalem  to  worship 
 at  the  feast.      It  would  be  too  much  to  deny  that  any  of  them 
 were  strangers  ;   but  there  would   be  a   manifest  absurdity  in 
 supposing  them  to  have  been  all  of  this  description ;  for,  was 
 it   ever  heard   that  an  extraordinary  event  brought  together 
 only  the  sojourners  in  a  city  ?     Does  not  every  rational  ground 
 of  calculation  suggest   the   idea   that  sojourners  were  only  a 
 minority,   and  that  the  assembly  consisted  chiefly  of  the  in- 
 habitants of  Jerusalem  ?     It  has  been  remarked  that  they  are 
 called  "  dwellers  in  Jerusalem,"  *  and  that  the  word  Karouceir, 
 which  the  sacred  historian  uses,  signifies  to  have  a  permanent 
 abode  n  a  place.      When  a  temporary  residence  is  expressed, 
 the  verb  irapoiKciv  is  employed,   which  imports  simply  to  so- 
 jour/i,  or  to  be  hi  a  place  for  a  short  time.     Many  of  the  con- 
 verts, on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  had  lived  in  foreign  countries ; 
 but  they  had  now  removed  to  Jerusalem,  from  secular  or  reli- 
 gious motives,   or  perhaps,  as  has  been  supposed,  in  expecta- 
 tion of  the  Messiah,  whose  advent  was  looked  for  about  this 
 period.     At  any  rate,  although  they  were  present  in  Jerusa- 
 lem only  for  a  time,  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  the  as- 
 sembly on  Pentecost  wras  composed  wholly  of  them  ;  and  if 
 it  should  be  admitted,   that,  of  the  three  thousand,  one  thou- 
 sand, or  even  five  hundred,  were  foreigners,  we  should  make 
 an  ample  allowance. 
 
 To  the  eight  thousand  who,  at  the  lowest  computation,  al- 
 ready belonged  to  the  church  of  Jerusalem,  we  must  add  many 
 more  ;  for  we  read  that  "  believers  were  the  more  added  to 
 the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women  ;"  that  "  the 
 number  of  the  disciples  was  multiplied  ;"  and  again,  that  "  the 
 word  of  (lod  increased  ;  and  the  number  of  the  disciples  mul- 
 tiplied  in   Jerusalem   greatly  ;  and   a  great  company   of  the 
 
 *   Acts  ii.  o. 
 
344  GOVERNMENT  OE  THE   CHURCH: 
 
 priests  were  obedient  to  the  faith."  *  These  passages  import 
 a  very  abundant  increase,  and  justify  us  in  understanding  the 
 following  wrords,  not  of  the  disciples  in  Judea,  or  among  the 
 Jewish  nation  at  large,  but  of  those  in  Jerusalem  alone  : 
 "  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there 
 are  which  believe  ;"f  hi  the  original,  -oaai  pvpiaces — how  many 
 myriads,   or  tens  of  thousands. 
 
 Independents  are  compelled  by  their  system  to  reduce  to 
 the  lowest  possible  number  the  disciples  in  a  particular  city. 
 It  is  necessary  for  them  to  prove,  not  that  the  success  of  the 
 gospel  was  great,  but  that  it  was  small.  They  surely  cannot 
 feel  any  complacency  in  thus  weakening  the  argument  in  fa- 
 vour of  Christianity,  from  its  rapid  and  extensive  success  ;  but 
 we  may  justly  suspect  the  cause  which  is  forced  to  resort  to 
 such  an  expedient  for  support.  It  is  certain  that  the  argu- 
 ment completely  fails  in  the  case  of  Jerusalem,  in  which  there 
 was  only  one  church,  but  the  members  amounted  to  thousands 
 and  myriads. 
 
 It  is  objected  by  Independents,  that  "  all  that  believed 
 were  together,  and  had  all  things  common."  %  It  has  been 
 answered,  that  although  the  disciples,  w7hose  number  was  at 
 this  time  about  three  thousand,  had  met  together  in  one 
 place,  it  will  not  follow  that  they  could  do  so  when  they  had 
 increased  to  ten  or  twenty  thousand  ;  and  yet  even  then  they 
 were  only  one  church.  It  has  been  remarked  too,  that 
 although  the  phrase  e-t  to  civto,  translated  together,  may  sig- 
 nify in  one  place,  yet  this  is  not  necessarily  its  meaning,  and. 
 that  it  occurs  where  it  can  import  only  unity  of  purpose  : 
 "  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the  rulers  were  ga- 
 thered together — e-m  to  uvto — against  the  Lord,  and  against 
 his  Christ."  |  These  words  are  applied  to  the  conspiracy  of 
 Pilate,  the  Sanhedrim,  and  Herod,  against  our  Saviour;  but 
 we  know  that,  although  they  concurred  in  one  design,  they 
 did  not  assemble  in  the  same  place. 
 
 It  is  objected  again,  that  they  are  said  "  to  have  continued 
 daily  wdth  one  accord  in  the  temple."  §  As  this  immediately 
 follows  the  other  passage,  the  same  answer  may  be  returned, 
 
 •  Acts  v.  14.  vi.  1,  7-     t  Ib«  xxi«  20-    ♦  Ib«  »•  44«   I!  Ib-  iv-  26-    §  lb- ii'46- 
 
[NDBPBNDBNCY  and  PRBSBYTBRT. 
 
 that,  if  three  thousand  might  assemble  in  the  temple,  a  m< 
 
 i  all  the  disciples  in  it  wai  impossible  when  the  nun 
 
 had  become  much  greater.     Besides,  as  the  meetings  s 
 
 daily,   a  little  reflection  will  convince  us  that    a   multitude  of 
 people,   chiefly  in  the  lower  ranks  of  life,   could  no  more  have 
 found    time    every  clay   to    attend    the    ministrations   of   the 
 Apostles  than  they  could  find  it  now  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
 the  historian  can  only  mean  that  the  Apostles  daily  frequented 
 the  temple,  and  that  the  disciples  met  them  there  as  they  had 
 opportunity.      But  there  was    no   occasion  always  to  repair  to 
 it  for  the  purpose  of  hearing  them,  because  the  Apostles  did 
 not  confine  their  labours  to  the  temple,  but  "  in  every  house 
 d  not  to  teach  and  to  preach  Jesus  Christ."  * 
 An  argument  for  one  congregation  in  Jerusalem  is  founded 
 on   these   words  :    "  And  when   they  had   prayed,   the  place 
 was   >haken   where  they  were  assembled  together.     And  the 
 multitude  of  them  that  believed,   were  of  one  heart  and  of 
 one  soul."  f     But  these  two  verses,  although  they  stand  in 
 the  order  now  quoted,  have   no   connexion  with  each  other  ; 
 and  it  is  altogether  unfair  to  quote  them  as  a  proof  that  the 
 multitude  were  assembled   in  the  place  which  was  shaken,  as 
 any  person  will  see  by  reading  the  passage.     The  persons  as- 
 sembled in  that  place,  are  called  the  Apostles'  own  company  ; 
 and  probably  were  a  select  number  of  the  disciples,  met  to- 
 gether to  pray  for  the  deliverance  of  Peter  and  John  from  the 
 hands'  of  their  enemies. 
 
 The  last  argument  is  drawn  from  these  words  :  "  And  they 
 were  all  with  one  accord  in  Solomon's  porch,  and  of  the  rest 
 durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them,  but  the  people  magni- 
 fied them."  X  But  here  the  question  occurs,  Who  were  the 
 persons  that  were  assembled  in  this  porch  ?  It  is  said  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  verse,  that  "  by  the  hands  of  the  Apostles 
 were  many  signs  and  wonders  wrought  among  the  people ;" 
 and  it  is  then  added,  that  "  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in 
 Solomon's  porch."  The  most  natural  idea  is,  that  the  per- 
 lvferred  to  were  the  Apostles ;  and  as  no  others  are  men- 
 tioned but  the  people,  or  the  Jews,  who  resorted  to  the  tem- 
 •  Acts  v.  42.  f  lb.  iv.  31,  32.  $  lb.  v.  12,  13. 
 
346  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH: 
 
 pie,  it  is  a  mere  fancy  to  suppose  that  the  church  was  assem- 
 bled in  it. 
 
 It  has  appeared  that  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  all 
 the  Jews  from  foreign  countries  who  were  converted  at  Pen- 
 tecost were  merely  sojourners  in  Jerusalem,  and  that  the  his- 
 torian makes  use  of  a  term  which  imports  that  they  had  taken 
 up  their  abode  in  it.  This  is  confirmed  by  an  event  which 
 took  place  some  time  after,  and  is  thus  related  :  "  In  those 
 days,  when  the  number  of  the  disciples  was  multiplied,  there 
 arose  a  murmuring  of  the  Grecians  against  the  Hebrews,  be- 
 cause their  widows  were  neglected  in  the  daily  ministration."  * 
 The  Grecians,  or  Hellenists,  as  every  person  knows,  were 
 Jews,  who,  living  without  the  bounds  of  Judea,  and  scattered 
 over  what  was  once  the  Macedonian  empire,  spoke  the  Greek 
 language,  and  used  the  Greek  translation  of  the  Scriptures  in 
 their  synagogues.  Of  these  there  were  some  in  the  Church  of 
 Jerusalem ;  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  there  were  also 
 others,  who,  having  come  from  different  regions,  understood 
 neither  Hebrew  nor  Greek,  and  were  acquainted  only  with 
 the  language  of  the  country  in  which  they  were  born.  Hence 
 arises  a  new  argument  for  a  plurality  of  congregations  in  Je- 
 rusalem. Although  all  the  members  of  the  church  might 
 have  been  convened  in  one  place,  they  could  not  all  have 
 joined  in  the  service,  because  what  was  understood  by  one 
 part  of  them,  would  have  been  unintelligible  to  the  other. 
 It  would  be  absurd  to  imagine  that  different  speakers  addressed 
 the  audience  at  the  same  time,  or  that  the  same  speaker  de- 
 livered a  discourse  first  in  one  langage  and  then  in  another. 
 There  is  no  reason,  except  the  interests  of  a  party,  for  mak- 
 ing any  supposition  but  the  natural  one,  that  as  the  first 
 disciples  in  Jerusalem — the  place  of  resort  to  Jews  from  every 
 region  of  the  earth — spoke  different  languages,  they  were 
 divided  into  different  assemblies,  in  which  every  man  heard 
 in  his  own  tongue  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  As  some 
 time  elapsed  after  the  day  of  Pentecost  before  the  Apostles 
 went  forth  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  nations  of  the  world, 
 unless  there  were  in  Jerusalem  believers  who  spoke  different 
 languages,  the  gift  of  tongues  which  the  Apostles  had  re- 
 
 •  Acts  vi.  1. 
 
INPBPBNDBNC1     IND  PBB8BYTBBY.  317 
 
 I    would   have   been    O&eletfl   during   tliis   interval.      We 
 
 bare  seen  that,  from  their  number,  the  primitive  disciple. 
 
 must  have  heen  divided  into  several  congregations,  and  we 
 now  see  that,  if  the  number  had  been  smaller,  the  formation 
 of  distinet  soeieties  was  necessary  for  the  purpose  of  edifiea- 
 tion.  We  have  therefore  one  church,  made  up  of  seven; I 
 congregations,  according  to  the  Presbyterial  plan,  not  a  num- 
 ber of  independent  assemblies,  possessing  each  the  powers  of 
 a  church  in  itself. 
 
 To  strengthen  our  argument,  let  us  observe  that,  in  the 
 Church  of  Jerusalem,  many  persons  were  employed  in  per- 
 forming the  ordinary  ministrations.  It  is  certain  that  all  the 
 Apostles  continued  in  it  for  a  considerable  time  after  it  was 
 founded.  It  appears  that  with  them  were  associated  prophets, 
 or  inspired  men,  who  foretold  future  events,  or  explained  by 
 supernatural  assistance  the  predictions  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
 and  we  read  of  the  elders  or  presbyters  of  that  Church,  or 
 ordinary  ministers  of  the  word,  as  this  title  usually  imports, 
 and  as  Independents  will  grant ;  for  they  deny  that  there  is 
 any  such  office-bearer  by  divine  appointment  as  a  ruling,  dis- 
 tinct from  a  preaching,  elder.  Now,  I  should  wish  to  be  in- 
 formed by  them,  how  all  these  persons  were  employed  ?  What 
 were  twelve  Apostles,  several  prophets,  and  a  competent 
 number  of  ministers,  doing?  Independents  tell  us  that  they  had 
 only  one  congregation ;  but  if  so,  how  could  they  find  scope 
 for  the  exercise  of  their  gifts  ?  The  Christians  in  Jerusalem 
 could  not  be  always  hearing  sermons,  because  they  had  their 
 worldly  affairs  to  attend  to  ;  but  unless  the  Apostles  and  their 
 assistants  were  engaged  in  preaching  from  morning  to  night, 
 on  every  day  of  the  week,  the  turn  of  each  must  have  come 
 at  distant  intervals,  and  during  a  considerable  part  of  their 
 time  they  must  have  been  idle,  in  respect  of  this  most  import- 
 ant duty  of  their  office.  We  find,  however,  that  this  was  not 
 the  ease.  The  Apostles  were  so  much  occupied  with  preach- 
 ing, that  they  found  it  impossible  to  pay  attention  to  the 
 affairs  of  the  poor ;  and  hence,  when  complaints  arose  that 
 some  were  neglected,  they  instituted  the  order  of  deacons  : 
 "  It  is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  God,  and 
 serve  tables  :    wherefore,    brethren,    look  ye   out    seven   men 
 
348  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business.  But  we  will  give 
 ourselves  continually  to  prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the 
 word."  '  It  is  a  downright  absurdity  to  suppose  that  so  many 
 preachers  could  have  been  kept  in  constant  employment  by  a 
 single  congregation  ;  and  every  man  who  lays  aside  prejudice, 
 and  judges  dispassionately,  will  be  of  this  opinion.  No  ra- 
 tional account  can  be  given  of  so  many  office-bearers,  not 
 sinecurists,  but  active  labourers  in  the  work  of  the  gospel, 
 remaining  in  Jerusalem,  except  by  admitting  that  the  disciples 
 were  divided  into  many  congregations. 
 
 The  last  argument  for  the  existence  of  more  congregations 
 than  one  in  Jerusalem,  is  founded  on  the  want  of  a  place  in 
 which  all  the  disciples  could  assemble.  To  this  argument 
 Independents  have  a  ready  answer,  that  they  could  be  con- 
 tained in  the  temple,  and  that  it  appears  that  the  Apostles 
 preached  in  it  daily.  It  is  easy  for  some  men  to  get  rid  of  a 
 difficulty  by  a  few  general  assertions,  especially  when  they  are 
 talking  of  something  very  remote,  into  all  the  particulars  of 
 which  we  cannot  enter ;  but  capacious  as  the  temple  was,  it 
 is  not  certain  that  ten  or  twelve  thousand  could  have  frequent- 
 ly gone  into  it,  without  incommoding  the  multitudes  of  uncon- 
 verted Jews  who  went  up  to  it  to  worship.  It  is  not  certain 
 that  the  priests  and  rulers  would  have  permitted  acknowledged 
 assemblies  of  the  disciples,  whom  they  accounted  heretics  and 
 apostates,  to  be  held  within  its  precincts.  The  contrary  is,  I 
 think,  highly  probable  ;  and  we  may  be  sure  that  an  attempt 
 to  commemorate  the  death  of  Christ,  by  the  celebration  of  the 
 Eucharist,  would  have  been  immediately  resisted.  The  Apos- 
 tles, indeed,  preached  daily  in  the  temple  ;  not,  however,  to 
 the  whole  church  of  Jerusalem,  but  to  the  Jews  whom  they 
 accidentally  found  in  it ;  and  this  is  evident  from  the  words  of 
 the  sacred  historian,  who  says,  that  they  preached  "  daily  in 
 the  temple,  and  in  every  house  ;"  f  that  is,  while  they  preached 
 to  the  Jews  in  the  temple,  they  preached  in  private  houses  to 
 the  Christians,  and  consequently,  had  many  congregations. 
 These  observations  are  obvious  to  the  plainest  understanding  ; 
 and  nothing  but  the  blinding  power  of  prejudice  can  prevent 
 any  man  from  perceiving  their  truth. 
 
 *  Acts  vi,  2—4.  f  Tb.  v.  42. 
 
LECTURE  XC1X. 
 
 ON  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 INDEPENDENT  AND    PRESBYTERIAN  FORMS  OF  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  EX- 
 AMINED.— PROOF  THAT  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CHURCH  RULERS  DOES  NOT 
 
 FLOW  FROM  THE  PEOPLE OPINIONS  OF  DR  OWEN. — ARGUMENT  AGAINST 
 
 INDEPENDENCY    FROM  THE  COUNCIL  OF  JERUSALEM SUPERIORITY  OF 
 
 THE   PRESBYTERIAN  PLAN. 
 
 In  the  preceding  lecture,  I  entered  upon  the  consideration  of 
 the  two  forms  of  ecclesiastical  government,  which  alone  seem 
 to  receive  any  countenance  from  Scripture,  Presbytery  and 
 Independency  ;  and  proposed  to  discuss  them  together,  be- 
 cause the  establishment  of  the  one  necessarily  involves  the 
 overthrow  of  the  other. 
 
 We  have  examined  the  first  principle  of  Independency, 
 from  which  it  derives  its  name,  that  each  congregation  of 
 Christians  is  a  complete  church,  possessing  in  itself  all  the 
 powers  and  privileges  which  Jesus  Christ  has  conferred  upon 
 the  church,  and  unconnected  with  all  other  churches  in  the 
 world,  except  by  a  common  profession  of  the  faith.  We  have 
 seen  that  this  principle  does  not  apply  to  the  Church  of  Jeru- 
 salem, which  has  appeared,  from  several  arguments,  to  have 
 -ted  of  more  congregations  than  one.  We  might  draw 
 the  same  conclusion  with  respect  to  some  other  churches  men- 
 tioned in  the  New  Testament ;  but  your  attention  has  been 
 confined  to  that  of  Jerusalem,  because  its  history  is  more  fully 
 detailed. 
 
350  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 The  obvious  inference  from  the  fact,  that  in  Jerusalem 
 there  were  several  congregations,  which  are  nevertheless  re- 
 presented as  one  church,  is,  that  those  congregations  were 
 incorporated,  or  so  united  by  some  common  tie,  as  to  compose 
 only  one  body.  Now,  this  could  be  no  other  than  the  same 
 government,  to  which  these  congregations  were  subject ;  as 
 the  inhabitants  of  different  cities  and  provinces  constitute  one 
 nation,  not  simply  by  living  in  the  same  country,  but  by 
 obeying  the  same  laws,  and  acknowledging  the  authority  of 
 the  same  civil  rulers.  Independents  could  not,  consistently 
 with  their  principles,  have  spoken  of  the  Church  of  Jerusalem, 
 but  must  have  adopted  a  different  phraseology,  if  they  had 
 composed  the  narrative  in  the  Acts,  and  have  said,  the  churches 
 of  Jerusalem.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  there  was  a  presby- 
 tery in  Jerusalem,  composed  of  the  Apostles  and  elders,  who 
 came  together,  as  we  see  from  the  fifteenth  chapter,  to 
 manage  the  affairs  of  all  the  congregations  in  the  city,  and 
 to  whose  decrees  they  were  bound  to  submit.  This  is  the 
 most  rational  account  of  the  matter ;  and  it  is  so  natural,  that 
 it  follows  from  the  particulars  mentioned  in  the  history, 
 without  any  effort ;  whereas  Independents  are  compelled  to 
 have  recourse  to  a  variety  of  awkward  expedients,  to  make  out 
 their  favourite  point,  that  there  was  only  one  congregation  ; 
 and  in  particular,  to  reduce  the  believers  in  that  city  to  the 
 lowest  possible  number.  And  thus,  what  is  gained  to  their 
 cause,  is  lost  to  Christianity  ;  which,  if  they  are  right  in  their 
 calculations  with  respect  to  Jerusalem  and  other  cities,  had 
 very  little  success  in  the  primitive  ages,  and  could  boast  of 
 only  handfuls  of  converts  in  the  most  populous  places. 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  consider  the  second  principle  of  Indepen- 
 dency, which  is,  That  all  power  is  vested  in  the  church  col- 
 lective, or  in  the  body  of  the  faithful ;  that  to  them  the  keys 
 of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are  committed  ;  and  that  those  who 
 exercise  any  authority  in  the  church,  in  the  character  of  rulers, 
 derive  it  from  the  people.  In  opposition  to  this  principle, 
 Presbyterians  maintain,  That  the  power  of  governing  the 
 church  belongs  exclusively  to  certain  office-bearers,  who  de- 
 rive their  authority  from  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  accountable  to 
 him  alone  for  the  exercise  of  it.     They  are  not,  indeed,  lords 
 
I  m.i  IBTTERT.  .'>.')! 
 
 over  God'fl  heritage,   bttt  helpers  of  the   faith   and  joy  of  the 
 
 saints;   and  are  their  servants,  but  only  in  tl>  that  the 
 
 object  of  all  their  ministrations  should  be,   the  spiritual  good 
 of  those  who  are  committed  to  their  care. 
 
 The  constitution  of  the  church  differs  from  that  of  a  civil 
 society.  A  voluntary  society  is  formed  by  the  free  consent 
 of  the  members.  Each  of  them  has  certain  rights  which  he 
 ■  desirous  to  secure,  and  to  enlarge  by  the  co-operation  of 
 others  ;  and  he  therefore  unites  with  them  upon  such  terms 
 m  best  calculated  to  promote  the  common  design.  They 
 proceed  in  concert  to  compose  a  code  of  laws,  and  to  appoint 
 certain  persons  who  shall  have  authority  to  execute  the  laws, 
 and  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  society.  In  such  cases, 
 power  necessarily  emanates  from  the  people.  The  society  is 
 created  by  them  for  their  own  benefit ;  and  the  rulers  owe 
 their  official  existence  solely  to  the  deed  of  their  constituents, 
 which  is  the  source  of  their  power,  and  prescribes  its  limits. 
 Here,  the  society  is  before  the  rulers  ;  but  with  respect  to 
 the  church,  the  rulers  were  before  the  society ;  and  no  reason- 
 ing, therefore,  from  the  one  case,  is  fairly  applicable  to  the 
 other.  There  was  no  church  when  our  Lord  gave  the  Apos- 
 tles their  commission ;  when  he  committed  to  Peter,  and  to 
 them  all,  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  when  he  in- 
 vested them  with  authority  to  preach  the  gospel,  to  administer 
 the  ordinances,  and  to  exercise  discipline  over  his  professed 
 disciples.  They  were  appointed  immediately  by  him ;  and 
 they  were  appointed  as  the  first  in  a  long  succession,  whicli 
 was  to  continue  to  the  end  of  time,  as  we  learn  from  his  pro- 
 mise to  them  :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
 of  the  world."*  The  office  of  the  Apostles  was  extraordinary, 
 and  ceased  at  their  death ;  but,  besides  the  gifts  of  inspiration 
 and  of  miracles,  they  were  possessed  of  ordinary  powers,  for 
 the  edification  and  government  of  the  church,  which  did  not 
 expire  with  them,  but  passed  into  other  hands.  The  pastors, 
 and  teachers,  and  rulers,  who  existed  in  the  primitive  times, 
 and  can  never  be  wanting,  without  the  dissolution  of  the 
 church  as  an  organized  body,  were  appointed  by  the  Apostles. 
 They  were  set  apart  to  their  office,  and  through  them,  as  the 
 
 *  Matth.  xxviii.  20. 
 
352  GOVERNMENT  Off  THE  CHURCH  :  ' 
 
 channel  in  which  power  was  conveyed  to   them   from  Christ, 
 the  source  of  all  spiritual  gifts  and  privileges. 
 
 This  is  the  channel  of  transmission  which  was  established 
 in  the  beginning.  As  we  are  reasoning  with  Independents, 
 who  pretend  to  pay  a  more  sacred  regard  to  Scripture  than 
 other  denominations  of  Christians,  wTe  confidently  appeal  to  it, 
 and  ask,  whether  they  can  deny  the  statement  now  made,  or 
 shew  that  the  original  order  has  been  changed  ?  Is  it  not 
 true,  that  the  Apostles  derived  their  power  immediately  from 
 Jesus  Christ  ?  Is  it  not  true,  that  the  first  ministers  and 
 rulers  of  the  church  derived  their  authority  from  the  Apostles  ? 
 And  can  any  passage  be  produced  reversing  this  order,  and 
 ordaining  that,  in  the  subsequent  ages,  official  power  should 
 flow  from  the  people  ?  The  first  governors  of  the  church 
 were  not  created  by  it,  but  received  their  official  character 
 before  its  erection.  They  did  not,  as  in  other  voluntary 
 societies,  exercise  a  portion  of  power  which  the  society  had 
 delegated  to  them.  Their  power  came  directly  from  heaven, 
 and  was  given  to  them,  that  they  might  organize  the  society, 
 and  govern  the  members ;  not  by  laws  of  their  own  making, 
 but  by  a  code  stamped  with  the  authority  of  the  King  of  Zion. 
 In  the  New-  Testament,  the  people  are  known,  not  as  rulers, 
 but  as  subjects.  It  is  acknowledged,  that  it  recognizes  a  right 
 in  the  people  to  interfere  in  the  appointment  of  their  office- 
 bearers, to  a  certain  extent.  In  many  churches,  they  have 
 been  deprived  of  that  right ;  but  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles, 
 and  for  a  long  time  after,  they  possessed  and  exercised  the 
 privilege  of  electing  the  persons  who  were  to  preside  over 
 them  in  the  Lord.  But  the  limits  of  this  right  are  defined 
 with  the  greatest  exactness  ;  so  as  to  shew  that  it  does  not 
 recognize  any  portion  of  authority  as  vested  in  the  people, 
 and  far  less  represents  them  as  the  depositaries  of  all  ecclesi- 
 astical power.  The  account  which  Luke  gives  of  the  election 
 of  deacons,  is  so  expressed,  as  if  it  had  been  intended  to  guard 
 against  the  principles  of  Independents  :  "  Look  ye  out  among 
 you  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
 wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business."*  The 
 people  were  called  upon  to  choose  persons  whom  they  judged 
 
 •  Acts  vi.  3. 
 
.  DBPZND1  Y. 
 
 U>  be  qualified,  and  in  whom  they  could  confide  ;  and  it  was  the 
 more  necessary  that  they  should  be  consulted  in  the  election, 
 becanjN  there  had  been  dissatisfaction  in  consequence  of  the 
 former  management  of  the  poor.  This,  however,  was  a  simple 
 nomination,  and  here  their  power  terminated.  They  could 
 not  invest  the  persons  with  the  office,  and  give  them  autho- 
 rity to  discharge  its  duties.  This  was  the  prerogative  of  the 
 Apostles  ;  it  was  their  province  to  "  appoint  them  over  this 
 business."  In  other  words,  it  appears  from  this  account,  that 
 official  power  is  not  derived  from  the  people,  but  from  those 
 who  are  already  in  office. 
 
 I  shall  here  quote  a  passage  from  the  writings  of  the  cele- 
 brated Dr  Owen,  who  was  an  Independent,  but  has  admitted 
 principles  on  the  subject  of  church  government,  which  are 
 more  congenial  to  the  views  of  a  professed  Presbyterian.  In 
 his  True  Nature  of  a  Gospel  Church,  after  having  shewn  that 
 Christ  has  instituted  offices  in  his  church ;  that  he  qualifies 
 persons  for  them  ;  that  he  communicates  power  to  them  by 
 their  call  and  ordination,  and  commands  the  church  to  be 
 subject  to  them  ;  he  adds,  "  By  these  ways  and  means  doth 
 the  Lord  Christ  communicate  office-power  unto  them  that  are 
 called  thereunto  ;  whereon  they  become,  not  the  officers  or 
 ministers  of  men,  no,  not  of  the  church,  as  unto  the  actings 
 and  exercise  of  their  authority,  but  only  as  the  good  and 
 edification  of  the  church  is  the  end  of  it ;  but  the  officers  and 
 ministers  of  Christ  himself.  It  is  hence  evident  that,  in  the 
 communication  of  church  power  in  office,  unto  any  persons 
 called  thereunto,  the  work  and  duty  of  the  church  consists 
 formally  in  acts  of  obedience  unto  the  commands  of  Christ. 
 Hence,  it  doth  not  give  unto  such  officers  a  powrer  or  authority 
 which  was  formally  and  actually  in  the  body  of  the  commu- 
 nity, by  virtue  of  any  grant  or  law  of  Christ,  so  as  that  they 
 should  receive  and  act  the  power  of  the  church,  by  virtue  of 
 a  delegation  from  them ;  but  only  they  design,  choose,  and  set 
 apart  the  individual  persons,  who  are  thereon  intrusted  with 
 office-power  by  Christ  himself,  according  as  was  before  de- 
 clared. This  is  the  power  and  right  given  unto  the  church, 
 essentially  considered,  with  respect  unto  their  officers,  namely, 
 to  design,  call,  choose,  and  set  apart  the  persons,  by  the  ways 
 vol.  iv.  z 
 
354  GOVERNMENT  OF   THE  CHURCH  : 
 
 of  Christ's  appointment,  unto  those  offices,  whereunto,  by  his 
 laws,  he  hath  annexed  church  power  and  authority."  *  He 
 says  again,  in  another  part  of  the  same  work,  speaking  of  the 
 election  of  the  pastors  and  rulers  by  the  people,  "  This  choice 
 or  election  doth  not  communicate  a  power  from  them  that 
 choose,  unto  them  that  are  chosen,  as  though  such  a  power 
 as  that  whereunto  they  are  called  should  be  formally  inherent 
 in  the  choosers,  antecedent  unto  such  a  choice.  For  this  would 
 make  those  that  are  chosen  to  be  their  ministers  only,  and  to 
 act  all  things  in  their  name,  and  by  virtue  of  authority  derived 
 from  them.  It  is  only  an  instrumental,  ministerial  means,  to 
 instate  them  in  that  power  and  authority  which  is  given  unto 
 such  officers  by  the  constitution  and  laws  of  Christ,  whose 
 ministers  they  thereon  are.  These  gifts,  offices,  and  officers, 
 being  granted  by  Christ  unto  the  churches,  wherever  there 
 is  a  church  called  according  to  his  mind,  they  do,  in  and 
 by  their  choice  of  them,  submit  themselves  unto  them  in 
 the  Lord,  according  to  all  the  powers  and  duties  wherewith 
 they  are  by  him  intrusted,  and  whereunto  they  are  called."  t 
 These  quotations  are  long,  but  they  are  important ;  and  have 
 the  greater  weight,  as  coming  from  an  avowed  Independent, 
 who,  in  learning,  piety,  and  profound  knowledge  of  the 
 Scriptures,  was  never  surpassed  by  any  of  his  brethren. 
 They  contain  the  essential  principles  of  Presbytery,  and  shew 
 that,  when  such  a  man  dispassionately  examined  the  Scrip- 
 tures, he  found  in  them  the  elements  of  that  system  of 
 government  which  our  church  has  adopted. 
 
 There  are  other  arguments  by  which  we  prove  that  power 
 is  not  lodged  in  the  members  of  the  church,  and  by  them 
 imparted  to  its  office-bearers ;  but  that  the  latter  derive  it 
 immediately  from  Christ.  When  Paul  says,  that  Christ  has 
 given  to  his  church  "  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  work  of 
 the  ministry,  and  the  edifying  of  his  body,"t  it  certainly 
 would  not  occur  to  a  person  whose  mind  was  not  biassed  by 
 previous  notions,  that  his  meaning  is,  that  Christ  has  given 
 power  to  the  church  to  create  such  ministers  by  its  own  deed. 
 The  words  would  naturally  suggest,    that  the  church  and 
 
 *  Owen's  True  Nature  of  a  Gospel  Church,  chap.  iii.  p.  39. 
 +  lb.  chap.  iv.  p.  77-  $  Eph.  iv.  11,  12. 
 
I 
 
 the  minis!  listinct  from  each  other ;  that   the  church  is 
 
 merely  th  for  whose  benefit  provision  was  to  be  made  : 
 
 that  the  Head  of  the  church  has  manifested  his  attention  to 
 its  interests,  by  appointing  persons  to  instruct  and  govern  it  j 
 and  that  the  rights  and  prerogatives  of  its  affic  -  ema- 
 
 nate directly  from  himself.  No  man,  when  he  was  told  that 
 a  king  had  appointed  the  governor  of  the  province,  would 
 conclude  that  the  governor  was  appointed  by  the  people,  and 
 no  power  but  what  they  had  conferred  upon  him. 
 "  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first,  Apostles  ;  seconda- 
 rily, prophets  ;  thirdly,  teachers  ;  after  that,  miracles  ;  then 
 gifts  of  healing,  helps,  governments,  diversities  of  tongues."* 
 While  this  passage  suggests  that  teachers  are  set  in  the 
 church,  not  by  the  people,  but  by  God,  and  the  word  govern- 
 ment, which  is  the  abstract  for  the  concrete,  imports,  that 
 there  is  authority  to  be  exercised,  8S  well  as  knowledge  to  be 
 communicated,  it  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  God  is  said 
 to  hai  r   in   the   church;"  not   all,   but   a    certain 
 
 number  of  persons,  for  the  various  purposes  mentioned.  But 
 how  does  this  comport  with  the  principles  of  Independents, 
 according  to  whom  all  possess  an  original  right  to  govern ;  all 
 do  actually  govern,  as  no  cause  can  be  decided  but  by  the 
 suffrages  of  the  church  ;  and  those  who  bear  official  names  are, 
 in  fact,  as  subject  to  its  authority  as  others ;  for  as  it  made, 
 so  it  can  unmake  them  at  its  pleasure?  In  an  Independent 
 church  all  are  governors,  and  there  are  none  to  be  governed 
 but  the  individuals  who  have  done  something  which  has 
 brought  them  under  the  cognizance  of  their  brethren,  and 
 exposed  them  to  censure. 
 
 I  shall  only  add,  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of  persons  in 
 the  church,  whom  it  calls  pastors,  overseers,  leaders,  elders 
 who  rule ;  and  that  it  calls  upon  the  members  to  "  know"  or 
 acknowledge  them,  to  "  submit"  to  them,  to  "  obey  them," 
 to  "  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love,  for  their  work's  sake," 
 and  to  "  count  them  worthy  of  double  honour." f  The  titles 
 of  the  office-bearers  import  authority  :  but  they  would  be 
 merely  titles  of  honour  and  emptv  sounds,  if  all  power  were 
 I  in  the  people,  and  the  nominal  rulers  were  their  §er- 
 •  1  Cor.  xii.  '.'8.         f  1  The?*,  v.  12.  13.     Heb.  xiii.  17.     1  Tim.  v.  17. 
 
356  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  i 
 
 vants,  whom  they  had  a  right  to  control.  The  duty  of  the 
 people  would  be  confined  to  sentiments  of  affection,  and  an 
 external  show  of  respect.  According  to  the  Independent 
 system,  they  owe  no  obedience  to  their  rulers,  who  are,  in 
 fact,  such  only  in  name,  as  the  people  retain  the  rule  in  their 
 own  hands.  How  shall  they  obey  those  who  can  issue  no 
 command,  and  submit  to  those  who  have  no  authority  to 
 exercise  ?  The  language  of  Scripture  is  absolutely  unmean- 
 ing, if  all  power  resides  in  the  people  ;  but  is  perfectly  intel- 
 ligible upon  the  Presbyterian  plan,  which  clearly  distinguishes 
 between  the  governors  and  the  governed. 
 
 To  this  reasoning,  Independents  oppose  some  passages  of 
 Scripture  which  seem  to  them  to  recognize  a  power  of  govern- 
 ment and  discipline  in  the  body  of  the  people.  Thus,  our 
 Lord  says,  "  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go 
 and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone  :  if  he  shall 
 hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not 
 hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the 
 mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  establish- 
 ed. And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
 church  :  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto 
 thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican."  *  The  ultimate  ap- 
 peal, say  Independents,  is  to  the  church,  and  by  the  assem- 
 bled church  the  offender  is  judged  and  excommunicated.  Let 
 it  be  observed,  that  when  these  words  were  spoken,  the 
 Christian  church  was  not  founded ;  and  that,  consequently, 
 they  would  have  been  unintelligible  to  the  disciples,  unless 
 they  had  alluded  to  some  mode  of  proceeding  with  which  they 
 were  acquainted.  Now,  I  think  that  no  dispassionate  person 
 can  doubt  that  the  allusion  is  to  the  Jewish  synagogue,  the 
 constitution  of  which  bore  a  close  resemblance  to  that  of  a 
 Presbyterian  congregation.  It  was  composed  of  two  classes 
 of  persons, — the  people,  who  met  together  to  hear  the  law 
 rezd  and  expounded,  and  the  rulers,  who  presided  over  this 
 assembly.  The  latter  are  frequently  mentioned  in  the  New 
 Testament ;  and  we  learn  from  the  writings  of  the  Jews,  that 
 their  office  consisted  in  teaching  and  governing,  and  that  the 
 government  comprehended  the  regulation  of  all  the  ordinary 
 
 •  Matth.  xviii.  15 — 17. 
 
rCT  AND  1  BRT.  35  7 
 
 sdingi  of  the  synagogue,  die  ears  of  the  poor,  and  the 
 judging  and  excommunicating  of  offenders.      "  Tell  it," 
 Christ,  "  t<>  the  church,"  in  the  same  way  in  which  such 
 i  arc  told  to  the  synagogue;  thai  is,  fc  bring  it  before  the 
 
 rulers  of  the  church,  that  they  may  deal  with  the  obstinate 
 brother,  and  expel  him  if  he  will  not  submit.'  If  our  Lord 
 intended  to  pre  a  rule  for  the  future  conduct  of  his  disciples 
 when  his  church  should  be  established,  he  plainly  signified 
 that  the  mode  of  treating  offenders  should  be  taken  from  the 
 model  of  the  synagogue  ;  and  his  words,  instead  of  favouring 
 the  Independent  notion,  that  the  people  are  the  depositories 
 of  power,  import  that  it  is  vested  in  the  rulers  alone,  and  that 
 to  them  exclusively  the  government  belongs.  Thus  the 
 pa—ige  is  in  unison  with  those  from  which  it  has  appeared, 
 that  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  were  granted  to  the 
 Apostles,  and  their  successors  in  the  care  of  the  church.  * 
 
 The  other  passage  which  seems  to  recognize  the  power  of 
 the  people,  is  in  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  when, 
 speaking  of  the  incestuous  person,  the  Apostle  commands 
 them,  "  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  they 
 were  gathered  together,  and  his  spirit,  with  the  power  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  deliver  him  unto  Satan  for  the  destruc- 
 tion of  the  flesh."  f  And  in  the  second  Epistle,  he  speaks  of 
 this  punishment  as  "  having  been  inflicted  by  many."  t  I*  *s 
 worthy  of  attention,  that  from  this  case,  which  was  evidently 
 peculiar,  no  legitimate  inference  can  be  drawn  respecting  the 
 ordinary  procedure  of  the  church.  The  Corinthians  had 
 neglected  to  do  their  duty,  and  Paul,  interposing  by  his 
 apostolical  authority,  pronounced  a  sentence,  and  called  upon 
 them  to  execute  it.  It  was  Paul,  and  not  the  Corinthians, 
 who  excommunicated  the  incestuous  man  ;  and  their  office 
 consisted  in  publishing  the  sentence  in  their  assembly,  and 
 acting  conformably  to  it,  by  excluding  him  from  their  fellow- 
 ship. There  is  no  recognition  of  power  in  that  church  to  judge 
 and  censure  ;  their  business  was  merely  ministerial.  This  I 
 consider  as  the  proper  explanation  of  the  passage,  which,  thus 
 viewed,  gives  no  countenance  to  Independents.  The  com- 
 mon answer,  however,  is  satisfactory  ;  that,  on  the  supposi- 
 
 •  Viiringa  de  Synagogo  Vetera,  96,  734.         +  1  Cor.  v.   1.        $1  Cor.  ii.  6. 
 
358  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  ! 
 
 tion  that  the  sentence  was  pronounced  by  the  Corinthians,  the 
 address  to  the  whole  church  does  not  necessarily  imply  that 
 they  were  all  judicially  concerned,  because  there  are  many 
 examples  of  addresses  to  a  whole  society  or  people,  when 
 only  a  part  is  intended,  or  only  the  rulers.  The  congrega- 
 tion of  Israel  is  said  to  have  done  what  was  certainly  done 
 only  by  persons  in  authority,  and  the  people  are  spoken  to 
 as  chargeable  with  sins  which  their  rulers  alone  had  commit- 
 ted. In  such  cases,  we  must  ascertain  from  circumstances 
 what  persons  are  meant ;  and  the  case  before  us  must  be  ex- 
 plained consistently  with  other  passages  which  appropriate 
 power  to  the  governors  of  the  church.  At  the  same  time,  it 
 should  be  remembered  that  all  the  members  of  the  church  had 
 a  part  to  act  in  the  excommunication  of  the  offender,  not 
 however  as  judges  ;  but  they  were  all  bound  to  concur  in  the 
 sentence,  and  to  testify  their  approbation  of  it  by  refusing  to 
 associate  with  him.  Thus  the  punishment  was,  in  the  most 
 emphatic  sense,  inflicted  by  many. 
 
 I  proceed  to  consider  the  last  principle  of  Independency, 
 That  all  acts  of  government  are  performed  in  a  single  congre- 
 gation, ultimately,  and  without  appeal  to  a  superior  assembly. 
 Presbyterians  maintain  that  there  is  a  subordination  of  courts, 
 and  a  right  of  appeal  from  an  inferior  to  a  superior  court. 
 This  seems  to  be  a  fair  deduction  from  what  we  have  already 
 established  concerning  the  union  of  several  congregations  in 
 one  church.  Being  separate  assemblies,  each  of  which  pos- 
 sesses its  own  rulers,  they  can  be  considered  as  one  only, 
 because  they  are  united  under  one  general  government ;  and 
 there  are  two  ways  in  which  their  union  may  be  effected, 
 namely,  by  their  being  placed  under  a  bishop,  or  under  a 
 presbytery.  We  have  proved  that,  in  the  Apostolic  age, 
 there  were  no  bishops,  in  the  modern  sense  of  the  word  ;  and 
 it  follows  that  the  Church  of  Jerusalem,  in  which  there  were 
 many  assemblies,  was  governed  by  the  common  council  of  its 
 presbyters.  Each  assembly  regulated  its  own  ordinary  affairs ; 
 but  when  any  extraordinary  case  arose,  or  any  difficulty  oc- 
 curred, it  was  referred  to  that  council,  and  decided  by  its 
 authority.  No  reasonable  objection  can  be  made  to  this  view 
 of  the  subject ;  and  if  it  be  admitted  to  be  just,  the  principle 
 
i\i)Ki'i:\r>i:\(  1  BB1 . 
 
 ivcn  up  that  a  single  congregation  possesses  in  itself 
 all  the  powers  of  government,  and  is  independent  of  all  other 
 congregations  in  the  world. 
 
 This  argument  would  hold  good  although  we  should  not  he 
 able  to  produce  from  Scripture,  proof  of  an  appeal  from  an  inte- 
 rior to  a  superior  court.  But  Presbyterians  think  that  they  are 
 furnished  with  an  example  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts, 
 and  that,  by  the  transaction  there  recorded,  the  lawfulness  of 
 courts  of  review  is  clearly  established.  I  shall  examine  that 
 passage  of  Scripture,  and  shew  you  what  countenance  it  girefl 
 to  the  plan  of  ecclesiastical  government  which  we  have  adopted. 
 
 Some  persons  from  Judea  had  taught  the  brethren  in  An- 
 tioch, that  "  unless  they  were  circumcised  after  the  manner 
 of  Mo>e>,  they  could  not  be  saved."  '  As  this  doctrine  was 
 subversive  of  the  gospel,  Paul  and  Barnabas  opposed  them, 
 and  much  contention  ensued.  It  was  found  impossible  to 
 settle  the  controversy,  even  by  the  authority  of  Paul,  to  whom 
 the  false  teachers  refused  to  submit ;  and  it  was  therefore  de- 
 termined to  refer  it  to  the  Apostles  and  elders  in  Jerusalem. 
 Besides,  it  was  not  a  local  controversy,  arising  from  the  pe- 
 culiar circumstances  of  the  place,  but  might  be  agitated  in 
 any  other  city  or  district  where  the  Jews  resided  ;  and  for 
 this  reason,  prudence  required  that  it  should  be  finally  decided 
 in  a  higher  assembly  than  that  of  the  rulers  of  Antioch,  an 
 liariuiahly  which  would  command  the  respect  and  obedience  of 
 all  the  churches  in  the  world.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it 
 might  have  been  determined  in  Antioch,  in  which,  besides 
 Paul  and  Barnabas,  both  men  of  high  rank  in  the  church, 
 there  were  prophets  and  teachers  competent  to  manage  such 
 affairs ;  but  the  opposing  party  was  refractory,  and  there  was 
 no  hope  of  reducing  them  to  silence  except  by  the  sentence 
 of  a  court  from  which  there  was  no  appeal. 
 
 Ir  was  resolved  that  "  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  certain  others 
 of  them  should  go  up  to  Jerusalem  unto  the  Apostles  and 
 elders  about  this  question."!  Whether  these  were  delegates 
 from  the  other  churches  of  Syria,  and  from  those  of  Cilicia, 
 in  which  this  controversy  was  agitated,  does  not  appear.  If 
 it  should  be  denied  that  any  such  were  present,  became  no 
 •  Acts  xv.  1.  f  lb.  2. 
 
360  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH: 
 
 specific  mention  is  made  of  them,  those  who  are  most  concerned 
 to  prove  their  absence,  lest  the  meeting  in  Jerusalem  should 
 turn  out  to  be  a  representative  assembly,  will  be  involved  in 
 an  inextricable  difficulty.  It  is  evident,  that  in  the  present  case, 
 there  was  not  merely  a  reference  for  advice,  but  submission  to 
 a  sentence  :  and  how  the  elders  of  Jerusalem  could  have  a 
 right  to  legislate  for  the  church  of  Antioch,  it  is  impossible 
 for  Independents  upon  their  own  principles  to  explain.  One 
 Independent  church  may  apply  to  another  for  advice,  but  it  still 
 retains  the  power  to  receive  or  reject  it.  The  church  to  which 
 the  application  is  made,  may  give  counsel  to  the  other,  but 
 has  no  authority  to  enforce  it.  We  shall  find  that  something 
 very  different  took  place  on  the  occasion  now  before  us. 
 
 It  has  been  said  that  the  reason  for  referring  this  cause  to 
 the  Church  of  Jerusalem,  was  that  the  Apostles  were  there, 
 who  were  inspired  men,  and  could  decide  this  question  by  in- 
 fallible authority,  and  that  this  was  the  ground  of  the  submis- 
 sion of  other  churches  to  their  sentence.  But  this  supposition 
 is  of  no  avail  to  the  cause  of  Independency,  because  it  appears 
 not  to  be  founded  in  truth.  First,  if  it  had  been  the  wish  of 
 the  Church  of  Antioch,  that  the  dispute  should  be  terminated 
 by  the  authority  of  inspiration,  there  was  no  reason  for  sending 
 to  Jerusalem,  as  Paul  was  among  them,  who  was  not  behind 
 the  chief  of  the  Apostles,  and  Barnabas,  who  was  endowed 
 with  supernatural  gifts  ;  and  there  were  also  prophets,  as  we 
 are  informed  in  the  fourteenth  chapter,  who  enjoyed  the  mira- 
 culous assistance  of  the  Spirit.  Their  decision  would  have 
 been  infallible,  and  it  would  have  been  the  duty  of  all  parties 
 to  acquiesce  in  it.  Secondly,  if  it  should  be  said,  that  although 
 there  were  inspired  men  in  Antioch,  yet  parties  had  run  so 
 high,  and  such  prejudices  had  been  conceived,  that  a  decision 
 there  would  not  have  had  the  effect  to  settle  the  peace  of  the 
 church,  and  that  this  was  the  cause  of  the  reference  to  Jeru- 
 salem ;  I  observe,  that  while  this  is  probably  a  true  statement 
 of  the  case,  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  reference  was  made 
 to  the  Apostles  as  infallible  judges.  The  reason  of  this  alle- 
 gation is,  that  it  was  made  at  the  same  time  to  the  elders  who 
 were  not  inspired.  If  the  Apostles  were  consulted  as  oracles, 
 why  were  the  elders  also  consulted  who  were   not  oracles  ? 
 
S  DEN  CI     \\:>   PRBSBYTER1  .  :>lil 
 
 What  righl  had  they  to  interfere  in  a  lentence proceeding  from 
 
 the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  (ihost?  Were  the  Christians  in 
 Antioch  so  ignorant,  as  to  confound  two  classes  of  persons 
 totally  dissimilar,  and  to  assign  to  both  equal  authority  ? 
 If  the  Apostles  spoke  by  inspiration,  the  elders  must  have  been 
 silent,  and  they  had  only  to  submit,  like  the  parties  who  had 
 made  the  appeal.  Nothing  however  is  more  evident  than 
 that  the  elders  were  considered  as  judges,  as  well  as  the  Apos- 
 tles. Thirdly,  when  the  question  came  to  be  discussed,  the 
 assembly  proceeded  not  in  the  way  of  authority,  but  by  reason- 
 ing. No  person  rose  and  pronounced  an  oracular  sentence  ; 
 but  first  one  Apostle  stood  up,  and  then  another,  and  drew 
 from  passages  of  Scripture  a  conclusion  in  which  all  present 
 acquiesced.  The  business  was  conducted  in  the  same  manner 
 as  in  other  assemblies.  Every  member  had  liberty  to  give 
 his  opinion,  and  that  which  was  supported  by  solid  arguments 
 was  adopted. 
 
 But  although  the  Christians  of  Antioch  did  not  send  to 
 Jerusalem,  to  obtain  a  decision  of  the  question  by  inspiration, 
 they  sought  something  more  than  an  advice.  They  submitted 
 the  controversy  to  an  authority  in  which  they  were  bound  to 
 acquiesce ;  and,  accordingly,  the  assembly  did  not  give  them  a 
 counsel,  but  issued  a  decree;  so  their  sentence  is  called  in  the 
 next  chapter,  and  the  word  thus  translated  is  the  same  which 
 is  used  to  express  the  authoritative  mandates  of  superiors. 
 The  decree  of  Caesar  Augustus  that  all  the  world  should  be 
 taxed,  is  called  by  the  same  name,  co^na  ;  and  it  is  twice  em- 
 ployed to  denote  the  ordinances  of  the  Mosaic  law.  The 
 matters  contained  in  the  decree  are  termed  necessary  things, 
 things  which  the  churches  were  not  simply  advised,  but  com- 
 manded to  observe.  The  obligation  of  the  decree  upon  the 
 Christians  of  Antioch,  and  not  upon  them  alone,  but  upon  all 
 the  churches  of  Syria  and  Cilicia,  and  throughout  the  world, 
 could  not  arise  from  the  authority  of  the  elders  of  Jerusalem, 
 even  although  it  had  been  strengthened  by  the  suffrages  of  the 
 people,  according  to  the  principles  of  either  Independents  or 
 Presbyterians.  Neither  will  acknowledge  the  right  of  one 
 church  to  dictate  to  another,  its  equal  in  power  and  privileges. 
 And  the  eagerness  of  Independents  to  make  us  believe,  that 
 
362 
 
 GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH 
 
 the  question  was  determined  in  a  church  meeting,  in  their 
 sense  of  the  term,  only  serves  to  embarrass  them  the  more ; 
 for  how  could  the  members  of  one  church  issue  a  decree,  which 
 should  be  binding  upon  all  Christian  churches  ?  The  fact, 
 however,  presents  no  difficulty  to  us.  There  were  present  on 
 this  occasion,  not  only  the  elders  of  Jerusalem,  but  probably 
 deputies  from  the  other  churches,  which  were  interested  in  the 
 controversy  ;  and  some  suppose  these  to  be  meant  by  the 
 brethren,  mentioned  in  the  superscription  of  the  decree.  As 
 this  point  is  doubtful,  I  shall  not  insist  upon  it,  nor  is  it  neces- 
 sary to  the  argument.  Besides  the  elders,  the  Apostles  were 
 members  of  the  council,  and  their  presence  was  sufficient  to 
 constitute  it  an  Ecumenical  one,  and  to  render  its  decrees 
 universally  binding.  We  have,  indeed,  said  that  they  did  not 
 act  by  inspiration  in  pronouncing  the  sentence ;  but  they  did 
 not  therefore  sink  down  to  a  level  with  the  other  members. 
 Although  they  reasoned  in  concert  with  them,  and  on  other 
 occasions  assumed  the  designation  of  presbyters  or  elders,  and 
 joined  with  the  ordinary  pastors  and  rulers  in  administering 
 the  affairs  of  the  church,  they  never  did  nor  could  divest 
 themselves  of  their  apostolical  character.  They  had  at  all 
 times  the  care  of  all  the  churches,  and  on  every  public  occa- 
 sion, acted  in  behalf  of  them  all.  In  this  council  they  were 
 considered  as  Apostles  ;  and  consequently,  if  deputies  from 
 other  churches  were  not  present,  the  Apostles  supplied  their 
 place,  being  the  representatives  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
 Thus  the  meeting  in  Jerusalem  became  a  general  council, 
 which  had  a  right  to  give  law  to  the  disciples  of  Christ  in  every 
 region  of  the  earth. 
 
 It  is  objected  by  Independents,  that  this  meeting  did  not 
 resemble  a  Presbyterian  synod,  in  which  only  ministers  and 
 elders  have  a  right  to  deliberate  and  judge  ;  for  that  the  people 
 also  took  a  part  in  the  business.  "  The  Apostles  and  elders, 
 with  the  whole  church,  were  pleased  to  send  chosen  men  of 
 their  own  company  to  Antioch ;"  the  letter  is  superscribed  by 
 "  the  Apostles,  elders,  and  brethren,"  and  "  all  the  multitude 
 kept  silence,  and  gave  audience  to  Barnabas  and  Paul."  But 
 "  the  multitude"  can  mean  only  the  people  who  had  convened 
 to  witness  the  proceedings,  and  who  listened  to  the  narrative 
 
INDKl".  I      \M>    l'l  1  . 
 
 with  profound  attention.     The  "  whole  church,"  or  the  whole 
 
 assembly)  must  signify  only  the  person*  present,  who  could 
 be  bttl  ;i  part  tf  the  church  properly  so  called,  which  we  have 
 seen   consisted   of  many  thousands;  and  consequently,   even 
 upon   the  principles  of  Independents,   they  have  no  judicial 
 authority.       The   "  brethren"  have   been   understood  to  be 
 other  ministers  of  the  word  ;  but,   admitting   that  they  were 
 the  people,  we  can  rationally  conceive  nothing  more  to  be  in- 
 tended, than  that  they  concurred  in  the  decree,    and  signified 
 their  consent  to  the  foreign  churches  as  a  means  of  obtaining 
 their  acquiescence  ;   in   the  same   manner  as   the  laity  were 
 sometimes  permitted,  in  ancient  times,  to  subscribe  the  decrees 
 of  councils,    in   order  to   testify  their  approbation  of  them.  * 
 This  is  the  conclusion  to  which  we  must  come,   if  we  atten- 
 tively and  candidly  consider  the  whole  history  of  this  meeting, 
 and   would   render  one  part   consistent   with   another.      The 
 reference  from   Antioch  was  not   made  to  the  whole  body  of 
 believers  in  Jerusalem,   but  to  the  Apostles  and  elders ;  it  is 
 expressly  stated  that  "  the  Apostles  and  elders  came  together 
 to  consider  the  matter,"  and  the  multitude  are  only  incident- 
 ally mentioned  as  present ;  and,   although  the  brethren  are 
 conjoined  with  them  in  the  beginning  of  the  letter  sent  to  the 
 churches,   yet  when  delivered  to  them,  it  is  called  the  decree, 
 exclusively  of  the   Apostles  and  elders.     It  is  worthy  of  at- 
 tention,  too,   that  we  do  not  find  a  single  member  of  the 
 church  taking  part  in  the  discussion.     From  these  particulars, 
 it  seems  to  be  a  necessary  conclusion,   that  the  people  had  no 
 concern  in  the  discussion  and  determination  of  the  question  ; 
 and  that,  although  the  church  and  the  brethren  are  afterwards 
 brought  forward  to  view,   their  appearance  being  posterior  to 
 the  sentence,  can  reasonably  be  understood  to  import  only 
 their  approbation  of  it.     This  explanation  will  recommend 
 itself  to  a  candid  inquirer,   because  it  harmonizes  the  different 
 parts  of  the  narrative ;  whereas,   the  opposite  opinion  repre- 
 -  Luke  as  writing  in   a  careless  and  inaccurate  manner, 
 while,  in  the  succ  ;eps  of  the  process,  he  studiously  ex- 
 
 cludes the  people  from  the  office  of  judges,  and  then  abruptly 
 admits  them  at  the  close. 
 
 •   Gmtii  Annotat.  ad  Acta  ApostoL  xv.  22. 
 
364  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 If  any  of  you  should  be  of  opinion  that  the  assembly  in 
 Jerusalem  has  not  been  proved  to  be  conformable  in  every 
 point  to  a  Presbyterian  synod,  we  would  say  to  him,  that  we 
 do  not  pretend  to  trace  a  perfect  similarity,  but  that  we  have 
 established  the  principle  upon  which  such  synods  are  founded. 
 There  was,  in  this  case,  a  reference  from  an  inferior  to  a  su- 
 perior assembly,  and  the  design  was  to  obtain,  not  a  simple 
 advice,  but  an  authoritative  decision.  We  have,  therefore, 
 apostolical  example  for  courts  of  review.  The  transaction 
 clearly  recognizes  the  system  of  subordination,  and  justifies 
 the  transference  of  a  cause  from  the  consistory,  or  session  of  a 
 particular  congregation  to  a  presbytery,  and  from  a  presby- 
 tery to  an  assembly  of  presbyteries,  which  the  Greeks  call  a 
 synod,  and  the  Latins  a  council.  And  thus  we  have  disproved 
 the  last  principle  of  Independency,  that  all  acts  of  government 
 are  performed  in  a  single  congregation,  ultimately,  and  with- 
 out appeal. 
 
 The  advantage,  and  even  the  necessity  of  courts  of  review 
 have  been  acknowledged  by  some  enlightened  Independents  ; 
 and  Dr  Owen,  the  brightest  ornament  of  the  party,  has  not 
 hesitated  to  declare,  that  a  church,  meaning  a  single  congre- 
 gation, cannot  always  perform  its  duty  to  Christ  and  the  Ca- 
 tholic Church  by  its  intrinsic  powers  ;  that,  in  attempting  to 
 do  so,  it  cuts  itself  off  from  the  communion  of  the  church  uni- 
 versal, and  that  it  would  not  be  safe  for  any  man  to  commit 
 himself  to  its  care.*  When  this  passage  was,  sometime  ago, 
 brought  under  the  notice  of  the  public,!  it  gave  great  offence 
 to  Independents,  who  were  not  aware  that  it  was  to  be  found 
 in  his  writings,  and  would  willingly,  if  they  could,  have  dis- 
 puted its  genuineness,  because  it  aims  a  mortal  blow  at  their 
 scheme.  But  so  he  thought,  and  so  every  man  who  takes  a  dis- 
 passionate view  of  the  subject  will  think.  Modern  Independ- 
 ents partially  acknowledge  its  truth  in  their  practice,  for  the 
 associations  which  are  generally  established  among  them, 
 are  an  imitation  of  our  presbyteries  and  synods.  They  pro- 
 fess, indeed,  to  have  no  authority  over  the  churches,  of  the 
 delegates  from  which  they  are  composed,   and   to  meet  solely 
 
 •  Owen's  True  Nature  of  a  Gospel  Church,  chap.  xi. 
 -f-  Lectures  on  the  Acts,   lect.  xvi. 
 
lNDi  BBT.  3d  j 
 
 to  consult  about  their  affairs,  and  to  give  them  BO  advice  ;  bat 
 the  power  which  they  disclaim  in  words,  they  exercise  in  fact  ; 
 for,  if  any  church  does  not  consent  to  what  has  been  agreed 
 upon,  it  is,  I  understand,  cut  off  from  their  communion. 
 
 There  are  some  weighty  objections  which  may  be  urged 
 against  the  Independent  system.  First,  It  destroys  the  visible 
 unity  of  the  church,  by  frittering  it  away  into  a  multitude  of 
 little  societies,  separate  and  unconnected.  It  is  a  matter  of 
 lamentation  to  good  men,  that  Christians  are  divided  into  so 
 many  parties,  which  have  no  intercourse  with  each  other;  but 
 this  state  of  things  is  the  consequence  of  imperfect  views  of 
 the  truth,  of  prejudice,  passion,  and  secular  interests  ;  and  all 
 acknowledge  that  it  is  not  as  it  ought  to  be.  But  Independ- 
 ency upon  principle  parcels  out  the  followers  of  Christ  into 
 distinct  portions,  and  pronounces  their  incorporation  into  one 
 body  to  be  contrary  to  Scripture.  Instead  of  exhibiting  the 
 church  as  the  one  kingdom  of  Christ,  it  distributes  it  into 
 an  endless  variety  of  little  republics.  Secondly,  It  lodges 
 the  power  of  managing  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  incompe- 
 tent hands.  Men  may  be  qualified  to  be  members  of  a  Chris- 
 tian society,  who  are  altogether  unfit  to  be  rulers.  The  grace 
 of  God  may  exist  in  a  mind  which  has  received  no  culture 
 from  education,  and  is  very  scantily  endowed  with  natural 
 gifts.  A  person  may  know  the  truth  by  Divine  illumination, 
 so  as  to  believe  and  love  it,  and  may  know  the  wickedness  and 
 deceitfulness  of  his  own  heart,  who  is  very  imperfectly  ac- 
 quainted with  the  characters,  and  tempers,  and  ways  of  men. 
 There  is  an  absurdity  in  supposing  that  day-labourers,  who 
 perhaps  can  hardly  read  ;  domestic  servants,  who  are  so  much 
 engaged  from  morning  to  night,  that  they  can,  with  difficulty, 
 find  time  to  look  into  the  Bible  ;  and  women,  living  in  a  state 
 of  seclusion,  or  holding  intercourse  only  with  persons  as  ill- 
 informed  as  themselves,  are  proper  persons  to  discuss  and 
 determine  the  intricate  cases  which  may  come  before  a  church. 
 The  Presbyterian  plan  is  evidently  more  rational,  which  com- 
 mits the  government  to  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  elders 
 chosen  for  their  superior  knowledge,  and  prudence,  and  expe- 
 rience. Lastly,  It  provides  no  means  for  determining  con- 
 troversies.     If  the  members  of  an    Independent  congregation 
 
366  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 differ  in  opinion,  they  must  wrangle  on  without  the  prospect 
 of  an  end,  or  must  withdraw  from  each  other,  and  set  up  se- 
 parate churches.  In  this  way  their  disputes  frequently  ter- 
 minate, and  not  seldom  they  have  kept  their  churches  in  an 
 agitated  state  for  many  weeks  and  months.  In  our  church 
 courts,  unanimity  is  more  likely  to  be  obtained  ;  if  the  deci- 
 sion of  one  court  does  not  give  satisfaction,  a  cause  can  be 
 brought  under  the  review  of  another.  There  is,  besides,  a 
 greater  probability  of  candid  investigation  and  impartial  deci- 
 sion, as  the  judges  are  not  immediately  interested  ;  and  while 
 all  questions  are  submitted  to  the  rulers,  the  minds  of  the 
 members  are  left  in  peace. 
 
LECTURE  C. 
 
 ON*  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 JllT.ERS  OF  THE  CHURCH EXTRAORDINARY  OFFICE-BEARERS  :    APOSTLES, 
 
 PROPHETS,    AND   EVANGELISTS. ORDINARY  OFFICE-BEARERS   :    PASTOR  ; 
 
 HIS  DUTIES  : TEACHER  OR  DOCTOR  ;  HIS  DUTIES  : DEACONS  : RUI  INc. 
 
 ELDERS  ;    WARRANT   FOR   THEM  ;    THEIR  DUTIES. 
 
 I  have  endeavoured  to  shew  you,  from  the  Scriptures,  what 
 form  of  government  Jesus  Christ  has  prescribed  to  his  church, 
 and  it  has  appeared,  I  trust,  that  we  find  in  them  the  outlines 
 of  the  Presbyterian  plan.  It  is  acknowledged  that  it  is  not 
 so  fully  detailed  as  the  plan  given  to  the  Jewish  Church, 
 which  contains  a  minute  account  of  the  tabernacle,  of  its  ser- 
 vices, of  the  persons  who  alone  had  a  right  to  minister  in  it,  and, 
 in  short,  of  every  thing  which  related  to  religion  :  "  See  that 
 thou  make  all  things  according  to  the  pattern  shewed  to  thee 
 in  the  mount."  '  This  is  the  reason  that  there  have  been  so 
 many  disputes  upon  the  subject.  As  only  general  principles 
 are  laid  clown,  they  have  been  viewed  in  different  lights,  and 
 men  have  reared  upon  them  different  superstructures.  But  if 
 the  principles  are  clear,  they  furnish  a  rule  to  guide  us  in  the 
 development  of  the  system  ;  and  the  scheme  which  we  have 
 adopted,  is,  I  think,  fairly  deduced  from  them,  in  all  its  rami- 
 fications. 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  lay  before  you  a  short  account  of  the 
 persons  whom  Christ  has  appointed  to  administer  this  govern- 
 ment.    The  Apostle  Paul  has  given  an  enumeration  of  them 
 
 ■  Heb.  viii.  5. 
 
3o8 
 
 GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians ;  which,  however,  is  not  com- 
 plete, because  there  are  two  orders  which  he  has  omitted,  but 
 which  are  mentioned  in  other  passages  of  the  New  Testament : 
 "  And  he  gave  some,  apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and 
 some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers ;  for  the 
 perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
 edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ."  *  They  are  divided  into  two 
 classes,  the  extraordinary  and  the  ordinary  office-bearers  of 
 the  church.  In  the  first  class  are  included  apostles,  prophets, 
 and  evangelists  ;  and  we  call  them  extraordinary,  not  only 
 because  they  were  endowed  with  supernatural  gifts,  but  be- 
 cause they  were  instituted  only  for  a  time.  They  were  or- 
 dained to  serve  a  particular  purpose,  namely,  the  establishment 
 of  the  Christian  church ;  and  when  this  design  was  accom- 
 plished, their  offices  ceased.  The  ordinary  office-bearers  of 
 the  church  are  pastors  and  teachers,  and  to  these  must  be 
 added  ruling  elders  and  deacons. 
 
 The  Apostles  stand  first  in  the  catalogue,  and  they  hold 
 the  highest  rank  among  the  ministers  of  the  church.  The 
 word  signifies  a  messenger,  a  person  sent  to  execute  a  com- 
 mission. In  this  sense  it  was  used  by  the  Greeks,  and  it 
 occurs  also  in  some  places  of  the  New  Testament :  "  The 
 servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord,  neither  he  that  is  sent 
 — cnroa-oXos — greater  than  he  that  sent  him."f  Paul,  speak- 
 ing to  the  Corinthians,  of  certain  brethren  who  had  been 
 deputed  to  receive  the  collections  for  the  saints,  calls  them 
 a-oa-oXoi  €KK\rj(nivv,  "  the  messengers"  or  "  apostles  of  the 
 churches."  J  The  same  title  is  given  to  Jesus  Christ  himself, 
 who  is  called  "  the  Apostle  of  our  profession,"  ||  because  he 
 was  sent  by  the  Father  to  publish  the  religion  which  we  pro- 
 fess ;  and  hence  he  said,  "  My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his 
 that  sent  me."  §  In  the  same  general  sense  the  term  is  applied 
 to  the  twelve  disciples,  who  are  known  by  the  designation  of 
 Apostles  ;  but  it  is,  at  the  same  time,  expressive  of  something 
 peculiar  respecting  them. 
 
 We  may  remark,  in  the  first  place,  that  they  received  their 
 commission  immediately  from  Jesus  Christ  himself,  first  during 
 •  Eph.  iv.  11,  12.  f  John  xiii.  16.  J  2  Cor.  viii.  23. 
 
 ||  Heb.  iii.  1.  §  John  vii.  16. 
 
Ill 
 
 his  personal  ministry,  when  he  sent  them  to  publish  tlu-  g 
 news  of  the  kingdom  throughout  the  land  of  Judea  ;*  ;m<l  again 
 
 after  his  ascension,  when  he  commanded  them  to  "  go  into 
 all  the  world,    and  preach  tin'  gospel  to  every  creature." t 
 
 With  respect  to  Paul,  who  was  afterwards  added  to  the  num- 
 ber, he  is  careful  to  inform  us,  that  his  commission  was  of  the 
 same  nature  with  that  of  his  brethren  :  "  Paul,  an  Apostle, 
 not  of  men,  neither  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  God 
 the  Father,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead."  j  The  case  of 
 Matthias,  who  was  nominated  by  the  Apostles  to  fill  up  the 
 place  of  Judas,  is  not  an  exception;  for  a  direct  appeal  was 
 made  to  Christ;  and  after  prayer,  the  lot  fell  upon  him. || 
 Secondly,  it  was  an  indispensable  qualification  of  an  Apostle 
 that  he  should  have  been  an  eye  and  an  ear  witness  of  the 
 actions  and  sayings  of  Christ,  and  that  he  should  have  seen 
 him  after  his  resurrection,  as  we  learn  from  the  words  of  Peter, 
 when  they  were  deliberating  about  a  successor  to  Juda<.$ 
 Paul,  indeed,  was  not  in  all  respects  so  qualified ;  but  what 
 was  essential  was  supplied  by  the  personal  appearance  of  our 
 Saviour  to  him,  and  the  revelation  with  which  he  was  favoured  : 
 "  Have  not  I  seen  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ?"%  Thirdly,  They 
 were  endowed  with  supernatural  gifts,  with  a  complete  and  in- 
 fallible knowledge  of  the  gospel ;  a  power  to  speak  languages 
 which  they  had  not  learned ;  to  work  miracles  ;  to  discern 
 spirits  ;  and  in  all  these  ways,  to  give  full  proof  of  their  com- 
 mission. They  were  authorized  to  preach  to  Jews  and  to 
 Gentiles ;  to  found  the  Christian  Church  ;  to  instruct  and 
 govern  it ;  to  order  all  its  affairs,  independently  of  any  human 
 controul ;  and  to  provide  for  its  well-being  and  continuance, 
 by  appointing  office-bearers  to  administer  the  ordinances,  and 
 to  perform  all  the  services  which  would  conduce  to  its  peace 
 and  spiritual  prosperity.  Their  doctrine  and  commands  were 
 the  rule  to  the  church  during  their  life,  and  their  writings  are 
 the  standard  of  faith  and  practice  to  all  succeeding  ages. 
 They  left  no  successors  in  their  extraordinary  prerogatives, 
 and  their  office  expired  with  them. 
 
 The  next  in  order  were   the   prophets.     The  word  prophet 
 
 •  Matth.  x.  :..  f  Mark  xvi.  15.  J  Gal.  i.  1. 
 
 ||  Acts  i.  24,  2G.  §  lb.  i.  21,  22.  %   1  Cor.  ix.  1. 
 
 VOL.   IV.  2   A 
 
370  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 bears  various  senses  in  the  Scriptures.      It  sometimes  signifies 
 merely  a  person  who  speaks  in  the  name  of  another,  as  Aaron 
 is  called  the  prophet  of  Moses,  *  because  he  delivered  to  the 
 people  the  messages  which  Moses  had  received  from  God. 
 At  other  times,  it  denotes  a  person  who,  by  the  assistance  of 
 the  Spirit,  explained  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
 and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  there  are  several  instances 
 of  this  use  of  it  in  the  New  Testament.     The  prophets  there 
 mentioned,  did  not  always  foretel  future  events,  but  edified 
 the  church  by  interpreting  the  ancient  predictions.    They  are 
 not,  however,  to  be  viewed  as  exactly  on  a  level  with  the 
 commentators   of  modern   times.     They  were  supernaturally 
 assisted,  and  were  infallible  guides  in  the  application  of  the 
 Scriptures  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  new  dispensation.     Their 
 office  must  have  been  productive  of  great  benefit  to  the  primi- 
 tive church,  when  the   Messiahship  of  Christ  was  the  grand 
 subject  of  controversy  between  the  Jews  and  the  Christians, 
 and  the  faith  of  the  latter  so  much  depended  upon  the  proof, 
 that  all  the  circumstances  descriptive  of  the  promised  Re- 
 deemer, were  realized  in  the  person  and  history  of  Jesus  of 
 Nazareth.     Our  Lord  opened  the  understandings   of  his  dis- 
 ciples to  understand  the  Scriptures,  and  he  imparted  the  same 
 knowledge  to  those  inspired   expounders  of  prophecy.      In 
 strict  language,   a  prophet  signifies  a  person  who,   by  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  foretels  future   events.      Such,   unquestionably, 
 were  some  of  the  prophets  in  the  primitive  church.     This  is 
 evident  from  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Acts,  where  we  read, 
 that  "  in  those  days  came  prophets  from  Jerusalem  unto  An- 
 tioch.     And  there  stood  up  one  of  them,  named  Agabus,  and 
 signified  by  the   Spirit  that  there  should  be  a  great  dearth 
 throughout  all  the  world  ;  which  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of 
 Claudius  Caesar."  f    Here  an  event  was  predicted  which  could 
 not  have  been  foreseen  by  human  sagacity,  because  the  natu- 
 ral causes  of  it  were  not  then  in  operation.    The  other  prophets 
 from  Jerusalem  were  of  the  same  class ;  for  Agabus  is  said  to 
 be  one  of  them,  and,  therefore,  to  have  exercised  no  power 
 which  was  not  possessed  by  them  in  common.     The  gift  of 
 prophecy  might  be  subservient  to  the  immediate  advantage  of 
 
 *  Exod.  vii.  1.  f  Acts  xi.  27,  28. 
 
OFfll  l-Bl  LRBRS.  371 
 
 the  church,  as  in  the  case  before  us  it  give  warning  to  the 
 disciples  to  make  provision  for  their  poor  brethren  against  the 
 
 approaching  calamity  ;  and  it  contributed,  with  other  super- 
 natural endowments,  to  establish  their  faith,  as  an  evidence  of 
 
 the  presence  of  God  with  his  servants. 
 
 The  last  extraordinary  office-bearers  in  the  primitive  church 
 were  Evangelists.  There  is  an  application  of  this  word  which 
 is  not  authorized  by  Scripture,  but  is  in  common  use,  and  has 
 been  inadvertently  supposed  to  be  one  of  its  original  meanings. 
 It  is  the  well  known  designation  of  the  writers  of  the  four 
 gospels.  It  acquired  this  sense  at  a  period  posterior  to  the 
 Apostolic  age,  and  points  out,  not  the  official  character  of  the 
 persons  to  whom  it  is  given,  but  the  subject  of  their  books. 
 Mark  calls  his  narrative,  to  eva~wc\iov  Irjaov  Xpunov.*  The 
 Evangelists  of  whom  we  now  speak,  were  persons  holding  a 
 high  rank  in  the  primitive  church.  Besides  the  passage  in 
 the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  already  quoted,  the  word  occurs 
 in  some  other  places.  In  the  twenty-first  chapter  of  the  Acts, 
 mention  is  made  of  Philip  the  Evangelist,  and  Timothy  is 
 exhorted  to  "do  the  work  of  an  Evangelist."  t  Titus  appears 
 to  have  been  invested  with  the  same  office,  and  so  were  pro- 
 bably Silas  and  Mark,  who  were  companions  of  Paul  in  his 
 journeys  and  labours,  and  Barnabas,  who  is  also  called  an 
 apostle,  in  the  general  sense  of  a  messenger  or  missionary, 
 and  seems  to  have  been  more  than  an  ordinary  minister  of  the 
 word.  The  peculiar  duties  of  an  Evangelist  are  not  defined 
 in  the  New  Testament ;  but  they  are  generally  understood  to 
 have  been  materially  the  same  with  those  of  an  Apostle.  The 
 Evangelist  was  not  confined  to  a  particular  congregation,  like 
 the  pastor  afterwards  mentioned ;  but  had  a  general  commis- 
 sion to  preach  the  gospel  wherever  an  opportunity  presented 
 itself.  He  had  power  to  ordain  elders  in  any  city,  and  to  set 
 in  order  the  affairs  of  the  churches  which  he  visited  ;  to  cor- 
 rect what  was  amiss,  and  to  supply  what  was  wanting.  We 
 do  not  know  that  he  enjoyed  the  general  gift  of  inspiration, 
 as  the  Apostles  did ;  and  it  is  probable  that  he  did  not,  from  the 
 cases  of  Timothy  and  Titus,  to  whom  Paul  deemed  it  neces- 
 sary to  give  instructions  concerning   their  conduct.      It   may 
 
 •  Mark  i.  1.  f  2  Tim    iv.  5. 
 
372  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH: 
 
 be  presumed,  that  the  honour  of  revealing  the  doctrines  of  the 
 gospel,  and  delivering  the  commands  and  institutions  of  Christ 
 to  the  church,  was  reserved  to  the  Apostles ;  and  that,  by  this 
 prerogative,  they  were  elevated  above  all  the  extraordinary 
 office-bearers.  We  may  suppose,  however,  that  certain  super- 
 natural endowments  were  conferred  upon  an  Evangelist,  as 
 the  gift  of  tongues,  and  the  power  of  working  miracles,  to 
 authenticate  his  commission,  and  to  enable  him  to  discharge 
 his  duty  among  different  nations.  Evangelists  were  assistants 
 of  the  Apostles,  inferior  to  them  in  rank,  and  subject  to  their 
 authority.  Paul  speaks  to  Timothy  and  Titus  as  their  supe- 
 rior, and  lays  injunctions  upon  them,  with  which  they  were 
 bound  to  comply.  The  Apostles  were  in  number  twelve,  or 
 rather  thirteen,  after  Paul  was  added  to  them.  Although 
 they  separated  from  one  another,  and  chose  different  countries 
 as  the  scene  of  their  labours,  and  although  they  were  unwea- 
 riedly  diligent  in  the  work  of  their  office ;  yet,  when  we  con- 
 sider how  extensive  was  the  range  of  their  ministrations,  we 
 are  sensible  that,  in  most  cases,  they  could  do  little  more  than 
 found  churches  in  particular  places.  If  circumstances  some- 
 times required  that  they  should  continue  longer  in  a  place,  as 
 we  find  Paul  doing  in  Corinth  and  in  Ephesus,  other  churches 
 were  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  their  presence.  Infant  societies, 
 the  members  of  which  had  been  recently  converted  from  Ju- 
 daism and  heathenism,  were  but  imperfectly  acquainted  with 
 the  religion  which  they  had  embraced ;  and,  being  exposed  to 
 many  difficulties  and  temptations,  stood  in  need  of  more  fre- 
 quent and  lasting  visits  than  the  numerous  demands  upon  the 
 attention  of  the  Apostles  would  afford.  Hence  arose  the  order 
 of  Evangelists.  They  followed  the  Apostles,  to  carry  on  what 
 the  latter  had  begun.  They  went  to  those  places  where  their 
 presence  was  most  wanted,  and  probably  regulated  their 
 movements  according  to  the  direction  of  the  Apostles.  Paul, 
 when  he  departed  from  Ephesus,  besought  Timothy  to  re- 
 main behind,  that  he  might  oppose  certain  false  teachers ; 
 and  he  left  Titus  in  Crete,  "  that  he  might  set  in  order  the 
 things  which  were  wanting."  * 
 
 The  extraordinary  office-bearers  of  the  church  were  apos- 
 •   1  Tim.  i.  3.     Tit.  i.  5. 
 
OFPH  K-BB  \!!l.i: 
 
 ties,  prophet!)  and  evangelists.     We  now  proceed  to  consider 
 
 the  Second  daSS,  which  comprehends  those  who  are  to  conti- 
 nue in  the  church  to  the  end  of  the  world.      When  the  church 
 
 had  been  founded  by  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles,  regulated 
 by  the  wisdom  given  to  them,  and  established  by  their  care, 
 
 and  the  ministrations  of  prophets  and  evangelists;  persons  of 
 an  inferior  character,  possessed  only  of  the  common  gifts  of 
 the  Spirit,  and  guided  by  the  instructions  and  rules  which 
 the  Apostles  have  left,  were  sufficient  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
 con  verting  sinners,  and  building  up  saints  in  faith  and  holiness. 
 
 I  shall  speak  of  the  ordinary  office-hearers  of  the  church. 
 
 The  first  are  called  Pastors.  The  word  literally  signifies  a 
 shepherd  who  has  the  care  of  a  flock.  It  is  here  used  in  a 
 metaphorical  sense,  and  such  use  is  not  uncommon  in  profane 
 writers.  Homer,  for  example,  calls  kings  ro</tay«s  .Ww,  shep- 
 herd* of  the  people.  It  is  applied  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 who  is  denominated  "the  chief  Shepherd,"  and  "thegreat  Shep- 
 herd of  the  sheep  ;"  *  and  to  men  who  minister  in  holy  things,  t 
 because  he  has  delegated  to  them  a  portion  of  his  authority, 
 and  they  are  employed  in  the  same  work.  They  are  also 
 styled  ministers  of  Christ,  \  and  the  two  titles  may  be  used  in- 
 discriminately. It  is  therefore  affectation  in  some  sects  to  ad- 
 here rigidly  to  the  former  designation,  always  speaking  of  the 
 pastors  of  their  churches,  as  if  the  latter  were  not  equally 
 scriptural,  especially  as  there  is  still  another  term  sanctioned 
 by  the  Apostles,  namely  bishops  or  overseers. 
 
 Two  ideas  are  suggested  by  the  designation  of  pastors. 
 It  is  the  duty  of  those  to  whom  it  belongs,  to  feed  and  to 
 govern  the  church.  With  respect  to  the  first,  we  hear  Paul 
 >a\  ing  to  the  elders  of  Ephesus,  "  Feed  the  church  of  God, 
 which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood."  ||  As  it  is  the 
 office  of  a  shepherd  to  provide  proper  pasture  for  his  flock, 
 and  to  lead  them  to  it,  so  it  is  incumbent  upon  the  minister  of 
 Christ  to  make  provision  for  the  nourishment  of  the  souls 
 of  his  people  ;  and  as  it  is  only  the  truth  which  will  sustain  and 
 Btn  ngthen  spiritual  life,  he  ought  to  "  feed  them  with  whole- 
 words,  even  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
 
 "   1  Pet.  v.  4.      Hcb.  xiii.  20.  f  Bph.  iv.  11. 
 
 X   1  Cor.  iv.  1.        2  Cor.  xi.  23.  II   Act?  xx   28. 
 
374  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH: 
 
 doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness."  He  is  not  appoint- 
 ed to  instruct  them  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  in  agriculture  and 
 commerce,  or  in  mere  morality,  as  it  is  exhibited  independently 
 of  religion  in  the  systems  of  philosophers ;  but  to  preach  the 
 gospel  in  the  most  extensive  sense  of  the  term,  to  explain  its 
 doctrines,  to  propound  its  promises,  to  inculcate  its  precepts, 
 to  bring  its  motives  to  bear  upon  the  consciences  and  hearts  of 
 his  hearers.  With  careful  attention  to  their  different  charac- 
 ters, and  circumstances,  and  feelings,  he  must  rightly  divide 
 the  word  of  truth,  not  publishing  it  at  random,  but  having  a 
 regard  to  the  varieties  among  men  in  respect  of  their  moral 
 state,  their  duties,  their  temptations,  and  their  difficulties,  that 
 each  individual  may  receive  his  portion  of  food  in  due  season. 
 The  general  design  of  his  office  is  also  promoted  by  the  ad- 
 ministration of  the  sacraments,  and  particularly  of  the  Lord's 
 supper,  the  very  name  of  which  is  significant  of  its  fitness  to 
 impart  nourishment  to  the  soul.  Thus,  through  the  divine 
 blessing,  the  people  upon  whom  he  bestows  his  labour  will 
 grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
 Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  faithful  minister  will  be  indeed  the  pas- 
 tor of  his  flock. 
 
 It  belongs  to  the  office  of  the  pastor,  not  only  to  feed,  but 
 to  govern  the  flock,  as  the  shepherd  regulates  the  movements 
 of  the  sheep.  "  The  good  shepherd,"  says  our  Lord,  "  goeth 
 before  the  sheep,  and  they  follow  him,  for  they  know  his 
 voice."  *  The  Christian  pastor  should  lead  his  flock  in  the 
 right  way,  by  instruction  and  by  example ;  but  this  is  not  the 
 whole  of  his  office.  He  is  invested  with  authority  over  them, 
 to  keep  them  in  the  right  way,  and  to  bring  them  back  when 
 they  have  wandered  from  it.  He  has  power  to  reprove,  and 
 rebuke,  and  exhort,  and  to  suffer  no  man  to  despise  him.  The 
 church  being  an  organized  body,  the  peace  and  prosperity  of 
 which  cannot  be  maintained  without  an  observance  of  its  laws, 
 it  pertains  to  those  who  are  set  over  it,  not  only  to  inculcate 
 the  duty  of  the  members,  but  to  enforce  it  by  all  means  cor- 
 responding with  the  voluntary  and  spiritual  nature  of  the 
 society.  While  the  ministers  of  religion  ought  to  watch  over 
 the  people  with  affectionate  solicitude,  they  have  a  commission 
 
 •  John  x.  4. 
 
<»il  LCB-BBARBRS, 
 
 irom  Jesus  Christ  to  call  upon  them  to  walk  according  to  the 
 gospel,  to  censure  them  when  they  deviate  from  this  rule,  and  to 
 exclude  those  who  will  not  he  reclaimed.  This  power,  however, 
 i>  not  vetted  exclusively  in  them,  but  in  other  governors  of 
 whom  we  shall  afterwards  speak;  and  it  is  evidently  a  power 
 given  to  them,  not  for  destruction,  but  for  edification.  Its  ob- 
 ject is  to  maintain  the  respect  which  is  due  to  the  institutions 
 of  Christ,  to  secure  the  consistent  and  seemly  conduct  of  his 
 professed  disciples,  to  guard  the  privileges  of  the  church 
 against  abuse,  and  to  make  an  open  distinction  between  the 
 pure  and  the  impure. 
 
 It  is  evident  that  the  duties  of  the  pastoral  office  may  be 
 performed,  without  the  supernatural  endowments  which  were 
 bestowed  upon  apostles,  prophets,  and  evangelists.  The 
 qualifications  of  a  bishop,  which  are  enumerated  in  the  First 
 Epistle  to  Timothy,  are  such  as  may  be  found  in  a  person  who 
 possesses  only  the  gifts  of  nature,  improved  by  education  and 
 experience,  and  sanctified  by  grace.  But  it  is  not  on 
 this  account  alone  that  we  rank  pastors  among  the  ordinary 
 office-bearers  in  the  church.  Besides  that  no  new  effusion  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  like  that  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  is  necessary, 
 and  a  sufficient  number  of  able  ministers  will  be  regularly  fur- 
 nished in  the  common  course  of  things,  the  circumstances  of 
 the  church  evidently  require  that  their  office  should  be  con- 
 tinued throughout  successive  generations.  As  in  the  be- 
 ginning Christianity  was  new  both  to  Jews  and  to  Gen- 
 tiles, converts  could  not  be  supposed  at  once  to  acquire  a  per- 
 fect acquaintance  with  it ;  and  many  years  elapsed  before  all 
 the  books  of  the  New  Testament  were  written,  and  came  into 
 general  use.  On  these  accounts  it  may  seem  that  there  was 
 then  a  peculiar  reason  for  the  institution  of  the  ministry.  But 
 its  utility,  or  I  may  rather  say  its  necessity,  is  manifest  even 
 in  the  present  times,  when  the  system  of  divine  truth  is  ac- 
 cessible to  private  study,  and  is  in  some  degree  rendered  fami- 
 liar by  early  instruction.  Still  great  ignorance  prevails  from 
 various  causes,  and  however  plain  are  those  parts  of  the  Scrip- 
 tures, the  knowledge  of  which  is  essential  to  salvation,  pre- 
 paratory education  is  requisite  to  the  full  exposition  of  it ;  and 
 to  many  even  its  simplest  truths  would  be  unknown,   if  they 
 
37G  GOVERNMENT  OE  THE   CHURCH: 
 
 never  heard  them  in  the  church.  Besides,  the  ministry  of  the 
 word  is  not  designed  solely  to  tell  what  is  new,  but  to  bring  old 
 truths  into  view,  and  to  impress  them  upon  the  heart ;  to  give 
 line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept ;  and  it  is  one  of  the 
 means  which  Jesus  Christ  has  appointed  for  communicating 
 his  Spirit  to  illuminate  and  sanctify  the  soul.  It  is  therefore 
 a  permanent  institution  ;  it  will  continue  "  till  we  all  come,  in 
 the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
 God,  to  a  perfect  man,  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
 ness of  Christ."  * 
 
 With  pastors,  Paul  joins  teachers  in  his  enumeration  of  the 
 office-bearers  of  the  church.  That  these  are  not  the  same 
 persons,  as  some  might  suppose,  is  evident  from  this  considera- 
 tion, that  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  two  words  would 
 have  been  employed  to  describe  them,  especially  as  the  word, 
 pastors,  implies  teaching,  or  the  feeding  of  the  flock  by  instruc- 
 tion. It  is  probable  that  a  distinct  class  is  pointed  out,  as 
 many  commentators  think,  and  our  church  affirms.  In  the 
 form  of  church  government,  there  is  a  chapter  entitled  the 
 Teacher  or  Doctor,  which  begins  with  these  words  :  "  The 
 Scripture  doth  hold  out  the  name  and  title  of  teacher,  as  well 
 as  of  the  pastor ;"  and  after  giving  an  account  of  his  office,  it 
 concludes  thus  :  "A  teacher  or  doctor  is  of  most  excellent 
 use  in  schools  and  universities,  as  of  old  in  the  schools  of  the 
 prophets,  and  at  Jerusalem,  where  Gamaliel  and  others  taught 
 as  doctors."  In  the  description  of  the  office,  it  is  too  much 
 confounded  with  that  of  the  pastor,  while  the  power  of  admin- 
 istering the  sacrament  is  assigned  to  the  teacher ;  and  he  is 
 represented  as  differing  from  the  pastor,  not  properly  in  office, 
 but  in  the  nature  of  his  gifts,  being  one  "  who  doth  more  ex- 
 cel in  exposition  of  the  Scriptures,  in  teaching  sound  doctrine, 
 and  in  convincing  gainsayers,  than  he  doth  in  application, 
 and  is  accordingly  employed  therein."  With  all  deference  to 
 the  compilers  of  this  part  of  our  standards,  I  would  say  that 
 this  account  is  not  very  accurate.  While  it  distinguishes  be- 
 tween the  pastor  and  doctor,  it  makes  them  virtually  the  same. 
 In  fact,  the  doctor  has  all  the  powers  of  a  pastor,  and  differs 
 from  him  only  in  his  aptness  for  a  particular  part   of  the  pas- 
 
 •  Eph.  iv.  13. 
 
RBBS.  'M~i 
 
 torsi  office.     The  distinction  is  not  of  office,   bnl  of  qualifica- 
 tions.    The  doctor,   I  apprehend,  was  different  from  the  pas* 
 
 tor,  and  had  a  different  province  assigned  to  him.     His  busi- 
 
 iras  not  to  preach    the  gospel  and    administer  the    sacra- 
 
 meutt,  but  to  instruct  the  young,  and  candidates  for  baptism, 
 and  those  who,  haying  been  lately  received  into  the  church, 
 wire  not  yet  fully  initiated  into  the  knowledge  of  religion. 
 We  know  that,  in  the  first  ages,  there  were  schools  attached 
 to  certain  churches,  in  which  such  persons  were  placed  under 
 the  care  of  a  teacher  appointed  by  proper  authority.  There 
 wafl  a  school  of  this  nature  in  Alexandria,  in  which  the  cele- 
 brated Origen  presided  for  a  time.  Similar  schools  were 
 established  in  other  places,  as  Rome,  Antioch,  Caesarea,  &c. 
 There  is  probably  a  reference  to  the  doctor  in  the  following 
 ge  :  "  Let  him  that  is  taught  in  the  word,  communicate 
 unto  him  that  teacheth  in  all  good  things  ;"  *  or,  "  let  the  cate- 
 chumen,"— so  those  were  called  who  were  in  a  course  of  reli- 
 gious instruction, — "  let  the  catechumen  communicate  to  the 
 catechist."  We  have  no  such  person  now  in  the  church. 
 Our  schoolmasters,  although  they  were  under  the  superinten- 
 dence of  the  rulers  of  a  congregation,  do  not  answer  to  the 
 title  ;  first,  because  they  are  not  exclusively  engaged  in  teach- 
 ing the  principles  of  religion  ;  and,  secondly,  because  they  are 
 not  ecclesiastical  officers,  but  belong  to  the  laity.  Doctors 
 are  not  so  necessary  at  present  as  they  were  in  the  primitive 
 times,  when  Christianity  was  new,  and  the  church  was  daily 
 receiving  accessions  of  converts  from  heathenism  and  Judaism, 
 who  needed  to  be  prepared  for  admission  by  private  instruc- 
 tion. Religious  education  may  now  be  entrusted  to  parents 
 and  common  teachers,  aided  by  the  personal  diligence  of 
 young  persons,  and  the  attention  which  pastors  are  able  to 
 pay  to  them. 
 
 I  proceed  to  speak  of  Deacons,  of  whose  institution  we  hare 
 an  account  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  Acts  :  "  When  the 
 number  of  the  disciples  was  multiplied,  there  arose  a  murmur- 
 ing of  the  Hellenists  against  the  Hebrews,  because  their  wi- 
 dows were  neglected  in  the  daily  ministration."  t  A  complaint 
 was  made  to  the  Apostles,  who,  in  order  to  remedy  the  evil, 
 •  Gal.  vi.  G.  f  Acts  vi.  1. 
 
378  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  : 
 
 commanded  the  disciples  to  look  out  among  them  seven  men, 
 duly  qualified,  whom  they  might  appoint  over  this  business. 
 This  was  the  origin  of  deacons,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
 in  other  places  of  the  New  Testament,  and  their  qualifications 
 are  described.  They  were  chosen  to  manage  the  affairs  of 
 the  poor,  to  receive  the  contributions  made  for  their  use, 
 to  distribute  them  to  the  proper  persons,  and,  no  doubt,  to 
 accompany  their  acts  of  charity  with  exhortations  and  prayers. 
 Their  duty  is  expressed  by  the  Apostles,  when  they  say,  "  It 
 is  not  meet  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  God  and  serve 
 tables."  *  These  words  have  been  understood  to  mean,  that 
 they  were  to  serve  the  table  of  the  poor,  and  the  table  of  the 
 Lord ;  and  this  commentary  occurs  in  many  books  ;  but  it  is 
 inaccurate,  as  it  is  evident  from  the  whole  transaction  that 
 only  the  table  of  the  poor  is  intended.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
 that,  as  the  design  of  the  institution  was  not  to  divert  the  at- 
 tention of  the  Apostles  from  the  ministry  of  the  word,  the 
 care  of  all  temporal  matters  in  which  the  church  is  concerned, 
 may  be  considered  as  belonging  to  deacons  ;  but  they  were 
 specially  appointed  solely  for  the  poor.  In  some  parts  of  the 
 church,  the  office  of  deacon  is  retained,  but  in  others  it  is 
 not ;  and  the  want  of  it  has  been  represented  as  a  criminal 
 omission.  But  the  institution  arose  out  of  particular  circum- 
 stances, and  may  therefore  be  dispensed  with  where  these  do 
 not  exist.  In  some  congregations,  there  are  no  poor;  in 
 others,  they  are  very  few  in  number ;  and  where  they  most 
 abound,  they  can  be  attended  to  by  the  elders,  whom  we 
 acknowledge  as  office-bearers  in  the  church,  as  we  shall  after- 
 wards see ;  and  who,  on  the  principle  that  an  inferior  office  is 
 comprehended  in  a  superior,  possess  the  powers  of  deacons,  as 
 ministers  possess  the  powers  of  elders.  This  is  our  apology 
 for  not  having  deacons  in  all  our  congregations,  and  it  seems 
 to  be  satisfactory.  They  are  not  appointed,  because  all  that 
 they  could  do  can  be  done  by  the  elders,  without  encroaching 
 upon  their  other  duties. 
 
 The  deacons  of  an  Independent  church,  seem  to  have  a 
 general  care  of  the  members,  and  resemble  our  elders,  as  far 
 as  is  consistent  with  the  principle  that  all  are  rulers.     But 
 
 *  Acts  vi.  2. 
 
OF!  U  B-BlAEEEf.  'M[i 
 
 when  they  ■•sign  to  them  any  other  power  than  that  of  tak- 
 ing care  of  the  poor,  they  deviate  from  the  original  institu- 
 tion ;  and  while  they  deny  that  there  is  any  warrant  in  Scrip- 
 tore  for  onr  elders,  we  may  confidently  reply  that,  at  any 
 rate,  deacons  as  constituted  by  them  are  equally  unscriptural. 
 Apostolical  deacons  had  no  inspection  of  the  church  ;  their 
 business  was  with  the  poor,  and  with  the  poor  alone. 
 
 The  last  class  of  office-bearers  in  the  church,  consists  of 
 Ruling  Elders;  in  speaking  of  whom  it  will  be  necessary  to 
 enter  into  greater  detail,  as  the  divine  institution  of  such  per- 
 sons is  controverted,  by  Episcopalians,  who  deem  it  incongru- 
 ous that  laymen,  as  they  call  them,  should  be  admitted  to 
 any  share  in  the  government  of  the  church  ;  and  by  Indepen- 
 dents, who  maintain  that  the  Scriptures  make  mention  of  no 
 other  officers  besides  pastors  except  deacons.  It  is  acknowledg- 
 ed, that  our  information  respecting  the  latter  is  more  explicit 
 and  ample,  as  we  have  not  only  an  account  of  their  institu- 
 tion, but  a  description,  in  another  place,  of  their  qualifica- 
 tions. Still,  however,  we  believe  that  there  is  a  warrant  for 
 ruling  elders,  because  there  are  some  passages  in  wrhich  they 
 appear  to  be  distinctly  recognized. 
 
 The  first  passage  which  I  shall  quote,  is  in  the  twelfth 
 chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  :  "  Having  then  gifts 
 differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to  us,  whether 
 prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of 
 faith  ;  or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering  ;  or  he  that 
 teacheth,  on  teaching ;  or  he  that  exhorteth,  on  exhortation  : 
 he  that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity  ;  he  that  ruleth, 
 with  diligence  ;  he  that  shewTeth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness."  * 
 It  is  the  opinion  of  many  commentators,  that  prophesying, 
 which  sometimes  signifies  public  teaching  by  the  assistance 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  ministry,  are  general  divisions  under 
 which  the  different  offices  of  the  church  are  arranged ;  that 
 prophesying  comprehends  teaching  and  exhorting ;  and  mi- 
 nistry, giving,  ruling,  and  shewing  mercy.  At  any  rate,  it  is 
 plain  that  ruling  is  distinguished  from  teaching,  exhorting, 
 and  giving,  or  from  the  peculiar  work  of  the  pastor,  the 
 doctor,  and  the  deacon.  The  original  term,  7rpo'io7a/nevos,  is 
 •  Rom.  xii.  C— 8. 
 
380  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  ! 
 
 properly  translated,  he  that  ruleth,  because  it  evidently  de- 
 notes one  who  presides  over  others  with  authority.  This  pre- 
 sidency is  attributed  to  one  as  his  proper  business.  It  is  his 
 duty  to  preside  or  to  rule,  as  it  is  the  duty  of  another  to  teach, 
 and  of  another  to  give.  The  Apostle  is  not  enumerating  the 
 various  duties  of  one  individual,  but  different  duties  belonging 
 to  different  individuals.  Who,  then,  is  o  irpoia-rafievo?  ?  He  is 
 not  the  deacon,  for  the  deacon  does  not  rule,  but  gives  to  the 
 poor ;  he  is  not  the  pastor,  for,  although  the  pastor  rules,  he  is 
 here  characterized  by  teaching  or  exhorting,  which  is  peculiar 
 to  him.  lO  Trpo'ifrrafievos  must  therefore  be  a  person  whose  whole 
 duty  consists  in  ruling,  or,  in  other  words,  an  elder,  accord- 
 ing to  the  views  of  Presbyterians.  Some  tell  us,  that  his  rule 
 is  over  his  family  ;  but  this  is  nothing  to  the  purpose,  and  is 
 a  shift  to  get  rid  of  a  difficulty,  because  the  Apostle  is  ob- 
 viously speaking  of  the  church.  Others  say,  that  he  rules 
 over  the  church  stock  ;  but  they  confound  him  with  the  dea- 
 con, who  gives ;  and,  besides,  in  this  sense  the  expression 
 would  be  indefinite  and  improper,  there  being  nothing  to  de- 
 termine the  kind  of  rule  to  which  the  Apostle  refers ;  and 
 surely  it  will  not  be  supposed  that  a  deacon  was  held  in  such 
 estimation  in  the  primitive  times,  as  to  be  called  6  7rpo'i<r-apci>o* 
 by  way  of  eminence.  There  is  another  mode  of  evading  the 
 argument,  by  saying  that  the  Apostle  is  not  speaking  of 
 offices  and  office-bearers,  but  of  gifts.  Some  pains  have  been 
 taken  to  obviate  this  opinion,  but  without  any  necessity,  be- 
 cause it  is  manifestly  unfounded ;  and,  at  any  rate,  it  does  not 
 answer  the  design  of  those  who  have  adopted  it.  Paul  does 
 indeed  make  mention  of  gifts  ;  but  he  immediately  proceeds 
 to  consider  them  as  bestowed  upon  particular  persons,  and 
 speaks  of  those  persons  as  plainly  as  one  man  can  speak  of 
 another.  Besides,  although  he  were  speaking  of  gifts,  the 
 argument  is  of  the  same  force  as  if  he  were  speaking  of  per- 
 sons, for  gifts  are  bestowed  upon  persons  for  particular  pur- 
 poses ;  and  if  there  are  gifts  which  qualify  for  ruling,  as  there 
 are  gifts  which  qualify  for  teaching,  it  follows,  that  to  rule  or 
 govern  is  the  exclusive  duty  of  those  upon  whom  the  former 
 are  conferred.     Every  unprejudiced  man   must   perceive  the 
 
kftKRg. 
 
 truth  of  this  reasoning,  and  consequently  must  think  thai  the 
 evasion  mentioned  above  is  not  worthy  of  notice. 
 
 The  next  passage  to  which  I  shall  direct  your  attention,  is 
 in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  : 
 'k  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first,  apostles  ;  secondarily, 
 prophets  ;  thirdly,  teachers;  after  that  miracles  ;  then  gifts  of 
 healing*  helps,  governments,  diversities  of  tongues."'  It 
 docs  not  follow,  because  some  of  the  offices  and  ministrations 
 enumerated  in  this  place  were  miraculous  and  extraordinary, 
 that  they  were  all  of  that  description  ;  for  we  have  already 
 found  apostles  and  prophets  in  the  same  catalogue  with  pas* 
 tors  and  teachers  ;  and  we  cannot  he  justly  charged  with  wrest- 
 ing the  passage  from  its  design,  when  we  consider  it  as  speci- 
 fying, in  part,  the  ordinary  office-bearers  of  the  church.  There 
 are  no  persons  who  may  be  so  reasonably  supposed  to  be 
 meant  by  helps,  as  deacons ;  and  thus  the  word  has  been  often 
 explained.  They  were  instituted  for  the  express  purpose  of 
 helping  the  Apostles,  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  them  from 
 the  care  of  the  poor,  that  they  might  devote  themselves  ex- 
 clusively to  the  ministry  of  the  word.  If  helps  signify  help- 
 ers, governments  must  signify  governors,  the  abstract  being  in 
 both  cases  put  for  the  concrete.  The  question  then  is,  Who 
 were  the  governors  to  whom  the  Apostle  referred  ?  They 
 were  not  the  apostles,  nor  the  prophets,  nor  the  teachers,  be- 
 cause they  are  mentioned  as  distinct  classes.  They  were  not 
 helpers,  because  they  are  distinguished  from  them  also  ;  and, 
 besides,  if  deacons  were  intended,  they  could  with  no  pro- 
 priety be  called  governors,  for  deacons  have  no  rule  over  the 
 church.  There  is  no  other  class  of  persons  to  whom  this  title, 
 used  as  it  is  in  contra-distinction  to  other  office-bearers,  will 
 apply,  but  the  ruling  elder  of  Presbyterians  ;  and  it  is  with  ob- 
 vious propriety  that  they  are  designated  governors,  as  the  sole 
 business  of  their  office  is  to  govern  the  congregation  over 
 which  they  are  appointed.  God  has  set  some  governors  in 
 the  church.  He  has  not  lodged  the  power,  as  Independents 
 suppose,  in  the  people  at  large,  but  has  ordained  that  a  few 
 should  be  invested  with  authority  to  take  order  that  the  meni- 
 •   1  Cor.  xii.  28. 
 
382  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  : 
 
 bers  should  walk  in  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  the 
 Lord. 
 
 The  last  passage  which  I  shall  quote,  is  in  the  fifth  chapter 
 of  the  First  Epistle  to  Timothy  :  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule 
 well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honour,  especially  they  who 
 labour  in  word  and  doctrine."  '  Many  attempts  have  been 
 made  to  evade  the  evidence  of  this  passage  in  favour  of  the 
 point  which  we  are  endeavouring  to  establish.  It  has  been 
 explained  in  various  ways ;  and  learned  men  have  employed 
 their  ingenuity  to  prove  one  thing  at  least,  that  it  ought  not 
 to  be  understood  of  ruling  elders ;  but  who  are  meant  by  the 
 elders  who  rule  well,  as  distinguished  from  those  who  labour 
 in  word  and  doctrine,  they  are  not  agreed.  Their  different 
 opinions  can  be  viewed  in  no  other  light  than  as  conjectures. 
 Some  say  that  the  elders  who  rule  well  are  diocesan  bishops, 
 and  that  those  who  labour  in  word  and  doctrine  are  preaching 
 presbyters ;  but  besides  that,  contrary  to  their  own  system,  they 
 thus  assign  greater  honour  to  presbyters  than  to  bishops,  we 
 have  seen  that  there  were  no  such  bishops  in  the  apostolic 
 church ;  and  this  hypothesis  must  be  abandoned.  Others  tell 
 us  that  the  former  are  ordinary  bishops  and  presbyters,  and 
 the  latter  evangelists ;  as  if  it  had  been  the  business  of  bi- 
 shops and  presbyters  in  the  primitive  church  to  rule,  and  of 
 evangelists  to  preach,  without  having  any  concern  in  the 
 government  of  the  church.  Again,  it  has  been  supposed  that 
 the  rulers  here  mentioned  are  deacons ;  and  the  labourers  in 
 word  and  doctrine,  the  ministers  of  the  word ;  but  we  have 
 seen  that  deacons  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  government  of 
 the  church.  Some  have  fancied  two  kinds  of  elders,  of  whom 
 some  preached  the  word,  and  administered  the  sacraments ; 
 while  others  were  employed  in  reading  the  Scriptures  to  the 
 people,  and  performing  other  inferior  offices.  But  this  is  a 
 gratuitous  assumption,  unworthy  of  further  attention.  The 
 most  extravagant  idea  of  all,  is  that  of  the  learned  Mr  Mede, 
 who  contends  that  the  elders  who  rule  well  are  civil  magis- 
 trates, and  those  who  labour  in  word  and  doctrine  are  minis- 
 ters of  the  Gospel.f 
 
 These  evasions  being  quite  unsatisfactory,  some  have  re- 
 
 *  1  Tim.  v.  17-  t  Mede's  Works,  Disc  xix.  p.  71  • 
 
01  i  U  B-Bl  \iu:hs. 
 
 course  to  criticism,  in  order  to  wrest    the  pa  .1  of  our 
 
 hands.  First,  They  affirm  that  tin*  adverb  paWra,  translated 
 especially  is  not  here  distinctive,  hut  descriptive ;  that  is, 
 it  docs  nor  point  out  a  different  class,  but  descrihes  with 
 greater  particularity  the  class  mentioned  in  the  beginning-  of 
 the  verse,  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted  worthy 
 of  double  honour,  particularly  because  they  labour  in  word  and 
 doctrine."  But  the  word,  both  in  sacred  and  profane  writers, 
 as  it  would  be  easy  to  shew,  uniformly  serves  to  distinguish, 
 and  may  be  rendered,  most  of  all,  vJuijhj,  especially.  There 
 is  no  reason  why  it  should  be  translated  differently  in  this  verse, 
 but  one,  which  every  honest  critic  will  reject, — the  interest  of 
 a  party.  Secondly,  It  has  been  said  that  the  Apostle  does 
 not  distinguish  two  classes,  but  refers,  in  the  end  of  the  verse, 
 to  those  of  the  same  class,  who  distinguish  themselves  by 
 their  diligence  ;  and  this  is  signified  by  the  use  of  the  word 
 KoirncvTd,  which  they  affirm  implies  labouring  with  our  ut- 
 most strenyth.  It  happens  unfortunately  for  this  criticism, 
 that  the  word  is  employed  in  the  New  Testament  to  express 
 simply  the  duty  of  the  servants  of  Christ,  and  not  the  degree 
 of  it ;  and,  on  one  occasion,  when  Paul  intended  to  express 
 greater  activity,  he  did  not  consider  the  verb  kotthiw  as  suffi- 
 cient to  convey  this  idea,  but  joined  another  with  it,  repre- 
 senting Tryphena  and  Tryphosa  as  Ko-mwaa^,  labouring,  but 
 saying  of  Perses,  that  she  "  laboured  much  in  the  Lord,"  ( 
 ?)t*?  iroWa  £K07nacrev  ev  Kvpuf.  As  no  word  is  added  in  the 
 verse  under  consideration  to  Ko-iwvres,  it  is  plain  that  the 
 Apostle  is  not  speaking  of  uncommon  diligence  ;  and  besides,  it 
 is  somewhat  strange  to  suppose  that  he  would  command  the 
 members  of  the  church  to  give  equal  honour  to  all  the  minis- 
 ters of  the  Gospel,  although  some  of  them  were  more,  and 
 others  less  diligent  in  performing  their  duty.  Degrees  of 
 diligence  certainly  call  for  degrees  of  honour. 
 
 I  have  endeavoured  to  clear  this  passage  from  the  attempts 
 which  have  been  made  to  pervert  its  meaning,  and  from  the 
 exceptions  against  our  application  of  it.  The  result  is,  that 
 it  ought  to  be  understood  in  its  plain  and  natural  meaning  ; 
 and  that  thus  viewed,  it  points  out  two  classes  of  office- 
 •   Rom.  xvi.  13. 
 
384  GOVERNMENT  Ol    THE   CHURCH. 
 
 bearers  who  have  distinct  functions.  It  belongs  to  one  class 
 to  rule,  and  in  ruling  their  whole  duty  consists.  They  are 
 required  to  do  nothing  more  than  to  administer  the  laws  of 
 Christ  for  the  regulation  of  the  conduct  of  his  followers. 
 Those  of  the  other  class  are  joined  with  them  in  the  rule  of 
 the  church  ;  but  there  is  an  additional  duty  incumbent  upon 
 them,  in  which  the  former  have  no  concern,  namely,  to  labour 
 in  word  and  doctrine,  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  administer  the 
 sacraments.  The  argument  may  be  stated  in  the  following 
 manner : — There  are  elders,  who,  although  they  rule  well, 
 are  not  w7orthy  of  double  honour,  unless  they  labour  in  word 
 and  doctrine.  But  there  are  elders  who  are  counted  worthy  of 
 double  honour,  because  they  rule  well,  although  they  do  not 
 labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine.  Therefore,  there  are  elders 
 who  are  not  teaching  or  preaching  elders,  that  is,  they  are 
 ruling  elders  only.  The  premises  are  clearly  laid  down  in 
 the  passage,  and  the  conclusion  is  therefore  legitimate. 
 
 If  there  were  any  office  in  the  church  manifestly  useless, 
 we  might  confidently  affirm  that  it  is  not  of  Divine  institution. 
 We  could  not,  with  equal  confidence,  pronounce  an  office, 
 which  appeared  to  us  to  be  useful,  to  be  divinely  instituted, 
 because  we  may  err  in  our  notions  of  utility.  But  the  advan- 
 tages resulting  from  the  office  of  ruling  elders  are  a  subsidiary 
 argument  in  its  favour.  As  there  can  usually  be  only  one 
 preaching  elder  in  a  congregation,  he  could  not  perform  his 
 peculiar  duties,  and  at  the  same  time  undertake  the  superin- 
 tendence of  the  conduct  of  the  members.  Elders  are  his  as- 
 sistants in  this  work.  Living  among  the  people,  and  associat- 
 ing familiarly  with  them,  they  have  opportunities  of  knowing 
 their  conduct,  and  can  personally  interpose  with  their  coun- 
 sels and  admonitions  ;  and  under  the  joint  care  of  the  pastor 
 and  the  rulers,  the  people  grow  in  faith  and  holiness,  and 
 walk  in  all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
 
LECTURE  CI. 
 
 ON"  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 CHURCH    POWER NATURE    OF     IT.  —  INDEPENDENCE    Or    THE    CHURCH 
 
 ITS  RELATION    TO    THE   STATE CHURCH    TOWER    DISTINGUISHED    INTO 
 
 POTESTAS  Co~(itciTiKt],    POTESTAS  cia-aKTiKij,    AND  POTEST  AS    <  «:- 
 KfilTlKiJ. THE  EXTENT  AND  LIMITS  OF  THESE   SEVERAL  KINDS. 
 
 We  have  seen  that  Jesus  has  established  a  particular  form  of 
 government  in  the  church,  and  has  appointed  certain  persons 
 to  administer  it.  They  have  been  distinguished  into  two 
 classes  ;  the  first  comprehending  the  extraordinary  office- 
 bearers, who  ceased  when  the  purpose  of  their  institution  was 
 accomplished  ;  and  the  second  comprehending  pastors  and 
 elders,  who  are  to  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world.  I  pro- 
 ceed to  inquire  with  what  power  they  are  invested,  and  to 
 finish  what  I  have  to  say  on  the  subject  of  the  church. 
 
 Some  have  maintained  that  the  church  possesses  no  power, 
 and  that  the  office  of  her  rulers  consists  solely  in  instructing 
 and  persuading  the  people.  They  merely  propose  to  them 
 truths  to  be  believed,  and  duties  to  be  practised,  which  they 
 may  enforce  by  motives  calculated  to  impress  their  consciences 
 and  hearts  ;  but  they  have  no  authority  to  call  them  to  account 
 for  their  conduct,  and  to  deprive  such  as  they  deem  unworthy, 
 of  their  privileges.  If  any  power  of  this  kind  is  exercised  in  a 
 particular  church,  it  is  conferred,  according  to  them,  by  the  civil 
 magistrate,  who  may  appoint  censures  to  be  inflicted  in  parti- 
 cular cases  for  the  maintenance  of  good  order,   and  the   ad- 
 
 vol.  iv.  2  b 
 
386  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  ! 
 
 vancement  of  the  interests  of  morality.  The  author  of  this 
 opinion  was  Erastus,  a  physician  of  the  sixteenth  century  ; 
 from  whom  the  doctrine,  which  makes  the  church  subject  to 
 the  state,  and  places  the  civil  magistrate  at  its  head,  has  re- 
 ceived the  name  of  Erastianism.  It  found  friends  and  advo- 
 cates ;  and,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  acted  upon  in  the  Church  of 
 England,  which  acknowledges  the  supremacy  of  the  king  in 
 causes  ecclesiastical  as  well  as  civil.  It  was  brought  forward 
 by  Erastus,  and  defended  by  his  followers,  as  the  only  effectual 
 method  of  putting  an  end  to  the  extravagant  and  tyrannical 
 power  which  had  been  claimed  by  the  Church  of  Rome.  This 
 was  a  clumsy  expedient  for  remedying  the  evil,  requiring  no 
 wisdom  or  ingenuity ;  and  upon  the  same  principle,  many  a 
 good  thing  should  be  destroyed  because  it  has  been  abused. 
 But,  in  such  cases,  enlightened  zeal  will  content  itself  with 
 reform  ;  and  leaving  the  power  in  existence,  will  employ  itself 
 in  so  defining  it,  and  placing  such  checks  upon  it,  as  shall 
 henceforth  prevent  the  excesses  which  are  the  subject  of  com- 
 plaint. 
 
 It  is  unnecessary  to  engage  in  the  refutation  of  an  opinion, 
 which  no  person  will  adopt  who  entertains  just  notions  of  the 
 nature  and  design  of  the  church,  and  does  not  consider  it 
 merely  as  an  appendage  of  the  state,  and  a  political  engine. 
 As  we  have  already  shewn  that  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  go- 
 vernment is  appointed  in  the  Scriptures,  and  that  certain 
 offices  have  been  instituted  for  the  management  of  the  affairs 
 of  the  church,  we  have  virtually  proved  that  power  is  com- 
 mitted to  it ;  and  nothing  is  now  necessary  but  to  ascertain 
 what  it  is,  and  how  far  it  extends. 
 
 Let  it  be  observed,  that  it  is  a  spiritual  power,  totally  dis- 
 tinct from  the  civil  power  which  is  exercised  in  the  govern- 
 ment of  cities  and  nations.  The  rule  according  to  which  it  is 
 exercised  is  the  word  of  God,  and  not  the  laws  of  the  state. 
 The  law  of  Jesus  Christ  supersedes  every  other  law ;  and 
 when  these  happen  to  interfere,  the  members  are  bound  to 
 obey  God  rather  than  men.  Its  object  is  the  conscience ;  and 
 its  end  is  not  gained,  as  in  human  governments,  by  the  exter- 
 nal obedience  of  the  subjects,  unless  it  proceed  from  a  sense  of 
 the  Divine  authority.    The  means  which  it  employs  to  secure 
 
(in  iu  H  l'ou  IB.  387 
 
 obedience  are,  commands,   entreaties,    promises,   threatening*, 
 
 and  censures;  which,  however,  are  all  calculated  to  affect  the 
 
 mind  only,  and  not  the  outward  state.  The  church  dots  not 
 resort  to  confiscation  of  goods,  imprisonment,  banishment, 
 stripes,  and  death,  to  enforce  its  decrees  ;  it  leaves  men  in  full 
 possession  of  their  temporal  privileges.  The  matters  about 
 which  civil  government  is  concerned,  are  property,  liberty, 
 personal  security  ;  the  power  of  the  church  relates  to  instruc- 
 tion in  heavenly  mysteries,  excitement  to  the  cultivation  of 
 holiness,  and  preparation  for  the  world  to  come.  The  end  of 
 civil  government  is  to  promote  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the 
 present  life ;  the  end  of  ecclesiastical  government  is  the  edifi- 
 cation of  the  body  of  Christ,  the  building  up  of  the  saints  in 
 faith  and  holiness  to  life  everlasting.  Civil  governments  can 
 compel  their  subjects  to  obey  the  laws  ;  but  the  church  uses 
 no  compulsion,  and  employs  only  moral  means  to  work  upon 
 the  heart. 
 
 Hence  you  perceive  that  the  church  is  a  society  totally  dis- 
 tinct from  and  independent  of  the  state.  Its  constitution,  its 
 laws,  its  administration,  and  its  objects,  are  different ;  and, 
 although  its  members  and  the  subjects  of  the  state  are  the  same 
 individuals,  yet  they  are  considered  as  sustaining  different 
 characters ;  in  relation  to  the  state,  as  rational  beings  who 
 have  certain  duties  to  perform  to  society  ;  in  relation  to  the 
 church,  as  the  worshippers  and  servants  of  God.  The  alli- 
 ance of  church  and  state,  of  which  so  much  has  been  said,  and 
 which  has  been  represented  as  necessary  to  the  welfare  of 
 both,  is  always  injurious  to  the  former,  when  the  state  en- 
 croaches upon  the  prerogatives  of  the  church,  or  the  church 
 barters  any  portion  of  her  power  to  secure  the  patronage  of 
 the  state.  The  separate  provinces  of  both  are  clearly  defined ; 
 and  each  may  exercise  its  peculiar  functions  without  interfer- 
 ing with  the  other.  The  state  can  accomplish  all  the  ends  of 
 civil  government,  without  any  other  aid  from  the  church  than 
 the  influence  of  the  doctrine  which  it  teaches,  upon  the  tem- 
 pers and  manners  of  the  people  ;  and  the  church  is  so  far  from 
 needing  the  assistance  of  the  state,  that  its  interference  would 
 defeat  the  design  of  its  institution,  which  is  to  prevail  upon 
 men  by  persuasion,  and  not  by  force  ;   to  inspire  them  with  a 
 
388  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH: 
 
 sincere  attachment  to  religion,   not  to  extort  a  hypocritical 
 profession  of  it. 
 
 When  we  affirm  that  the  power  of  the  church  is  not  derived 
 from  the  state,  or  dependent  upon  it,  we  do  not  plead  for  the 
 exemption  either  of  the  members,  or  of  the  rulers,  from  civil 
 authority.  The  Church  of  Rome,  indeed,  contended  for  this 
 privilege  in  behalf  of  the  clergy,  and  succeeded  in  estab- 
 lishing it.  They  were  not  amenable  to  the  magistrate,  even 
 when  they  had  committed  crimes,  and  were  accountable  only 
 to  the  ecclesiastical  tribunals.  Protestants  advance  no  such 
 claim ;  and  acknowledge  that  church-men,  as  well  as  lay-men, 
 are  subject  to  the  civil  jurisdiction.  The  objection,  therefore, 
 which  has  been  raised  against  the  intrinsic  power  of  the 
 church, — that  it  establishes  imperium  in  imperio, — is  not  appli- 
 cable to  our  principles ;  although  it  bears  with  all  its  force 
 against  those  of  papists,  by  which  the  clergy,  in  all  the 
 nations  of  Europe,  were  incorporated  into  a  body,  indepen- 
 dent of  the  states  which  protected  them,  and  owing  obedience 
 solely  to  bishops  and  archbishops,  and  the  pope  at  their  head. 
 Thus  two  rival  powers  were  erected,  with  opposite  interests ; 
 and  we  learn  from  history  what  fatal  conflicts  sometimes  en- 
 sued, involving  nations  in  destructive  wars,  and  terminating 
 in  the  degradation  and  dethronement  of  monarchs.  The 
 church,  indeed,  even  upon  our  principles,  may  be  called  im- 
 perium in  imperio ;  because  it  is  a  society  subsisting  in  the 
 bosom  of  a  state,  distinct  from  it  with  respect  to  its  internal 
 jurisdiction,  and  governed  by  its  own  laws  ;  but  it  threatens 
 no  danger  to  the  state,  and  gives  it  no  disturbance  in  carrying 
 on  its  proper  functions,  because  it  does  not  intermeddle  with 
 civil  and  political  affairs,  and  confines  itself  to  claims  and 
 operations  purely  spiritual. 
 
 The  power  of  the  church  is  commonly  divided,  according 
 to  the  nature  of  the  objects  about  which  it  is  employed,  into 
 three  parts.  The  first  is  called  potestas  doy/u.aTucrj,  or  its  power 
 respecting  articles  of  faith ;  and  under  this  head  some  compre- 
 hend the  preaching  of  the  word,  the  administration  of  the 
 sacraments,  the  ordination  of  ministers,  &c.  The  second  is 
 potestas  hiaiaKTocq,  or  the  power  of  the  church  to  make  laws 
 and  constitutions.     The   third  is  potestas  diuKpiriKij,   or  the 
 
(  HtJBCH  POWER. 
 
 power  of  the  church  to  Centura  and  excommunicate  offenders, 
 and  to  restore  the  penitent  to  communion. 
 
 The  tirst  in  order  is  thepotestcu  3<wy/iaT«Kif,  or  the  power  of 
 
 the  church  in  reference  to  dogmas  or  articles  of  faith.  That 
 the  church  has  power  to  make  such  articles,  Protestants  deny, 
 upon  this  ground,  that  the  Scriptures  contain  all  the  truths 
 which  it  is  necessary  to  know  and  believe  ;  and  they  justly 
 condemn  the  Church  of  Home,  which,  admitting  another  rule 
 of  faith  called  tradition,  has  introduced  into  her  creed  human 
 dogmas  and  grossly  erroneous  tenets,  and  anathematised  all 
 who  do  not  implicitly  receive  them.  In  order  to  determine 
 how  far  this  part  of  the  power  of  the  church  extends,  I  shall 
 lay  before  you  the  following  observations. 
 
 First,  The  church  is  the  depository  of  the  Scriptures. 
 Under  the  former  dispensation,  the  sacred  oracles  were  com- 
 mitted to  the  Jews ;  but  the  honour  of  being  their  guardians  is 
 now  transferred  to  the  disciples  of  Christ.  The  church  having 
 received  them  as  containing  the  whole  revelation  of  the  will 
 of  God,  she  is  bound  to  keep  them  as  a  precious  treasure,  and 
 to  transmit  them  from  age  to  age,  in  order  to  enlighten,  and 
 sanctify,  and  comfort  the  souls  of  men,  "  till  we  all  come  in 
 the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
 fulness  of  Christ."  *  But  although  the  Scriptures  are  depo- 
 sited in  the  hands  of  the  church,  we  must  beware  of  thinking 
 that  their  authority  depends  in  any  degree  upon  her  judgment, 
 or  that  her  sanction  was  necessary  to  give  them  validity.  This 
 doctrine  is  maintained  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  Scriptures, 
 it  has  been  said,  have  no  authority  without  the  authority  of  the 
 church ;  and  without  the  church,  Matthew  is  entitled  to  no  more 
 credit  than  Livy.  But,  besides  the  impiety  of  such  sentiments, 
 papists  involve  themselves  in  palpable  absurdity.  If  you  ask 
 them  how  we  shall  know  the  church,  whose  authority  is  so 
 great,  they  must  answer  that  we  know  it  from  the  Scriptures  ; 
 and  thus  they  reason  in  a  circle,  proving  first  the  authority  of 
 the  church  from  the  Scriptures,  and  then  the  authority  of  the 
 Scriptures  from  the  church.  We  acknowledge  that  it  i^  by 
 testimony  that  we  ascertain  the  genuineness  and  authenticity 
 •  Eph.  it.  13. 
 
390  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  : 
 
 of  the  Scriptures.  By  the  testimony  of  those  who  lived  at 
 the  time  when  they  were  published,  and  were  deeply  inte- 
 rested in  the  matter,  we  are  assured  that  they  are  the  writings 
 of  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  ascribed.  Thus  far  their 
 testimony  goes,  but  no  farther.  We  do  not  receive  the  Scrip- 
 tures simply  because  they  received  them ;  but  because  we  are 
 sure,  from  their  circumstances,  that  they  would  not  have  re- 
 ceived them,  unless  they  had  been  fully  satisfied  of  the  Divine 
 commission  of  those  who  gave  them  to  the  world.  If  the  church 
 has  any  thing  to  do  in  this  business,  its  office  is  merely  to 
 point  out  the  books  in  which  revelation  is  contained.  Our 
 belief  of  their  divinity  is  founded  on  the  internal  and  external 
 evidences  of  their  heavenly  origin.  We  do  not  ascribe  a  power 
 to  the  church  to  admit  books  into  the  canon,  or  to  exclude 
 them  from  it,  at  her  pleasure.  In  admitting  and  excluding, 
 she  was  bound  to  proceed  upon  evidence ;  and  we  acquiesce  in 
 her  decision,  not  because  it  is  hers,  but  because  the  evidence 
 upon  which  it  was  founded  appears  satisfactory  to  ourselves. 
 But  this  is  very  different  from  the  Romish  doctrine,  which  re- 
 solves all  the  evidence  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
 all  their  authority,  into  the  decrees  of  the  church. 
 
 Secondly,  It  belongs  to  the  church  to  explain  the  Scrip- 
 tures, and  to  call  upon  men  to  study,  and  believe,  and  obey 
 them.  The  ministers  of  the  church  are  the  expounders  of 
 the  law  ;  and  to  them  may  be  applied  the  words  of  the  prophet, 
 "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep  knowledge,  and  they  should 
 seek  the  law  at  his  mouth  ;  for  he  is  the  messenger  of  the 
 Lord  of  hosts."  '  But  the  expositions  of  the  church  are 
 authoritative  only  in  a  limited  sense.  Her  ministers  are  not 
 self-created  teachers,  but  have  received  their  commission  from 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  in  executing  it  are  bound  to  take  his  word 
 as  their  rule  ;  but  as  they  may  misapprehend  its  meaning,  or 
 intentionally  deviate  from  it,  and  obtrude  their  own  notions 
 as  the  dictates  of  revelation,  it  is  a  duty  which  Christians  owe 
 to  themselves  and  to  their  Divine  Master,  to  exalt  no  human 
 being  to  the  chair  of  infallibility,  to  take  nothing  upon  trust, 
 and  to  bring  the  doctrine  of  their  teachers  "  to  the  law  and  to 
 the  testimony,  because,  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word, 
 
 •   Mai.  ii.  7. 
 
(  BUM  ll  POWBB.  391 
 
 (here  i>  DO  Light  in  them."  *      The  church,  we  have  said,   has 
 DO  power  to  make  new  articles  of  faith,  and  ought  therefore  to 
 adhere  strictly  to  the    Scriptures  in  all  her  instructions.     By 
 the  Romanists  another  standard  has  been  introduced,  to  which 
 they  assign  an  equal  degree  of  authority  with   the  Scriptures, 
 or  rather  a  greater,  as  they  do  not  hesitate  to  affirm  that  with- 
 out its  aid    the   Scriptures  cannot  be  understood.     This  is 
 tradition  ;  by  which  they  mean  a  summary  of  doctrine  which 
 was  in  the  church  before  the  Scriptures  were  published,  and 
 is  the  only  sure  interpreter  of  them,   has  come  down  by  oral 
 communication  or  in  the  writings  of  the  Fathers,  and  would 
 suffice  for  the  direction  of  Christians  in  all  things  necessary  to 
 be  believed  and  practised,  although  the  Scriptures  were  anni- 
 hilated.     It  is  unnecessary  to  say  how  derogatory  all  this  is 
 to   the  honour  of  the  Scriptures,   and  how  contrary  to   their 
 own  testimony  concerning  themselves,  that  they  are   "  a  light 
 to  our  feet  and  a  lamp  to  our  path,"  f  and   that  they  "  are 
 able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,"  and  to  "  furnish  us  for 
 every  good  work."  X     This  witness  is  not  true,  if  tradition  is 
 necessary.      What  the  Church  of  Rome  says  concerning  tra- 
 dition is  a  mere  assumption  without  the  shadow  of  proof,   and 
 rests  upon  the  same  ground  with  the  oral  law  of  the  Jews. 
 It  is  equally  uncertain,  no  man  being  able  to  tell  what  it  is  ; 
 it  changes  with  the  fancies  of  men,   that  which  is  a  truth  of 
 tradition  in  one  age,  being  pronounced  to  be  an  error  in  an- 
 other ;  it  is  any  thing  which  they  choose  to  make  it,  to  serve 
 their  own  purposes.     It  is  the  inexhaustible  storehouse  from 
 which  papists  have  drawn  the  enormous  mass  of  error,  super- 
 stition, and  idolatry,  which  has  made  the  word  of  God  of  no 
 effect,  and  almost  overwhelmed  the  Christian  religion. 
 
 Lastly,  The  church  has  power  to  draw  up  and  enact  sum- 
 maries of  Christian  doctrine,  in  order  to  exhibit  to  the  world 
 her  views  of  the  Scriptures,  to  oppose  prevailing  heresies  and 
 errors,  to  furnish  the  people  with  a  concise  statement  of  the 
 great  principles  of  religion,  and  to  provide  an  effectual  means 
 of  ascertaining  the  sentiments  of  candidates  for  admission, 
 especially  into  the  ministry,  and  thus  to  secure  harmony  and 
 uniformity    in    the    public   ministrations.     These    are  called 
 
 •   Isa.  vi;i.  +   pg,  cxix.  105.  ♦  1  Tim.  iii.  15.  17- 
 
392  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  I 
 
 symbols,  confessions,  articles,  formularies,  and  they  were  in- 
 troduced at  an  early  period.  We  have  the  Nicene  creed,  the 
 Constantinopolitan  creed,  and  others  composed  by  synods  and 
 councils.  There  is  also  the  celebrated  Athanasian  creed, 
 which  is  called  by  the  name  of  Athanasius,  because  it  contains 
 a  summary  of  his  doctrine.  The  real  author  is  unknown,  but 
 its  orthodoxy  has  procured  its  reception  by  several  churches. 
 Besides  these,  there  is  the  Apostles'  creed,  which  also  owes  its 
 name  to  the  conformity  of  its  doctrines  to  that  of  the  Apos- 
 tles. It  is  certain  that  it  was  not  drawn  up  by  them ;  and 
 a  story  which  has  been  told,  that  at  its  original  formation 
 all  the  Apostles  were  present  and  each  contributed  a  part, 
 is  absurd  and  ridiculous.  Modern  churches  have  imitated 
 the  example  of  those  in  former  times,  and  have  given  to  the 
 public  their  confessions  of  faith,  from  which  we  learn  how 
 far  they  agree  with  the  Scriptures,  and  in  what  respects  they 
 differ  from  each  other. 
 
 If  you  ask  what  authority  these  summaries  possess,  I  an- 
 swer, that  they  have  none  in  themselves,  any  more  than  other 
 human  compositions.  The  only  difference  between  them  and 
 the  creeds  of  individuals  is  this,  that  there  is  a  greater  proba- 
 bility that  they  are  right ;  as  it  is  less  likely  that  so  many  who 
 were  engaged  in  drawing  them  up  should  have  erred,  than  a 
 single  person,  who  gives  the  result  of  his  insulated  studies. 
 At  the  same  time,  I  must  say  that  this  probability  does  not 
 amount  to  much,  because  we  sometimes  find  that  there  is  an 
 Athanasius  contra  totum  mundum,  or  that  one  man  discovers 
 the  truth,  and  a  council  misses  it ;  and,  at  any  rate,  it  is  not 
 a  ground  on  which  any  Christian  could  safely  and  rationally 
 proceed  in  choosing  his  creed.  The  authority  of  such  sum- 
 maries is  derived  solely  from  the  Scriptures;  if  they  are 
 agreeable  to  them,  they  are  binding,  because  they  exhibit 
 the  truth  ;  if  not  agreeable  to  them,  they  ought  to  be  reject- 
 ed, with  as  little  ceremony  as  we  should  use  towards  a  private 
 attempt  to  impose  upon  conscience.  There  has  been  much 
 misapprehension  upon  this  subject,  which  has  been  too  much 
 encouraged  by  the  vague,  injudicious  language  of  the  public 
 teachers  of  religion  ;  and  the  standards  of  a  church  have  been 
 regarded  as  sacred  things,  which  it  would  be  profaneness  to 
 
(  ill  RCH   FOWKR. 
 
 touch.  So  tar  ai  these  §entimentfl  prevail  among  Protestants^ 
 they  adopt  one  of  the  most  absurd  and  dangerous  errori  of 
 Popery.  When  the  church  speaks,  we  have  a  right  to  try 
 what  she  says  by  the  supreme  standard;  and  her  dictates  have 
 no  control  over  our  consciences,  unless  she  can  satisfactorily 
 shew  that  they  are  conformable  to  it. 
 
 The  sum,  then,  of  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  yo- 
 trstas  dogmatica  of  the  church  is,  that  she  is  the  depository  of 
 the  Scriptures ;  that  she  is  appointed  to  interpret  them,  and 
 performs  this  duty  by  public  and  private  instruction,  oral  and 
 written,  but  has  no  power  to  make  articles  of  faith  ;  and  that, 
 as  she  is  not  infallible,  every  man  retains  the  right  of  private 
 judgment,  or  the  right  to  examine  the  Scriptures  for  himself, 
 and  to  follow  them,  either  by  joining  in  the  profession  of  the 
 church,  or  by  dissenting  from  it.  This  view  of  the  power  of 
 the  church  accords  with  the  sentiments  stated  in  our  Confession 
 of  Faith  :  "  It  belongeth  to  synods  and  councils  ministerially  to 
 determine  controversies  of  faith,  and  cases  of  conscience  ;"  and 
 their  "  decrees  and  determinations,  if  consonant  to  the  word  of 
 God,  are  to  be  received  with  reverence  and  submission."  "  All 
 synods  and  councils  since  the  Apostles'  times,  whether  general 
 or  particular,  may  err,  and  many  have  erred  ;  therefore  they 
 are  not  to  be  made  the  rule  of  faith  or  practice,  but  to  be 
 used  as  an  help  in  both." "  The  Church  of  England  ex- 
 presses the  same  sentiments  in  the  article  concerning  general 
 councils  :  "  When  they  be  gathered  together,  (forasmuch  as 
 they  be  an  assembly  of  men,  whereof  all  be  not  governed  with 
 the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,)  they  may  err,  and  sometimes  have 
 erred,  even  in  things  pertaining  unto  God.  Wherefore  things 
 ordained  by  them,  as  necessary  to  salvation,  have  neither 
 strength  nor  authority,  unless  it  may  be  declared  that  they 
 be  taken  out  of  holy  Scripture."  f 
 
 Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the  second  part  of  the 
 power  of  the  church,  which  is  called  potestas  ZiaraicTiKT],  or 
 potestas  orclinans  ;  that  is,  the  power  to  enact  canons,  or  rules 
 for  government  and  order. 
 
 In  the  first  place,  The  church  has  not  power  to  establish 
 any  form  of  government  which  shall  appear  most  eligible  to 
 
 •  Chap.  xxxi.  §.  8,  4.  +  Art.  xxi. 
 
394  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  I 
 
 her  rulers,  judging  in  this  matter  as  if  they  were  at  liberty 
 to  pursue  their  own  views  of  propriety  and  expedience.  Were 
 the  form  of  government  ambulatory,  as  some  suppose,  it 
 would  undoubtedly  belong  to  them  to  accommodate  it  to  cir- 
 cumstances, so  far  as  this  might  be  done  without  injury  to  the 
 interests  of  religion.  But  we  have  proved  that  a  particular 
 form  is  prescribed,  from  which  they  cannot  deviate,  without 
 usurping  an  authority  which  cannot  be  derived  from  Jesus 
 Christ,  as  it  is  employed  in  setting  aside  his  institutions. 
 The  command  to  Moses  is  addressed  also  to  them  :  "  See  that 
 thou  make  all  things  according  to  the  pattern  shewn  unto 
 thee  in  the  mount."  *  It  may  be  objected,  that  the  form  of 
 government  for  the  Christian  church  is  not  delineated  with  as 
 much  particularity  as  the  tabernacle  was,  with  its  various  ser- 
 vices. But  the  general  principles  are  laid  down ;  the  outlines 
 are  given ;  and  the  church  has  nothing  to  do  but  to  develope 
 the  principles,  and  to  fill  up  the  outlines,  in  exact  conformity 
 to  the  spirit  of  the  original  sketch. 
 
 In  the  second  place,  The  church  has  not  power  to  make 
 laws  to  regulate  the  moral  conduct  of  the  members ;  she  has 
 no  legislative  authority ;  and  her  office  consists  solely  in 
 publishing  and  enjoining  the  laws  which  the  Head  of  the 
 church  has  already  enacted.  Moral  laws  can  emanate  only 
 from  the  Sovereign  of  heaven  and  earth.  Ecclesiastical  rulers 
 are  in  the  same  situation  with  the  subordinate  magistrates  in 
 a  kingdom.  There  are  laws  which  bind  them  as  well  as  the 
 subjects ;  and  the  only  purpose  for  which  they  are  appointed, 
 is  to  superintend  the  execution  of  them.  The  decalogue 
 which  was  published  from  Sinai,  is  the  standard  of  duty  to 
 Christians  as  well  as  to  Jews  ;  and  of  its  perfection  no  doubt 
 can  be  entertained,  whether  we  reflect  upon  its  Author,  or 
 upon  the  two  grand  principles  upon  which  it  is  founded,  and 
 into  which  all  its  precepts  are  resolved, — supreme  love  to  God, 
 and  sincere  love  to  our  neighbour.  The  details  of  duty  in 
 the  Scripture,  whether  in  the  didactic,  the  exhortatory,  or 
 the  admonitory  form,  serve  to  explain  it ;  and  the  text,  with 
 the  commentary,  constitutes  a  rule  so  full  and  so  particular, 
 that  it  stands  in  need  of  no  addition,  and  is  sufficient  to  direct 
 
 *  Ueb.  viii.  o. 
 
C  II  L  KC  II    POWIB. 
 
 the  Christian  in  the  whole  course  of  his  life.  The  Church  of 
 ROHM  ii  guilty  of  great  presumption  and  impiety  in  assuming 
 the  right  of  legislation.  Not  content  to  enforce  die  com- 
 mandments of  Christ,  she  has  enlarged  his  law  by  new  pre- 
 cepts, originating  in  her  own  authority,  or,  what  is  the  same 
 thing,  in  tradition, — the  name  which  she  uses  to  justify  her 
 corruptions  and  usurpations ;  she  has  instituted  holidays  which 
 God  has  not  appointed ;  prescribed  modes  and  objects  of  wor- 
 ship which  are  condemned  in  his  word  ;  prohibited  certain 
 kinds  of  food  at  some  times  to  all,  and  at  all  times  to  some  ; 
 forbidden  the  marriage  of  the  clergy  ;  enjoined  confession  to 
 a  priest,  fasts,  penances,  and  pilgrimages ;  and  has  introduced 
 these  innovations,  not  as  matters  of  order  and  expedience,  but 
 as  laws  binding  upon  conscience,  and  requiring  obedience 
 under  pain  of  censure  and  mortal  sin.  Thus  the  prediction 
 has  been  fulfilled,  that  "  the  man  of  sin  should,  as  God,  sit 
 in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing  himself  that  he  is  God."  * 
 And  every  church  which  dares  to  make  laws  which  shall 
 directly  affect  conscience,  blasphemously  arrogates  the  pre- 
 rogative of  the  Most  High.  "  God  alone,"  says  our  Con- 
 on,  "  is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath  left  it  free  from 
 the  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men  which  are  in  any 
 thing  contrary  to  his  word,  or  beside  it,  in  matters  of  faith 
 or  worship.  So  that,  to  believe  such  doctrines,  or  to  obey 
 such  commandments  out  of  conscience,  is  to  betray  true  liberty 
 of  conscience."  f 
 
 In  the  third  place,  The  church  has  not  power  to  decree 
 rites  and  ceremonies.  Here  we  encounter  the  Church  of 
 Home,  and  the  Church  of  England;  which  last  affirms  in 
 her  articles  that  the  church  has  such  power ;  J  and  to  both,  the 
 claim  is  necessary  to  justify  their  practice.  We  demand  Scrip- 
 tural proof,  but  can  find  none.  It  is  in  vain  to  quote  the 
 words  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  "  Let  all  things  be  done 
 decently  and  in  order  ;"  ||  because  they  do  not  refer  to  rites  and 
 ceremonies,  but  to  certain  abuses  in  the  public  exercise  of 
 extraordinary  gifts.  They  have  not  the  most  remote  relation 
 to  a  supposed  power  to  render  the  ordinances  and  ministra- 
 tions of  religion  more  becoming  and  impressive  by  human  ad- 
 
 •  2  Thcss.  ii.  1.  +  Chap.  xx.  2.  J  Art.  xx.  ||   1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 
 
396  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  : 
 
 ditions  to  them.     There  is  a  vague  kind  of  talk  among  per- 
 sons who  seem  to  know  little  of  the  nature  of  genuine  reli- 
 gion, about  the  necessity  of  adapting  it  to  the  nature  of  man, 
 who  is  so  much  influenced  by  his  senses  as  to  be  incapable  of 
 pure  spiritual  contemplations,  and  needs  their  aid  to  fix  his 
 attention,  and  excite  devout  sentiments  and  affections.     But 
 while  we  deny   that   there   is   any  such  necessity,    and  can 
 prove  the  falsity  of  the  assumption   by  experience,  we  say 
 that,  if  it  had  existed,  we  may  presume  that  the  Author  of 
 religion,  who  knows   our  frame,  would  have  provided  for  it 
 by  appointing  suitable  rites,  and  not  have  left  the  invention 
 of  them  to  men  themselves,  who  have  discovered  such  a  pro- 
 pensity in  all  ages  to  corrupt  religion,  and  to   turn  it  into  a 
 vain  show.     It  is  supposed  that  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel 
 are  defective  from  their  simplicity,  and  that,  unless  they  be 
 new-modelled,  they  will  not  produce   the  intended  effect,  at 
 least  upon  the  generality  of  mankind.     Is  not  this  plainly  to 
 impeach  the  wisdom  of  Christ,  as  if  he  had  not  rightly  appre- 
 hended the  proper  means  of  making  religious  impressions  upon 
 the   human   mind,  or   had  delivered  his  institutions  to  the 
 church  in  an  unfinished  state,  and  committed  the  supply  of 
 what  was  wanting  to  persons  who  have  proved  themselves  in- 
 competent, by  the  nature  of  the  ceremonies  which  they  have 
 devised,  and  by  the  multiplication  of  them  to  such  a  degree 
 as  to  convert  religion  into  a  bodily  service  ?     The  advocates 
 for  ceremonies  forget  the  words  of  our  Lord,   "  God  is  a  Spi- 
 rit, and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and 
 in  truth  ;"  *  and  would  turn  religion  into  a  mechanical  pro- 
 cess, the  effect  of  impressions  on  the  senses  and  the  imagina- 
 tion.    They  forget  that  it  is  spiritual ;  that  it  is  produced  by 
 the  contemplation  of  spiritual  objects ;  that  the  medium  by 
 which  these  affect  the  mind  is  faith,  which  "  is  the  evidence 
 of  things  not  seen,  and  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for  ;"  | 
 and  that  the  excitement   of  the  natural  passions  has  nothing 
 of  the  nature  of  piety,  in  the  estimation   of  Him  who  dwells 
 with  the  humble  and  the  contrite  that  tremble  at  his  word. 
 
 The  church  assumes  a  power  which  does  not  belong  to  her, 
 when  she  makes  any  addition  to  the  institutions  of  Christ ; 
 
 •  John  iv.  24.  f  Heb.  xi.  1. 
 
CHI  aCH  roui-.ii.  Mil 
 
 and  >till  more  when  she  exacts  the  observance  <>i  these  si 
 pain  of  censure  and  excommunication.  In  this  case,  she 
 claims  an  authority  co-ordinate  with  that  of  our  exalted 
 Redeemer.  Were  the  church  simply  to  recommend  certain 
 ceremonies,  leaving  it  free  to  every  man  to  observe  them  or 
 not,  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  her  conduct, 
 although  it  could  not  be  justified,  would  be  less  reprehensible. 
 But  when  she  issues  her  mandate,  that  all  should  conform, 
 she  assumes  the  tone  of  an  usurper  and  a  tyrant ;  and  it  is  a 
 duty  which  every  man  owes  to  the  Head  of  the  church,  to 
 -  r  her  impositions.  Besides  other  instances  of  will-worship 
 in  the  Church  of  England,  she  has  appended  two  human  rites 
 to  the  sacraments, — the  sign  of  the  cross  in  baptism,  and 
 kneeling  at  the  Lord's  Supper.  For  the  first,  there  is  not 
 a  shadow  of  authority  in  the  practice  of  the  Apostles;  and 
 the  reason  which  she  gives  for  it  is  imaginary', — that  "  it  is 
 a  token  that  the  baptized  person  shall  not  be  ashamed  to 
 confess  the  faith  of  Christ  crucified,  and  manfully  to  fight 
 under  his  banners  against  sin,  the  world,  and  the  devil ;  and 
 to  continue  Christ's  faithful  soldier  and  servant  unto  his  life's 
 end."  Men  are  the  authors  both  of  the  sign  and  of  the  inter- 
 pretation of  it.  Faith,  which  rests  solely  upon  revelation, 
 sees  nothing  in  it  but  an  idle  motion  of  the  hand.  Kneeling 
 at  the  Lord's  table  is  enjoined  as  expressive  of  reverence ; 
 but  by  what  authority  is  this  posture  required  ?  Not  surely 
 by  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  administered  the  ordinance  to 
 his  disciples  placed  at  table  in  the  same  manner  as  when 
 they  received  their  ordinary  meals.  How  then  comes  it  to 
 pass  that  the  symbols  of  his  body  and  blood  must  be  received 
 with  a  sign  of  external  reverence,  which  was  not  given  when 
 he  himself  was  corporeally  present  ?  This  is  rather  a  puzzling 
 question  even  to  Papists,  who  believe  transubstantiation ;  and 
 still  more  so  to  Protestants,  who  do  not  believe  it :  but  the 
 truth  is,  that  the  rite  is  derived  from  Papists,  who  maintain 
 that  the  elements  are  changed  into  the  body,  blood,  and 
 divinity  of  Christ ;  and  is  therefore,  among  Protestants,  a 
 childish  and  absurd  imitation  of  a  practice  founded  on  a  doe- 
 trine  which  they  hold  in  abhorrence.  There  is  not  much 
 encouragement  to  recognize  in  the  church  this  power  of  or- 
 
398  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  '. 
 
 daining  ceremonies,  when  we  see  that  one  of  its  fruits  is 
 symbolizing  with  idolaters.  The  ordinances  wTere  given  by 
 Jesus  Christ  in  a  perfect  state,  and  are  as  sufficient  to  promote 
 all  the  ends  of  their  institution  now,  as  they  were  in  the  pri- 
 mitive times,  when  they  subsisted  in  their  original  simplicity. 
 
 Lastly,  There  are  several  matters  respecting  external  order, 
 to  which  the  power  of  the  church  does  extend.  These  do  not 
 relate  to  the  essence  or  form  of  the  ordinances  of  religion,  or 
 to  the  moral  conduct  of  the  members  ;  but  to  circumstances 
 which  are  connected  with  the  regular  proceedings  of  any 
 society,  and  which  human  prudence  is  competent  to  settle. 
 Thus,  it  belongs  to  the  church  to  appoint  the  times  of  public 
 worship  ;  not  to  make  holidays,  but  to  determine  at  what 
 hours  Christians  shall  assemble  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  what 
 other  occasions  they  shall  come  together  to  join  in  the  solemn 
 exercises  of  religion,  according  to  the  calls  of  Providence. 
 It  is  also  her  province,  to  point  out  the  order  in  which  the 
 public  ministrations  should  be  conducted,  that  uniformity 
 may  be  established  within  her  pale ;  to  fix  the  bounds  of  con- 
 gregations, presbyteries,  and  synods,  that  there  may  be  no 
 interference  of  interests  and  claims,  and  that  each  may  confine 
 itself  to  its  own  jurisdiction  :  to  make  regulations  respecting 
 their  intercourse,  and  the  transference  of  members  from  one 
 place  to  another ;  to  lay  down  rules  for  conducting  judicial 
 processes,  that  nothing  may  be  done  rashly  or  unfairly,  but 
 the  ends  of  justice  may  be  attained;  to  prescribe  the  educa- 
 tion of  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  the  steps  which  are  to 
 be  taken  with  a  view  to  ascertain  their  qualifications,  and  to 
 introduce  them  into  office.  With  regard  to  such  matters,  it 
 is  evident  that  they  imply  no  legislative  authority,  but  merely 
 the  power  of  arrangement ;  that  uniformity  is  not  necessary 
 throughout  the  whole  Christian  church,  but  only  in  particular 
 divisions  of  it ;  and  that  the  order  may  be  varied,  without 
 impeding  the  general  purpose  of  edification,  according  to  the 
 judgment  of  the  church,  founded  upon  the  customs  and  circum- 
 stances of  different  nations  and  times. 
 
 Let  us  proceed  to  consider  the  last  part  of  ecclesiastical 
 power,  which  is  called  potestas  ciaicpniK>},  ox  potestas  judicial! s 
 eel  diseiplinaris,    and  consists  in   the   exercise   of  discipline. 
 
CHI  RCH   l'()\.  IVJ'J 
 
 ElfcStUS  and  his  followers,  who  denied  the  power  ftf  the 
 church  in  tofa,  DeCOBBaiily  controverted  the  power  of  discipline, 
 and  maintained,  that  she  had  no  right  to  exclude  any  from  her 
 communion;  and  that,  in  doing  so,  she  encroached  upon  the 
 prerogative  of  the  civil  magistrate,  to  whom  alone  it  belong1! 
 to  punish  the  guilty. 
 
 The  ahettors  of  this  opinion  place  the  church  in  more  dis- 
 advantageous circumstances  than  any  other  society.  A  state 
 has  power  to  protect  itself  from  disorder  and  dishonour,  by 
 the  restraint  and  expulsion  of  the  lawless  and  unruly.  Every 
 other  association  lays  down  rules  to  be  observed  by  the  mem- 
 bers, the  infraction  of  which  subjects  them  to  censure,  and  it 
 may  be,  to  the  loss  of  their  privileges.  It  would  be  strange 
 to  suppose  that  the  church  alone  is  exposed,  without  defence, 
 to  have  her  peace  disturbed,  her  laws  violated,  her  reputation 
 injured,  by  conduct  inconsistent  with  her  holy  profession. 
 To  say  that  the  civil  magistrate  ought  to  interpose  to  remedy 
 such  disorders,  is  to  annihilate  the  church,  or  to  make  it  exist 
 only  in  name.  In  this  case,  the  church  and  the  state  are  the 
 same  ;  the  privileges  of  the  church  belong  to  men  as  mem- 
 bers of  the  state  ;  and  the  state  punishes  them,  not  as  unwor- 
 thy disciples  of  Christ,  but  as  disobedient  subjects. 
 
 To  every  person  who  has  read  and  understood  the  Scrip- 
 tures, it  will  appear  that  the  church  is  a  society  specifically 
 different  from  the  state,  and  instituted  solely  for  spiritual  pur- 
 poses. A  person  has  a  right  of  admission  into  it,  not  because 
 he  was  born  in  the  country  where  it  is  established,  nor  simply 
 because  he  was  baptized  in  his  infancy,  but  because  he  makes 
 a  credible  profession  of  faith.  On  this  ground  only  can  he 
 claim  the  enjoyment  of  its  privileges,  which  from  their  nature 
 appear  not  to  be  intended  for  all  promiscuously,  but  for  those 
 who  in  the  judgment  of  charity  are  disciples  of  Christ.  It  is 
 evident,  that  it  is  only  on  the  same  ground  that  he  can  retain 
 them  ;  and  that,  if  he  has  forfeited  his  title  by  conduct  which 
 impeaches  the  sincerity  of  his  profession,  they  may  be  justly 
 suspended  or  withdrawn.  If  this  be  granted  to  be  true, — and 
 ir  is  not  conceivable  that  it  can  be  disputed  by  any  man  of 
 common  sense, — the  inference  is  obvious,  that  there  must  be  a 
 
400  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  : 
 
 power  lodged  in  the  church  to  enforce   the  observance  of  her 
 laws  by  censures  and  excommunication. 
 
 When  our  Lord  gave  Peter  "  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven,"  we  do  not  conceive  that  he  conferred  upon  him  a  pe- 
 culiar privilege,  unless  the  words  refer  simply  to  the  fact,  that 
 he  was  the  person  who  opened  the  new  dispensation  to  the 
 Jews,  by  preaching  to  them  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  to 
 the  Gentiles  by  preaching  to  Cornelius.  Whatever  power  is 
 implied  in  these  words,  "  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon 
 earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
 loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven,"  *  was  common  to 
 him  and  the  other  Apostles,  to  whom  the  same  words  were 
 addressed  on  another  occasion,  f  Binding  and  loosing  are 
 expressive  of  authority,  not  only  to  declare  doctrinally  what 
 are  the  obligations  of  Christians,  and  in  what  respects  they 
 are  free,  but  to  inflict  and  remove  censures.  The  offender 
 is  bound  when  the  church  pronounces  sentence  upon  him,  and 
 is  loosed  when  he  is  restored  to  privileges  upon  repentance ; 
 and  the  proceedings  are  ratified  in  heaven,  when  they  are  con- 
 ducted in  conformity  to  Scripture. 
 
 It  appears  that  discipline  was  exercised  in  the  primitive 
 church.  The  case  of  the  incestuous  man  is  an  example.  He 
 had  committed  a  sin  aggravated  in  itself,  and  highly  discredit- 
 able to  the  Christian  profession ;  and  Paul  commanded  the 
 Corinthians,  "  when  they  were  gathered  together,  in  the  name 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  deliver  him  unto  Satan  for  the  de- 
 struction of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit  might  be  saved  in  the 
 day  of  the  Lord."  J  He  told  them  at  the  same  time,  that 
 although  they  could  not  avoid  all  intercourse  with  the  wicked 
 men  of  the  world  ;  yet,  "  if  any  man  that  was  called  a  brother 
 was  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a 
 drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,"  they  were  not  to  keep  company, 
 nor  even  to  eat  with  him ;  ||  and  as  we  might  have  expected, 
 he  plainly  signified  that  they  were  not  to  sit  down  with  him 
 at  the  table  of  the  Lord.  He  directs  a  heretic  to  be  rejected 
 after  the  first  and  second  admonition ;  §  and  he  calls  upon 
 Christians  to  withdraw  from  every  brother  that  walked  disor- 
 
 •  Matth.  xvi.  19.  f  lb.  xviii.  18.  $  1  Cor.  v.  4,  5. 
 
 ||  lb.  11.  §  Titus  iii.  10. 
 
(    111    li(    II     l«.'/.  -|()l 
 
 derly,  and  not  after  the  tradition  which  they  had  received*' 
 Some  of  the  Asiatic  churches  are  reproved,  because  they  had 
 neglected  the  exercise  of  discipline.  The  charge  brought 
 againfti  them  is,   that   "  they  had  them  that  held  the  doctrine 
 
 of  the  Nicolai tans,"  and  "  that  held  the  doctrine  of  Balaam  ;" 
 tk  that  they  suffered  that  woman  Jezebel,  who  called  herself  a 
 prophetess;"!  and  the  obvious  meaning  is,  that,  instead  of 
 employing  the  authority  which  they  had  received  from  Jesus 
 Christ  against  such  persons,  they  permitted  them  to  remain 
 in  the  church. 
 
 The  rulers  of  the  church  have  authority  over  the  members. 
 As  it  is  their  province  to  judge  who  should  be  admitted,  and 
 to  inspect  their  conduct  when  they  have  been  received  into 
 fellowship,  so  they  have  power  to  censure  and  to  expel  such 
 as  prove  themselves  to  be  unworthy.  This  is  the  natural 
 right  of  every  society,  and  it  is  given  to  the  church  by  the 
 special  appointment  of  her  Sovereign :  "  Reprove,  rebuke, 
 exhort  with  all  long-suffering  and  doctrine."  "  Exhort  and 
 rebuke  with  all  authority;  let  no  man  despise  thee." J 
 
 The  objects  of  the  censures  of  the  church  are  offences  or 
 scandals ;  by  which  are  meant,  parts  of  conduct  which  are 
 contrary  to  the  law  of  Christ,  and  are  calculated  to  lead  others 
 into  sin  by  the  force  of  example,  as  well  as  to  expose  religion 
 to  reproach.  They  are  public  offences  known  to  the  church, 
 or  to  some  part  of  the  members ;  for,  with  respect  to  those  of 
 a  private  nature,  they  ought  not  to  be  brought  to  light,  unless 
 the  guilty  person  persist  in  them  after  private  admonition ; 
 and  to  tell  them  in  the  first  instance  to  the  church,  is  to  create 
 a  scandal,  under  the  pretext  of  removing  it. 
 
 Offences  are  to  be  treated  differently,  according  to  the  dif- 
 ference of  their  degrees.  When  they  are  of  a  lighter  kind, 
 and  discover  rather  inadvertence  than  bad  intention,  a  simple 
 admonition  will  suffice  :  "  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken 
 in  a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  restore  such  an  one  in  the 
 spirit  of  meekness  ;  considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be 
 tempted."  ||  A  greater  degree  of  guilt  will  call  for  a  more 
 severe  expression  of  disapprobation,    or  a  rebuke  solemnly 
 
 •  2  Thess.  iii.  0.  f  Rev.  ii.  14,  15,  20.  J  2  Tim.  iv.  2.      Tit.  ii.  M» 
 
 ||  Gal.  vi.  1. 
 VOL.   IV.  •>  Q 
 
402  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   CHURCH  I 
 
 administered  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  which  it  is  the 
 design  to  affect  more  deeply  the  conscience  of  the  offender, 
 and  to  excite  him  to  prayer  for  pardon  and  sanctifying  grace. 
 There  are  cases  which  require  that  the  church  should  proceed 
 still  farther.  Individuals  sometimes  commit  flagrant  and 
 aggravated  sins,  which,  although  they  do  not  necessarily 
 infer  the  total  want  of  religious  principle,  bring  the  sincerity 
 of  their  profession  into  doubt.  Such  offenders  are  suspended 
 from  sealing  ordinances,  as  they  are  called,  till  they  have 
 given  evidence  of  repentance,  and  then  they  are  restored  to 
 their  privileges.  This  sentence  is  called  the  lesser  excommu- 
 nication, and  the  removal  of  it  is  termed  absolution.  They 
 are  not  absolved  from  their  sin, — for  it  is  the  prerogative  of 
 God  alone  to  forgive  it, — but  from  the  sentence  of  excommu- 
 nication. The  highest  censure  wThich  the  church  has  power 
 to  inflict,  is  called  the  greater  excommunication,  and  consists 
 in  expelling  the  person  from  the  communion  of  the  faithful. 
 The  grounds  of  it  are  contumacy  or  the  obstinate  refusal  to 
 submit  to  admonition  and  rebuke,  and  perseverance  in  sin  in 
 defiance  of  all  endeavours  to  reclaim  him.  We  have  an  ex- 
 ample in  the  case  of  the  incestuous  man,  who  was  delivered 
 "  unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit 
 might  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord."*  Commentators 
 generally  suppose  that  these  words  imply  something  miracu- 
 lous, and  that  the  man  was  smitten  with  some  bodily  disease, 
 through  the  agency  of  Satan,  in  consequence  of  which  his 
 health  and  strength  declined.  His  spirit  would  be  saved  in 
 the  day  of  the  Lord,  if,  through  the  Divine  blessing,  his 
 experience  of  the  painful  effects  of  sin  in  this  life,  proved  the 
 means  of  leading  him  to  repentance.  But  even  in  the  present 
 times,  this  highest  censure  may  be  still  considered  as  the 
 delivering  of  the  excommunicated  person  to  Satan.  The 
 world  is  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  the  church  is  the  kingdom 
 of  Christ.  Excommunication  is  the  returning  of  a  professed 
 subject  of  Christ,  who  has  proved  himself  to  be  a  traitor  and 
 a  rebel,  to  the  kingdom  to  which  he  originally  belonged.  It 
 declares  that  Christ  is  not  his  Lord,  for  he  has  refused  to 
 obey  him ;  and  that  he  is  under  the  dominion  of  the  prince  of 
 
 *  1  Cor.  v.  5. 
 
CHI  R(  II   I'ou  ER.  40.'J 
 
 this  world.  He  is  sent  back  to  him  as  an  alien,  who  lias  n<> 
 right  to  remain  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ;  because  he  has 
 
 violated  its  laws,  and  is  determined  not  to  submit  to  them. 
 Hence  it  appears  that  this  sentence  is  very  awful ;  since,  when 
 pronounced  upon  just  grounds,  it  involves  the  eternal  perdi- 
 tion of  the  person,  if  he  continue  impenitent. 
 
 But  the  effects  of  the  censures  of  the  church  extend  only 
 to  the  soul.  It  is  a  gross  perversion  of  their  design,  to  ac- 
 company them  with  civil  pains,  confiscation  of  goods,  impri- 
 sonment, exile,  or  death  ;  to  deliver  up  the  excommunicated 
 person  to  the  secular  arm,  as  the  Church  of  Rome  does,  with 
 a  hypocritical  prayer  that  he  may  be  mercifully  treated,  while 
 it  is  her  secret  intention  that  he  should  expire  at  a  stake. 
 "  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  spiritual." 
 Power  is  given  to  the  church,  not  for  destruction,  but  for 
 edification  ;  and  its  object  is  the  good  even  of  those  who  fall 
 under  the  severest  censures.  Like  him  whom  she  acknow- 
 ledges as  her  Head,  she  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
 wicked,  but  rather  that  the  wicked  should  turn  from  their 
 ways  and  live  ;  and  her  arms  are  opened  to  receive  the  peni- 
 tent, and  to  restore  them  to  a  place  among  her  children. 
 
LECTURE  CI  I 
 
 ON  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 CONNEXION  Or  THE   PRACTICAL  AND    DOCTRINAL    PARTS    OF    THEOLOGY.— 
 
 THE  MORAL  LAW REMARKS   ON  THE    GROUND  OF  MORAL  OBLIGATION  ; 
 
 AND  THE  SOURCE  OF  MORALITY. THE  DECALOGUE. RULES  FOR  INTER- 
 PRETING IT. 
 
 The  system  of  Theology  consists  of  two  parts,  the  doctrinal 
 and  the  practical.  The  former  is  the  foundation  of  the  latter. 
 The  natural  order  of  things,  therefore,  requires  that  we  should 
 first  consider  the  doctrines,  and  then  proceed  to  explain  the 
 duties  which  spring  out  of  them.  It  is  because  God  is  our 
 Creator,  that  he  has  a  right  to  give  law  to  us  ;  and  the  rela- 
 tion in  which  he  stands  to  us  as  creatures  and  as  sinners,  the 
 dispensations  of  which  we  are  the  objects,  and  the  privileges 
 and  blessings  which  he  has  bestowed  upon  us,  supply  the 
 motives  by  which  we  should  be  excited  to  obey.  In  a  course 
 of  ministerial  instructions,  these  two  parts  are  usually  blended 
 together.  It  may  sometimes,  indeed,  be  deemed  expedient 
 to  go  over  the  system  in  regular  order,  and,  in  this  case,  a 
 separate  illustration  will  be  given  of  doctrines  and  precepts ;  but 
 even  then  they  ought  not  to  be  kept  entirely  distinct.  No  doc- 
 trine of  religion  should  be  expounded,  without  some  statement 
 of  the  duties  to  which  it  leads,  and  the  motives  which  it  fur- 
 nishes ;  for  all  our  discourses  should  be  of  a  practical  tendency. 
 On  the  other  hand,  no  duty  should  be  inculcated,  without  a 
 reference  more  or  less  explicit,  to   the  doctrine  or   doctrines 
 
i  in;  i  \\\   oi    (.on.  405 
 
 with  which  it  i*  connected,  and  by  the  belief  of  which  the 
 heart  is  purified,  and  its  powers  are  engaged  in  the  service 
 of  (Jod.  The  gospel  is  represented  to  he  the  doctrine  accord-* 
 inn  to  godliness,  or,  the  doctrine  which  inspires  piety  towards 
 God,   and  respect  tor  Ins  authority. 
 
 In  the  Scriptures,  doctrines  and  precepts  are  often  mixed  ; 
 hut  sometimes  they  are  exhibited  separately.  In  the  Old 
 Testament,  besides  the  precepts  of  the  law  of  Moses  which 
 are  delivered  at  great  length  in  the  Pentateuch,  we  have  the 
 Book  of  Proverbs,  which  is  almost  wholly  composed  of  moral 
 maxims  and  rules  of  life.  In  the  New  Testament,  we  have 
 our  Saviour's  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  besides  parables  and 
 discourses  of  the  same  nature  in  the  Gospels  ;  and  of  the  Epis- 
 tles,  those  of  which  the  first  part  is  devoted  to  doctrinal  dis- 
 cussions, commonly  conclude  with  a  detail  of  duties  which 
 believers  are  bound  to  maintain.  Some  of  the  Epistles  are 
 the  models  upon  which  our  systems  are  formed ;  and  the  simi- 
 larity of  arrangement  is  particularly  observable  in  the  Epistle 
 to  the  Romans. 
 
 The  law  of  God,  which  is  binding  upon  Christians,  is  con- 
 tained in  the  Decalogue,  or  the  Ten  Words,  as  the  Jews  call 
 it,  because  it  consists  of  ten  precepts,  which  were  originally 
 written  on  two  tablets  of  stone  ;  the  first,  comprehending  the 
 four  precepts  which  enjoin  our  duty  to  God  ;  and  the  second, 
 the  six  which  prescribe  our  duty  to  men.  It  is  called  the 
 Moral  Law,  because  the  subject  of  its  injunctions  is  not  cere- 
 monial observances,  but  moral  actions  ;  and  to  distinguish 
 it  from  the  positive  laws,  which  w7ere  only  of  temporary  ob- 
 ligation. Of  this  description  was  the  ceremonial  law,  which 
 prescribed  the  ritual  of  worship  under  the  former  economy, 
 and  the  judicial  law,  which  regulated  the  civil  and  political 
 affairs  of  the  Jews.  The  ceremonial  law  was  abrogated  when 
 its  typical  institutions  were  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the 
 judicial  law  was  repealed  when  the  Jews  ceased  to  exist  in  a 
 national  capacity.  The  moral  law,  however,  has  no  relation 
 to  times  and  places,  or  to  one  nation  more  than  another ;  but 
 being  founded  in  the  relations  of  men  to  their  Creator,  and  to 
 one  another,  it  retains  its  authority  under  all  dispensations. 
 
 Ir  i*  commonly  said  that  this  law  was  originally  written  upon 
 
406  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 the  heart  of  man  ;  but  the  language  is  figurative,  and,  unless  it 
 be  explained,  conveys  no  idea  to  the  mind.  We  understand  by 
 it,  then,  not  only  that  man  was  endowed  with  intellectual  and 
 moral  powers,  or  was  created  with  a  capacity  to  perceive  his 
 duty  and  feel  its  obligation,  but  that  the  knowledge  of  it  was 
 immediately  communicated  to  him  by  his  Maker.  He  was 
 not  left  to  find  it  out  by  reflection  and  reasoning,  but  was  at 
 once  made  acquainted  with  his  relations,  and  the  moral  obliga- 
 tions resulting  from  them.  In  consequence  of  sin,  this  light 
 became  dim,  so  that  the  full  extent  of  the  region  which  it  once 
 illuminated  was  no  longer  perceived,  and  the  objects  which 
 still  fell  within  the  sphere  of  vision,  were  not  seen  in  their  exact 
 shape  and  dimensions.  Accordingly,  the  moral  code  of  heathen 
 nations  is  imperfect,  leaving  out  some  duties,  and  exhibiting 
 others  in  a  mutilated  form ;  but  the  notion  of  a  moral  law  has 
 been  widely  diffused,  and  some  traces  of  it  may  be  discovered 
 among  all  nations.  The  Gentiles  who  have  not  the  written 
 law,  do  by  nature  the  things  enjoined  by  it,  and  shew  that  the 
 work  of  the  law  is  written  upon  their  hearts,  by  the  operations 
 of  conscience,  which  sometimes  accuses,  and  at  other  times 
 excuses  them.  *  The  morality  of  heathens  may  be  accounted 
 for  in  two  ways.  It  may  be  conceived  to  have  been  handed 
 down  to  them  by  tradition,  to  be  the  voice  of  the  law,  which 
 was  given  to  our  first  parents,  and  revived  by  subsequent  re- 
 velations, still  speaking  to  men  by  the  lips  of  their  progenitors 
 and  teachers,  who  have  inculcated  from  age  to  age  the  pre- 
 cepts which  had  been  delivered  to  themselves  by  a  preceding 
 race.  It  may  be  supposed,  again,  to  be  the  result  of  reasoning ; 
 a  discovery  made  by  the  mental  faculties  employed  in  con- 
 templating the  principles,  feelings,  and  instincts  of  human 
 nature,  and  the  circumstances  in  which  it  is  placed,  and  in  de- 
 ducing inferences  from  them.  This,  however,  is  the  wTork  only 
 of  a  few  superior  minds,  and  will  not  account  for  the  existence 
 of  moral  sentiments  among  all  classes  of  men.  I  am  disposed 
 to  think  that  heathen  nations  are  chiefly  indebted  for  their 
 knowledge  to  tradition,  although  it  cannot  be  questioned  that 
 the  human  mind  is  so  constituted  as  to  perceive  the  propriety 
 
 *  Rom.  ii.  14. 
 
THE    LAW   Of   (i()D.  407 
 
 or  impropriety  LIB  actions,  and  to  make  them  the  obj 
 
 of  approbation  or  disapprobation. 
 
 How  insufficient  reason  is  to  discover  a  system  of  morality, 
 we  could  not  determine  with  precision,  unless  we  had  an  oppor- 
 tunity to  observe  its  success  in  a  nation  which  was  left  solely 
 to  the  light  of  nature.  But  where  shall  we  meet  with  such  a 
 nation,  since  all  mankind  are  derived  from  the  same  stock,  and 
 the  original  family  was  illuminated  by  revelation  ?  Few  of  its 
 rays  may  now  shine  in  some  regions  of  the  earth  ;  but  we  are 
 not  certain  that  they  are  any-where  completely  extinguished ; 
 that  is,  we  cannot  ascertain  that  any  nation  owes  all  its  know- 
 ledge on  this  subject  to  its  own  insulated  discoveries.  But 
 the  general  insufficiency  of  reason  is  evident,  not  only  from 
 the  errors  and  defects  in  the  codes  of  morality  which  have 
 been  drawn  up  with  the  aid  of  tradition  by  the  most  learned 
 and  civilized  heathens,  but  from  the  difficulty  which  profess- 
 ed Christians  have  experienced  in  settling  the  foundation  of 
 their  system,  when  they  had  resolved  to  be  guided  in  the  in- 
 quiry by  reason  alone. 
 
 The  first  question  which  demands  our  attention,  is  the 
 ground  of  moral  obligation  ;  and  here  we  encounter  many  dif- 
 ferent opinions.  If  I  ask  why  I  should  pursue  one  course  of 
 action  rather  than  the  opposite ;  one  says,  Because  it  is  right ; 
 another,  Because  it  is  conformable  to  reason  and  nature  ;  a 
 third,  Because  it  is  conformable  to  truth ;  a  fourth,  Because  it 
 is  agreeable  to  the  fitness  of  things  ;  and  a  fifth,  Because  it 
 contributes  to  the  general  good.  The  fitness  of  things  has 
 been  much  insisted  upon  by  some  metaphysical  writers,  as  the 
 ground  of  moral  obligation.  "  The  necessary  and  eternal  dif- 
 ferent relations  that  different  things  bear  to  one  another,  and 
 the  consequent  fitness  or  unfitness  of  the  application  of  diffe- 
 rent things  or  diiferent  relations  to  one  another,  ought  con- 
 stantly to  determine  the  wills  of  all  rational  beings,  to  govern 
 all  their  actions  by  the  rules  of  justice,  equity,  goodness,  and 
 truth,  for  the  good  of  the  public,  in  their  respective  stations  ; 
 that  is,  these  eternal  and  necessary  differences  of  things  make 
 it  lit  and  reasonable  so  to  act;  they  cause  it  to  be  their  duty, 
 or  lay  an  obligation  upon  them  so  to  do,  even  separate  from 
 the  consideration  of  these  rules  being  the  positive  ^  ill  or  com- 
 
408  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 mand  of  God."  It  is  pretty  plain  that  this  abstruse  specu- 
 lation, which  some  of  you  may  find  it  difficult  to  comprehend, 
 could  never  be  intended  to  be  the  ground  of  moral  obligation 
 to  mankind  at  large  ;  and  that  we  must  seek  for  it  in  something 
 more  simple  and  level  to  their  capacity.  It  is  equally  evident, 
 that  it  properly  constitutes  no  moral  obligation  at  all.  The 
 fitness  of  things  is  said,  indeed,  to  oblige  us  independently  of 
 the  will  of  God  ;  but  how  can  this  be  ?  Is  there  any  obliga- 
 tion but  from  a  law  ;  and  any  law  without  the  will  of  a  supe- 
 rior ?  If  a  man  act  contrary  to  the  fitness  of  things,  you  may 
 pronounce  him  to  be  unreasonable,  but  you  cannot  call  him 
 criminal.  He  may  subject  himself  to  inconvenience  or  suffer- 
 ing ;  but  he  is  only  foolish.  The  truth  is,  that  the  fitness  of 
 things  as  a  rule  of  duty  is  a  word  without  meaning ;  and  is 
 only  used  in  an  intelligible  sense,  when  it  expresses  the  in- 
 stitution of  things  by  the  will  of  the  Creator,  from  which  the 
 duties  of  his  creatures  naturally  flow.  But  when  thus  ex- 
 plained, the  fitness  of  things  and  the  will  of  God  signify  the 
 same  thing  ;  the  fitness,  the  relation,  or  the  order  of  things, 
 being  the  medium  by  which  he  has  intimated  his  will. — Another 
 ground  of  obligation  is  utility,  or  the  tendency  of  actions  to 
 promote  the  general  good.  "  Actions  are  to  be  estimated," 
 says  Dr  Paley,  "  by  their  tendency.  Whatever  is  expedient 
 is  right.  It  is  the  utility  of  any  moral  rule  alone  which  con- 
 stitutes the  obligation  of  it."  *  But  hear  Bishop  Butler. 
 "  As  we  are  not  competent  judges  what  is  upon  the  whole 
 for  the  good  of  the  world,  there  may  be  other  immediate  ends 
 appointed  us  to  pursue,  besides  that  one  of  doing  good  or  pro- 
 ducing happiness.  Though  the  good  of  the  creation  be  the 
 only  end  of  the  Author  of  it,  yet  he  may  have  laid  us  under 
 particular  obligations,  which  we  may  discern  and  feel  ourselves 
 under,  quite  distinct  from  a  perception,  that  the  observance  or 
 violation  of  them  is  for  the  happiness  or  misery  of  our  fellow- 
 creatures.  And  this  is  in  fact  the  case.  For  there  are  certain 
 dispositions  of  mind,  and  certain  actions,  which  are  in  them- 
 selves approved  or  disapproved  by  mankind,  abstracted  from  the 
 consideration  of  their  tendency  to  the  happiness  or  misery  of  the 
 world ;  approved  or  disapproved  by  reflection,  by  that  principle 
 
 *  Moral  Philosophy,  book  i.  chap.  6. 
 
Tin;  law  01  GOD.  409 
 
 which  i*  the  guide  of  life,  the  judge  of  right  and  wrong."  ' 
 
 I  may  add,  that  to  hold  utility  to  be  the  foundation  of  morale, 
 i^  to  ascribe  to  men  more  comprehensive  views  than  they  actu- 
 ally poteen  J  and  it  fa  well  said  in  the  above  quotation,  that  we 
 are  not  competent  judges  what  is  upon  the  whole  for  the  good 
 of  the  world.  It  is  a  principle  too  unwieldy  for  our  grasp, 
 and  extremely  apt  to  be  abused  by  the  substitution  of  parti- 
 cular for  general  good.  Besides,  all  our  knowledge  of  what 
 is  good  is  derived  from  experience,  and  is  posterior  to  moral 
 obligation,  unless  we  suppose  that  the  laws  founded  upon  it 
 did  not  become  binding,  till  men  had  discovered  them  in  the 
 progress  of  time.  I  apprehend  that,  in  this  theory,  the  effects 
 of  a  law  are  confounded  with  the  reason  of  it:  and  this  i>  an 
 error ;  for  it  by  no  means  follows,  because  moral  laws  are  pro- 
 ductive of  happiness,  that  they  had  no  other  cause,  and  were 
 intended  to  accomplish  no  other  design.  They  may  result 
 from  the  nature  of  things,  or  the  relations  which  subsist  in  the 
 universe  ;  and  the  good  resulting  from  them,  may  not  be  their 
 ultimate  end,  but  a  consequence  of  the  benevolence  which 
 gave  existence  to  the  system  of  creation. 
 
 The  details  of  morality  will  evidently  be  affected  by  the 
 principle  which  is  assumed  as  its  foundation,  or  by  the  rule  of 
 action  which  is  established.  It  is  not  certain  that  the  same 
 conclusions  wrould  be  drawn  by  the  person  who  founded  it  in 
 the  fitness  of  things,  and  by  him  who  founded  it  on  utility. 
 Hence  we  see  the  insufficiency  of  reason  to  be  the  guide  of 
 life,  and  should  be  thankful  that  we  enjoy  a  clearer  and  more 
 steady  light. 
 
 A  question  has  been  agitated  among  Theologians  with  re- 
 spect to  the  rule  of  moral  action,  whether  it  originated  in  the 
 will  of  God,  or  is  founded  in  the  nature  of  things  ;  and  this  is 
 in  fact  to  inquire  whether  morality  is  mutable  or  immutable. 
 Some  have  maintained  that  the  whole  moral  law  originated  in 
 the  will  of  God  ;  that  the  duties  enjoined  in  it  are  right, 
 solely  because  he  has  commanded  them  ;  and  that,  if  he  had 
 so  pleased,  our  duty  might  have  been  made  to  consist  in 
 actions  different,  or  contrary.  A  similar  notion  was  enter- 
 tained by  some  ancient  philosophers,  who  pronounced  virtue 
 •  Sermon  on  the  Love  of  our  Neighbour — Xote . 
 
410  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 and  vice  to  be  arbitrary  distinctions  ;  and  is  imputed  by  the 
 Fathers  to  Simon  Magus,  as  one  of  the  erroneous  tenets  which 
 he  inculcated.  It  has  been  adopted  by  some  Divines  of  the 
 Roman  Church,  with  a  design  to  uphold  the  dispensing  power 
 which  they  ascribe  to  the  Pope.  It  would  be  sufficient,  I 
 should  think,  to  silence  them,  were  we  simply  to  ask,  whether 
 God  could  have  exempted  us  from  the  duty  of  loving  himself, 
 or  have  made  it  our  duty  to  hate  him ;  and  whether  the  same 
 change  might  have  taken  place  with  respect  to  the  love  of  our 
 neighbour  ?  Others  run  into  the  opposite  extreme,  and  affirm, 
 that  the  whole  moral  law  is  founded  in  the  nature  of  things  ; 
 and  consequently,  that  no  part  of  it  could  be  altered.  It  is 
 exactly  what  it  must  always  be,  while  God  and  man  continue 
 the  same.  Some  of  them,  however,  have  found  it  necessary 
 to  qualify  this  opinion,  and  have  given  such  an  explanation  of 
 it  as  virtually  amounts  to  the  third  opinion,  which  I  am  going 
 to  state,  and  which  holds  an  intermediate  place  between  the 
 two  former ;  namely,  that  although  the  moral  law  in  general  is 
 founded  on  the  nature  of  things,  or  on  the  relations  of  man  to 
 his  Maker  and  to  his  fellow-creatures,  yet  some  particulars  are 
 the  subject  of  positive  institution.  I  refer,  as  an  example,  to 
 the  fourth  commandment,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  partly 
 moral,  and  partly  positive ;  moral,  as  it  requires  the  consecra- 
 tion of  a  part  of  our  time  to  the  immediate  service  of  God  ; 
 positive,  as  it  appropriates  a  seventh  part  of  it.  God  might 
 have  demanded  a  greater  or  a  less  portion,  a  fifth,  or  a  tenth  ; 
 or,  instead  of  setting  apart  a  whole  day,  he  might  have  been 
 satisfied  with  a  part  of  each  day.  There  was  a  reason  for  the 
 selection  of  the  seventh  rather  than  of  any  other  day,  namely, 
 because  upon  it  God  rested  from  the  work  of  creation  ;  but  it 
 has  given  place,  as  we  Christians  believe,  to  a  new  and 
 stronger  reason,  and  the  Sabbath  is  changed  from  the  seventh 
 day  to  the  first.  I  refer,  as  another  example,  to  the  law  re- 
 specting marriage,  by  which  the  relation  is  forbidden  to  per- 
 sons standing  in  certain  degrees  of  consanguinity  and  affinity. 
 According  to  the  latitude  in  which  the  precepts  of  the  Deca- 
 logue are  to  be  interpreted,  the  prohibition  is  included  in  the 
 seventh  commandment.  Whatever  reason  may  be  assigned  for 
 the  prohibition,  we  cannot  consider  it  as  of  the  same  immu- 
 
TBI   LAW  of  (i(>L>.  4  1  1 
 
 table  obligation  with  the  precept,  not  to  steal,  or  not  to  lie.    It 
 
 may  be  dispenaed  with,  not  by  human  authority,  but  by  that 
 of  the  Supreme  Lawgiver;  and  accordingly,  marriages  within 
 the  forbidden  degrees  have  been  contracted  with   his   express 
 approbation.     In  the  beginning  of  the  world,   the  sons  of 
 Adam  married  their  sisters  ;  and,  by  the  Mosaic  law,  if  a  man 
 died   without  issue,   his  brother  was  required  to  marry   his 
 widow.     Such  marriages  are  now  held  to  be  incestuous.     We 
 may  therefore  say,   that  there  is  a  mixture  of  moral  and  posi- 
 tive in  the  Decalogue  ;  and  there  is  truth  in  the   old  observa- 
 tion, that  some  things  are  commanded  because  they  are  just, 
 and  some  are  just  because  they  are  commanded.     Those  which 
 are  just  because  they  are  commanded,  may  be  altered  by  the 
 same  will  which  enacted  them ;  but  those  which  are  command- 
 ed because  they  are  just,  are  of  perpetual  obligation.     We  have 
 no  example  of  the  suspension  or  abrogation  of  a  moral  precept, 
 unless  we  should  view,  as  an  instance  of  suspension,  the  per- 
 mission to  work  on  the  Sabbath  in  cases  of  necessity  and  mercy ; 
 which,  however,  is  not  a  deviation  from  the  original  design  of 
 the  lawT,  because  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  that  is,  for 
 his  good,  not  man  for  the  Sabbath.     But  we  cannot  regard 
 in  this  light,  the  command  to  the  Israelites  to  destroy  the  seven 
 nations  of  Canaan.      This  was  not  a  violation  of  the  sixth 
 precept ;  which,  indeed,  forbids  one  man  to  embrue  his  hands 
 in  the  blood  of  another,  but  reserves  to  God  the  right  to  dis- 
 pose of  his  creatures ;  and,  in  taking  away  their  life,  he  may 
 employ  some  of  themselves,   as  the  civil  magistrate  does  not 
 himself  execute  the  law,  but  delegates  another.     Neither  can 
 we  regard  in  this  light,   the  command  to  the   Israelites  to 
 borrow  from  the  Egyptians.     It  seems  to  imply  an  authorized 
 breach  of  morality ;  for  borrowing  involves  a  promise  to  restore, 
 which  the   Israelites  had  certainly  no  intention  to  perform. 
 But  they  received  no  such  command.     Our  translation  is  un- 
 happy ;  the  original  word  signifies  simply  to  ask.     God  directed 
 the  Israelites  to  ask  jewels  of  gold  and  silver,  and  at  the  same 
 time  he  disposed  the  Egyptians  to  grant  their  request.     Thus 
 he  spoiled  the  oppressors  of  his  people,   and  recompensed  the 
 hitter  for  the  hard  service  which  they  had  so  long  performed  : 
 "  The  Lord  gave  the  people  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  Egvp- 
 
412  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 tians.  Moreover,  the  man  Moses  was  very  great  in  the  land 
 of  Egypt,  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh's  servants,  and  in  the  sight 
 of  all  the  people."  * 
 
 On  whatever  ground  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law  are  sup- 
 posed to  rest,   the  reason  that  we  are  bound  to  obey  them  is 
 the  will  of  God.     This  makes  them  law  to  us,  and  not  our 
 perception  of  fitness  or  utility.     That  only  is  a  law  which 
 proceeds  from  the  will  of  a  superior  ;  obedience  and  authority 
 are  correlates,  the  one  supposes  the  other.     To  us  who  enjoy 
 revelation,  questions  concerning  the  abstract   foundation   of 
 morality  are  unnecessary ;   and  the  best  thing  which  can  be 
 said  of  them  is,   that  they  are  idle  speculations,   because  our 
 morality  will  not  constitute  a  part  of  religion,   unless  it  pro- 
 ceed from  love  to  God,  or,  in  other  words,  from  respect  to  his 
 will.     The  man  who  believes  that  his  duty  is  enjoined  by  the 
 authority  of  God,   possesses  all  the  requisite  knowledge  for 
 practical  purposes,  and,  I  may  add,  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
 subject ;  for  when  we  attempt  to  derive  our  obligations  from 
 any  other  source,   we  turn  morality  into  a  matter  of  calcula- 
 tion.    The  question  with  us  is,   not  what  is  conformable  to 
 the  nature  of  things,   for  in  many  cases  this  is  a  point  about 
 which  we  are  incompetent  to  judge ;  or  what  is  conducive  to 
 the  general  good,  for  here  our  views  are  too  limited  to  decide  ; 
 but  wThat  is  agreeable  to  the  will  of  our  Maker  ;   and  this  is 
 easily  ascertained  by  referring  to  his  own  authoritative  decla- 
 rations.    Thus  the  knowledge  of  morality  is  brought  within 
 the  reach  of  all  who  can  read  the  word  of  God,  or  hear  it 
 read ;  and  it  is  owing  to  this  simple  method  of  teaching  it,  that 
 the  illiterate  in  Christian  countries  have  more  comprehensive 
 and  accurate  ideas  than  the  most  enlightened  moralists  of  the 
 heathen  w-orld. 
 
 Our  Lord  delivered  a  summary  of  duty  on  the  following 
 occasion,  which  is  thus  related  by  Matthew  :  "  Then  one  of 
 them,  which  was  a  lawyer,  asked  him  a  question,  tempting 
 him,  and  saying,  Master,  which  is  the  great  commandment  in 
 the  law  ?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
 thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
 all   thy  mind.       This  is   the  first  and  great  commandment. 
 
 •   Exod.  xi.  3. 
 
in  i:   DE<  kLOGI  l«  \  l.'i 
 
 Ami  the  second  is  tike  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
 as  thyself.     Oa  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  la* 
 
 and  the  prophets."  '  Love  to  our  Maker  and  to  our  fellow- 
 men  is  the  principle  of  obedience.  Our  various  duties  arc 
 merely  the  development  of  it.  It  is  the  root,  and  they  are 
 the  branches  growing  out  of  it,  or  the  fruits  which  it  yields. 
 "  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  pro- 
 phets ;"  that  is,  the  precepts  delivered  in  the  pentateuch,  and 
 in  the  prophetical  writings,  are  the  different  modes  in  which 
 love  to  God  and  to  man  is  expressed,  and  they  will  he  obeyed 
 by  every  man  in  whom  this  love  exists.  "  If  there  be  any 
 other  commandment,"  says  an  Apostle,  when  speaking  of  the 
 precepts  of  the  second  table,  "  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in 
 this  saying,  namely,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
 Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour ;  therefore  love  is  the 
 fulfilling  of  the  law."  f 
 
 But  love  is  only  the  principle  of  obedience,  the  state  of 
 mind  which  leads  to  it ;  the  mode  in  which  it  should  be  mani- 
 fested, is  the  subject  of  positive  prescription.  The  Decalogue 
 is  founded  upon  it,  and  points  out  the  various  ways  in  which 
 we  should  express  our  love  to  God  and  to  men  ;  it  was  written 
 upon  two  tables,  the  one  containing  the  duties  of  which  God 
 is  the  immediate  object,  and  the  other  the  duties  which  we 
 owe  to  our  fellow-men.  Yet  these  tables  must  be  considered 
 as  exhibiting  only  a  summary  of  duty.  They  do  not  enter 
 into  detail,  but  are  general  heads,  from  which  particulars  are 
 to  be  deduced  by  ourselves,  or  are  to  be  collected  from  the 
 commentaries  upon  them,  which  are  scattered  up  and  down  in 
 the  Scriptures.  Certain  rules  have  been  laid  down  for  the 
 right  interpretation  of  the  law. 
 
 First,  It  should  always  be  remembered  that  "  the  law  is 
 spiritual,"  as  it  is  called  by  an  Apostle  ;  {  and,  consequently, 
 that  it  requires  something  more  than  external  conformity  to 
 its  precepts.  Most  of  the  precepts,  when  literally  understood, 
 relate  only  to  the  outward  conduct;  as,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
 kill;"  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  &c.  ;  but  the  last,  which  says, 
 "  Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  regulates  the  movements  of  the 
 heart  ;  and  this  instance  clearly  shews  the  spirit  which  per- 
 •  Matth.  xxii.  3o — 4'>.  f  Rom.  xiii.  0,  10.  *  lb.  vii.  14. 
 
414  THE  LAW  OF  god  : 
 
 vades  all  the  other  precepts.  It  is  an  admonition  in  the  close 
 by  the  Lawgiver,  that  he  ultimately  regards  the  state  of  the 
 mind.  A  human  legislator  aims  at  nothing  more  than  the 
 compliance  of  his  subjects  with  the  letter  of  the  law.  If  they 
 abstain  from  murder,  theft,  perjury,  and  other  crimes,  he  does 
 not  concern  himself  with  the  motives ;  and,  in  fact,  the  heart 
 lies  beyond  his  jurisdiction.  He  cannot  know  the  thoughts 
 of  other  men,  and  observe  what  is  passing  in  the  interior  of 
 their  souls.  It  is  the  same  thing  to  him  whether  the  laws 
 are  obeyed  from  conscience,  from  fear,  or  from  a  regard  to 
 self-interest ;  he  has  gained  his  end,  when  the  peace  of  society 
 is  maintained.  But  the  moral  law  has  emanated  from  Him 
 who  is  the  Former  of  our  spirits  as  well  as  of  our  bodies,  has 
 a  right  to  the  homage  of  both,  and  pays  no  regard  to  an  ac- 
 tion or  a  course  of  actions,  unless  the  disposition  from  which 
 it  proceeds  be  such  as  he  can  approve.  If  a  human  governor 
 could  discover  that  the  man  who  bows  to  him  despises  him  in 
 his  heart,  and  that,  amidst  the  most  imposing  appearances  of 
 respect,  he  harbours  the  feelings  and  the  purpose  of  a  traitor, 
 he  would  set  no  value  upon  his  hollow  professions.  The 
 moral  Governor  of  the  universe  sees  the  secret  operations  of 
 the  mind,  and  demands  that  we  should  serve  him  with  our 
 spirits  as  well  as  with  our  bodies.  His  law  must  therefore  be 
 understood  to  regulate  the  external  sentiments  and  desires,  as 
 wTell  as  the  actions  to  which  they  give  rise,  and  to  extend  its 
 authority  in  the  first  place  to  the  former,  as  constituting  what 
 is  most  valuable  in  obedience.  When  it  enjoins  any  duty,  it 
 enjoins  the  corresponding  state  of  mind ;  when  it  forbids  any 
 sin,  it  forbids  the  appetite,  or  propensity  which  leads  to  it. 
 In  the  Scriptures,  men  are  exhorted  to  "  keep  their  hearts  with 
 all  diligence,  because  out  of  them  are  the  issues  of  life  ;"  *  that 
 is,  from  them  their  actions  receive  their  moral  character  or 
 denomination.  The  spirituality  of  the  law  is  implied  in  the 
 principle  upon  which  it  is  founded.  It  is  the  affection  of  love 
 which  is  the  source  of  all  acceptable  obedience. 
 
 Secondly,  One  species  is  used  to  denote  all  the  different 
 species  of  the  same  sin  or  duty  ;  that  is,  when  one  form  of  a 
 particular  sin  is  forbidden,  all  the  forms  of  that  sin  are  for- 
 
 *  Prov.  v.  23. 
 
in  41f> 
 
 bidden  ;  and  when  one  form  of  a  particular  duty  is  enjoined, 
 all  the  forms  of  that  duty  are  also  enjoined*  The  law  - 
 "  Thou  shall  not  kill;"  but  wo  must  not  limit  this  precept  to 
 the  prohibition  of  aetual  murder  alone.  It  forbids,  at  the 
 same  time,  all  injuries  offered  to  the  person  of  another,  all 
 malice  and  revenge,  and  all  the  expressions  of  malignant  feel- 
 ing. Our  Saviour  has  authorized  this  explanation  :  "  Ye 
 have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt 
 not  kill ;  and,  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
 judgment :  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  is  angry 
 with  his  brother  without  a  cause  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
 judgment ;  and  whosoever  shall  say  unto  his  brother,  Raca, 
 shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council ;  but  whosoever  shall 
 Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire."  (  The  law  sa\  a, 
 "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery ;"  but  besides  the  sin  speci- 
 fied, it  forbids  incest,  fornication,  unnatural  lusts,  and  not 
 these  alone,  but  all  sensual  desires.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it 
 was  said  by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
 tery :  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  wo- 
 man to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already 
 in  his  heart."  t  On  the  other  hand,  when  we  are  commanded 
 to  have  no  other  gods  before  God,  we  are  commanded  not  only 
 to  acknowledge  that  he  alone  is  the  living  and  true  God,  but 
 to  make  him  the  object  of  all  the  love,  and  reverence,  and  con- 
 fidence, to  which  his  infinite  excellencies  give  him  an  unques- 
 tionable title.  AVhen  he  commands  us  to  love  our  neighbour 
 as  ourselves,  he  commands  us  to  esteem  him  for  his  virtues, 
 to  be  grateful  to  him  for  his  kindness,  to  sympathize  with  him 
 in  his  infirmities,  to  comfort  him  in  his  sorrows,  to  assist  him  in 
 difficulties ;  in  a  word,  to  perform  all  the  good  offices  which  love 
 naturally  suggests,  and  by  which  its  sincerity  is  expressed. 
 
 In  the  third  place,  Negative  precepts  are  contained  in 
 affirmative,  and  affirmative  precepts  in  negative.  When  any 
 duty  is  enjoined,  the  contrary  sin  is  forbidden ;  and  when  any 
 sin  is  forbidden,  the  contrary  duty  is  enjoined.  It  has  been 
 said,  that  as  in  the  Scriptures  there  are  more  things  than 
 words,  so  in  the  precepts  and  prohibitions  there  is  more  than 
 the  words  express.  The  law  is  not  to  be  subjected  to  that 
 •  Matth.  v.  '21,  St.  +   lb.  27,  28. 
 
 J 
 
41(3  THE   LAW   OF   GOD  .' 
 
 kind  of  interpretation  which  brings  any  thing  out  of  any  thing  ; 
 but  its  sense  is  to  be  diligently  explored.  As  the  good  pre- 
 scribed by  the  law  cannot  be  performed  unless  the  opposite 
 evil  be  guarded  against,  nor  the  evil  prohibited  be  avoided 
 unless  the  opposite  good  be  performed,  it  follows,  that  nega- 
 tive precepts  include  the  affirmative,  and  affirmative  precepts 
 the  negative.  When  the  law  forbids  us  to  steal,  or  take 
 away  unjustly  the  property  of  our  neighbour,  it  requires  us 
 to  promote  his  temporal  interests,  as  far  as  we  have  ability 
 and  opportunity.  When  it  forbids  us  to  kill,  or  unjustly  to 
 deprive  him  of  life,  it  commands  us  to  use  the  means  of  pre- 
 serving his  life,  to  give  him  the  counsel,  the  warnings,  and 
 the  assistance  which  are  necessary  for  his  safety.  In  these 
 cases,  affirmative  precepts  are  included  in  the  negative.  When 
 the  law  commands  us  to  honour  our  parents,  it  forbids  neglect 
 of  them,  contempt  for  them,  or  the  doing  of  any  thing  which 
 may  be  injurious  or  offensive  to  them.  When  it  commands 
 us  to  sanctify  the  Sabbath,  it  forbids  all  worldly  employments 
 and  recreations,  and  every  thing,  in  a  word,  which  is  incon- 
 sistent with  the  sacred  rest  and  holiness  of  the  day.  In  these 
 instances,  the  negative  precepts  are  included  in  the  affirmative. 
 It  appears  from  the  precepts  of  both  kinds,  that  the  duty  of 
 men  consists  not  simply  in  abstinence  from  evil,  but  also  in 
 the  practice  of  good  ;  and  we  may  farther  infer,  that  the  law 
 of  God  is  exceedingly  broad,  extending  its  authority  in  every 
 direction,  and  subjecting  the  whole  of  human  life  to  its  control. 
 In  the  fourth  place,  When  the  law  forbids  a  sin,  it  forbids 
 all  the  causes  of  it ;  and  when  it  enjoins  a  duty,  it  enjoins  also 
 the  means  by  which  we  shall  be  enabled  to  perform  it.  Thus, 
 when  it  prohibits  uncleanness,  it  prohibits  drunkenness  and 
 gluttony,  and  all  the  provocatives  of  the  sensual  appetites ; 
 when  it  prohibits  theft,  it  prohibits  covetous  desires  and  idle- 
 ness, which  may  prompt  us  to  steal,  by  reducing  us  to  want ; 
 when  it  enjoins  justice,  it  enjoins  diligence  in  business,  pru- 
 dence in  conducting  our  affairs,  and  economy,  that  wTe  may 
 be  able  to  satisfy  every  lawful  demand  upon  us.  And  hence 
 it  follows,  that  if  a  man  has  brought  himself  by  indolence, 
 folly,  and  extravagance,  into  such  a  situation  that  he  cannot 
 pay  his  debts,  he  is  not  so  much  to  be  pitied   as  to  be  con- 
 
i  HI  DEC  u.ogue.  4  17 
 
 demned,  and  instead  of  calling  him  unfortunate,   we  ihonld 
 
 >a\   thai  he  is  criminal. 
 
 In  the  fifth  place,  Negative  precepts  are  always  binding-, 
 but  positive  precepts  oblige  only  in  certain  circumstances. 
 
 It  is  never  lawful  to  murder,  to  steal,  to  commit  adultery,  to 
 bear  false  witness  against  our  neighbour.  No  situation  can 
 occur  in  \\  Inch  a  man  shall  be  permitted  to  do  any  of  these 
 things.  The  strongest  temptations  will  not  exculpate  him. 
 These  precepts  never  bend  to  circumstances ;  a  man  is  bound 
 to  refrain,  although  he  should  expose  himself  to  the  loss  of 
 his  life.  Positive  precepts  bind  us  always  when  the  duties 
 which  they  enjoin  may  be  performed ;  but  certain  conditions 
 are  Bupposed,  which  may  be  wanting,  and  there  are  fit  sea- 
 sons, which  do  not  always  occur.  We  are  required  to  honour 
 our  parents  ;  but  as  the  obligation  ceases  when  they  die,  so, 
 during  their  life,  we  cannot  give  them  the  usual  tokens  of 
 honour,  when  we  are  removed  to  a  distance  from  them.  We 
 ought  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  indigent ;  but  to  do  so 
 is  not  our  duty,  if  we  are  ourselves  so  poor  that  we  have  no- 
 thing to  spare.  We  ought  to  worship  God,  but  we  cannot  be 
 constantly  engaged  in  acts  of  devotion.  We  must  spend  much 
 of  our  time  in  prosecuting  our  business,  and  in  conversing  with 
 our  fellow-men  about  necessary  affairs.  The  command  requires 
 us  to  worship  him  only  at  the  stated  times,  and  on  such  other 
 occasions  as  are  suggested  by  the  state  of  our  own  minds,  and 
 the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed.  It  has  been  justly 
 remarked,  that  the  positive  precept  concerning  love  to  God 
 must  be  excepted,  which  is  obligatory  at  all  times  ;  there 
 being  no  season,  place,  or  state,  in  which  it  is  not  our  duty  to 
 love  him  with  all  our  heart.  We  may  make  the  same  remark 
 concerning  love  to  our  neighbour,  which  is  also  binding  at 
 all  times  ;  and  the  observation  which  has  been  made  respect- 
 ing positive  precepts,  relates  only  to  the  particular  modes  of 
 expressing  our  love  to  both. 
 
 In  the  sixth  place,  There  is  another  rule  mentioned  by  Di- 
 vines, which,  however,  is  not  directly  to  the  purpose,  as  it 
 does  not  help  to  interpret  the  law,  but  is  intended  to  point 
 out  the  relative  importance  of  its  duties.  The  rule  is,  that 
 the  precepts  of  the  second  table  of  the  law  must  give  place 
 vol.  iv.  2  d 
 
418  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 to  those  of  the  first,  when  both  cannot  be  obeyed.  The  fol- 
 lowing instances  have  been  given  to  illustrate  the  rule.  The 
 love  of  our  relations  must  be  subordinate  to  the  love  of  God ; 
 and  our  Lord  has  said  that  we  must  hate  father  and  mother, 
 when  fidelity  to  him  requires  us  to  do  so.*  Again,  when  the 
 commands  of  our  earthly  superiors  interfere  with  the  com- 
 mands of  God,  we  must  prefer  the  latter  to  the  former.  But 
 these  are  rather  apparent  than  real  illustrations,  because  it 
 will  appear,  on  reflection,  that  in  such  cases  there  is  no  inter- 
 ference of  duties.  The  authority  of  men  over  others  is  limited, 
 and  ceases  the  moment  that  it  is  exercised  in  requiring  any 
 thing  unlawful.  When  the  commands  of  parents  and  magis- 
 trates are  opposed  to  the  commands  of  God,  there  is  no  choice 
 of  duties ;  the  will  of  God  is  the  sole  obligation  which  an 
 enlightened  conscience  will  acknowledge.  Our  duty  to  God 
 and  our  duty  to  man  must  always  be  consistent,  because  the 
 one  is  the  measure  of  the  other  ;  and  instead  of  talking  loosely  of 
 a  possible  opposition  between  them,  it  is  more  accurate  to  say 
 that,  whatever  human  laws  and  customs  may  require  from  us, 
 whatever  natural  affection  or  self-interest  may  prompt  us  to 
 do,  whatever  our  superiors  may  expect  from  us,  their  claims 
 are  unjust,  and  ought  to  be  disregarded,  when  offence  would  be 
 given  to  God  by  our  compliance.  As  he  is  the  First  and  the 
 Last,  so  great  that  all  other  beings  are  as  nothing  when  com- 
 pared with  him,  we  are  always  bound  to  sacrifice  for  his  glory, 
 all  that  is  most  tender  and  valuable  in  our  connexion  with 
 our  fellow-creatures.  There  can  be  no  jarring  moral  obli- 
 gations ;  and  it  is  ignorance  or  inattention  which  makes  them 
 appear  incompatible.  We  can  never  owe  that  to  man  which 
 God  claims  for  himself.  Love  to  God  is  the  first  and  great 
 commandment ;  and  the  second,  or  love  to  our  neighbour,  is 
 subordinate,  but  not  contrary  to  it.  It  is  remarkable  that  a 
 case  mentioned  in  Scripture,  in  which  one  duty  is  made  to 
 yield  to  another,  relates  to  the  first  table.  What  is  positive 
 in  it,  gives  place  to  what  is  moral  in  the  second,  according 
 to  these  words,  "  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice,"  or, 
 "  rather  than  sacrifice."  f  We  are  permitted  to  violate  the 
 rest  of  the  Sabbath  by  works  of  mercy,  for  the  relief  and 
 *  Luke  xiv.  26.  +  Matth.  ix.  13. 
 
TH1   DECALOG1  419 
 
 preterratioD  of  naen  and  animals,  and  by  works  of  necessity, 
 as  the  preparation  of  our  food,  the  extinguishing  of  fire,  the 
 carrying  away  of  property  exposed  to  an  inundation,  &c.      Let 
 
 it  be  observed,  that  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  is  not  repealed  in 
 such  cases,  but  admits  these  exceptions,  that  other  duties 
 which  cannot  be  deferred  may  be  performed.  The  exceptions, 
 if  I  may  speak  so,  are  a  part  of  the  law. 
 
 Lastly,  I  shall  briefly  mention  one  other  rule, — that  what- 
 ever the  law  requires  us  to  do,  we  are  bound  to  endeavour,  in 
 our  several  stations,  to  make  others  do.  It  is  their  duty  to 
 glorify  God  as  well  as  ours ;  and  zeal  for  his  glory  will  excite 
 us  to  use  all  lawful  means  that  it  may  be  promoted  by  them. 
 This  end  is  to  be  gained,  not  only  by  our  example,  but  by 
 our  instructions,  and  counsels,  and  entreaties,  and  reproofs, 
 and  by  the  proper  exercise  of  our  authority  over  those  whom 
 Providence  has  placed  in  subjection  to  us.  Every  man,  for 
 example,  is  bound  to  see  the  Sabbath  sanctified  by  all  under 
 his  roof;  for  thus  says  the  law,  "  The  seventh  day  is  the 
 Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
 work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant, 
 nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is 
 within  thy  gates." 
 
 These  rules  have  been  laid  down  for  the  interpretation  of 
 the  law  ;  and  by  the  judicious  application  of  them,  with  the 
 assistance  afforded  by  other  passages  of  Scripture,  we  may 
 deduce  from  the  ten  precepts  of  the  decalogue  all  the  duties 
 which  we  owe  to  God  and  to  man.  It  is  a  complete  code  of 
 morality.  As  no  man  can  attempt  without  impiety  to  take 
 any  thing  from  it,  so  there  is  no  need  that  any  thing  should 
 be  added  to  it.  When  Socinians  affirm  that  Christ  has  cor- 
 rected and  enlarged  the  lawT,  they  unjustly  accuse  it  of  imper- 
 fection in  its  original  form ;  and  they  totally  misapprehend 
 the  design  of  his  commentaries  upon  it  in  the  Gospels,  which 
 was  not  to  new-model  the  lawT,  but  to  free  it  from  the  corrupt 
 interpretations  which  the  Scribes  had  given  of  it,  on  the  au- 
 thority of  tradition.  He  evidently  recognized  its  perfection 
 in  his  answer,  formerly  quoted,  to  the  question,  "  Which  is 
 the  first  and  great   commandment  ?"  and  the  Apostk?   Paul, 
 
420  THE  LAW  OF   GOD  \ 
 
 who  was  enlightened  by  his  Spirit,  pronounced  it  to  be  "  holy, 
 just,  and  good."  * 
 
 The  obligation  of  the  moral  law  is  universal.  All  men,  in 
 every  region  of  the  earth,  are  subject  to  its  authority.  It  was 
 the  law  given  to  man  at  his  creation,  from  which  his  subse- 
 quent apostasy  could  not  release  him  ;  it  is  founded  in  rela- 
 tions which  subsist  wherever  there  are  human  beings  endowed 
 with  reason  and  volition.  The  other  laws  given  to  the  Jews 
 were  national  and  local.  The  ceremonial  law  could  not  be 
 practised  in  all  its  parts  but  within  narrow  limits.  The  tem- 
 ple could  not  be  resorted  to  on  all  necessary  occasions,  nor 
 the  three  annual  festivals  be  observed  in  Jerusalem  by  persons 
 whose  usual  residence  was  in  the  remote  countries  of  Asia, 
 Africa,  and  Europe.  It  does  not  appear  that  circumcision 
 was  incumbent  upon  any  but  the  descendants  of  the  twelve 
 patriarchs,  with  whose  father,  Abraham,  the  covenant  was 
 made  ;  nor  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  if  a  heathen,  at  a  great 
 distance  from  Jerusalem,  had  attained  to  the  knowledge  of 
 the  true  God,  and  became  a  devout  worshipper  of  him,  he 
 was  bound  to  conform  to  the  Mosaic  ritual,  and  that  his  sacri- 
 fices would  not  have  been  accepted  if  they  were  offered  upon 
 any  other  altar  than  that  of  Jerusalem.  There  is  no  doubt 
 that  then,  as  well  as  now,  in  every  nation,  he  who  feared 
 God  and  wrought  righteousness  was  accepted  of  him.f  The 
 peculiarity  of  the  judicial  law  is  still  more  unquestionable. 
 It  was  the  civil  law  of  the  Jews,  intended  solely  for  the  go- 
 vernment of  their  nation  ;  to  which,  therefore,  other  nations 
 were  not  more  subject  than  men  living  in  one  country  are  at 
 present  subject  to  the  laws  of  another.  Nay,  some  things 
 were  enjoined  upon  the  Jews,  which  by  other  nations  are 
 considered  as  unlawful ;  for  example,  the  marriage  of  a  widow 
 to  the  brother  of  her  deceased  husband  who  had  died  without 
 children.  The  ceremonial  law  is  therefore  abolished,  as  is 
 also  the  judicial  law,  so  far  as  it  did  not  embody  the  moral 
 precepts,  which  are  of  perpetual  obligation.  But  while  the 
 authority  of  certain  ordinances,  religious  and  civil,  extended 
 only  to  the  Jews,  the  decalogue  is  the  law  of  all  nations. 
 Morality  is  not  the  subject  of  positive  institution,   and  of 
 
 •  Matth.  xxii.  37.     Rom.  vii.  12.  +  Acts  x.  35. 
 
i  iii.  DB<   ILOG0C.  421 
 
 human  regulation.  It  is  not  determined  by  geographical 
 boundaries,  so  thai  what  b  right  on  one  side  of  a  river  or 
 mountain  is  wrong  on  the  other,  and  virtue  and  vice  exchange 
 characters  according  to  changes  of  climate.  Piety  towards 
 God,  truth,  justice,  and  charity  towards  men,  and  the  exercise 
 of  temperance,  or  self-government,  are  duties  in  every  country 
 under  heaven.  The  moral  law  is  the  rule  of  our  present  con- 
 duct, and  will  he  the  rule  of  our  future  judgment. 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  evident  that  the  obligation  of 
 this  law  is  perpetual.  As  it  binds  all  men  who  at  present  exist, 
 it  will  for  the  same  reason  bind  all  succeeding  generations.  It 
 has  constituted  an  essential  part  of  all  the  divine  dispensations. 
 It  was  the  rule  of  duty  to  man  in  his  primeval  state,  and 
 obedience  to  it  was  the  condition  of  the  covenant  into  which 
 his  Maker  entered  with  him  in  the  name  of  his  posterity.  It 
 was  solemnly  promulgated  to  the  Israelites  from  Sinai,  and  a 
 curse  was  denounced  upon  every  man  who  should  not  continue 
 in  all  the  things  which  were  written  in  it  to  do  them.  Jesus 
 Christ  has  adopted  it  into  his  religion,  re-enacted  it,  if  I  may 
 speak  so,  by  his  authority,  and  commanded  all  his  disciples  to 
 conform  to  it.  He  came  not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil  it ;  and  as 
 he  himself  obeyed  its  precepts,  and  submitted  to  its  sanction, 
 by  dying  in  the  room  of  his  people,  so  he  declared  it  to  be 
 his  own  law,  and  admonishes  us  that  he  will  disown  every 
 man  who  neglects  or  violates  its  precepts,  whatever  respect  he 
 may  profess  for  him.  "  Why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do 
 not  the  things  which  I  say  ?" '  There  cannot  be  a  more 
 erroneous  view  of  his  religion  than  to  suppose,  that  it  sets  men 
 free  from  the  obligations  of  morality.  The  error  first  made 
 its  appearance  in  the  apostolic  age,  as  we  learn  from  the 
 Epistle  of  James,  which  was  written  to  refute  those  who  ex- 
 pected to  be  saved  by  a  faith  not  accompanied  with  works  ; 
 and  it  has  been  adopted  in  succeeding  ages,  because  it  accords 
 so  well  with  the  natural  wish  to  enjoy  impunity  in  sin.  We 
 pronounce  the  man  to  be  a  heretic  who  denies  the  Trinity,  or 
 the  atonement,  or  original  sin,  or  justification  by  faith,  or  the 
 necessity  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  ;  but  be  assured  that 
 there  is  not  a  greater  heresy  than  to  teach  that  by  the  gospel 
 
 •   Luke  vi.  iG. 
 
422  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 we  are  exempted  from  the  authority  of  the  law.  It  transforms 
 the  holy  religion  of  Christ  into  a  system  of  impurity ;  it  turns 
 the  grace  of  God  into  licentiousness. 
 
 The  moral  law  is  an  emanation  from  the  holiness  of  God ; 
 and  when  it  is  imprinted  upon  our  hearts  by  the  Spirit,  we 
 are  changed  into  the  image  of  God.  To  produce  this  effect 
 is  the  design  of  the  death  of  Christ,  of  his  ministrations  in  hea- 
 ven, of  the  operations  of  grace,  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  the  dispensations  of  Providence.  Only  the  half  of  the  work 
 of  redemption  is  performed,  when  men  are  delivered  from  the 
 punishment  of  sin  :  to  emancipate  them  from  its  dominion,  to 
 eradicate  the  love  of  it,  to  render  them  obedient  to  God,  to  in- 
 spire them  with  a  sacred  respect  to  his  will,  this  is  the  other 
 half,  and  is  surely  of  equal  importance.  And  the  whole  design 
 will  be  accomplished  when  grace  shall  triumph  in  the  pardon 
 of  their  sins,  and  the  complete  sanctification  of  their  souls  ;  and 
 the  love  which  the  law  requires  shall  reign  without  a  rival  in 
 every  heart,  and  shine  in  every  action. 
 
LECTURE  CIII. 
 
 ON  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 DIVISION  OF    THE  DECALOGUE    INTO    TWO   TABLES STATEMENT   OF    THE 
 
 SINS  FORBIDDEN  AND  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN  THE  FIRST,  THE  SECOND,  AND 
 THE   THIRD  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 Having  made  some  general  observations  upon  the  law,  and 
 laid  down  general  rules  to  be  observed  in  explaining  it,  I  pro- 
 ceed to  consider  its  precepts  in  their  order. 
 
 It  was  originally  written  upon  two  tables,  in  order,  it  should 
 seem,  to  distinguish  the  two  classes  of  precepts  which  the  de- 
 calogue contains.  This  is  the  only  reason  which  we  can  con- 
 ceive why  it  was  engraven  upon  two  tables  rather  than  upon 
 one.  There  have  been  different  opinions,  however,  respecting 
 the  division  of  the  precepts.  Josephus  assigns  five  to  each 
 table,  and  has  been  followed  in  this  arrangement  by  one  or 
 two  authors ;  but  their  mistake  is  evident.  The  precepts  natu- 
 rally fall  under  the  two  general  heads  of  love  to  God  and  love 
 to  man ;  and  to  the  first  none  properly  belong  but  four,  which 
 immediately  respect  our  Maker ;  the  other  six  being  the  modes 
 in  which  our  love  to  man  should  be  expressed.  Besides,  when 
 the  Apostle  calls  the  fifth  precept,  "  the  first  commandment 
 with  promise,"  *  we  are  sure  that  he  does  not  mean  that  it  is 
 the  first  in  the  decalogue ;  and  we  must  understand  his  words 
 to  import,  that  it  held  the  first  place  in  the  second  table  deli- 
 vered to  Moses.      Some  assign  to  the  first  only  three  precepts, 
 
 •  Eph.  vi.  2, 
 
424  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 not  by  transferring  the  fourth  to  the  second  table,  but  by 
 joining  together  the  first  and  the  second,  because  they  consider 
 the  latter  as  a  continuation  of  the  former.  This  was  the  idea 
 of  some  of  the  Fathers,  and  it  has  been  adopted  by  the  Church 
 of  Rome,  for  an  obvious  reason.  Standing  separately,  it  for- 
 bids the  use  of  images  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  plainly 
 condemns  the  practice  of  that  church  ;  but  viewed  as  an  ap- 
 pendix to  the  first  precept,  it  only  forbids,  as  they  pretend,  the 
 worship  of  the  images  of  false  gods  ;  and,  consequently,  leaves 
 them  at  liberty  to  worship  the  images  which  they  have  conse- 
 crated to  the  honour  of  the  true  God  and  his  saints.  They 
 seem,  however,  to  be  sensible  of  the  weakness  of  this  argu- 
 ment, and  for  this  reason  have  been  accustomed  to  leave  it  out 
 of  their  books  which  were  intended  for  the  inspection  of  the 
 people,  lest,  being  incapable  of  entering  into  their  subtile  dis- 
 tinctions, and  interpreting  the  law  according  to  its  obvious 
 sense,  they  should  begin  to  suspect  that  the  service  in  which 
 they  are  daily  engaged  is  idolatry.  The  surest  way  to  pre- 
 vent a  discovery  is  to  dismiss  the  witness,  without  allowing 
 him  to  speak.  Two  precepts  being  turned  into  one,  there  re- 
 main only  nine;  and  the  question  therefore  occurs,  Where  are 
 the  ten  ?  To  solve  this  difficulty,  Papists  split  the  tenth  pre- 
 cept into  two,  making  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's 
 house,"  one  ;  and  the  words  which  follow,  another.  We  can- 
 not give  this  division  the  praise  of  ingenuity ;  we  must  call 
 it  barefaced  impudence.  There  never  was  a  precept  delivered 
 by  any  lawgiver,  which  was  more  clearly  one  and  indivisible. 
 The  whole  of  it  relates  to  one  subject,  covetousness,  or  unlaw- 
 ful desire ;  and  the  words,  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  are  repeat- 
 ed merely  to  enforce  the  prohibition,  by  prefixing  it  to  the 
 different  classes  of  objects  which  ought  not  to  excite  our  cupi- 
 dity. The  Apostle  Paul  speaks  plainly  of  it  as  one  precept, 
 when  he  says,  "  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said, 
 Thou  shalt  not  covet."  * 
 
 The  four  precepts  of  the  first  table  of  the  law  relate  imme- 
 diately to  God.  The  first  points  out  the  object  of  worship;  while 
 it  forbids  us  to  have  any  other  God  before  him,  it  calls  upon 
 us  to  acknowledge  and  worship  him  alone.     The  second  pre- 
 
 "  Rom,  vii.  7- 
 
JUL  FIRST  COMMAMDMBNT.  420 
 
 scribes  tlie  means  of  worship,  not  by  images  or  any  other 
 plan  of  human  invention,  but  by  the  rites  and  ordinances  which 
 are  divinely  appointed.  The  third  declares  the  manner  in 
 which  the  service  of  God  should  be  performed,  namely,  with  re- 
 verence, as  opposed  to  profanencss  and  every  abuse  of  religious 
 institutions.  The  fourth  specifies  the  time  of  worship,  to-wit, 
 one  dav  in  seven,  which  is  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  God  ;  not 
 however  to  the  exclusion  of  other  seasons  which  the  events  of 
 providence  may  point  out,  and  the  regular  devotional  exercises 
 of  every  day. 
 
 We  shall  begin  with  the  first  commandment.  "  Thou  shalt 
 have  no  other  gods  before  me."  In  explaining  the  precepts, 
 whether  negative  or  positive,  our  church-catechism  lays  down 
 first  what  is  required,  and  secondly,  what  is  forbidden.  It  is 
 not  material  what  order  is  observed,  provided  that  the  import 
 of  the  precepts  is  unfolded ;  but  the  most  natural  mode,  I  ap- 
 prehend, of  expounding  a  negative  precept,  is  first,  to  shew  what 
 it  forbids,  and  then,  according  to  the  rule  formerly  mentioned, 
 to  give  an  account  of  the  opposite  duties  which  it  enjoins. 
 
 This  precept  forbids,  in  the  first  place,  atheism,  which  may 
 be  divided  into  explicit  and  constructive.  Explicit  atheism 
 consists  in  the  formal  denial  of  the  existence  of  God.  He  is 
 an  atheist  who  excludes  from  the  universe  any  other  intel- 
 ligence than  that  of  the  human  mind  ;  says  that  it  is  eter- 
 nal ;  that  there  is  nothing  in  it  but  matter  and  motion,  and 
 talks  of  nature,  and  chance,  and  fate, — words  which  have  no 
 meaning,  but  serve  as  a  substitute  in  discourse  for  the  name 
 of  a  living,  designing  Agent,  by  wrhom  all  things  were  created 
 and  are  governed.  Atheism  is  so  contrary,  not  only  to  the 
 general  sentiments  of  mankind,  but  to  the  clearest  deductions 
 of  reason,  that  some  have  supposed  it  to  be  impossible  that 
 any  man  could  be  an  atheist,  and  have  thought  that  those 
 who  were  reputed  atheists  in  ancient  times  were  falsely  charged 
 with  this  crime,  because  they  treated  the  gods,  who  were 
 commonly  worshipped,  with  contempt.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
 examine  whether  this  opinion  is  true  or  false,  because,  what- 
 ever judgment  may  be  pronounced  upon  certain  old  philoso- 
 phers, some  of  the  moderns  have  put  the  matter  out  of  doubt 
 by  an  undisguised  avowal  of  their  unbelief.     Atheists  have 
 
42G  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 appeared  in  our  own  age,  and  in  our  own  country. — By  con- 
 structive atheism,    I  mean  sentiments  which  amount  to  the 
 denial  of  God,  or  lead  to  this  conclusion,   although  they  do 
 not  formally  express  it.      Such  atheism  was  charged  upon 
 Epicurus  and  his  followers,   who,   as  Cicero  says,  granted  in 
 words  that  there  were  gods,   but  in  reality  took  them  away, 
 because  they  represented  them  as  removed  to  a  distance  from 
 mortals,   and  taking  no  interest  in  their  affairs.     The  charge 
 may  be  brought,   with  equal  justice,   against  those  who  deny 
 the  providence  of  God  ;  who  consider  him  as  limited  in  essence 
 and  knowledge,  as  did  the  elder  Socinians  ;  or  divest  him  of 
 any  of  his  attributes,  and  substitute  in  the  room  of  the  tran- 
 scendently  just  and  all-perfect  Being  of  the  Scriptures,   a 
 God  fashioned  according  to  their  own  likeness,   an  idol  of 
 their  own  brain.     Under  this  head,  we  may  include  what  is 
 called  practical  atheism,   by  which  is  meant  such  conduct  as 
 virtually  contradicts  the  profession  of  the  lips ;  and  accord- 
 ingly,  an  Apostle  speaks  of  some,  "  who  profess  to  know 
 God,   but  in  works  deny  him,   being  abominable  and  dis- 
 obedient,  and  to  every  good  work  reprobate."  *      And  cer- 
 tainly the  man,  whose  profane  and  lawless  conduct  indicates 
 that  he  has  renounced  the  authority  of  God,   or  calls  in  ques- 
 tion his  omnipotence  and  his  justice,  is  guilty  of  violating  the 
 precept, — which  requires  a  practical,  and  not  merely  a  verbal, 
 acknowledgment  of  him, — as  well  as  the  man  who  ventures  to 
 impugn  his  existence. 
 
 In  the  second  place,  this  precept  forbids  polytheism.  Idol- 
 atry was  introduced  long  before  the  time  when  the  law  was 
 published  from  Sinai.  It  existed  in  Chaldea  while  Abraham 
 sojourned  there  ;  and  it  seems  that  this  patriarch  was  a  wor- 
 shipper of  false  gods  before  he  was  called  to  leave  his  country 
 and  his  kindred.  By  the  time  of  the  Exodus,  the  evil  had 
 spread  far  and  wide ;  and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that 
 polytheism  prevailed  among  all  nations,  although  there  might 
 still  be  some  individuals  who  continued  exclusively  to  adore 
 the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth.  The  design  of  the  call  of 
 Abraham  was  to  separate  his  descendants  from  the  apostate 
 race,   and  to  constitute  them  a  peculiar  people,   among  whom 
 
 *  Tit.  i.  16. 
 
Till.   FIRST  (  OMMANDMENT.  427 
 
 the  knowledge  ami  worship  of  Jehovah  should  be  preserved 
 
 till  the  fulness  of  time,  when  he  would  again  reveal  himself 
 
 to  the  nations  of  the  world,  and  destroy  the  gods  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles. We  see,  therefore1,  a  peculiar  reason  for  this  command, 
 and  for  the  solemn  words  with  which  it  is  introduced:  "  I  am 
 the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land 
 of  Kgypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou  shalt  have 
 no  other  gods  before  me."  He  had  manifested  himself  as  the 
 God  of  the  Israelites  by  their  recent  redemption,  in  accom- 
 plishing which  he  had  shewn  himself  to  be  greater  than  the 
 deities  of  their  oppressors,  according  to  his  words  to  Moses, 
 "  Against  all  the  gods  of  Egypt  I  will  execute  judgment ;" 
 and  they  who  had  witnessed  the  displays  of  his  power  were 
 bound  to  worship  him  alone.  By  this  precept,  the  religions 
 of  all  heathen  nations  are  condemned.  They  are  directly  op- 
 posed to  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  unity  of  the  Divine 
 essence ;  and  they  either  exclude  the  true  God,  or  they  as- 
 sociate others  with  him  as  sharers  in  the  honours  to  which  he 
 alone  is  entitled. 
 
 If  the  polytheism  of  the  Gentiles  is  condemned  by  this 
 precept,   there  can   be  no   doubt  that  the  worship  given  to 
 saints  and  angels  in  the  Church  of  Rome  is  equally  forbidden. 
 Churches  are  dedicated  to  them  as  well  as  to  God  ;  the  most 
 solemn  services  of  religion  are  performed  in  honour  of  them  ; 
 pilgrimages  are  undertaken  to  the  places  which  they  are  un- 
 derstood to  favour,  and  in  which  their  pretended  relics  are  de- 
 posited ;  they  are  invoked  in  the  most  humble  postures,   and 
 in  the  usual  forms  of  supplication  ;  their  assistance  is  implored, 
 and  thanks  are  returned  to  them  for  benefits  which  they  are 
 supposed   to  have  conferred  ;  and,   in  short,   they  receive  all 
 the  honours  which  the  heathens  pay  to  their  male  and  female 
 deities,    and  all   the   honours  which  are  paid  to  God  himself. 
 Papists  pretend  that  they  make   a  distinction  in  the  kind  or 
 degree  of  worship,  and  call  that  which  is  given  to  God  latria, 
 and  that  which  is  given  to  the  saints  dulia.     This  is  an  arbitrary 
 of  the  terms,   which,   in  the  Greek  language,   are  promis- 
 cuously employed  to  express  services  performed  to  God,  or  to 
 men.      When  they  tell  us,  therefore,  that  they  worship  God 
 with  latria,    and   the  saints  with  d'/fift,   they  tell   us  nothing 
 
428  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 but  what  any  other  two  words  in  the  Greek  language  would 
 have  expressed  equally  well,  namely,  that  they  do  not  give 
 precisely  the  same  kind  of  worship  to  both.  But,  however 
 much  they  may  distinguish  in  theory,  the  greater  part  make 
 no  distinction  in  practice.  The  saints  are  honoured  as  highly 
 as  God,  and  in  some  cases  more.  Their  churches  are  more 
 frequented  ;  more  vows  and  offerings  are  made  to  them ;  and 
 when  it  is  supposed  that,  for  the  sake  of  the  respect  which 
 has  been  punctually  shewn  to  them,  a  whole  life  of  sin  will 
 be  forgiven,  is  not  the  creature  exalted  above  the  Creator  ? 
 
 It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  enter  into  the  controversy  on  this 
 subject  between  Protestants  and  Papists,  and  to  examine  the 
 distinctions  by  which  the  latter  endeavour  to  evade  the  charge 
 of  idolatry.  If  the  Gentiles  were  condemned  by  an  Apostle 
 because  they  did  service  to  them  who  by  nature  were  not 
 Gods,  we  cannot  see  how  pretended  Christians  should  be  ex- 
 cused who  address  their  worship  to  similar  objects.  It  will 
 not  be  denied  that  the  latter  are  not  Gods  by  nature ;  and  if 
 there  was  a  reason  why  the  heathen  deities  should  not  be  wor- 
 shipped, it  holds  equally  good  with  respect  to  angels  and 
 saints,  who  are  as  really  creatures  as  those  who  adore  them. 
 Their  physical  and  moral  qualities,  the  rank  to  which  they 
 are  elevated,  and  the  happiness  which  they  enjoy,  make  no 
 difference ;  still  they  want  what  is  the  sole  foundation  of  re- 
 ligious homage,  a  divine  nature  and  divine  perfections,  infi- 
 nite knowledge,  almighty  power,  and  inexhaustible  goodness. 
 It  would  make  no  difference,  although,  as  Papists  suppose, 
 they  were  invested  with  authority  over  men ;  because  it  would 
 be  infinitely  inferior  to  that  of  the  Supreme  Lord,  and  could 
 entitle  them  to  nothing  more  than  a  degree,  proportioned  to 
 their  dignity,  of  the  respect  which  we  owe  to  our  earthly 
 superiors.  But  their  authority  is  taken  for  granted,  and  can- 
 not be  proved  from  Scripture.  With  regard  to  any  inter- 
 course between  the  glorified  saints  and  men  in  the  present 
 state,  it  maintains  profound  silence  ;  and  the  angels  it  repre- 
 sents, not  as  rulers,  but  as  servants  :  "  Are  they  not  all  mi- 
 nistering spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  he 
 the  heirs  of  salvation  ?"  * 
 
 •  Heb.  i.  14. 
 
THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  42'J 
 
 The  practice  of  the  Church  of  Rome  is  directly  in  the  nice 
 of  the  first  commandment :    M  Thou  shall  have  do  other  godl 
 
 before  me."  They  do  not  expressly  call  the  saints  ^m\<,  al- 
 though they  distinguish  them  by  the  title  of  dirt,  which  the 
 heathens  gave  to  their  deified  heroes  and  princes  ;  but  he  is 
 acknowledged  as  a  God,  to  whom  we  pray,  and  on  whom  we 
 depend  for  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings,  whatever  name  we 
 appropriate  to  him.  Their  practice  is  contrary  to  the  words 
 of  the  law  quoted  by  our  Saviour,  "  Thou  shalt  worship  the 
 Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  '  It  is  vain 
 to  pretend  that  this  command  is  obeyed  by  giving  supreme 
 worship  to  him,  and  subordinate  to  others ;  for  the  manifest 
 design  of  it  is  to  appropriate  all  religious  worship  to  him  ; 
 and  besides,  two  kinds  of  worship  are  a  mere  human  figment, 
 of  which  not  a  trace  is  found  in  the  Scriptures.  There  is  not 
 a  precept  for  the  worship  or  religious  invocation  of  creatures ; 
 nor  an  example,  except  among  the  heathens,  and  some  ob- 
 scure heretics  in  the  apostolic  age,  who  first  introduced  the 
 idolatry  which  the  Church  of  Rome  has  since  patronized, 
 and  who  were  condemned  for  worshipping  angels  by  Paul 
 in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians.  In  a  word,  it  is  certain  that 
 the  invocation  of  the  saints  was  unknown  in  the  primitive 
 church,  as  some  popish  writers  of  great  eminence  have  ac- 
 knowledged. It  rests  solely  upon  the  authority  of  the  church, 
 which,  in  matters  of  religion,  is  not  worth  a  rush. 
 
 Negative  precepts  virtually  enjoin  the  duties  opposed  to 
 the  sins  which  they  forbid.  The  first  commandment  requires 
 us  to  have  our  mind  fully  established  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
 existence  of  God  ;  and  to  acknowledge  him  only,  to  the  ex- 
 clusion of  every  rival,  whether  set  up  by  Heathens  or  by  idol- 
 atrous Christians.  It  requires  us  to  entertain  worthy  senti- 
 ments of  his  character  and  perfections  ;  and  with  this  view,  to 
 attend  to  the  discoveries  which  he  has  made  of  himself  in  his 
 works,  and  particularly  in  his  word.  It  requires  us  to  be  duly 
 affected  by  those  discoveries,  to  cherish  and  exercise  the  affec- 
 tions of  which  he  is  the  proper  object,  as  reverence  for  his 
 majesty,  profound  humility,  trust  in  his  promises,  desires  for 
 bis  favour,  dependence  upon  his  care,  and  submission  to  his 
 •  Matth.  iv.  10. 
 
430  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 will ;  and  in  a  word,  to  love  him  with  all  our  strength,  pre- 
 ferring him  to  all  creatures  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  cultivating 
 communion  with  him,  and  deriving  our  satisfaction  from  the 
 uncreated  source  of  felicity.  It  requires  us  to  render  to  him 
 the  honour  to  which  he  is  entitled,  not  only  by  those  affections 
 of  our  hearts,  but  by  such  outward  expressions  of  homage  as  he 
 himself  has  prescribed, — to  pray  to  him,  to  praise  him,  and  de- 
 voutly to  observe  all  his  institutions.  It  requires  us  to  make 
 him  our  last  end ;  and  as  he  has  created  all  things  for  his 
 glory,  to  have  this  as  our  predominant  wish  and  constant  aim, 
 that  we  may  glorify  him  with  our  bodies  and  our  spirits,  which 
 are  his. 
 
 This  is  a  summary  of  the  duties  enjoined  by  the  first  precept, 
 upon  which  it  would  be  easy  to  enlarge ;  but  an  enumeration 
 and  illustration  of  them  will  be  found  in  any  exposition  of  the 
 Decalogue.  It  is  evident  that  an  acknowledgment  of  God, 
 does  not  complete  the  design  of  the  precept,  unless  it  be  ac- 
 companied with  those  feelings  and  actions  which  are  included 
 in  the  idea  of  piety.  A  man  may  be  a  Theist,  and  yet  a 
 transgressor  of  this  law,  because  he  does  not  fear,  and  love, 
 and  serve,  that  great  and  glorious  Being  in  whose  existence 
 he  professes  to  believe. 
 
 Let  us  proceed  to  the  second  precept,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
 make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness  of  any 
 thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  on  the  earth  beneath, 
 or  that  is  in  the  waters  under  the  earth ;  thou  shalt  not  bow 
 down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them."  I  have  already  hinted 
 what  is  the  difference  between  this  and  the  first  command- 
 ment. The  first  declares  the  object  of  worship,  and  the  se- 
 cond prescribes  the  means,  forbidding  the  use  of  images,  and 
 consequently  of  every  other  form  which  has  not  been  appointed 
 by  himself.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  critical  exami- 
 nation of  the  words  translated  "  graven  image,"  and  "  like- 
 ness ;"  because  it  is  plain  to  every  person  who  is  willing  to 
 understand,  that  they  signify  every  external  representation  of 
 visible  or  invisible  objects  employed  for  religious  purposes. 
 
 It  is  obvious  that  the  making  of  images  is  not  absolutely 
 forbidden,  as  some  persons  have  supposed.     It  is  no  trans- 
 
rHl   BECOND    (OMMAM)M  i  431 
 
 ■ion  of  this  precept  to  form  representations  of  terrestrial 
 or  celestial  objects  for  amusement  and  ornament,  or  to  recal 
 the  memory  of  the  dead,  and  to  do  honour  to  those  who  bare 
 deserved  well  of  their  country,  or  of  mankind.  It  is  an  i 
 straining  of  the  law  to  expound  it  as  being  hostile  to  the  fine 
 arts  of  statuary  and  painting.  If  the  design  of  the  precept  be 
 considered,  which  is  manifest  from  its  connexion,  it  will  be 
 found  to  relate  solely  to  religion,  and  to  condemn  images  and 
 likenesses,  whether  engraven  or  drawn  with  the  pencil,  only 
 when  they  are  made  the  objects  or  the  means  of  worship. 
 The  admission  of  images  of  the  saints  into  churches,  where 
 the  adoration  of  them  is  not  permitted,  cannot  be  justly  con- 
 sidered as  a  violation  of  this  precept ;  for  you  may  make  a 
 statue  or  a  picture  of  a  saint  as  well  as  of  any  other  man,  and 
 may  place  it  in  a  church  as  well  as  in  a  palace,  provided  that 
 no  abuse  is  likely  to  ensue ;  and  the  practice  is  chiefly  con- 
 demnable,  because  it  seems  to  symbolize  with  idolatry,  and 
 because  it  may  tend  to  it  by  an  undue  impression  upon  the 
 imaginations  and  feelings  of  the  ignorant. 
 
 This  precept  absolutely  condemns  all  representations  of 
 God,  which  it  is  astonishing  that  any  person  should  have 
 attempted,  who  believed  that  his  essence  is  spiritual  and 
 immense  :  "  The  Lord  spake  unto  you  out  of  the  midst  of 
 the  fire  :  ye  heard  the  voice  of  the  words,  but  saw  no  simili- 
 tude ;  only  ye  heard  a  voice."  *  What  madness  is  it  to  ima- 
 gine that  any  configuration  of  matter  bears  a  resemblance  to 
 a  Being  who  has  no  bodily  parts !  or,  that  a  puny  statue  can 
 convey  an  idea  of  him  whom  the  heaven  and  the  earth  cannot 
 contain  !  "  To  whom  will  ye  liken  me,  or  shall  I  be  equal  ? 
 saith  the  Holy  One."  It  is  true  that  the  Almighty  is  describ- 
 ed as  "  the  Ancient  of  days,  whose  garment  was  white  as 
 snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool ;"  f  but 
 does  it  follow  that  Papists  may  exhibit  him  in  the  form  of  an 
 old  man  ?  Do  they  not  know  that  this  was  an  emblematic 
 vision  ;  and  that,  in  whatever  manner  God  might  reveal  him- 
 self to  the  eyes  or  to  the  imagination  of  a  prophet,  we  are 
 expressly  prohibited  to  portray  him  in  any  visible  shape  ?  By 
 every  attempt  of  this  kind,  he  is  highly  dishonoured  ;  he  i-  de- 
 
 •  Deut.  iv.  12.  f  Dan.  vii.  9. 
 
432  THE    LAW   OF   GOD  I 
 
 graded  to  a  level  with  his  creatures,  and  the  glory  of  the  in- 
 corruptible God  is  changed  into  the  image  of  corruptible  man. 
 It  is  equally  improper  to  represent  the  Holy  Ghost  under  the 
 figure  of  a  dove  ;  first,   because  it  is  not  certain  that  he  ap- 
 peared in  this  figure  at  the  baptism  of  Christ, — the  words  of 
 the  Evangelist  perhaps  signifying  only  the  apparent  motion 
 of  the  sign  which  indicated  his  descent, — and,   secondly,  be- 
 cause if  the  visible  shape  wTas  that  of  a  dove,  it  was  merely 
 an  emblem ;   the  design  of  which  is    perverted  when  it  is 
 changed  into  an  image  of  that   Divine  Person,  who  has  no 
 corporeal  form  and  lineaments.     It  may  seem  that  it  is  more 
 justifiable  to  make  an  image  of  our  Saviour,  because  he  was 
 and  is  a  man.     But  the  vanity  of  such  images  is  evident,  be- 
 cause they  are  not  true  representations  of  the  object,  and  have 
 their  origin  solely  in  the  imagination  of  the  statuary  or  the 
 painter.     The   only  account  which  antiquity  has  transmitted 
 to  us  of  the  personal  appearance  of  our  Saviour,  is  apocryphal. 
 But  although  the  account  wrere  true,  and  an  image  were  mo- 
 delled in  exact  conformity  to  it,  it  might  be  asked,  Does  it 
 resemble  him  now  in  his  glorified  state  ?     And,  besides,  it  is 
 not  the  human  nature  of  Christ  which  our  minds  should  con- 
 template, but  the  incarnate  Redeemer,   God  and  man  in  one 
 person ;  and  his  person  can  be  represented  by  no  material 
 form.      Images  of  him  as  a  man,  with  a  glory  encircling  his 
 head,  and  images  of  him  hanging  on  the  cross,  are  teachers 
 of  lies. 
 
 Farther,  This  precept  forbids  images,  although  they  do 
 not  profess  to  be  similitudes  of  any  of  the  persons  of  the  God- 
 head, but  are  only  intended  to  be  emblematical  representations. 
 Every  visible  form  which  is  designed  to  recal  God  to  our 
 thoughts,  and  to  excite  our  devotions,  and  before  which  we 
 perform  our  religious  offices,  is  prohibited.  The  precept  is 
 delivered  in  the  most  comprehensive  terms :  "  Thou  shalt 
 not  make  unto  thee  any  likeness  of  any  thing  which  is  in  the 
 heavens  above,  or  on  the  earth  beneath,  or  in  the  waters  under 
 the  earth."  There  is  a  reference  to  the  images  used  by  the 
 Gentiles,  which  wTere  of  various  forms,  and  were  representa- 
 tions of  objects  in  all  the  departments  of  nature ;  and  they  are 
 all  without  exception  condemned.     They  may  be  distinguished 
 
THE  BB<  0M  D  COMBfl  WDM  : 
 
 into  two  classes :  ioiiic  of  them  represented  the  false  gods  whom 
 they  worshipped,  as    Baal  and  Ashtarotfa  among  the  eastern 
 
 nations,  and  in  the  west,  Jupiter,  Apollo,  and  Minerva.      The 
 
 worshipping-  of  sneh  images  was  properly  a  transgression  of 
 the  first  commandment,  which  requires  us  to  give  religious 
 honours  to  Jehovah  alone.  Others  again  represented  by 
 emulems  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  as  the  golden  calf 
 which  the  Israelites  made  in  the  wilderness,  after  the  example 
 of  the  Egyptians,  who  worshipped  a  sacred  bull  as  the  repre- 
 sentative of  Apis,  one  of  their  gods.  It  is  remarkable  that 
 the  feast  which  they  proclaimed  is  called  a  feast  to  Jehovah. 
 It  is  against  the  use  of  such  images  that  the  second  com- 
 mandment is  directed.  The  error  which  it  condemns  relates, 
 not  to  the  object  of  worship,  but  to  the  manner  of  worshipping 
 him  ;  and  the  use  of  images  is  specified  as  the  grossest  and  most 
 palpable  violation  of  the  precept. 
 
 The  advocates  of  image  worship  endeavour  to  evade  the 
 precept  by  subtile  distinctions.  They  tell  us  that  there  are 
 two  kinds  of  adoration,  the  one  absolute  and  the  other  rela- 
 tive, and  that  the  image  is  the  object  only  of  relative  worship  ; 
 that  is,  the  worship  does  not  terminate  upon  the  image  itself, 
 but  passes  from  it  to  the  original.  Again  they  tell  us,  that  in 
 an  image  two  things  are  to  be  considered, — the  matter  of  which 
 it  is  composed,  gold,  silver,  wood,  or  stone,  and  its  representa- 
 tive character.  Considered  as  a  material  substance,  it  ought 
 not  to  be  adored  ;  but  as  an  image  or  representation  it  is  en- 
 titled to  respect.  These  however  were  the  identical  distinc- 
 tions by  which  the  heathens  attempted  to  vindicate  themselves, 
 when  they  were  accused  of  idolatry  by  the  Christians.  It  was 
 only  relative  worship  which  they  offered  to  their  idols  ;  the 
 ultimate  objects  of  their  adoration  were  the  invisible  beings 
 whom  they  believed  to  be  divine.  They  were  not  so  stupid 
 as  to  think,  that  any  kind  of  matter  was  in  itself  the  proper 
 object  of  worship  ;  the  image  did  not  begin  to  be  honoured, 
 till  having  been  finished  by  the  hand  of  the  artist,  it  was 
 consecrated  to  ,the  service  of  the  god  for  whom  it  was  de- 
 signed. As  Papists  find  it  necessary  to  defend  themselves 
 with  the  arguments  of  the  heathens,  it  is  plain  that  they  are 
 guilty  of  the  same  crime  and  involved  in  the  same  condemna- 
 
 vol.  iv.  2  E 
 
434  THE   LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 tion.  All  their  subtilties  vanish  before  the  plain  words  of  the 
 precept,  "  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  and  serve 
 them." 
 
 Our  church  says,  that  "  the  second  commandment  forbids 
 the  worshipping  of  God  by  images,  or  in  any  other  way  not 
 appointed  in  his  word  ;"*  or  more  fully  in  the  larger  Catechism, 
 that  it  forbids  "  all  devising,  counselling,  commending,  using, 
 and  any  wise  approving,  any  religious  worship  not  instituted 
 by  God  himself;  corrupting  the  worship  of  God,  adding  to  it 
 or  taking  from  it,  whether  invented  and  taken  up  of  ourselves 
 or  received  by  tradition  from  others,  though  under  the  title  of 
 antiquity,  custom,  devotion,  good  intent,  or  any  other  pretence 
 whatsoever."  f  This  exposition  is  founded  on  the  principle 
 already  laid  down,  that  when  one  species  of  a  sin  is  forbidden, 
 all  the  other  species  of  the  same  sin  are  also  forbidden.  There 
 is  no  doubt  a  particular  reason  why  images  are  forbidden,  be- 
 cause they  are  in  themselves  dishonourable  to  God,  by  invest- 
 ing Him,  who  is  a  pure  and  infinite  Spirit,  with  a  corporeal 
 form,  and  degrading  him  to  a  level  with  the  lowest  of  his  crea- 
 tures. But  the  design  of  the  precept  was  to  establish  this 
 principle,  that  as  God  is  the  sole  object  of  religious  worship, 
 so  it  is  his  prerogative  to  dictate  the  mode  of  it.  This  matter 
 is  of  too  much  importance  to  be  subjected  to  the  regulations 
 of  human  wisdom.  To  the  mind  of  man,  blinded  as  it  is  by 
 sin,  and  misled  by  the  imagination  and  the  passions,  observan- 
 ces might  recommend  themselves  by  the  pretext  of  fitness  and 
 decency,  which  the  Supreme  Being  would  reject  as  incon- 
 gruous to  his  nature  and  character.  We  see  the  childishness, 
 the  absurdity,  and  the  impiety  of  its  devices  in  the  numerous 
 rites  of  Heathenism,  and  in  the  multiplied  services  of  those 
 Christians,  who  have  deformed  the  worship  of  God  under  the 
 pretext  of  adorning  it,  and  robbed  it  of  its  native  purity  by  ar- 
 raying it  in  the  meretricious  garb  of  superstition.  The  pre- 
 cept which  we  are  now  explaining  condemns  all  will-worship, 
 that  is,  all  human  inventions  in  the  service  of  God.  He  has 
 declared  to  us  in  his  word  what  form  is  acceptable  to  him  ; 
 and  it  is  a  high  offence  to  add  to  it  or  take  from  it.  We  have 
 an  example  of  both  crimes  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  has 
 
 •  Short.  Cat.  Q.  51.  T  Larg.  Cat.  Q.  109. 
 
I  Hi 
 
 mutilated  MOM  of  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  and  corrupted 
 others  l>y  foreign  mixtures  and  appendages.  It  has  also  in- 
 troduced new  ordinances,  of  which  not  a  word  is  spoken  in 
 the  Scripture-,  as  the  use  of  images,  prayer  to  the  saints,  five 
 spurious  sacraments,  pilgrimages  and  penances,  and  a  multi- 
 tude of  observances,  which  it  would  be  tedious  to  mention. 
 Nor  are  those  Protestants  free  from  the  charge  who  have  re- 
 tained some  of  the  usages  of  popery,  and  enjoin  the  wearing 
 of  particular  vestments  by  the  ministers  of  religion,  the  sign 
 of  the  cross  in  baptism,  bowing  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
 kneeling  at  the  Lord's  Supper.  These  practices  we  justly 
 call  superstitious,  because  there  is  no  scriptural  warrant  for 
 them,  and  they  are  the  devices  of  men.  The  question,  "  Who 
 hath  required  this  at  your  hands  ?"  the  abettors  and  advocates 
 of  will-worship  cannot  answer  ;  and  it  were  well  if  they  would 
 consider  the  words  of  God  concerning  the  Jews,   "  In  vain  do 
 
 they  worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of 
 
 __, » * 
 
 men. 
 
 This  precept  requires  us  to  entertain  worthy  ideas  of  God, 
 as  a  spiritual  Being,  of  whom  no  representation  should  be 
 formed,  either  with  the  hand  or  by  the  imagination,  and  to 
 honour  him  with  spiritual  worship.  In  particular,  it  requires 
 us  to  adhere  to  his  own  institutions  in  opposition  to  all  human 
 devices,  to  receive  them  with  due  submission  to  his  autho- 
 rity, to  observe  them  with  outward  reverence  and  inward  sen- 
 timents of  devotion,  to  maintain  them  in  their  purity  and  in- 
 tegrity, exactly  as  he  has  delivered  them  to  us,  neither  adding 
 to  them,  as  those  do  who  make  use  of  the  sign  of  the  cross  in 
 baptism,  nor  taking  from  them,  as  Papists  do,  who  in  the 
 Lord's  Supper  withhold  the  cup  from  the  laity.  The  ordi- 
 nances of  religion  are  prayer,  praise,  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
 and  the  celebration  of  the  sacraments  ;  to  which  may  be  added 
 church  government,  the  exercise  of  discipline,  and  other  par- 
 ticulars which  it  is  unnecessary  to  mention.  It  is  evident,  as 
 I  have  already  hinted,  that  while  the  prescribed  forms  of  wor- 
 ship should  be  punctually  observed,  the  precept  calls  for  those 
 dispositions  and  exercises  of  mind  of  which  they  are  signifi- 
 cant, and  which  only  can  give  them  value,  and  render  them 
 "  Matth.  xv.  9. 
 
43(3  THE   LAW   OF   GOD  I 
 
 acceptable  to   the  omniscient    God,  who  looks  not  upon  the 
 countenance,  but  upon  the  heart. 
 
 This  precept  is  enforced  by  the  following  words  :  "  For  I 
 the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquities  of 
 the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  gene- 
 rations of  them  that  hate  me,  and  shewing  mercy  unto  thou- 
 sands of  them  that  love  me,  and  keep  my  commandments." 
 Here  a  difficulty  occurs,  relating  to  the  denunciation  upon  the 
 posterity  of  transgressors.  Some  consider  it  is  peculiar  to  the 
 Jews,  who  were  placed  under  a  dispensation  of  temporal  rewards 
 and  punishments,  and  understand  it  to  import,  that  under  such 
 a  dispensation,  by  the  over-ruling  providence  of  God,  a  man's 
 family  would  be  placed  in  such  circumstances  as  should  accord 
 with  his  conduct,  or  that  their  degradation  and  suffering  would 
 be  the  effect  of  his  sin ;  just  as  under  human  governments  the 
 children  of  traitors  are  deprived  of  their  honours,  and  the 
 family  estate  is  confiscated,  or  as  in  the  common  course  of 
 things,  a  person  of  profligate  manners  entails  disease,  and 
 poverty,  and  disgrace  upon  his  offspring.  Others  have  thought 
 that  the  denunciation  relates  to  those  who  should  imitate  the 
 conduct  of  their  parents  ;  and  consequently,  that  it  was  for 
 their  own  sin,  and  not  properly  for  that  of  their  parents,  that 
 they  should  be  punished.  But  besides  that  the  words  thus 
 understood  constitute  no  sanction  or  enforcement  of  the  pre- 
 cept, and  do  not  serve  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  mani- 
 festly introduced,  it  is  impossible  to  assign  a  reason  why  the 
 third  and  fourth  generation  only  are  mentioned,  since  it  is  cer- 
 tain that  God  will  visit  to  the  thousandth  generation  those 
 who  tread  in  the  steps  of  their  idolatrous  ancestors.  Others 
 again  are  of  opinion,  that  not  only  temporal  but  spiritual 
 judgments  are  denounced  ;  that  for  the  sins  of  the  parents 
 God  withholds  his  grace  from  their  children ;  and  that  being 
 left  to  themselves,  they  follow  the  example  of  their  parents, 
 and  are  finally  punished  for  their  own  sins.  There  is  a  degree 
 of  confusion  in  this  statement,  which  first  admits  that  they  are 
 punished  for  the  sin  of  their  parents,  and  then  brings  forward 
 their  own  sin  to  account  for  the  justice  of  their  final  allotment. 
 It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  determine  the  precise  import  of 
 the  words.     If  we  could  satisfactorily  shew  that  the  threaten- 
 
THE   THIRD    l  OHM  ANDMI.N  I  .  481 
 
 ing  related  to  the  .lews  alone,  and  was  founded  <>n  their  pecu- 
 liar dispensation,  and  that  what  was  threatened  was  merely  a 
 temporal  penalty  upon  the  families  of  idolaters,  considered  as 
 members  of  the  ^tate,  it  would  be  more  easy  to  reconcile  it  to 
 our  ideas  of  the  equity  of  the  divine  administration.  There 
 seems  to  be  a  contradiction  between  it  and  the  words  of  God 
 by  Ezekiel  :  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.  The  son 
 shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father."  *  We  might  reconcile 
 them  by  supposing  the  original  law ,  which  was  merely  a  posi- 
 tive one,  to  be  revoked  ;  or  we  may  consider  the  words  of 
 Ezekiel  as  referring  to  a  particular  case.  The  Israelites  had 
 adopted  this  proverb  :  "  The  fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes, 
 and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge,"  f  intimating  that 
 their  present  sufferings  were  owing  not  to  their  own  sins,  but 
 to  those  of  their  ancestors.  To  repel  this  accusation  against 
 his  procedure,  God  declares  that  the  case  was  not  as  they 
 supposed,  that  he  was  punishing  them  for  their  own  sins ;  that 
 it  was  far  from  him  to  confound  the  righteous  with  the  w icked, 
 and  that  every  man  among  them  should  be  rewarded  according 
 to  his  works. 
 
 The  Third  precept  of  the  law  is  in  these  words,  "  Thou 
 shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain ;  for  the 
 Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain." 
 
 By  the  name  of  God,  we  understand  the  name  or  names 
 by  which  he  has  made  himself  known,  or  is  distinguished  from 
 other  beings  ;  as  God,  Lord,  Jehovah,  the  Almighty,  &c. 
 To  take  this  name,  is  to  use  it  in  discourse  ;  and  one  form  of 
 using  it,  which  claims  our  attention  in  the  first  place,  is 
 swearing  by  it.  As  a  simple  declaration  may  not  be  deemed 
 sufficient,  when  the  character  of  the  speaker  is  unknown,  his 
 motives  are  suspected,  or  the  matter  is  of  too  much  import 
 ance  to  be  lightly  determined,  men  have  been  accustomed  to 
 demand  the  confirmation  of  it  with  an  oath,  or  an  appeal  to 
 God  as  the  witness  of  our  veracity,  and  the  Judge  who  will 
 punish  us  if  we  are  guilty  of  deceit.  Some  ancient  sects,  and 
 some  modern,  have  denied  the  law  fulness  of  an  oath,  and  have 
 affirmed  that  it  is  sinful  to  swear  upon  any  occasion.  Their 
 •  Ezek.  xviii.  20.  +   lb.  2. 
 
438  THE   LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 opinion  is  refuted  by  a  variety  of  arguments.  We  have  ex- 
 amples of  oaths  in  the  Old  Testament,  with  directions  how  to 
 swear,  namely,  in  truth,  judgment,  and  righteousness ;  and  lest 
 any  should  think  that  what  was  formerly  tolerated  is  now  pro- 
 hibited, we  have  examples  also  in  the  New.  When  Paul  says, 
 "  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul" — "  God  is  my  witness" 
 — "  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  also 
 bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  *  his  language  in  all 
 these  instances,  and  particularly  in  the  two  first,  amounts  to 
 an  oath.  Our  Saviour  recognized  the  lawfulness  of  an  oath, 
 when  one  having  been  administered  to  him,  according  to  the 
 form  of  his  country,  he  broke  the  silence  which  he  hitherto 
 observed,  and  answered  the  question  of  the  High  Priest,  t  It 
 is  impossible  to  understand  the  words  of  the  Apostle  in  any 
 other  way  than  as  a  sanction  of  the  practice,  when  he  says, 
 "  Men  verily  swear  by  the  greater,  and  an  oath  for  confirma- 
 tion is  to  them  an  end  of  all  strife."  J  It  is  a  misapprehen- 
 sion of  our  Saviour's  words,  "  Swear  not  at  all,"  ||  to  consider 
 them  as  an  absolute  prohibition  of  an  oath ;  because  it  is  plain 
 from  his  own  illustration,  that  he  meant  only  to  forbid  the 
 practice  of  swearing  in  common  conversation,  and  particularly 
 of  swearing  by  creatures. 
 
 An  oath  should  be  sworn  only  on  such  occasions  as  call  for 
 this  solemnity,  about  matters  of  importance,  and  with  respect 
 to  which  satisfaction  cannot  be  otherwise  obtained.  God  is 
 too  great  and  awful  a  Being  to  be  appealed  to  as  a  witness 
 for  every  trifling  purpose.  It  should  be  taken  with  external 
 and  internal  reverence,  and  be  regarded  not  as  a  mere  cere- 
 mony, but  as  a  religious  institution,  which  places  us  in  the 
 immediate  presence  of  the  Judge  of  men  and  angels.  We 
 should  be  fully  acquainted  with  the  subject  of  an  oath ;  for, 
 to  swear  to  any  thing  of  which  we  are  ignorant,  or  about 
 which  we  are  in  doubt,  is  at  once  to  deceive  men,  and  to  set 
 at  nought  the  divine  omniscience.  We  should  take  an  oath 
 according  to  the  obvious  meaning  of  it,  in  the  sense  in  which 
 it  is  understood  by  those  who  administer  it,  to  the  exclusion 
 of  all  private  interpretations,  and  all  mental  reservations.    We 
 
 *  2  Cor.  i.  23.     Rom.  i.  9.  ix.  1.  +  Matth.  xxvi.  63. 
 
 $  Ileb.  vi.  1C.  ||  Matth.  v.  34. 
 
i  ill.    I  HIBD 
 
 onghl  to  be  sincere  in  giving  a  promissory  oath,  haying  i 
 fixed  intention  to  perforin  what  we  pledge  onrtehres  to  do, 
 and  never  thinking  ourselves  released  from  the  obligation  I  \- 
 cept  by  such  a  change  of  eireumstances  as  renders  it  physically 
 impossible  to  redeem  our  pledge,  or  would  make  it  sinful  to 
 do  so,  because  some  other  duty  of  paramount  authority  has 
 intervened.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  we  should  never  hind 
 ourselves  by  oath  to  do  any  thing  which  we  know  to  be  im- 
 possible, any  thing  which  we  know  to  be  morally  wrong,  any 
 thing  which  would  impede  our  duty  to  God,  or  to  such  of  our 
 fellow-men  as  have  a  prior  claim  to  our  service  and  obedience. 
 
 The  name  of  God  is  taken  in  vain  when  we  swear  unne- 
 cessary oaths  ;  when  we  swear  implicitly,  without  knowing 
 beforehand  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  obligation  ;  when  we 
 swear  lightly  and  irreverently,  using  the  name  of  God  with 
 as  little  respect  as  we  would  shew  to  that  of  a  man ;  w  hen  we 
 swear  falsely,  attesting  that  to  be  true,  which  we  do  not  know 
 to  be  true,  or  which  we  know  to  be  false  ;  when  we  do  not 
 regard  the  animus  ifupo?ientis,  but  substitute  a  meaning  of  our 
 own  as  a  subterfuge,  under  which  we  may  escape  from  the 
 understood  obligation  ;  when  we  swear  to  what  we  know  to 
 be  impossible,  or  what  we  know  to  be  sinful ;  when  we  swear 
 in  doubt  with  respect  to  the  practicability  or  the  lawfulness  of 
 the  action  to  which  we  bind  ourselves ;  when  we  swear  to 
 release  ourselves  from  a  prior  obligation,  as  the  Jews  devoted 
 their  property  to  God,  that  they  might  be  relieved  from  the 
 duty  of  supporting  their  parents. 
 
 These  are  not  the  only  ways  in  which  the  name  of  God  is 
 profaned.  It  is  taken  in  vain  when  it  is  lightly  introduced  in 
 common  conversation ;  when  men  swear  by  it  in  anger  or  in 
 sport,  or  in  the  ordinary  train  of  their  discourse ;  when  they 
 utter  impious  imprecations  upon  themselves  or  others  ;  or 
 when,  without  the  slightest  feeling  of  devotion,  they  call  upon 
 him  to  bless,  preserve,  or  help  them.  There  is  not  a  name 
 in  the  universe  with  which  so  much  freedom  is  used ;  it  is 
 treated  as  with  studied  contempt;  and  it  is  almost  impossible 
 to  walk  the  streets,  or  to  go  into  a  mixed  company,  without 
 hearing  language  which  is  always  offensive  to  a  pious  ear. 
 and  which,    were  it  heard    for    the   first    time,    would   awaken 
 
440  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 horror  and  alarm  in  every  man  who  retained  any  sense  of  re- 
 ligion. In  the  commission  of  this  gratuitous  and  heaven- 
 daring  sin,  our  own  country  has  attained  an  infamous  pre- 
 eminence. 
 
 This  precept  is  transgressed  not  only  when  men  swear  falsely 
 or  profanely  by  the  name  of  God,  but  also  when  they  make 
 use  of  any  other  oath  in  conversation  ;  for  in  this,  as  in  other 
 precepts,  all  sins  of  the  same  kind  are  forbidden.  Our  Sa- 
 viour says,  "  Swear  not  at  all," — that  is,  in  common  dis- 
 course,— "  neither  by  heaven,  for  it  is  God's  throne  ;  nor  by 
 the  earth,  for  it  is  his  footstool ;  neither  by  Jerusalem,  for  it 
 is  the  city  of  the  great  King ;  neither  shalt  thou  swear  by  thy 
 head,  because  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black. 
 But  let  your  communication  be,  Yea,  yea ;  nay,  nay :  for 
 whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil."  '  It  appears 
 that  such  oaths  as  are  here  specified  were  frequent  among  the 
 Jews ;  and  our  Lord,  in  forbidding  these,  condemns  all  simi- 
 lar oaths,  such  as  those  which  are  current  among  Christians, 
 who  swear  by  their  faith,  their  truth,  their  conscience,  and  in 
 Popish  countries,  by  the  saints. 
 
 This  precept  forbids  all  kinds  of  blasphemy,  all  accusations 
 of  Providence,  all  reflections  against  Scripture,  all  dishonour- 
 able thoughts  of  God.  It  forbids  the  profanation  or  abuse  of 
 any  thing  by  which  he  has  made  himself  known.  As  it  re- 
 lates to  the  manner  of  worshipping  him,  it  condemns  irreve- 
 rence, carelessness,  formality,  hypocrisy,  and  unbelief,  in 
 the  performance  of  religious  duties.  We  profane  his  word 
 when  we  read  or  hear  it  with  indifference  ;  we  profane  the 
 ordinance  of  prayer  when  we  honour  God  with  our  lips  but 
 our  hearts  are  far  from  him  ;  when  those  sentiments  of  faith, 
 and  penitence,  and  holy  desire  are  wanting,  of  which  our 
 words  are  expressive  ;  we  profane  the  ordinance  of  praise  when 
 we  feel  no  admiration  of  his  excellencies,  and  no  gratitude  for 
 his  favours,  and  when  we  appropriate  to  ourselves  any  share 
 of  the  glory  to  which  he  has  an  exclusive  title  ;  we  profane 
 the  Lord's  Supper,  not  merely  when  we  use  it  as  a  qualifica- 
 tion for  civil  offices,  but  when  we  partake  of  it  in  a  state  of 
 sin,  in  the  absence  of  spiritual  affections,  without  a  cordial 
 
 *  Matth.  v.  34—37. 
 
TH1  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  11  1 
 
 reliance  upon  the  atonement  which  it  commemorates,  and 
 an  unreserved  dedication  of  ourselves  to  him  who  died  for  DJ 
 and  rote  ■gain.  We  profane  the  ordinance  of  fasting,  when 
 our  professions  of  repentance  are  not  accompanied  with  humi- 
 liation of  soul,  when  we  use  it  as  a  means  of  obtaining  the 
 remission  of  our  sins,  or  w7hen  we  are  careful  to  enumerate 
 and  condemn  the  sins  of  others,  but  slightly  pass  over  our 
 own.  We  profane  Providence  when  we  turn  it  to  supersti- 
 tious purposes,  looking  for  signs  from  it  to  direct  us  where 
 Scripture  or  even  reason  is  sufficient  to  guide  us ;  when  we 
 rashly  and  uncharitably  interpret  its  proceedings ;  when  we 
 place  an  unwarranted  dependence  upon  it,  expecting  the  end 
 without  the  means,  venturing  without  a  call  upon  danger  in 
 the  hope  of  its  protection,  and  trusting  to  it  for  the  supply  of 
 our  wants,  when  we  are  indulging  ourselves  in  idleness. 
 
 From  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  it  is  easy 
 to  infer  the  duties  required.  They  consist  in  general  in  a 
 holy  and  reverent  use  of  his  name,  of  all  his  revelations,  and 
 all  his  institutions ;  and  a  more  particular  detail  of  them  is 
 unnecessary.  It  will  be  your  business  to  trace  them  at  your 
 leisure,  while  you  are  meditating  upon  the  subject.  "  The 
 third  commandment,"  says  our  Church,  "  requires  that  the 
 name  of  God,  his  titles,  attributes,  ordinances,  the  word, 
 sacraments,  prayer,  oaths,  vows,  lots,  his  wTorks,  and  what- 
 soever else  there  is  whereby  he  makes  himself  known,  be 
 holily  and  reverently  used  in  thought,  meditation,  word,  and 
 writing,  by  an  holy  profession,  and  answerable  conversation, 
 to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  ourselves  and  others."  ' 
 
 •  Larger  Catechism,  Q.  112. 
 
LECTURE  CIV. 
 
 ON  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 COMMENTARY  ON  THE  FOURTH,  THE  FIFTH,  AND  THE  SIXTH 
 COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 Having  considered  the  object,  the  means,  and  the  manner  of 
 religious  worship,  let  us  now  attend  to  the  time  which  is  con- 
 secrated to  it.  It  is  determined  in  the  Fourth  precept  of  the 
 Decalogue,  which  is  expressed  in  these  words :  "  Remember 
 the  Sabbath-day,  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour 
 and  do  all  thy  work :  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of 
 the  Lord  thy  God ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work,  thou, 
 nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy 
 maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is  within 
 thy  gates  :  For  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth, 
 the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day  : 
 wherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath-day,  and  hallowed  it." 
 After  reciting  this  precept,  which  was  delivered  to  the 
 Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  we  are  to  inquire,  Whether  it  was 
 then  given  for  the  first  time,  or  was  only  promulgated  anew  ? 
 To  most  persons,  an  answer  to  this  question  seems  to  be  sup- 
 plied by  the  words  of  Moses,  in  the  second  chapter  of  Ge- 
 nesis, "  And  on  the  seventh  day,  God  ended  his  work  which 
 he  had  made,  and  he  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his 
 work  which  he  had  made.  And  God  blessed  the  seventh  day 
 and  sanctified  it ;  because  that  in  it  he  had  rested  from  all  his 
 
nil,   FOURTH   (  OMMANDM1 
 
 Work  which   God  created  and  made."'     These  wordi  have 
 been  commonly  understood  to  signify,  thai   the  Sabbath  was 
 
 instituted  at  the  creation.  Some  writers,  however,  are  of 
 a  different  opinion,  and  maintain  that  Moses  speaks  of  it  by 
 anticipation  ;  or  that,  as  the  reason  why  the  Sabbath  was 
 given  to  men  took  place  on  the  seventh  day  of  the  creation, 
 he  was  led  to  make  mention  of  it  in  this  part  of  his  narrative, 
 although  the  observance  did  not  commence  till  the  Israelites 
 were  in  the  wilderness.  In  confirmation  of  this  opinion,  it  is 
 alleged  that  there  is  not  a  word  said  about  the  Sabbath  dur- 
 ing the  long  preceding  period  of  two  thousand  and  five  hun- 
 dred years  ;  and  that  this  silence  is  unaccountable,  if  it  was 
 regularly  observed  by  the  people  of  God.  This,  however,  is 
 merely  a  negative  argument,  from  which  no  positive  conclu- 
 sion can  be  safely  drawn  ;  and,  besides,  it  would  disprove  the 
 practice  of  circumcision  among  the  Jews  from  their  entrance 
 into  Canaan  to  the  circumcision  of  the  Baptist,  not  one  in- 
 stance of  it  being  recorded  during  that  long  interval.  Another 
 argument  is  founded  on  such  expressions  as  these  :  God  gave 
 the  Israelites  a  Sabbath,  and  he  gave  it  for  "  a  sign  between 
 him  and  them."  |  But  his  giving  them  the  Sabbath  no  more 
 implies  that  it  w7as  a  new  institution,  than  his  giving  them 
 the  other  precepts  supposes  that  they  were  not  previously 
 binding, — nothing  more  being  meant  in  both  cases,  than  that 
 they  were  published  anew  to  them,  with  peculiar  circumstances 
 of  solemnity.  The  Sabbath  may  be  said  to  be  a  sign,  be- 
 cause the  celebration  of  it  would  henceforth  serve,  with  their 
 other  religious  rites,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  nations  of 
 the  world,  and  it  was  enforced  by  a  new  reason  taken  from 
 their  recent  redemption.  Hence,  in  the  repetition  of  the 
 precept,  these  words  are  added :  "  And  remember  that  thou 
 wast  a  servant  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  that  the  Lord  thy 
 God  brought  thee  out  thence,  through  a  mighty  hand,  and  by 
 a  stretched  out  arm ;  therefore  the  Lord  thy  God  commanded 
 thee  to  keep  the  Sabbath-day."  {  There  does  not  appear  to  be 
 any  reason  for  supposing  that  in  Genesis  Moses  speaks  prolepti- 
 cally,  or  by  anticipation.  The  manner  of  the  narrative  would 
 naturally  lead  any  reader  to  suppose  that  he  is  relating  what 
 •  Gen.  ii.  2,  3.     +  Exod.  xxxi.  13,  17.     Ezek.  xx.  12.  20.     $  Deut.  v.  15. 
 
444  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  .* 
 
 took  place  at  the  beginning  of  the  world.  It  is  a  second 
 thought,  and  a  thought  which  could  occur  only  to  a  mind  in 
 search  of  ingenious  discoveries,  that  the  present  tense  is  here 
 significant  of  the  future.  This  seems  to  be  a  strong  objection 
 against  the  opinion  which  we  are  considering ;  it  is  inconsis- 
 tent with  the  perfect  simplicity  of  the  Mosaic  history,  and 
 with  the  accuracy  which  is  expected  from  any  historian,  to 
 record  as  a  fact  which  took  place  at  the  period  of  which  he  is 
 writing,  what  did  not  take  place  for  five-and-twenty  centuries. 
 It  has  been  observed,  that  the  division  of  time  into  weeks, 
 which  subsisted  in  the  age  of  the  patriarchs,  cannot  be  satis- 
 factorily accounted  for,  but  by  the  previous  institution  of  the 
 Sabbath ;  for  the  creation  was  finished  in  six  days,  and  if  the 
 seventh  was  not  then  sanctified,  we  cannot  conceive  how  the 
 ancients  came  to  divide  time  by  seven  days,  rather  than  by 
 six,  or  eight,  or  ten.  It  has  been  observed,  too,  that  a  pecu- 
 liar respect  was  paid  to  the  seventh  day  by  the  Greeks. 
 Some  may  suppose  that  they  derived  their  idea  of  its  sacred- 
 ness  from  the  Jews,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  it  was 
 founded  on  tradition.  Not  only  the  Hebrews,  but  the  Greeks, 
 says  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  acknowledge  the  seventh  day. 
 Hesiod  calls  the  seventh  day  \afnrpov  (paos  yeXtoio,  "the splen- 
 did light  of  the  sun ;"  and  Homer  characterizes  it  as  lepov  ypap, 
 "  the  sacred  day."  I  neglected  to  remark  in  the  proper 
 place,  that  the  "  end  of  the  days"  when  Cain  and  Abel  offered 
 sacrifices,*  has  been  supposed  to  be  the  Sabbath ;  and  that 
 this  also  was  the  day,  in  the  book  of  Job,  when  the  sons  of 
 God  came  together. 
 
 It  has  been  further  observed,  that  the  Sabbath  is  spoken 
 of  in  Exodus  before  the  publication  of  the  decalogue,  and  is 
 then  mentioned,  not  as  new,  but  as  an  institution  already 
 known  :  "  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy  Sabbath  unto 
 the  Lord."t  Some,  indeed,  draw  an  opposite  conclusion, 
 and  consider  these  words  as  the  first  intimation  of  the  Sab- 
 bath ;  but  I  think  they  are  mistaken,  because  Moses  appears 
 only  to  remind  them  of  it,  as  the  reason  of  the  injunction  to 
 gather  a  double  quantity  of  manna  on  the  preceding  day,  since 
 none  would  fall  on  the  next.     If  the  Sabbath  had  been  a  new 
 
 "  Gen.  iv.  3,  marginal  reading.  j  Exod.  xvi.  23. 
 
institution,  hi  would  have  naturally  informed  them  of  its  du- 
 ties, whereat  he  confines  himself  to  the  single  subject  of  the 
 manna,  forewarning  them  not  to  expect  it  on  that  day,  and 
 
 therefore  to  collect  and   prepare  on  the  day  before  as  much  as 
 
 would  guffice  till  the  Sabbath  was  past.  It  has  also  been 
 thought,  that  the  word  with  which  the  precept  begins  sup- 
 -  a  prior  knowledge  of  the  law.  "  Remember  the  Sab- 
 bath-day, to  keep  it  holy."  It  was  an  institution  with  which 
 they  were  already  acquainted  ;  and  they  are  called  upon  to 
 keep  in  mind  the  sacred  nature  of  the  day,  and  to  sanctify  it 
 with  the  greatest  care,  especially  after  this  solemn  republica- 
 tion of  the  precept.  It  is  probable  that  it  had  been  much  ne- 
 glected in  Egypt  :  and  as  the  Israelites  were  in  a  state  of 
 slavery,  it  is  not  likely  that  they  would  be  permitted  by  their 
 cruel  task-masters  to  desist  from  work  one  day  in  seven. 
 Through  the  necessity  of  their  circumstances,  and  their  own 
 indifference,  the  observance  of  it  might  have  been  in  a  great 
 measure  suspended  ;  and  this  may  be  the  reason  why  it  was 
 inculcated  anew,  and  their  attention  was  so  particularly  called 
 to  it :  "  Remember  the  Sabbath-day,  to  keep  it  holy." 
 
 The  question  respecting  the  date  of  the  Sabbath  is  of  the 
 greater  importance,  because  it  is  understood  to  affect  the 
 question  respecting  its  morality.  If  it  was  given  in  the  be- 
 ginning, it  is  a  law  to  mankind,  binding  in  all  ages  and  na- 
 tions ;  if  it  was  first  given  in  the  wilderness,  it  was  a  law  to 
 the  Jews,  which  was  abrogated  with  their  other  peculiar  in- 
 stitutions ;  and  some  new  evidence  is  necessary  to  prove  that 
 a  day  of  rest  should  be  observed  by  Christians. 
 
 There  has  been  much  discussion  concerning  the  morality  of 
 the  Sabbath,  some  affirming  and  others  denying  it  ;  and 
 several  distinctions  have  been  made  with  a  view  to  ascertain 
 what  is  moral,  and  what  is  positive,  in  the  precept.  In  a 
 former  lecture,  something  was  said  upon  this  subject,  when  I 
 was  explaining  the  difference  between  moral  and  positive  pre- 
 cepts. *  It  is  a  moral  duty,  that  men  should  devote  a  portion 
 of  their  time  to  the  service  of  God,  but  the  portion  is  the 
 subject  of  positive  command.  Some  express  themselves  as  if 
 they  thought  that  the   only  thing  which  is   positive   in   this 
 
 •  Lect.  cii. 
 
446'  THE   LAW  OF   GOD  I 
 
 precept  is  the  prescription  of  the  particular  day ;  but  if  they 
 use  the  term,  moral,  in  its  common  acceptation  when  distin- 
 guished from  positive,  as  signifying  that  which  is  founded  in 
 the  nature  of  things,  they  will  be  at  a  loss  to  shew  that  the 
 nature  of  things,  or  the  relation  in  which  man  stands  to  his 
 Creator,  requires  that  he  should  devote  one  day  in  seven  to 
 his  immediate  service.  They  will  be  at  a  loss  to  shew  that 
 to  have  required  more  or  less,  would  have  been  contrary  to 
 what  is  right  and  fit.  It  is  acknowledged  that  the  choice  of 
 the  seventh  day  in  preference  to  any  other  was  positive  ;  or 
 that,  although  there  was  a  reason  for  this  choice,  it  was  not 
 permanent  and  immutable,  so  that  no  new  reason  could  autho- 
 rise a  change  to  another  day.  It  should  also  be  acknow- 
 ledged, in  my  apprehension,  that  the  time  allotted  for  the 
 suspension  of  our  worldly  affairs,  and  undivided  attention  to 
 the  exercises  of  religion,  might  have  been  lengthened  or 
 shortened  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  God.  It 
 would  have  been  more  accurate  in  some  of  our  Divines  to 
 have  stated,  that  since  a  seventh  part  of  our  time  has  been 
 required,  the  law  is  of  perpetual  obligation,  instead  of  express- 
 ing themselves  loosely,  as  if  we  were  as  much  bound  in  the 
 nature  of  things  to  set  apart  one  day  in  seven,  as  it  is  ac- 
 knowledged that  we  are  to  consecrate  some  portion  of  our 
 time. 
 
 There  is  scarcely  any  difference  of  opinion  among  Chris- 
 tians, with  respect  to  the  change  of  the  day.  Some  learned 
 men  have  thought  that  the  original  Sabbath  was  different 
 from  the  Jewish,  that  the  latter  was  put  back  from  the  first  to 
 the  seventh  day  of  the  week ;  and  they  endeavour  to  prove 
 this  point  by  some  facts  in  the  history  of  the  Israelites  in  the 
 wilderness,  and  by  the  declaration  that  the  Sabbath  was  given 
 as  a  sign  to  them,  and  was  intended  to  be  a  memorial  of  their 
 deliverance  from  Egypt ;  to  accomplish  which  purposes,  it 
 seems  necessary  that  the  day  should  have  been  altered.  If 
 this  supposition  could  be  satisfactorily  proved,  it  might  con- 
 vince the  Jews  that  the  change,  which  Christians  allege  has 
 now  taken  place  in  the  day,  is  not  unprecedented,  and  by  no 
 means  involves  an  abrogation  of  the  fourth  precept  of  the 
 Decalogue.     It  is  not  easy  to  see  how  it  can  be  reconciled 
 
i HI  1 ui  117 
 
 with  the  account  in  Genesis,  which  makes  the  seventh  day 
 the  Sabbath;  or  how  that  day  could  be  the  first  in  a  hebdo- 
 madal series,  when  it  was  preceded  only  by  six. 
 
 For  the  change  of  the  (lay  from  the  seventh  to  the  first,  we 
 
 cannot  produce  any  positive  precept  ;  but  we  consider  the 
 example  of  the  Apostles  and  of  the  primitive  church  under 
 their  direction  as  of  equal  authority,  because  they  were  infalli- 
 bly guided  by  the  Spirit  in  all  things  relative  to  doctrine  and 
 worship.  Immediately  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  the 
 disciples  began  to  assemble  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ;  and 
 by  meeting  repeatedly  with  them  on  that  day,  lie  gave  coun- 
 tenance to  the  practice.  It  was  continued  after  his  ascension, 
 and  the  mission  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  lead  them  into  all  the 
 truth.  Thus  at  Troas,  "  when  the  disciples  came  together  on 
 the  first  day  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached  to  them  ;"  *  and 
 the  time  of  meeting  is  manifestly  mentioned  as  the  usual  one. 
 On  that  day  the  Corinthians  were  commanded  to  "  lay  by  them 
 in  store,  as  the  Lord  had  prospered  them  ;"  f  and  it  is  reason- 
 able to  think  that  the  first  day  was  specified  as  the  proper 
 time  to  make  collections  for  the  poor,  because  it  was  conse- 
 crated to  religious  duties.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  same  day  to 
 which  the  beloved  disciple  refers,  when  he  says,  "  I  was  in 
 the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day ;"  X  the  day  which  Jesus  Christ 
 peculiarly  claimed  as  his  own,  or  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
 which  is  consecrated  to  his  honour.  It  has  been  supposed 
 that  the  change  of  the  day  is  predicted  in  the  following  words 
 of  Ezekiel,  when  he  is  giving  a  description  of  the  mystical 
 temple,  which  may  be  considered  as  a  figure  of  the  Christian 
 Church  :  "  Seven  days  shall  they  purge  the  altar  and  purify 
 it ;  and  they  shall  consecrate  themselves.  And  when  these 
 are  expired,  it  shall  be,  that  upon  the  eighth  day,  and  so 
 forward,  the  priests  shall  make  your  burnt-ofterings  upon  the 
 altar,  and  your  peace-offerings ;  and  I  will  accept  you,  saith 
 the  Lord  God."  |  This  language  is  symbolical ;  the  allusions 
 are  to  the  ceremonial  services  of  the  temple.  Something  is 
 manifestly  predicted  which  was  never  literally  fulfilled ;  but, 
 as  the  whole  refers  to  a  new  state  of  things,  the  mention  of 
 the  eighth  day  as  the  day  of  solemn  sacrifices  may  well  be 
 •  Acts  xx.  7.       t  1  t'or.  xvi.  2.        %  Rev.  i.  10.       ||  Ezek.  xliii.  26,  27- 
 
448  THE  law  or  GOD  : 
 
 considered  as  an  intimation  that  the  eighth  day  in  order  from 
 the  beginning  of  the  Jewish  week,  or  the  Christian  Sabbath, 
 was  henceforth  to  be  holy  to  the  Lord. 
 
 If  the  finishing  of  the  works  of  creation  was  a  reason  why 
 the  Lord  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and  hallowed  it,  there  is  a 
 reason  at  least  equally  strong  for  the  consecration  of  the  first 
 day,  on  which  our  Saviour  rose  from  the  grave.  Then  the 
 work  of  redemption  was  finished ;  and  on  account  of  its  great- 
 ness and  glory,  and  the  unspeakable  benefits  which  it  has 
 procured  to  mankind,  it  is  worthy  to  be  held  in  remembrance 
 in  all  generations.  The  first  day  of  the  week  is  dedicated  to 
 the  memory  of  the  resurrection,  by  which  God  publicly  tes- 
 tified that  his  incarnate  Son  had  finished  transgression,  and 
 made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought  in  an  everlasting  righteous- 
 ness. And  as  there  will  be  no  new  work  of  the  Almighty  of 
 superior  or  equal  importance,  the  day  will  not  be  altered,  but 
 will  be  kept  sacred  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
 
 The  Jews  were  enjoined  to  observe  the  Sabbath  with  the 
 utmost  strictness.  They  were  not  to  go  out  of  their  houses, 
 or  to  take  journeys,  except  to  a  place  of  worship  ;  and  the 
 distance  to  which,  according  to  the  Rabbies,  they  might  law- 
 fully go,  was  two  thousand  cubits,  or  about  two-thirds  of  an 
 English  mile,  which  is  called  in  the  New  Testament,  a  Sab- 
 bath-day's journey.  They  were  not  to  kindle  a  fire  in  their 
 dwellings,  that  is,  I  presume,  for  the  purpose  of  dressing 
 victuals ;  for  surely  they  were  not  forbidden  to  kindle  a  fire 
 to  warm  themselves.  They  once  deemed  it  unlawful  to  de- 
 fend themselves  on  the  Sabbath ;  but  experience  made  them 
 change  their  opinion,  although  they  continued  to  think  it  a 
 sin  to  attack  their  enemies  on  that  day. 
 
 Among  Christians,  there  has  been  a  difference  of  sentiment 
 respecting  the  degree  of  strictness  with  which  the  Sabbath 
 should  be  observed.  Some  are  for  retaining  all  the  rigour  of 
 the  Jewish  law,  while  others  insist  that  now  its  severity  is 
 relaxed ;  and  this  view  has  been  adopted  by  some  of  the  most 
 eminent  among  the  foreign  Protestant  Divines.  It  is  pos- 
 sible so  to  overstrain  the  duties  of  the  day,  as  to  make  men 
 think  that  they  can  hardly  speak,  or  move,  or  look  around 
 them,  without  violating  its  sanctity ;  and  thus  to  give  the 
 
nil   rOUETH  COMMANDMENT.  4VJ 
 
 Sabbath  a  gloomy  and  forbidding  aspect.     It  is  possible  to 
 
 grant  siR'h  liberty,  that  it  shall  resemble  a  human  festival 
 rather  than  a  season  of  devotion,  a  (lay  of  idleness,  gossiping, 
 
 and  amusement,  mixed  up  with  some  religious  officer.  We 
 know  how  loosely  it  is  observed  in  Roman  Catholic  and  many 
 Protestant  countries,  in  the  southern  division  of  our  island, 
 and  even  in  the  northern,  although  our  notions  of  the  sancti- 
 flcation  of  the  Sabbath  have  been  carried  as  high  as  by  any 
 denomination  of  Christian-. 
 
 This  precept  requires  us  to  set  apart  for  the  service  of  God, 
 one  whole  day  in  seven,  reckoned,  like  other  days,  according 
 to  our  mode  of  computing  time,  from  twelve  o'clock  at  mid- 
 night to  twelve  next  night.  The  Jews  reckoned  from  sunset 
 to  sunset.  It  requires  us  to  abstain  from  our  worldly  employ- 
 ments, manual  and  mental,  from  the  labours  of  the  body  and 
 the  labours  of  the  mind  about  secular  studies,  and  from  all 
 unnecessary  words  and  thoughts  respecting  such  subjects.  It 
 requires  us  to  spend  the  whole  time,  when  we  are  awake,  in 
 devotional  exercises,  in  prayer,  religious  reading,  and  medi- 
 tation, in  the  instruction  of  our  families,  and  pious  conversa- 
 tion with  them  and  our  friends,  and  in  attendance  upon  the 
 public  ordinances  of  grace.  It  requires  us  to  abstain  from 
 those  innocent  recreations  and  amusements  by  which  the  body 
 and  the  mind  are  refreshed  and  gratified,  because  we  can  very 
 well  dispense  with  them  for  one  day,  since  we  are  at  liberty 
 to  use  them  on  the  other  six  :  they  would  engross  a  portion 
 of  the  time  which  is  sacred  to  other  purposes,  and  would  dis- 
 sipate our  thoughts,  and  indispose  us  for  the  proper  duties  of 
 the  Sabbath.  "  The  Sabbath,"  our  Confession  says,  "  is 
 then  kept  holy  to  the  Lord,  when  men,  after  a  due  preparing 
 of  their  hearts,  and  ordering  of  their  common  affairs  before- 
 hand, do  not  only  observe  an  holy  rest  all  the  day  from  their 
 own  works,  words,  and  thoughts  about  their  worldly  employ- 
 ments and  recreations  ;  but  also  are  taken  up  the  whole  time 
 in  the  public  and  private  exercises  of  his  worship,  and  in  the 
 duties  of  necessity  and  mercy."* 
 
 He  who  understands  in  what  the  sanctification  of  the  Sab- 
 bath consists,  has  no  need  that  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  fourth 
 
 •  Chap.  xxi.  8. 
 VOL.  IT.  2   F 
 
450  THE   LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 commandment  should  be  pointed  out  to  him.  A  detail  of 
 them  is  at  least  unnecessary  at  present,  when  I  am  addressing 
 those  who  are  capable  of  tracing  the  particulars  I  have  men- 
 tioned into  all  their  ramifications  and  consequences. 
 
 You  would  observe  that,  in  the  quotation  from  our  Confes- 
 sion of  Faith,  works  of  necessity  and  mercy  are  not  considered 
 as  a  violation  of  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath.  By  the  former, 
 are  meant  wTorks  which  could  not  have  been  done  on  the  pre- 
 ceding day,  and  cannot  be  deferred  till  the  next.  We  must 
 kindle  fires  in  our  houses ;  we  must  travel  to  and  from  the 
 house  of  God  ;  we  must  look  after  some  parts  of  our  property, 
 as  our  flocks  and  herds ;  we  must  guard  it  when  it  is  ex- 
 posed to  danger  ;  we  must  use  means  to  extinguish  a  confla- 
 gration, and  carry  awTay  goods  which  would  be  destroyed  by 
 it,  or  by  a  sudden  inundation.  These  duties  arise  from  cir- 
 cumstances over  which  we  have  no  controul.  They  will  not 
 wait  till  we  find  time  to  attend  to  them,  but  must  either  be 
 done  now,  or  not  done  at  all ;  and  as  the  Sabbath  was  made 
 for  man,  they  were  permitted,  although  literally  they  break 
 in  upon  its  rest. 
 
 Works  of  mercy  are  those  which  are  performed  from  com- 
 passion to  our  fellow-creatures.  The  care  of  cattle  may  be 
 placed  under  this  head,  as  well  as  under  the  former.  No  man 
 is  required,  under  the  pretext  of  resting  from  his  works  on  the 
 Sabbath,  to  leave  them  to  suffer  from  hunger  and  thirst.  On 
 the  same  principle,  we  may  carry  food  and  raiment  to  the 
 poor,  when  their  demands  are  urgent  and  we  had  not  a  pre- 
 vious opportunity  of  attending  to  them.  We  may  visit  the 
 sick,  administer  cordials  and  medicines  to  them,  dress  their 
 wounds,  and  perform  other  offices  by  which  they  will  be 
 soothed  and  relieved.  It  is  on  this  ground  that  we  deem  it 
 lawful  for  physicians  to  practise  upon  the  Sabbath.  It  is  a 
 gracious  institution,  designed  for  the  good  of  man  in  this 
 world,  as  well  as  for  his  salvation  in  the  next ;  and  it  does  not 
 interfere  with  any  service  immediately  called  for,  which  will 
 contribute  to  either. 
 
 The  time  appropriated  to  the  service  of  God  is  one  day  in 
 seven,  and,  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  the  first  day  of 
 the  week.     I  need  not  repeat,  that  there  ought  also  to  be  a 
 
I'll  fc:    FIFTH    COMMAS  DM, 
 
 daily  worship  of  God,  and  that  the  duties  of  the  Sabbath  do 
 not  release  us  from  devotion  daring  the  week.  But  this  is 
 the  only  day  which  God  claims  as  his  own  in  a  peculiar 
 Sense;  hi'  has  given  us  the  other  six  days  to  pursue  our 
 secular  employments.  It  follows,  that  men  have  no  right  to 
 institute  holidays,  which  return  as  regularly  at  certain  inter- 
 vals as  the  Sabbath  does  in  the  beginning  of  the  week.  This 
 is  an  assumption  of  authority  which  God  has  not  delegated  to 
 them.  Holidays  are  an  encroachment  upon  the  time  of  which 
 he  has  made  a  free  gift  to  men  for  their  worldly  affairs ;  and 
 although  enforced  by  civil  and  ecclesiastical  laws,  they  are  not 
 binding  upon  conscience.  No  man  sins  in  not  observing  them  ; 
 but  he  does  sin,  if  he  observe  them  from  an  opinion  of  their 
 holiness.  Men  may  set  apart  particular  days  for  fasting  and 
 thanksgiving  ;  but  those  are  only  occasional,  and  not  the 
 .  but  the  services,  are  holy.  As  for  all  stated  days  of 
 worship  besides  the  Sabbath,  they  are  human  enactments  ; 
 and  there  is  no  obligation  upon  any  man  to  observe  them  but 
 the  general  one,  which  requires  us  to  conform  to  the  practice 
 of  the  church,   when  it  is  not  sinful  or  superstitious. 
 
 The  Second  table  of  the  law  prescribes  our  duty  to  man, 
 which  is  in  fact  our  duty  to  God,  because  he  enjoins  it ;  but  it 
 is  called  our  duty  to  man,  because  he  is  the  immediate  object 
 of  it.  The  First  precept  of  the  second  table,  which  is  the  Fifth 
 of  the  Decalogue,  is  in  these  words  :  "  Honour  thy  father 
 and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the  land 
 which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee."  The  general  design 
 of  it  is  to  inculcate  relative  duties  ;  and  in  the  usual  manner, 
 it  gives  a  specimen  in  the  duties  of  children  to  their  parents. 
 There  are  various  relations  subsisting  among  mankind,  which 
 are  founded  partly  in  nature  and  partly  in  convention.  They 
 are  naturally  related  to  one  another ;  more  generally,  as  they 
 are  sprung  from  one  common  stock,  for  "  God  has  made  of 
 one  blood  all  nations  of  men  to  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  earth;"* 
 and  more  particularly,  as  they  are  descended  from  the  same 
 immediate  or  remote  ancestors.  There  are  other  relations 
 which,  although  agreeable  to  nature,  or   to  the  constitution 
 
 •  Acts  xvii.  26. 
 
452  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 and  circumstances  and  wants  of  men,  are  yet  founded  in 
 convention  or  mutual  compact.  Of  tins  description  are  the 
 relations  of  husbands  and  wives,  masters  and  servants,  magis- 
 trates and  subjects.  The  duties  resulting  from  them  are 
 comprehended  in  the  precept ;  and  they  are  made  the  subject 
 of  positive  prescriptions,  because  they  are  of  great  importance, 
 intimately  connected  with  the  order  and  happiness  of  society, 
 and  more  effectually  to  secure  the  performance  of  them  by  the 
 authority  of  religion. 
 
 The  duty  of  children  to  their  parents  is  expressed  by  honour- 
 ing them,  a  general  term  under  which  many  particulars  are 
 comprehended.  They  ought  to  love  their  parents,  to  reve- 
 rence them  in  their  hearts,  and  treat  them  with  outward 
 respect ;  to  obey  their  lawful  commands  ;  to  conform  to  the 
 regulations  which  they  establish  in  their  families ;  to  entertain 
 a  grateful  sense  of  all  the  care  and  kindness  which  they  have 
 experienced  from  them  ;  to  acknowledge  them  in  any  impor- 
 tant step  which  they  take ;  to  assist  and  support  them  accord- 
 ing to  their  ability,  if  they  are  in  such  circumstances  as  to  be 
 dependent  upon  them ;  and  to  continue  their  good  offices 
 during  the  joint  lives  of  themselves  and  their  parents.  In  the 
 early  part  of  life,  when  children  are  living  with  their  parents, 
 and  are  not  yet  qualified  to  think  and  act  for  themselves,  or, 
 although  arrived  at  the  years  of  discretion,  are  still  lodging 
 under  their  roof,  their  subjection  to  their  parents  is  more 
 complete  than  after  they  have  separated  from  them,  and  have 
 houses  and  families  of  their  own;  but  at  no  period  are  they 
 released  from  the  obligation  to  treat  them  with  deference  and 
 affection,  to  comply  with  their  reasonable  wishes,  and  to  per- 
 form such  services  as  the  comfort  of  their  parents  may  require. 
 We  have  an  example  in  Joseph,  who  behaved  with  the  utmost 
 respect  to  his  father,  and  the  most  solicitous  attention  to  his 
 happiness,  after  he  was  exalted  to  be  next  in  rank  to  the  king. 
 Nature  itself  dictates  the  submission  of  children  to  their  pa- 
 rents ;  it  is  enjoined  by  the  laws  of  all  civilized  nations,  some 
 of  which  have  carried  it  to  excess,  as  the  Romans  unques- 
 tionably did,  by  making  children  as  much  the  property  of 
 their  father  as  his  cattle,  and  giving  him  power  to  sell  them 
 as  slaves,  and  to  put  them  to  death ;  and  such  was  the  severity 
 
hi::  i  iith  (  ommandmkn ;t. 
 
 r>l   the  Jewish  law,   that  a  fro  ward  rebellious  son  was  capitally 
 punished/ 
 
 The  duties  of  children  to  their  parents  draw  along  with 
 them  the  duties  of  parents  to  their  children.    There  is  required 
 
 a  reciprocity  of  i^ood  offices.  Parents  are  bound  to  take  care 
 of  their  children  in  early  life  ;  to  provide  food  and  clothing  for 
 them;  to  give  them  an  education  which  will  prepare  them 
 both  for  this  world  and  for  the  next;  to  watch  over  their 
 morals,'  encourage  them  in  good,  and  restrain  them  from 
 evil ;  to  exercise  their  authority  reasonably  and  mildly,  but 
 firmly  ;  to  endeavour  to  settle  them  in  life  ;  to  administer  to 
 them  the  counsels  of  experience  ;  and,  in  a  word,  to  consider 
 them  as  a  trust  from  God,  which  they  ought  to  manage  with 
 incessant  vigilance.  I  will  not  say,  with  some  moralists,  that 
 the  rights  of  parents  result  from  their  duties,  because  they 
 originate  in  the  Divine  institution  ;  but  I  will  say,  that  a 
 parent  who  neglects  his  duty  to  his  offspring,  ought  not  to  be 
 surprised  if  they  fail  in  their  duty  to  him,  and  has  no  right  to 
 complain  either  to  God  or  to  men. 
 
 The  duties  of  husbands  and  wives  are  understood  to  be 
 comprehended  in  this  precept,  and  a  detail  of  them  usually 
 constitutes  one  part  of  a  commentary  upon  it.  I  do  not  say 
 that  this  is  wrong  ;  but  I  should  think  that  they  occur  more 
 regularly  under  the  seventh  commandment,  which,  according 
 to  the  rules  of  interpretation  formerly  laid  down,  by  forbid- 
 ding the  violation  of  the  marriage  vow,  inculcates  the  duties 
 arising  from  the  conjugal  relation. 
 
 I  proceed  therefore  to  speak  of  the  duties  of  servants  to 
 their  masters.  These  consist  in  respect  for  their  masters  as 
 their  superiors,  submission  to  their  authority,  attention  to 
 their  interests,  honesty,  diligence,  and  fidelity.  The  extent 
 of  their  obedience  is  limited  by  their  previous  stipulation,  whe- 
 ther expressed  in  words  or  established  by  custom.  A  general 
 servant  is  bound  to  execute  all  the  orders  of  his  master ;  but 
 a  servant  engaged  for  a  particular  purpose,  is  bound  only  to 
 it,  and  is  guilty  of  no  breach  of  contract  when  he  declines  to 
 interfere  with  another  department.  There  is,  however,  an- 
 other limitation  of  the  duty  of  both  a  general  and  a  particular 
 •  Deut.  xxxii.  18 — 21. 
 
454  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 servant.  A  master  has  no  right  to  command  him  to  do  any 
 thing  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  still  less  to  do  any 
 thing  which  the  law  of  God  has  forbidden  ;  for  example,  to 
 tell  lies,  to  assist  him  in  injustice  or  debauchery,  to  perform 
 any  unnecessary  work  on  the  Sabbath.  With  these  excep- 
 tions, the  subjection  of  a  servant  to  his  master  is  absolute, 
 during  the  time  of  their  connexion.  The  Apostle  Paul  makes 
 use  of  strong  language  upon  this  subject,  and  it  is  worthy  of 
 attention,  that,  in  his  days,  servants  among  the  Greeks  and 
 Romans  were  slaves :  "  Servants,  obey  in  all  things  your 
 masters  according  to  the  flesh  ;  not  with  eye-service,  as  men- 
 pleasers ;  but  in  singleness  of  heart,  fearing  God :  And 
 whatsoever  ye  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord  and  not  unto 
 men."  * 
 
 Masters  are  bound  to  fulfil  their  part  of  the  stipulation,  by 
 requiring  nothing  from  their  servants  but  what  is  just ;  by  ex- 
 ercising their  authority  with  mildness,  avoiding  every  thing 
 harsh  in  the  matter  or  manner  of  their  commands ;  by  paying 
 their  wages,  and  bestowing  the  commendation  which  they 
 have  merited  by  their  fidelity ;  by  protecting  them  from  injury 
 and  caring  for  them  in  sickness  ;  by  guarding  against  enter- 
 taining uncharitable  suspicions  of  them,  listening  to  calum- 
 nious reports  of  them,  speaking  hastily  to  their  disadvantage, 
 and  shewing  an  unrelenting,  unforgiving  spirit  when  they  have 
 committed  a  fault ;  and,  in  a  word,  by  treating  them  as  infe- 
 riors who  at  the  same  time  are  their  fellow-creatures  and 
 Christians.  To  these  may  be  added  the  religious  duties  of 
 masters,  who  are  bound  to  instruct  their  servants  as  well  as 
 their  children,  to  excite  them  to  observe  the  ordinances  of 
 grace,  to  reprove  them  when  they  are  guilty  of  sin,  and  to 
 encourage  them  in  piety  and  virtue. 
 
 In  the  next  place,  The  duty  of  subjects  to  their  civil 
 rulers  claims  our  attention.  It  is  evident  that  the  duties  of 
 this  class,  like  those  of  servants,  are  founded  on  convention  or 
 compact ;  because,  with  the  exception  of  parents  and  children, 
 between  whom  nature  itself  has  established  an  inequality,  all 
 men  possessed  of  reason  are  naturally  equal  in  respect  of  per- 
 sonal rights,  and  become  subject  to  others,  either  by  violence, 
 
 •  Col.  iii.  22,  23. 
 
(   oMMaMjMI 
 
 which  establishes  BO  moral  obligation  to  submission,  or  by 
 their  own  consent  virtually  or  explicitly  given.  It  is  worthy 
 of  attention,  that  although  the  Scripture  gives  its  general 
 sanction  to  eivil  government,  as  necessary  to  the  existence  and 
 good  order  of  society,  it  still  calls  it  an  ordinance  of  man;* 
 signifying  that  it  is  a  human  institution,  and  consequently, 
 that  as  in  the  government  of  masters,  its  claim  to  obedience  is 
 not  established  by  force  but  by  law.  The  jus  divinum  of 
 governments,  when  rationally  explained,  can  only  mean  that 
 lawful  governments  have  a  right  to  demand  the  obedience  of 
 the  subjects,  and  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  the  subjects 
 should  submit  to  their  authority.  "  The  divine  right  of 
 kings,"  says  Paley,  "  like  the  divine  right  of  constables,  is 
 founded  on  the  law  of  the  land." 
 
 There  is  a  considerable  difficulty  in  determining  how  far 
 the  moral  obligation  of  submission  extends,  because  cases  may 
 be  supposed  and  questions  may  be  put,  with  respect  to  which 
 it  is  not  easy  to  come  to  a  satisfactory  and  consistent  conclu- 
 sion. In  general  it  may  be  said,  that  no  government  is  law- 
 ful which  does  not  exist  with  the  formal  or  virtual  consent  of 
 the  people.  The  world  has  been  so  long  accustomed  to  look 
 upon  civil  government  as  independent  of  the  people,  and  the 
 notion  of  legitimacy,  as  attached  to  a  particular  form  and  a 
 particular  family,  has  been  so  carefully  instilled  into  their 
 minds,  that  they  are  slowly  brought  to  assent  to  what  appears 
 one  of  the  plainest  propositions,  that  a  despotic  government 
 is  an  usurpation.  Farther,  the  obedience  of  subjects  is  defined 
 by  the  laws  of  the  land.  No  man  is  morally  bound  to  submit 
 to  the  arbitrary  will  of  an  individual,  because  he  is  called  a 
 king  any  more  than  because  he  is  called  a  master,  or  to  the 
 will  of  a  lawful  magistrate  when  he  orders  any  thing  contrary 
 to  the  law  of  the  land.  The  moment  he  steps  beyond  the 
 boundary  of  law,  he  loses  his  official  character,  and  becomes 
 a  private  man  or  a  tyrant.  Lastly,  the  obedience  of  subjects, 
 like  that  of  servants,  is  restrained  by  the  law  of  God.     When 
 
 civil  rulers  presume  to  command  what  he  has  forbidden,  or  to 
 forbid  what  he  has  commanded,  they  become  rebels  against  the 
 
 King  of  kings,  and  have  no  claim  to  our  homage. 
 
 •    1   Pet.  ii.    1.1. 
 
456  THE  LAW  Ol    (lOD  : 
 
 "  Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto   the  higher  powers  ;  for 
 there  is  no  power  but  of  God  :    the  powers  that  be  are  or- 
 dained of  God.     Whosoever  therefore  resisteth  the  power,  re- 
 sisteth  the  ordinance  of  God  ;  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive 
 to  themselves  damnation."  *     These  words  have  been  under- 
 stood to  favour  passive  obedience,   but  in  my  opinion  they 
 have  been  grossly  perverted.     How  could  any  man  in  his 
 senses  suppose,  that  a  messenger  of  truth  would  teach  us  to 
 submit  tamely  to  be  plundered,  and  tormented,   and  destroy- 
 ed, by  persons  who,  with  the  titles  of  royalty,  were  wrorse  than 
 common  robbers  and  murderers ;  to  surrender  to  them  all  that 
 is  dear  to  us  as  men,  all  that  renders  life  worth  preserving  ; 
 to  abstain  from  making  a  single  effort  to  secure  to  ourselves, 
 and  our  friends,  and  our  country,  the  blessings  of  liberty  and 
 equal  laws  ?     Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  God  of  justice  and 
 beneficence  has  commissioned  a  few  ruffians  to  pillage  and 
 oppress  their  fellow-creatures,  and  called  upon  the  latter,  under 
 pain  of  his  displeasure,  to  submit  like  lambs  to  the  butcher's 
 knife?  No ;  we  will  make  no  such  supposition,  any  more  than 
 we  will  suppose  that  he  has  forbidden  us  to  use  means  to  stop 
 the  ravages  of  fire,  pestilence,  or  flood,  or  to  employ  force  to 
 restrain  and  punish  the  private  ruffians,  who  with  a  title  equally 
 good,   attempt  to  rob  us  of  our  property  or  our  lives.     In  the 
 passage  quoted,  the  Apostle,  without  referring  to  any  existing 
 government,  or  any  form  in  preference  to  another,  lays  down 
 the  general  duty  of  Christians  to  their  superiors  in  the  state. 
 They  are  bound  to  submit ;  but  that  it  is  not  blind  submission 
 is  evident  from  the  reason  assigned  :     "  For  rulers  are  not  a 
 terror  to  the  good,  but  to  the  evil."     Again,   "  he  is  the  min- 
 ister of  God  to  thee  for  good."  f    So  far,  then,  as  a  government 
 patronizes  good  wTorks,  and  punishes  such  as  are  evil,   so  far 
 as  it  answers  the  end  of  its  institution  by  maintaining  order 
 and  peace  in  civil  society,  it  is  entitled  to  submission ;  but 
 when,  instead  of  protecting,  it  oppresses  the  people,  we  can  be 
 no  more  bound  in  conscience  to  recognize  it  as  lawful,   than 
 we  are  to  acknowledge  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  the  man  who 
 teaches  error  in  doctrine,  and  licentiousness  in  practice. 
 
 The  duty  of  subjects  is  to  obey  "  every  ordinance  of  man 
 *  Rom.  xiii.  1,2.  f  Ib«  3>  4- 
 
THI.    M\  I  II    (   DMMWD.MI.M  .  451 
 
 for  the  Lord'f  Mike,"'  to  "  render  to  all  their  duet,  tribute  to 
 whom  tribute  is  due,  custom  to  whom  custom,  tear  to  whom 
 fear,  honour  to  whom  honour."  '  The  duty  of  civil  mien  ■ 
 to  enact  ju<t  laws,  and  to  execute  them  impartially  ;  to  be  the 
 guardian  of  the  right!  of  their  subjects,  to  maintain  order  and 
 e,  to  patronize  arts  and  sciences,  to  encourage  virtue  and 
 discourage  vice,  so  far  as  their  lawful  influence  extends  ;  to  be 
 the  fathers  of  their  people,  and  thus  merit  their  respect  and  will- 
 ing obedience. 
 
 The  duties  of  the  members  of  the  church  to  those  who  are 
 over  them  in  the  Lord,  and  the  duties  which  the  latter  should 
 perform,  might  be  here  introduced  ;  but  they  are  so  well 
 known,  as  to  render  a  detail  of  them  unnecessary. 
 
 The  precept  now  before  us,  is  called  "  the  first  command- 
 ment with  promise  ;"  f  that  is,  the  first  in  the  second  table  of 
 the  law.  The  promise  is  contained  in  these  words  :  "  That 
 thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
 giveth  thee."  It  is  better,  I  think,  to  consider  this  promise 
 as  peculiar  to  the  Jew  ish  dispensation,  than  to  attempt  to 
 transfer  it  to  the  Christian.  The  law  promulgated  from 
 Sinai  was  enforced  by  temporal  rewards,  among  which  long 
 life  in  Canaan  is  here  held  out  as  the  recompense  of  those 
 who  should  duly  honour  their  father  and  mother.  It  does  not 
 appear  from  the  present  history  of  Providence,  that  the  pro- 
 mise is  applicable  to  other  countries  and  nations.  Of  this 
 our  Church  seems  to  have  been  sensible,  when  it  called  it  "  a 
 promise  of  long  life  and  prosperity,  as  far  as  it  shall  serve  for 
 God's  glory  and  their  own  good,  to  all  such  as  keep  this 
 commandment."  t  This  is,  in  other  words,  to  say,  that  the 
 keepers  of  it  will  live  long  or  not  as  God  shall  determine, 
 and,  consequently,  to  acknowledge  that  the  promise  is  not 
 now  attached  to  the  precept.  The  attempts  which  have  been 
 made  to  shew  that  the  promise  is  still  in  force,  are  unsa- 
 tisfactory, and  usually  sum  up  the  matter  in  the  same  inde- 
 terminate manner  with  our  catechism. 
 
 The  Sixth  commandment  is,    "  Thou  shalt  not  kill."     Its 
 design  is  to  guard  human  life  against  violence,  to  render  it  a 
 •  1  Pet.  ii.  13.     Rom.  xiii.  7.  f  Erh-  vi-  2-  £  sh-  Cat-  Q-  66» 
 
458  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 sacred  thing,  which  is  not  to  be  touched  but  by  Him  whose 
 gift  it  is,  and  who  has  a  right  to  resume  it  at  his  pleasure. 
 A  distinction  is  made  between  it  and  the  life  of  the  lower 
 animals,  in  one  of  the  precepts  delivered  to  Noah.  Man 
 holds  a  higher  rank  in  the  scale  of  being  ;  his  life  is  there- 
 fore of  much  greater  value,  and  to  take  it  unjustly  away  is 
 a  crime  which  ought  not  to  pass  with  impunity.  "  Whoso 
 sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed ;  for  in 
 the  image  of  God  made  he  man."  * 
 
 It  is  plain  from  the  words  now  quoted,  and  from  other 
 passages  of  Scripture,  that,  although  the  precept  is  absolute, 
 it  is  subject  to  certain  limitations.  It  does  not  forbid  the  taking 
 away  of  the  life  of  a  man  who  has  forfeited  it  by  his  crimes. 
 The  murderer  may  be  put  to  death;  and,  by  the  law  of 
 Moses,  the  same  punishment  was  inflicted  upon  other  trans- 
 gressors. It  is  generally  agreed  that  murder  should  be  sub- 
 jected to  a  capital  punishment  ;  but  many  doubts  have  been 
 expressed  whether  it  should  be  extended  to  any  other  offence. 
 The  reasoning,  indeed,  which  some  employ,  goes  to  abolish 
 all  capital  punishments  ;  for  if  the  power  of  civil  rulers  con- 
 sists in  the  surrender  which  their  subjects  have  made  of  a  por- 
 tion of  their  rights  for  the  preservation  of  the  rest,  and  if  no 
 man  has  such  power  over  his  own  life  as  to  commit  it  to  the 
 disposal  of  another,  it  follows  that  the  jurisdiction  of  magis- 
 trates does  not  reach  the  life  of  their  subjects,  and  is  confined 
 to  what  may  affect  their  personal  liberty,  their  property,  and, 
 in  general,  their  state  in  society.  This  question  is  not  now 
 before  us ;  nor  the  question,  what  end  human  governments 
 propose  by  the  infliction  of  punishment,  whether  they  are  in- 
 tended as  retributions,  or  merely  as  examples  in  terrorem. 
 
 The  precept  does  not  forbid  the  taking  away  of  life  in  self- 
 defence.  When  a  man  is  attacked,  he  is  at  liberty  to  defend 
 himself;  and  if  in  the  conflict  the  intended  murderer  shall 
 fall,  no  moralist  would  say  that  the  defender  was  guilty  of 
 murder,  provided  that  no  means  of  saving  himself  were  left 
 but  the  taking  away  of  the  life  of  the  aggressor.  Surely  he 
 was  not  bound  to  be  more  careful  of  the  life  of  his  enemy  than 
 of  his  own.      In  such   a  case,  the  law  can  afford  him  no  pro- 
 
 *  Gen.  ix.  6. 
 
THE   SIXTH    COMMANDMENT.  459 
 
 tectlOD  ;  he  miM  me  the  power  winch  God  has  given  him,  to 
 vc  the  most  valuable  of  all  his  possessions,  to  ward  off 
 an  injurv  which  can  never  he  repaired.  Human  laws  accord 
 the  ^aine  right  in  defence  of  our  property,  when  an  attempt 
 is  made  to  take  it  from  us  by  violence. 
 
 It  may  he  inquired,  how  tar  wars,  in  the  course  of  which 
 there  is  a  loss  of  many  lives,  are  consistent  with  this  precept? 
 The  plain  answer  is,  that  they  are  justifiable  only  on  the  plea 
 of  self-defence  ;  that  we  may  make  war  and  destroy  our  ene- 
 mies when  we  are  unjustly  attacked,  for  we  are  acting  the 
 same  part,  on  a  more  extended  scale,  with  the  individual  who 
 resists  the  house-breaker,  the  highway-man,  and  the  assassin  ; 
 but  that  wars  of  aggression,  wars  which  have  no  just  cause 
 in  the  conduct  of  our  antagonists,  are  unlawful ;  and  that,  in 
 the  sight  of  God,  every  life  which  is  taken  away  in  the  pro- 
 secution of  them  is  a  murder.  HowT  much  guilt  is  accumulat- 
 ed upon  all  the  nations  of  the  world  !  and  how  dreadful  will 
 be  the  reckoning  with  the  rulers  of  the  earth,  when  God  shall 
 make  inquiry  after  blood  ! 
 
 The  precept  is  justly  understood  to  forbid  suicide ;  and  for 
 this  reason,  that  we  have  not  absolute  power  over  our  own 
 life,  but  are  bound  to  retain  and  employ  it  to  the  ends  for 
 which  it  was  bestowed,  till  the  gift  is  resumed  by  the  Giver. 
 Disgust  at  life  will  not  justify  self-murder,  because  it  can 
 exist  only  in  an  ungrateful  and  vicious  mind ;  nor  severe 
 affliction,  which,  coming  from  the  hand  of  God,  it  is  our  duty 
 to  bear  with  patience  ;  nor  the  apprehension  of  evil,  which 
 may  not  befal  us,  and  to  which,  if  it  did  come,  we  should  be 
 bound  to  submit  without  a  murmur.  Life  is  an  appointed 
 time,  measured  out  to  us  by  the  wisdom  of  God  ;  it  is  a  race 
 which  we  must  run  till  we  arrive  at  the  goal ;  it  is  a  conflict 
 which  we  must  sustain  till  we  have  obtained  the  victory. 
 
 The  prohibition  of  murder  implies  a  prohibition  of  all  the 
 causes  which  lead  to  it ;  as,  envy,  malice,  revenge,  secret 
 wishes  of  evil  to  others,  and  imprecations  of  it,  unjust  and 
 excessive  anger,  duels,  and  fighting  of  every  kind  between 
 man  and  man.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  Thou 
 shalt  not  kill  :  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  is  angry 
 with   his   brother  without  a  cause,  shall   be  in  danger  of  the 
 
460  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 judgment ;  and  whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother,  Raca, 
 shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council ;  but  whosoever  shall  say, 
 Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire."  *  An  Apostle, 
 speaking  in  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  declares,  that  he  who 
 "  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer."  |  The  command,  not  to 
 take  away  our  own  life,  binds  us  to  avoid  not  only  direct 
 suicide,  but  every  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  bring  it  to 
 an  untimely  end ;  as,  peevishness,  and  fretfulness,  and  dis- 
 content, immoderate  grief;  anxious  care  about  our  world- 
 ly affairs,  and  labour  unnecessarily  submitted  to  beyond 
 our  strength ;  neglect  of  our  bodies,  by  withholding  due 
 nourishment  and  clothing,  and  carelessness  about  our  health ; 
 intemperance  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  exposing  ourselves 
 to  danger  without  a  lawful  call. 
 
 The  positive  duties  are  implied  in  the  negative.  We  ought 
 to  use  all  proper  means  of  preserving  our  life,  for  our  own 
 sakes,  and  for  the  good  of  those  who  are  dependent  upon  us, 
 and  to  whom  wre  may  be  useful  in  temporal  and  spiritual 
 things.  We  are  bound  also  to  endeavour  to  preserve  the 
 lives  of  others,  by  warning  them  of  dangers,  by  rescuing  them 
 from  perilous  circumstances,  by  ministering  to  their  necessi- 
 ties, by  doing  what  will  contribute  to  render  life  desirable 
 and  comfortable  to  them. 
 
 As  there  is  a  life  of  far  greater  importance  than  that  of  the 
 body,  the  precept  may  be  understood  to  comprehend  the  duties 
 which  relate  to  the  salvation  of  our  own  souls,  and  those  of 
 our  brethren  :  "He  that  findeth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall 
 obtain  favour  of  the  Lord.  But  he  that  sinneth  against  me 
 wrongeth  his  own  soul ;  all  they  that  hate  me  love  death."  f 
 In  these  words  our  duty  to  ourselves  is  pointed  out ;  and  with 
 respect  to  others  who  are  connected  with  us,  it  is  only  when 
 we  endeavour,  by  our  instructions,  our  example,  and  our 
 prayers,  to  turn  them  from  the  path  of  destruction,  that  we 
 can  say  with  Paul,  that  "  we  are  free  from  the  blood  of  all 
 men." 
 
 •  Matth.  v.  21,  22.  T  1  John  iii.  15.  X  ?w-  viii.  36. 
 
LECTURE  CV. 
 
 ON  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 
 
 COMMENTARY  ON    THE    SEVENTH,    THE    EIGHTH,    THE    NINTH,    AND     THE 
 TENTH  COMMANDMENTS CONCLUSION  FROM  A  REVIEW  OF   THE   LAW. 
 
 The  Seventh  precept  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 
 As  it  forbids  a  sin  which  can  be  committed  only  by  married 
 persons,  and  according  to  the  rules  laid  down  for  the  interpre- 
 tation of  the  law,  not  only  forbids  all  the  sins  comprehended 
 under  this  general  term,  but  enjoins  the  opposite  duties  ;  a 
 detail  of  the  duties  of  the  conjugal  relation  is  more  properly 
 introduced  in  this  place,  than  under  the  fifth  commandment, 
 to  which  they  are  commonly  referred. 
 
 Marriage  is  an  ordinance  of  God  for  the  increase  of  the 
 human  race,  and  for  other  important  purposes  connected  with 
 the  comfort  and  moral  improvement  of  the  species.  It  was 
 instituted  in  Paradise,  where  our  first  parents  were  united  as 
 husband  and  wife  by  their  Creator  himself,  and  an  example 
 was  given  to  be  imitated  by  their  descendants.  As  such  it 
 was  considered  by  Adam,  who,  instructed  no  doubt  by  a  di- 
 vine revelation,  said  on  that  occasion,  "  Therefore  shall  a 
 man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  unto  his 
 wife,  and  they  shall  be  one  flesh."  * 
 
 As  only  a  single  pair  was  created,  it  appears  to  have  been 
 the  intention  of  their  Maker  that  a  man  should  have  only  one 
 
 •  Gen.  ii.  24. 
 
462  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 wife,  and  a  wife  only  one  husband.  In  this  manner  Malachi 
 explains  the  fact,  when  he  says,  st  And  did  not  he  make 
 one  ?"  namely,  one  woman  ;  "  yet  had  he  the  residue  of  the 
 Spirit.  And  wherefore  one  ?  that  he  might  seek  a  godly 
 seed."  *  Yet  we  know  that  polygamy  was  introduced  at  an 
 early  period,  that  it  was  practised  by  the  patriarchs  and  other 
 pious  men,  and  that  it  was  recognized  by  the  law  of  Moses, 
 and  subjected  to  regulation.  If  it  was  not  properly  approved, 
 it  was  tolerated ;  and  we  must  conclude,  that  at  that  period 
 there  was  not  such  moral  evil  in  it,  if  it  was  at  all  sinful,  as 
 was  inconsistent  with  a  state  of  salvation.  The  case  is  finally 
 decided  by  our  Saviour,  who  has  forbidden  polygamy.  It 
 now  admits  of  no  apology  ;  and  if  a  man,  professing  to  be  a 
 Christian,  should  take  to  himself  more  wives  than  one,  he 
 would  not  only  incur  the  penalty  of  human  laws,  but  expose 
 himself  to  the  displeasure  of  heaven. 
 
 Marriage  is  the  union  of  a  man  and  a  woman  as  husband 
 and  wife.  It  is  founded  on  mutual  consent,  and  binds  the 
 parties  to  each  other  for  life.  As  the  relation  is  of  great  im- 
 portance, not  only  to  the  individuals,  but  to  society  at  large, 
 the  civil  laws  have  taken  it  under  their  cognizance,  and  pre- 
 scribed the  forms  which  are  necessary  to  legalize  the  transac- 
 tion. This  precaution  has  not  been  neglected  in  our  own 
 country  ;  but  the  matter  is  still  left  too  loose,  as  consent  ex- 
 pressed before  witnesses,  or  even,  I  believe,  in  writing,  is 
 sufficient  to  constitute  marriage.  When  the  laws  have  set- 
 tled the  forms,  the  observance  of  them  becomes  indispensable  ; 
 and  as  marriage,  although  a  divine  institution,  is  at  the  same 
 time  a  civil  transaction,  a  marriage,  in  contracting  which 
 they  have  been  neglected,  is  not  legal  and  cannot  be  consi- 
 dered as  valid. 
 
 Marriage  is  not  a  temporary  contract,  like  that  between 
 master  and  servant,  but  a  union  of  a  man  and  a  woman  for 
 life.  They  cannot  separate  at  their  pleasure,  or  at  the  expi- 
 ration of  a  definite  period.  They  are  bound  to  adhere  to  each 
 other  during  the  term  of  their  natural  lives,  and  neither  of 
 them  is  at  liberty  to  enter  into  a  new  engagement,  without 
 an  offence  against  the  law  both  of  God  and  man.     There  is 
 
 •  Mai.  ii.  15. 
 
II,  -ill  <  OMJd  IN  DM  EN  l  .  4G3 
 
 one  cause,  however,  which  may  terminate  the  relation  during 
 their  lifetime,  namely,  the  sin  forbidden  in  this  commandment. 
 Adultery,  whether  committed  by  the  husband  or  by  the  wife, 
 i>  a  just  ground  of  divorce.  It  is  a  direct  violation  of  the 
 marriage  vow,  giving  the  aggrieved  party  a  right  to  demand 
 the  dissolution  of  an  engagement  which  the  other  has  broken, 
 by  retracting  the  pledge  solemnly  given  at  its  commencement. 
 You  will  observe,  however,  that  adultery  does  not  ipso  facto 
 dissolve  the  conjugal  relation  ;  it  only  invests  the  sufferer  with 
 a  right  to  demand  the  dissolution  of  it  from  the  competent 
 authority ;  if  the  wife  or  the  husband  does  not  choose  to  exer- 
 cise the  right,  things  remain  as  they  were.  Another  cause 
 which,  in  this  country  but  not  in  England,  is  considered  as 
 sufficient  to  procure  the  dissolution  of  the  conjugal  tie,  is  the 
 wilful  desertion  of  one  of  the  parties,  which  means,  as  our  law- 
 has  defined  it,  the  absence  of  one  of  the  parties  for  a  specified 
 time  without  any  lawful  cause.  If  a  man  should  be  absent 
 from  his  wife  for  many  years  on  business,  or  because  he  was 
 forcibly  detained,  or  rendered  incapable  of  returning,  the  wife 
 would  have  no  plea  for  a  divorce.  Our  Saviour  has  taken  no 
 notice  of  this  cause  when  speaking  of  the  subject ;  but  it  is 
 supposed  to  be  countenanced  by  these  words  of  Paul :  "If 
 any  brother  hath  a  wife  that  believeth  not,  and  she  bz  pleased 
 to  dwell  with  him,  let  him  not  put  her  away.  And  the 
 woman  which  hath  an  husband  that  believeth  not,  and  if  he 
 be  pleased  to  dwell  with  her,  let  her  not  leave  him.  But  if 
 the  unbelieving  depart,  let  him  depart.  A  brother  or  a  sister 
 is  not  under  bondage  in  such  cases." *  As  wilful  desertion 
 not  only  implies  alienation  of  affection,  but  defeats  all  the 
 designs  of  marriage,  it  seems  to  entitle  the  injured  party  to 
 be  released  from  an  obligation  which  the  other  has  violated, 
 and  which  now  serves  only  as  a  restraint  upon  the  natural 
 liberty  of  the  innocent. 
 
 This  precept  addresses  married  persons  in  the  first  instance, 
 and  forbids  the  violation  of  the  fidelity  which  they  pledged  to 
 each  other  when  they  entered  into  the  conjugal  relation.  It 
 requires  mutual  affection,  cohabitation,  the  faithful  perform- 
 ance of  their  duty,   the  avoidance  of  all  temptations  to  sin, 
 
 •  1  Cor.  vii.  12,  13,  15. 
 
404  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 and  of  all  means  leading  to  it,  and  such  care  of  one  another 
 as  shall  prove  effectual,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  to  pre- 
 serve them  pure  and  blameless. 
 
 Under  the  head  of  adultery,  all  the  kindred  sins  are  forbid- 
 den. I  may  specify,  in  the  first  place,  fornication,  or  the  illi- 
 cit intercourse  of  two  unmarried  persons  of  different  sexes. 
 The  enormity  of  this  crime  might  be  shewn  from  the  state  of 
 mind  which  it  implies,  and  from  its  consequences  ;  but  it  is 
 enough  in  this  rapid  sketch  to  remark,  that  it  is  expressly  for- 
 bidden as  inconsistent  with  moral  purity,  and  offensive  to  God. 
 Among  the  heathens,  it  was  looked  upon  as  a  venial  sin,  or 
 rather  as  no  sin  at  all,  and  it  was  countenanced  by  the  doc- 
 trine and  practice  of  their  greatest  philosophers.  This  is  pro- 
 bably the  reason  that,  in  the  decree  of  the  council  of  Jerusa- 
 lem, it  is  mentioned  along  with  some  other  things  of  less  im- 
 portance, from  which  the  Gentiles  were  commanded  to  abstain.* 
 
 This  precept  also  forbids  incest  or  sexual  intercourse  be- 
 tween persons  within  the  forbidden  degrees,  as  between  bro- 
 thers and  sisters,  uncles  and  nieces,  &c.  According  to  the 
 laws  of  our  country,  the  prohibition  is  extended  to  the  corres- 
 ponding degrees  of  affinity. 
 
 It  forbids  unnatural  lusts,  which  were  practised  by  the  hea- 
 thens without  shame,  and  defended,  or  at  least  not  condemn- 
 ed, by  such  a  man  as  Socrates,  but  which  are  now  of  rare 
 occurrence,  and  always  excite  unqualified  abhorrence. 
 
 It  forbids,  in  a  word,  all  impure  actions,  all  impure  words, 
 and  all  impure  thoughts,  as  sinful  in  themselves,  and  as  lead- 
 ing to  sin.  This  is  our  Lord's  commentary  upon  the  law  : 
 "  Whosoever  looketh  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath 
 committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart."  1 
 
 The  precept  requires  us  to  maintain  our  own  and  our 
 neighbour's  chastity,  in  heart,  speech,  and  behaviour ;  to 
 cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit, 
 and  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  With  this  view, 
 we  should  cultivate  a  habitual  sense  of  the  Divine  presence, 
 which  enabled  Joseph  to  preserve  his  innocence,  when  he  was 
 exposed  to  very  powerful  solicitation  :  "  How  can  I  do  this 
 great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  ?"  t     It  will  be  well 
 
 •  Acts  xv.  29.  t  Matth.  v.  28.  +  Gen.  xxxix.  9. 
 
ri i  fH  COM  ■  i  . 
 
 to  remember  that  hi*  eye  i>  upon  us  in  the  meet  secret  place  ; 
 that  the  fear  of  offending  him  may  counteract  the  moefl  urgent 
 temptation,  and  check  the  irregular  movements  of  our  hearts. 
 
 This  leads  me  to  sav,  in  the  next  place,  that  we  should  guard 
 against  the  entrance  of  evil  thoughts  into  our  minds,  and  im- 
 mediately expel  them  if  they  have  entered,  and  should  labour 
 to  suppress  the  ridings  of  unhallowed  appetite.  He  who  rolls 
 iniquity  like  a  sweet  morsel  under  his  tongue,  is  prepared  to 
 commit  it  if  a  fit  opportunity  shall  occur,  and  Providence  shaU 
 withdraw  its  restraints.  The  man  who  sports  with  tempta- 
 tion, and  quietly  permits  or  encourages  its  first  advances,  is  in 
 danger  of  ultimately  yielding  to  it.  The  most  effectual  me- 
 thod to  prevent  the  growth  of  poisonous  fruit,  is  to  destroy 
 the  root  which  bears  it. — Again,  we  should  guard  against  all 
 incentives  to  those  indulgences  which  are  forbidden  by  this 
 precept,  all  spectacles  which  are  calculated  to  excite  the  irre- 
 gular movements  of  appetite,  all  reading  and  conversation 
 which  may  produce  the  same  effect.  We  should  avoid  loose 
 and  profligate  company,  whose  words  and  example  might  taint 
 our  minds  ;  we  should  avoid  idleness,  which,  leaving  the  mind 
 vacant,  exposes  it  to  the  inroads  of  unhallowed  sentiments 
 and  passions ;  we  should  avoid  intemperance  in  eating  and 
 drinking,  than  which  nothing  is  more  likely  to  give  appetite 
 the  mastery  over  reason.  In  a  word,  we  should  live  in  the  con- 
 templation of  death  and  the  future  judgment,  and  the  awful 
 realities  of  eternity,  a  just  apprehension  of  which  will  divest 
 the  pleasures  of  sense  of  their  attractions  ;  and  continually  offer 
 up  our  prayers  to  God  for  his  restraining  and  sanctifying 
 grace,  without  which  our  precautions  and  resolutions  will  be 
 unavailing.  "  Wherewithal  shall  a  young  man  purify  his 
 way  ?  By  taking  heed  thereto,  according  to  thy  word  ;"  *  by 
 making  the  word  his  guide,  and  depending  upon  the  assis- 
 tance which  it  promises.  "  My  son,  be  strong  in  the  grace 
 which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  f  "  Once,"  says  Paul  to  the  Corin- 
 thians, "  ye  were  adulterers,  fornicators,  and  abusers  of  your- 
 selves with  mankind  ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sancti- 
 fied, but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by 
 the  Spirit  of  our  God."  t 
 
 •   Ps.  cxix.  9.  f  2  Tim.  ii.  1.  J   1  Cor.  vi.  9,   11. 
 
 VOL.  IV.  2  G 
 
466  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  ! 
 
 The  Eighth  commandment  is,  "Thou  shalt  not  steal;"  and 
 the  design  of  it  is  to  guard  property  against  fraud  and  open 
 violence.  It  places  a  sacred  inclosure  around  it,  into  which 
 no  person  must  enter  without  the  consent  of  the  proprietor. 
 
 It  is  unnecessary  to  engage  in  an  inquiry  respecting  the 
 manner  in  which  property  is  acquired.  The  subject  has  been 
 discussed  by  philosophers,  and  different  theories  have  been  pro- 
 posed and  defended.  It  has  been  said  to  have  originated  in 
 the  right  of  occupancy,  or,  that  he  who  first  took  possession 
 of  a  part  of  the  common  field  of  nature,  became  its  rightful 
 proprietor.  It  has  been  founded  on  the  right  of  labour,  that 
 is,  it  has  been  supposed  that  a  man,  by  cultivating  a  part  of 
 the  soil,  was  entitled  to  claim  not  only  the  produce  but  the 
 soil,  as  his  own.  It  has  been  referred  to  the  will  of  God,  who, 
 having  created  all  things  for  the  use  of  man,  gave  liberty  to 
 every  individual  to  appropriate  to  himself  what  was  necessary 
 for  the  supply  of  his  wants.  Without  troubling  ourselves  to 
 discuss  these  theories,  we  may  remark  that,  in  a  state  of 
 society,  property  is  ascertained  by  the  law  of  the  land.  As  it 
 points  out  the  various  ways  in  which  it  may  be  acquired,  and 
 secures  it  to  the  rightful  possessor,  so  it  determines  in  all  con- 
 troversies which  arise  between  two  or  more  individuals,  who 
 is  the  rightful  owner  of  a  field,  a  house,  money,  &c.  The  sin 
 which  the  precept  forbids  is  the  appropriation  to  ourselves, 
 by  our  own  act,  of  that  which  we  know  belongs  to  another. 
 A  man  would  not  be  chargeable  with  transgressing  it,  who 
 should  seize  another  man's  property,  believing  it  to  be  his 
 own,  and  should  endeavour  to  establish  his  claim  to  it  at  law  ; 
 although  his  right  was  not  good,  his  intentions  would  not  be 
 dishonest.  But  he  is  a  transgressor,  who  takes  what  he  knows 
 to  belong  to  another  man ;  and  although  he  have  attained  the 
 sanction  of  law  by  such  acts  as  the  unprincipled  too  often  em- 
 ploy, he  is  a  thief  or  a  robber  in  the  estimation  of  God. 
 
 Theft  is  distinguished  into  different  kinds.  There  is  pecu- 
 lation, or  theft  of  the  public  money ;  a  crime  often  committed, 
 and  by  persons  who  pass  in  the  world  for  honourable  men, 
 and  look  down  with  ineffable  contempt  upon  the  obscure  cul- 
 prit, who  practises  his  depredations  upon  a  confined  scale. 
 There  is  sacrilege,  or  theft  of  the  property  of  the  church  or  of 
 
Till!    EIGHTH    (OMMWDM!    \|.  4o7 
 
 any  thing  devoted  to  the  service  of  God.  Thii  crime  ia  com* 
 paratirely  rare,  partly  because  the  temptations  to  it  are  neither 
 Sequent  nor  great,  partly  beeaaM  men  are  restrained  by  a 
 
 sense  of  religion,  and  partly  because  it  would  cover  the  guilty 
 with  indelible  infamy.  There  is  common  theft,  which  is 
 practised  daily,  and  at  present  abounds  to  such  a  degree  as  to 
 render  property  extremely  insecure.  Robbery  differs  from 
 theft  in  the  manner  of  committing  it.  The  one  is  secret  and 
 the  other  open  ;  and  robbery  is  accompanied  with  violence 
 threatened,  or  actually  employed,  to  compel  a  surrender,  or  to 
 overcome  resistance. — All  those  crimes  are  forbidden,  and 
 they  are  violations  of  the  law  s  of  God  and  man.  The  precept 
 condemns  the  man  of  office  who  fills  his  purse  out  of  the 
 public  treasury,  and  places  him  on  a  level  in  respect  of  moral 
 guilt,  if  it  do  not  degrade  him  still  lower,  with  the  contemptible 
 wretch  who  goes  from  house  to  house  pilfering  whatever  he 
 can  find.  It  condemns  neighbours  who  steal  from  one  another, 
 servants  who  purloin  the  goods  of  their  masters,  and  children 
 who  secrete  for  their  own  use  the  property  of  their  parents. 
 
 Besides  what  is  commonly  reputed  theft,  there  are  va- 
 rious other  ways  in  which  men  may  be  guilty  of  trans- 
 gressing this  commandment.  It  is  broken  when  a  man  bor- 
 rows and  does  not  repay.  His  dishonesty  is  manifest  if  he 
 denies  the  debt,  or  refuses  to  make  restoration,  or  takes  ad- 
 vantage of  some  legal  quirk  to  evade  payment,  or  removes  to 
 a  place  where  he  is  beyond  the  reach  of  his  creditors.  But  he 
 is  also  dishonest  if  he  borrows  without  any  reasonable  pros- 
 pect of  being  able  to  pay  ;  if  he  render  himself  unable  by  idle- 
 ness, by  extravagant  living,  by  rash  speculations,  in  which 
 he  has  embarked  the  property  of  others  as  well  as  his  own ; 
 or  if,  having  obtained  a  discharge  after  partial  payment,  he 
 does  not  make  full  restitution  when  Providence  has  placed  him 
 in  prosperous  circumstances.  The  commandment  is  broken 
 by  the  deceitful  arts  which  are  practised  in  trade ;  when  a 
 man  takes  advantage  of  the  necessity  of  another  to  buy  from 
 him  or  sell  to  him,  at  a  price  which  would  have  been  different 
 in  different  circumstances,  or  when  he  takes  advantage  of  his 
 ignorance  with  the  same  design  ;  when  the  buyer  depre- 
 ciates the  article  of  sale  contrary  to  his  knowledge,   and  the 
 
468  THE  LAW  OF   GOD  I 
 
 seller  labours  to  raise  it  above  its  real  value  ;  when  goods  are 
 adulterated,  and  consequently  sold  at  a  price  which  they 
 would  not  have  brought  if  their  state  had  been  known  ;  when 
 false  weights  and  measures  are  used,  and  less  is  given  in  ex- 
 change than  was  expected  and  promised  ;  when  bargains  are 
 not  fulfilled,  because  there  is  a  prospect  of  greater  gain,  and 
 so  what  really  belonged  to  the  purchaser,  although  he  had  not 
 obtained  actual  possession  of  it,  is  withheld  from  him  ;  when 
 payments  are  made  in  counterfeit  or  debased  instead  of  cur- 
 rent coin ;  in  all  these  cases,  the  precept  is  as  certainly  viola- 
 ted, as  when  direct  theft  is  committed.  It  is  broken,  too,  when 
 men  waste  the  property  of  others  which  is  committed  to  their 
 care,  or  permit  it  to  be  wasted  by  others  ;  when  they  suffer  it 
 to  go  to  decay,  and  do  not  use  the  means  of  improving  it 
 which  are  in  their  power,  and  which  they  were  bound  by  their 
 engagements  to  employ.  In  this  way  many  are  guilty  of  a 
 breach  of  the  eighth  commandment,  who  do  not  suspect  their 
 own  honesty,  and  would  consider  themselves  insulted,  if  it 
 were  called  in  question  by  others.  There  are  many  other  ways 
 of  transgressing  this  commandment,  which  it  would  be  tedious 
 to  mention. 
 
 The  duty  of  those  who  are  guilty,  in  any  form,  is  to  cease 
 to  do  evil,  and  to  learn  to  do  well.  "  Let  him  that  stole, 
 steal  no  more ;"  *  let  him  make  restitution  as  far  as  he  has 
 ability  and  opportunity ;  and  let  him  guard  against  tempta- 
 tion to  a  repetition  of  the  crime,  and  against  all  the  causes 
 which  might  lead  to  it.  Besides  entertaining  a  habitual  sense 
 of  the  omniscience  and  authority  of  God,  which  would  be  an 
 effectual  restraint  from  all  sin,  let  him  study  to  be  content 
 with  his  condition  ;  and  if  it  is  attended  with  inconveniences 
 and  privations,  let  him  consider  that  these  are  allotted  to  him 
 by  the  Supreme  Disposer,  that  it  is  his  duty  to  suffer  with 
 patience,  and  that  he  will  not  be  an  ultimate  gainer  by  resort- 
 ing to  unlawful  expedients  for  relief.  Instead  of  appropriating 
 to  himself  any  portion  of  his  neighbour's  wealth,  he  ought  to 
 regard  it  as  placed  within  the  fence  of  the  Divine  law ;  and 
 feel  that  he  is  bound  to  promote  his  neighbour's  interest  by  all 
 means  in  his  power,   for  this  is  the  converse  of  the  negative 
 
 »  Eph.  iv.  28. 
 
I  UK  tn.llTM    COMMANDMENT.  469 
 
 precept,  There  are  different  ways  in  which  this  work  of  lore 
 mav  be  performed,  as  by  assisting  others  in  their  labours, 
 when  attention  to  our  own  business  will  permit ;  by  giving 
 
 them  lemons  of  prudence  and  economy;  by  pointing  out  t<» 
 them  the  best  methods  of  managing  their  affairs  ;  by  warning 
 them  of  dangers  which  they  do  not  foresee ;  and  if  we  are 
 
 precluded  from  using  any  of  these  means,  we  always  have  it 
 in  our  power  to  wish  them  well,  and  to  pray  for  their  pros- 
 perity. 
 
 "  Let  him  that  stole,  steal  no  more  ;  but  rather  let  him 
 labour,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good."  * 
 If  a  man  has  not  resources  of  his  own,  he  must  endeavour  to 
 provide  them  by  lawful  industry,  and  thus  cut  off  one  strong 
 temptation  to  theft.  The  crime  is  most  frequently  committed 
 by  the  poor,  who  cannot  work  for  their  daily  bread;  or  by 
 the  idle,  who  will  not  work,  and  take  this*  easier  method  of 
 supplying  their  wants.  Hence  it  follows  that  diligence  in 
 business  is  enjoined  by  this  precept.  The  calling  in  which 
 we  engage  must  be  lawful,  because  the  gain  which  is  acquiro/1 
 by  an  illicit  occupation,  is  the  fruit  of  a  violation  either  of 
 this  or  some  other  commandment,  and  cannot  be  sought  with 
 a  good  conscience.  It  must  be  carried  on  by  lawful  means, 
 by  fair  and  honest  industry,  to  the  exclusion  of  falsehood  and 
 fraud,  and  any  encroachment  upon  the  rights  and  privileges 
 of  others.  It  should  be  managed  with  attention,  and  pru- 
 dence, and  perseverance,  because  it  is  only  by  the  use  of  these 
 means  that  we  can  reasonably  calculate  upon  success ;  but 
 moderation  should  be  observed,  not  only  lest  our  strength  be 
 unpaired,  and  life  abridged,  but  that  we  may  not  contract  an 
 undue  attachment  to  the  world,  and,  by  fostering  the  principle 
 of  avarice,  create  a  new  temptation  to  dishonesty.  The  cul- 
 tivation of  spirituality  and  heavenliness  of  mind  will  be  an 
 effectual  means  of  subduing  covetousness,  and  preventing  the 
 evils  which  spring  from  it ;  for,  if  we  are  seeking  the  true 
 riches,  and  are  fully  aware  of  the  vanity  of  earthly  things,  we 
 shall  be  in  little  danger  of  going  out  of  the  path  of  duty  to 
 obtain  them. 
 
 Even  upon  those  who  cannot  work,    and   are   destitute   of 
 •   Eph.  iv.  28. 
 
470  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  I 
 
 daily  bread,  this  precept  is  binding.  In  an  extreme  case, 
 moralists  have  allowed  that  a  man  may  take  as  much  of  a 
 neighbour's  property  as  is  necessary  to  preserve  him  from 
 perishing  of  hunger  or  cold,  and  assign  this  reason,  that 
 "  when  property  was  first  established,  the  institution  was  not 
 intended  to  operate  to  the  destruction  of  any  ;  and  therefore, 
 when  such  consequence  would  follow,  all  regard  to  it  is  super- 
 seded." Be  this  as  it  may,  the  source  to  which  the  poor  are 
 to  look  is  the  charity  of  others,  which  they  may  solicit,  but 
 cannot  compel,  for  this  is  one  of  those  rights  which  mo- 
 ralists call  imperfect,  because  they  cannot  be  enforced  in  the 
 course  of  law.  I  am  speaking  of  voluntary  charity,  and  not  of 
 legal  assessments.  Their  right  to  charity,  however,  is  perfect 
 by  the  law  of  God,  who  peremptorily  enjoins  alms,  and  will 
 punish  those  who,  from  inhumanity  or  selfishness,  withhold 
 them.  Besides  a  sense  of  duty,  which  should  excite  us  to 
 relieve  our  indigent  brethren,  and  in  aid  of  which  comes  the 
 sentiment  of  compassion  towards  the  sufferers,  every  man 
 should  consider  that  this  is  one  of  the  ways  in  which  we  may 
 expect  our  temporal  affairs  to  prosper ;  for  "he  that  hath  pity 
 upon  the  poor,  lendeth  unto  the  Lord,  and  that  which  he  hath 
 given  will  he  pay  him  again."  "  There  is  that  scattereth,  and 
 yet  increaseth ;  and  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is 
 meet,   but  it  tendeth  to  poverty."  * 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  the  Ninth  commandment,  "  Thou  shalt 
 not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour."  The  sin 
 which  is  expressly  forbidden  is,  the  giving  of  false  testimony 
 concerning  a  person  when  we  are  summoned  as  witnesses  in 
 his  cause  by  proper  authority.  This  is  done  when  we  affirm 
 that  to  be  true,  which  we  know  to  be  false ;  when  we  assert  as 
 certain  what  is  doubtful ;  when  we  give  a  higher  colouring 
 or  a  deeper  shade  to  a  transaction,  than  is  consistent  with  fact ; 
 when  we  deliberately  conceal  any  thing  which  would  serve  to 
 establish  the  innocence  or  the  guilt  of  our  neighbour.  In 
 these  and  other  ways,  witnesses  may  swerve  from  the  truth  ; 
 and  as  their  evidence,  in  a  judicial  trial,  is  given  upon  oath, 
 they  farther  incur  the  guilt  of  perjury  :     "  These  are  the 
 
 "  Prov.  xix.  17.  xi.  24. 
 
I  in:   mn  m  COMMAHSMBNT.  471 
 
 thing-  that  ye  ihsJI  do,  Spink  ye  every  man  the  truth  to  his 
 neighbour  :  execute  the  judgment  of  truth  and  peace  in  your 
 gates."  * 
 
 Bat,  although  the  violation  of  truth  in  the  solemn  prooood 
 
 of  courts  is  the  only  sin  specified,  yet  all  other  BUM  allied 
 to  it,  and  contrary  to  the  general  principle  inculcated,  are 
 forbidden.  We  must  not  hear  false  witness  against  our  neigh- 
 bour in  common  conversation.  We  must  not  charge  him  with 
 a  crime  of  which  we  know  him  to  be  innocent,  or  pronounce 
 him  to  be  guilty  upon  reports  which  we  have  not  verified ; 
 we  must  not  form  rash  judgments  of  conduct  which,  upon 
 inquiry,  may  be  found  to  be  right,  although  appearances  at 
 first  were  unfavourable  ;  we  must  not  impute  bad  motives  to 
 him  without  sufficient  evidence,  when  there  is  room  for  a  more 
 charitable  interpretation.  By  this  precept,  all  those  are  con- 
 demned who  are  called  calumniators,  slanderers,  backbiters, 
 whisperers,  evil  surmisers  ;  the  authors  and  propagators  of 
 injurious  reports  ;  those  whose  business  it  is  to  detract  from 
 merit,  to  throw  a  shade  upon  excellence,  and  to  make  virtue 
 suspected  ;  who,  as  the  thief  goes  from  place  to  place  in  search 
 of  prey,  roam  about  with  the  nefarious  design  to  commit  de- 
 predations upon  the  characters  of  others.  We  may  violate 
 this  precept  even  when  we  speak  the  truth,  if  we  speak  it  un- 
 seasonably, unnecessarily,  and  from  improper  motives.  We 
 injure  the  character  of  our  neighbour  when  we  retail  his 
 real  faults  without  any  call  to  divulge  them ;  when  we  re- 
 late them  to  those  who  have  no  right  to  know  them ;  and 
 when  we  tell  them,  not  to  promote  any  good  end,  but  to 
 make  him  lose  his  estimation  in  society.  Many  think  that 
 they  are  perfectly  blameless  if  they  adhere  strictly  to  truth, 
 not  considering  that,   to  a  complete  moral  action,  more  is  ne- 
 
 :ry  than  its  external  conformity  to  the  rule,  and  that  the 
 principle  in  which  it  originated  may  be  so  vitiated  as  to  con- 
 vert the  action  into  a  sin.  Nay,  we  may  transgress  this  pre- 
 cept when  we  do  not  speak  at  all ;  for,  by  holding  our  peace 
 when  something  injurious  is  said  of  another,  we  tacitly  give 
 our  assent,  and,  by  concealing  what  we  know  to  the  contrary, 
 by  not  bringing  forward  what  would  rebut  the  charge,  we 
 •   Zech.  viii.  16. 
 
472  THE  LAW   OF  GOD  : 
 
 become  guilty  not  in  a  much  inferior  degree  to  the  first  con- 
 triver of  the  calumny.  We  certainly  do  not  fulfil  the  law, 
 which  says,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
 
 The  design  of  this  precept  is  to  "  maintain  and  promote 
 truth  between  man  and  man."  Our  organs  of  speech  were 
 given  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  it.  It  is  evident  that  this 
 must  have  been  the  design  of  our  Creator,  whose  ultimate 
 object,  in  subordination  to  his  own  glory,  was  good,  to  be 
 accomplished  by  the  structure  of  our  bodies,  and  the  constitu- 
 tion of  our  minds.  Without  truth,  there  could  be  no  society 
 among  men,  no  friendships,  no  mutual  co-operation,  no  trans- 
 actions of  any  kind  ;  they  would  be  filled  with  jealousy  and 
 distrust,  and  be  reduced  to  a  helpless  individuality  of  exist- 
 ence, destitute  of  all  comfort,  and  harassed  with  perpetual  sus- 
 picion and  alarm.  To  guard  against  these  consequences,  God 
 has  planted  two  principles  in  human  nature, — an  instinctive 
 propensity  to  speak  truth,  and  an  instinctive  disposition  to  be- 
 lieve testimony.  The  former  may  seem  to  be  inconsistent  with 
 the  declaration  of  Scripture,  that  "  the  wicked  are  estranged 
 from  the  womb,  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born,  speaking 
 lies."  *  These  words  do,  indeed,  import  that  there  is  a  proneness 
 to  duplicity  and  deceit  in  human  nature,  of  which  there  are  in- 
 dications at  a  very  early  period  ;  but  it  is  called  into  action  only 
 by  particular  circumstances,  and  in  general  children  and  fools 
 are  proverbial  for  speaking  truth.  Truth  comes  spontaneously 
 from  our  lips,  when  there  is  no  motive  to  utter  falsehood  ; 
 and  so  strong  is  the  natural  connexion  between  our  sentiments 
 and  our  words,  that  it  frequently  escapes  from  us  when  it 
 would  be  our  interest  to  conceal  it.  Men  commonly  speak 
 truth,  and  lie  only  occasionally.  The  disposition  to  give 
 credit  to  testimony  presupposes  the  former  propensity ;  it 
 assumes  that  truth  is  generally  spoken ;  it  is  strongest  prior 
 to  experience  of  deceit,  and  becomes  suspicious  and  cautious 
 in  proportion  as  that  experience  is  acquired. 
 
 But  although  there  is  a  natural  propensity  to  speak  truth, 
 when  it  is  not  counteracted  by  any  improper  influence,  men 
 in  their  degenerate  state  do  not  feel  so  sacred  a  regard  to  it 
 as  is  sufficient  to  secure  them  against  temptation.     There  are 
 
 •  Ps.  lviii.  3. 
 
Till;    NINTH    I  uMM  \N  l>MI  47^ 
 
 frequent  violations  of  it  from  various  CftUies,  against  which 
 this  precept  is  directed.     Truth  may  be  defined  to  be  the 
 
 conformity  of  our  sentiments  to  the  nature  of  thing!,  and  the 
 conformity  of  our  words  to  our  sentiments.  The  precept 
 immediately  regards  the  latter,  but  not  to  the  exclusion  of 
 the  former.  If  it  is  our  duty  not  to  deceive  others,  it  is  our 
 duty  to  take  care  that  we  be  not  ourselves  deceived;  and  con- 
 sequently, to  make  ourselves  thoroughly  acquainted  with  a 
 subject  before  we  venture  to  speak  of  it.  But  when  a  man 
 speaks  as  he  thinks,  he  speaks  moral  truth ;  and  although  he 
 should  be  mistaken,  he  is  not  guilty  of  a  lie. 
 
 Lies  are  commonly  distinguished  into  three  kinds.  First, 
 There  are  malicious  or  pernicious  lies,  or  lies  the  design  of 
 which  is  to  do  mischief.  These  are  universally  condemned. 
 Secondly,  There  are  jocose  lies,  or  lies  told  for  the  purpose 
 of  amusement  and  merriment.  HowTever  common  these  are, 
 and  however  lightly  they  are  thought  of,  a  strict  moralist  will 
 condemn  them  also,  because  truth  is  too  sacred  to  be  trifled 
 with.  Thirdly,  There  are  officious  lies,  which  are  so  called, 
 because  they  are  intended  to  promote  the  benefit  of  others. 
 It  has  been  pleaded  as  an  apology  for  these,  that  they  do  no 
 harm,  but  on  the  contrary  do  good ;  a  conscience  duly  inform- 
 ed, however,  does  not  judge  of  the  morality  of  an  action  by  its 
 consequences,  but  by  the  law  ;  and  to  do  evil  that  good  may 
 come,  is  a  principle  which  the  Scripture  has  proscribed.  Under 
 the  same  censure  are  included  pious  frauds,  as  they  are  called, 
 and  which  began  to  be  practised  at  an  early  period  ;  lies  told, 
 miracles  feigned,  books  forged,  and  sophistical  reasoning  de- 
 liberately employed,  to  advance  the  cause  of  religion.  Equi- 
 vocation is  another  species  of  falsehood,  and  consists  in  the 
 studied  use  of  terms  which  bear  two  different  senses,  in  one 
 of  which  the  speaker  understands  them,  while  he  means  them 
 to  be  understood  in  the  other  by  the  person  addressed.  He 
 violates  truth,  because  he  intends  to  deceive.  It  is  violated 
 also  by  mental  reservation,  which  has  been  justified  by  Pop- 
 ish casuists,  but  deserves  universal  execration,  because  it 
 subverts  all  faith  and  confidence  between  man  and  man.  It 
 consists  in  uttering  so  many  words  aloud,  and  then  muttering 
 or  mentally  repeating  some  more  which   totally  alter   their 
 
474  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 meaning,  than  which  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  more  de- 
 liberate and  baser  attempt  to  deceive. 
 
 Every  man  has  not  a  right  to  hear  the  truth  when  he 
 chooses  to  demand  it.  We  are  not  bound  to  answer  every 
 question  which  may  be  proposed  to  us.  In  such  cases  we 
 may  be  silent,  or  we  may  give  as  much  information  as  we 
 please,  and  suppress  the  rest.  If  the  person  afterwards  dis- 
 cover that  the  information  was  partial,  he  has  no  title  to 
 complain,  because  he  had  not  a  right  even  to  what  he  obtain- 
 ed ;  and  we  are  not  guilty  of  a  falsehood,  unless  we  made  him 
 believe,  by  something  which  we  said,  that  the  information  was 
 complete.  We  are  at  liberty  to  put  off  with  an  evasive 
 answer  the  man  who  attempts  to  draw  from  us  what  we  ought 
 to  conceal.  On  the  ground  of  the  want  of  a  right  to  truth, 
 some  justify  false  information  given  to  an  assassin  who  is  in 
 quest  of  his  intended  victim,  and  false  promises  made  to  a 
 robber  or  a  tyrant  who  has  extorted  them  by  violence.  It 
 does  not  serve  much  purpose  to  discuss  extreme  cases,  which 
 rarely  occur ;  and  it  is  hazardous  to  lay  down  a  rule  which 
 may  in  any  degree  lessen  our  reverence  for  truth.  We  have 
 a  choice,  when  we  are  exposed  to  danger,  either  to  sin  or  to 
 suffer  ;  and  if  there  be  any  doubt  with  respect  to  the  lawful- 
 ness of  an  expedient,  every  man  of  a  tender  conscience  will 
 take  the  safer  side,  by  doing  what  appears  to  be  his  duty, 
 and  will  leave  the  consequences  to  Providence. 
 
 There  can  be  no  doubt  that  promises  voluntarily  made  and 
 properly  qualified  are  binding.  They  are  binding,  according 
 to  the  sense  in  which  they  were  understood  by  the  parties  at 
 the  time  when  they  were  made, — binding,  in  the  plain  and 
 natural  meaning  of  the  terms.  But  promises  are  not  binding 
 when  the  performance  of  them  is  impossible.  This  is  so  ob- 
 vious as  to  require  no  illustration ;  but  it  is  proper  to  observe, 
 that  the  impossibility  must  have  arisen  or  been  discovered 
 after  the  promise  was  made ;  and  if  the  promiser  was  aware 
 of  it  at  the  time,  he  excited  false  expectations,  and  is  clearly 
 guilty  of  a  lie.  Promises  are  not  binding  when  the  perform- 
 ance would  be  unlawful.  A  prior  cannot  be  set  aside  by  a 
 subsequent  obligation ;  and  the  law  of  God  undoubtedly  does 
 not  require  us  to  fulfil  an   engagement  by  which  any  of  its 
 
i m:  rnrra  i  ommandmbnt.  4  7"> 
 
 prCOOptl  would    be   tHIMgwmod       A  promise    is    DOt    binding 
 
 unless  it  has  been  accepted.  It  is  the  acceptance  which  con- 
 stitutes the  obligation,  and  not  the  simple  promise,  which  is 
 merely  a  declaration  on  the  part  of  the  promiser  of  his  willing- 
 ness  to  be  bound.  If  I  promised  to  give  another  a  certain 
 sum  of  money,  but  he  declared  that  he  would  not  accept  of  it, 
 I  am  released.  A  promise  is  not  binding  which  was  suspended 
 upon  a  condition,  if  the  condition  is  not  performed.  The 
 promiser  has  lost  his  right,  or  rather  had  no  right  till  his  part 
 of  the  stipulation  was  fulfilled.  In  a  word,  a  promise  ceases 
 to  be  binding,  when  the  person  to  whom  it  was  made  releases 
 the  promiser  from  his  bond. 
 
 The  duty  enjoined  in  this  precept  is,  to  adhere  to  truth  on 
 all  occasions.  There  are  some  cases,  indeed,  in  which,  al- 
 though our  words,  literally  understood,  do  not  agree  with  our 
 sentiments,  we  do  not  incur  the  guilt  of  falsehood,  as  in 
 irony,  parables,  and  fictitious  narratives ;  and  the  reason  is, 
 that  as  we  do  not  intend  to  deceive,  so  no  person  is  deceived. 
 The  design  of  the  speaker  or  writer  is  understood.  No  man 
 mistakes  a  romance  or  parable  for  a  true  history,  or  supposes 
 irony  to  be  any  other  thing  than  a  mode  of  conveying  censure 
 under  the  semblance  of  praise.  But  in  testimony,  in  common 
 conversation,  and  in  more  formal  declarations,  our  words 
 should  be  the  exact  image  of  our  thoughts.  It  is  the  character 
 of  the  man  who  shall  abide  in  the  tabernacle  of  God,  that 
 "  he  speaketh  the  truth  in  his  heart."* 
 
 It  remains  that  wre  should  briefly  consider  the  Tenth  com- 
 mandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house ; 
 thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,  nor  his  man-servant, 
 nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any  thing 
 that  is  thy  neighbour's."  The  direct  object  of  this  precept  is 
 not  our  external  actions,  but  the  movements  of  the  heart ; 
 and  hence  it  appears  to  be  supplementary  and  auxiliary  to  the 
 other  commandments.  They  also  must  be  understood  to  re- 
 gard our  feelings  and  affections,  because  they  proceeded  from 
 him  who  will  not  be  satisfied  wTith  outward  obedience  ;  but 
 lest  men  should  not  have  perceived  their  extent,  and   should 
 
476  THE  LAW  OF  GOD  : 
 
 have  pleaded  that,  in  conforming  to  the  letter  of  the  law,  they 
 had  fulfilled  its  demands,  this  precept  is  added  to  shew  its 
 spirituality.  The  seventh  command  forbids  adultery  ;  but 
 here  we  find  that  something  more  is  required  than  abstinence 
 from  the  forbidden  act,  and  that  the  commandment  may  be 
 transgressed  in  the  heart :  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  or  desire 
 thy  neighbour's  wife."  The  eighth  commandment  forbids  us 
 to  steal;  but  this  precept  shews  that  the  man  who  would 
 scorn  to  purloin  the  property  of  another,  may  become  criminal 
 in  the  sight  of  God  by  desiring  it :  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet 
 thy  neighbour's  house,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass."  By  forbid- 
 ding us  to  desire  any  thing  that  belongs  to  him,  it  forbids 
 every  improper  sentiment  and  feeling  excited  by  the  state  of 
 his  affairs,  as  envy,  rivalship,  contests  for  superiority  ;  and 
 thus  aims  at  eradicating  the  principle  which  might  lead  us  to 
 injure  him  in  his  person,  his  character,  or  any  of  his  rights. 
 It  is  the  safe-guard  of  all  the  precepts  of  the  second  table  ; 
 and  it  comes  in  at  the  close,  to  remind  us  that  the  heart  must 
 be  pure  as  well  as  the  life. 
 
 It  is  a  celebrated  and  important  question  in  theology,  whe- 
 ther what  is  called  in  Greek  €7ri0vfiia,  in  Latin  concupiscentia, 
 and  in  English  concupiscence,  or  desire,  has  the  nature  of  sin. 
 Concupiscence  is  used  in  different  senses.  In  the  first  place, 
 It  signifies  that  proneness  to  evil  which  is  natural  to  man, 
 and  is  found  even  in  the  regenerated.  This  the  Church  of 
 Rome  acknowledges  to  be  the  matter  of  sin,  or  that  in  which 
 sin  originates ;  but  denies  it  to  be  sin,  and  says,  that  although 
 the  Apostle  Paul  calls  it  sin,  it  is  not  so  in  itself,  but  is  so 
 denominated,  because  it  inclines  to  sin.  I  think,  however, 
 that  we  are  much  safer  in  following  Paul  than  the  Council  of 
 Trent.  We  cannot  conceive  any  proneness,  or  tendency,  or 
 inclination  to  evil,  in  a  perfectly  innocent  being ;  or  such  to 
 have  been  the  constitution  of  human  nature,  when  it  was  first 
 impressed  with  the  image  of  its  Maker.  Although  capable 
 of  evil,  it  was  inclined  only  to  good.  An  inclination  to  evil 
 must  be  itself  evil,  as  an  inclination  to  virtue  is  a  virtuous 
 tendency  ;  and  the  rule  of  our  Saviour  certainly  holds  in  the 
 present  case,  that  the  tree  is  corrupt  which  bears  corrupt 
 fruit.     In  the  second  place,   Concupiscence  signifies  the  invo- 
 
I  111  (  <>M  w  INDUE  477 
 
 luntarj  movements  of  thu  habitual  disposition ;  and  the)  are 
 
 called  involuntary,  because  they  are  not  accompanied  with 
 any  deliberate  act  of  the  mind  approving  of  them  and  con- 
 senting to  them,  but  arise  suddenly,  in  consequence  of  the 
 presence  of  a  suitable  object.  These  also  have  been  denii  d 
 to  be  sinful  ;  but  although  they  do  not  imply  a  formal  delibe- 
 rate volition,  yet,  as  they  proceed  from  an  evil  habit,  they 
 must  themselves  be  evil.  It  will  be  acknowledged,  I  pre- 
 sume, that  it  is  our  duty  to  check  them  ;  but  how  could  this 
 be,  if  they  were  innocent  ?  We  can  conceive  no  such  thin<> 
 in  our  Lord ;  and  every  motion  of  this  kind  is  excluded  by  his 
 own  declaration,  that  "  the  prince  of  this  world  was  com- 
 ing, but  would  find  nothing  in  him  ;"  *  no  tendency  towards 
 sin,  no  movement  of  the  affections,  of  which  he  could  take 
 advantage  to  seduce  him.  Lastly,  Concupiscence  signifies 
 fixed,  voluntary  desire  of  what  is  forbidden,  which  all  admit 
 to  be  sinful. 
 
 The  latter,  therefore,  is  forbidden  in  this  precept,  "  Thou 
 shalt  not  covet,  or  desire."  But  it  extends  farther,  and  for- 
 bids the  incipient  desire,  even  before  it  has  obtained  the  con- 
 sent of  the  mind,  and  consequently  the  previous  state  of 
 mind  in  which  it  originated ;  for  if  the  tendency  in  act  be 
 condemned,  the  tendency  in  habit  is  also  condemned.  The 
 Apostle  Paul  says,  "  I  had  not  known  sin  but  by  the  law  ; 
 for  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt 
 not  covet."  t  We  cannot  suppose  him  to  mean,  that  he  did 
 not  know  that  the  deliberate  desire  of  a  sinful  object  was  sin- 
 ful, although  there  is  reason  to  think  that  some  of  the  Jewish 
 Doctors  of  that  age  made  obedience  to  consist  merely  in  ex- 
 ternal conformity  to  the  law :  yet  it  is  hardly  credible  that  a 
 man  who  had  studied  the  law  so  diligently,  had  entirely  over- 
 looked all  the  notices  of  its  spirituality,  and  particularly  the 
 principle  upon  which  it  is  founded — love  to  God  and  to  man. 
 It  is  probable,  that  in  the  passage  before  us,  he  refers  to  the 
 first  motions  of  sin,  those  involuntary  acts  of  concupiscence 
 of  which  we  have  spoken,  and  declares  that  it  was  only  by 
 this  precept  that  he  came  to  know  them  to  be  sinful.  It  was 
 when  the  precept  was  brought  home   to  his  conscience  by  the 
 
 *  John  xiv.  30.  +   Rom.  vii.  7- 
 
478  THE  LAW  OF   GOD. 
 
 Spirit  of  God,  that  he  made  this  discovery.  Till  then,  he 
 had  believed  that  all  was  right  as  long  as  he  was  free  from 
 outward  sin,  or,  at  least,  from  the  settled  and  deliberate  desire 
 of  what  was  evil. 
 
 This  precept  teaches  us  how  we  ought  to  be  affected  to- 
 wards our  neighbour.  As  we  should  abstain  from  an  open 
 invasion  of  his  rights,  so  we  should  harbour  no  uncharitable 
 disposition  towards  him,  no  wish  which  is  at  variance  with 
 his  happiness,  and  would  lead  us  to  encroach  upon  his  honour, 
 and  property,  and  peace.  It  condemns  all  dissatisfaction  with 
 our  lot ;  and  all  intentions,  as  well  as  endeavours,  to  change 
 it  by  any  means  inconsistent  with  justice  and  love  to  our 
 neighbour,  and  with  entire  submission  to  the  will  of  God. 
 
 Contentment  with  our  own  condition,  is  obviously  a  duty 
 which  it  enjoins.  The  reason  that  we  covet  the  things  which 
 belong  to  our  neighbour,  is,  that  we  are  not  fully  pleased 
 with  the  portion  which  God  has  assigned  to  us.  A  contented 
 state  of  mind  would  remove  the  cause  of  those  irregular  affec- 
 tions, which  it  is  the  design  of  this  precept  to  restrain.  We 
 see  that  vanity  sometimes  produces  the  effect  which  should 
 flow  solely  from  religion.  Some  persons  are  highly  pleased 
 with  themselves,  and  every  thing  which  pertains  to  them. 
 Their  houses,  their  wives,  their  children,  their  property,  are 
 so  much  better  than  those  of  others,  that  they  have  no  wish 
 to  make  an  exchange ;  and,  wrapt  up  in  the  dream  of  supe- 
 riority, they  allow  the  world  to  go  on  in  its  course,  without 
 envying  any  one,  or  disturbing  any  one,  except  by  an  osten- 
 tatious display  of  their  advantages.  This  example  shews 
 how  true  contentment,  founded  on  submission  to  the  will  of 
 God,  would  preserve  us  from  transgressing  this  commandment. 
 If  we  believed  that  our  condition  is  such  as  it  ought  to  be, 
 that  it  has  been  arranged  by  Divine  wisdom,  and  is  over- 
 ruled by  Divine  goodness  for  our  best  interests,  we  should 
 not  be  grieved  at  the  greater  prosperity  of  others,  nor  wish  to 
 appropriate  to  our  own  use  any  thing  which  they  possess. 
 We  should  even  be  pleased  with  what  was  our  own,  and  leave 
 others  to  enjoy  undisturbed  what  God  had  given  to  them. 
 The  tendency  of  this  precept  is  to  promote  the  happiness  of 
 mankind,  as  well  as  the  glory  of  God.     If  it  were  engraven 
 
iN<  i  i  BION.  479 
 
 upon  our  hearts,  if  our  thoughts  and  affections  were  under  its 
 
 control,  there  would  be  an  end  to  the  complaints  and  mur- 
 murs, the  cares  and  anxieties,  which  agitate  our  minds  j  and 
 
 the  world  would  no  longer  present  the  disgusting  spectacle  of 
 a  field  of  battle,  where  emulation,  wrath,  strife,  deceit,  and 
 violence,  act  their  part,  men  prey  upon  one  another,  and  all 
 contend  who  shall  be  conquerors  in  the  struggle  for  honour 
 and  wealth. 
 
 Upon  the  whole,  we  see  that  the  moral  law  is  in  every 
 respect  worthy  of  its  Author.  It  bears  upon  it  an  impression 
 of  his  holiness ;  it  is  adapted  to  the  nature  of  man ;  it  holds 
 all  his  faculties  in  subjection  to  his  Maker,  and  its  aim  is  to 
 promote  piety,  and  purity,  and  love. 
 
 When  we  reflect  upon  the  extensive  nature  of  its  demands, 
 the  spirituality  of  its  precepts,  its  condemnation  of  even  an 
 irregular  thought,  its  requisition  of  entire  and  constant  sub- 
 mission to  God,  of  a  habitual  reference  to  his  will  as  our  rule, 
 and  his  glory  as  our  end ;  when  we  reflect  upon  the  height  and 
 depth,  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  law,  we  cannot  but  be 
 sensible  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  man  in  the  present  life  per- 
 fectly to  fulfil  it.  The  obedience  of  the  saints  is  attended  with 
 many  defects,  as  they  are  always  ready  to  acknowledge. 
 "  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon  the  earth,  that  doeth  good, 
 and  sinneth  not."  *  The  knowledge  of  the  law  is  sufficient  to 
 convince  any  person,  whatever  his  former  notions  may  have 
 been,  that  he  cannot  be  justified  by  it.  Hence  there  is  need 
 of  a  better  righteousness  than  we  can  supply  ;  and  we  have 
 all  reason  to  be  thankful  that  the  law  has  been  fulfilled  and 
 magnified  by  our  Divine  Redeemer,  and  a  foundation  has  thus 
 been  laid  for  the  acceptance  and  eternal  salvation  of  those  who 
 had  fallen  under  the  curse.  "  He  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
 righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth."  "  As  by  the  dis- 
 obedience of  one  man  many  w7ere  made  sinners,  so  by  the 
 obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  f 
 •  Eccles.  vii.  20.  f  Rom.  x.  4.  v.  19. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 The  following  Observations  on  the  Extent  of  Christ's  Atone- 
 ment, firming  part  of  the  Fifty-eighth  Lecture,  were  omitted 
 in  their  proper  place,  in  Vol,  III. 
 
 It  is  an  important  question,  for  whom  Christ  offered  his  sacri- 
 fice ;  and  the  answers  to  it  are  diiferent.  Some  contend  that 
 he  died  for  all  men  ;  and  others,  that  he  died  for  those  alone 
 who  were  given  to  him  by  his  Father.  Of  late,  we  have 
 heard  much  of  a  new  doctrine,  which  maintains  not  only  that 
 Christ  died  for  all  men,  but  that,  in  consequence  of  his  death, 
 all  men  are  actually  pardoned.  The  true  Gospel  is  not,  that 
 God  for  Christ's  sake  will  forgive  the  sins  of  all  who  believe  ; 
 but  that  he  has  already  forgiven  every  man,  woman,  and  child, 
 who  is  now  alive,  or  shall  be  in  the  ages  to  come.  It  seems  a 
 natural  inference,  that  every  man  will  be  saved  ;  but  to  guard 
 against  this  mistake,  we  are  informed  that,  although  all  men 
 are  already  pardoned,  this  act  of  grace  will  be  of  no  avail  to 
 them,  unless  they  believe  that  they  are  pardoned.  This  faith 
 is  of  easy  attainment,  as  easy  as  to  believe  that  the  sun  is 
 shining  at  noon  ;  because,  if  it  is  true  that  all  men  are  par- 
 doned, it  requires  no  effort  to  conclude  that,  since  I  am  a 
 man,  I  am  one  of  the  number.  It  is  added,  indeed,  that  we 
 shall  not  enjoy  the  benefit  of  this  pardon,  unless  we  not  only 
 believe,  but  are  sanctified  by  our  faith  ;  but  this  is  going  still 
 farther  from  the  genuine  Gospel,  by  making  our  final  deliwr- 
 VOL.   IV.  '1   n 
 
482  APPENDIX. 
 
 ance  from  condemnation  depend  upon  our  holiness,  and  not 
 exclusively  upon  the  atonement  of  Christ.  What  a  mass  of 
 error,  contradiction,  and  absurdity  !  Here  we  have  a  pardon 
 which  is  not  pardon,  because  it  affords  no  security  to  the  pos- 
 sessor; the  guilt  of  sin  taken  away,  and  yet  liable  to  be 
 charged  upon  the  sinner ;  an  act  of  indemnity  passed  in  his 
 favour,  while  everlasting  punishment  is  still  hanging  over  his 
 head  !  Who  can  receive  this  doctrine  who  has  learned  from 
 the  Scriptures  that  we  are  "justified  by  faith,"  that  is,  that 
 pardon  follows  faith,  and  does  not  go  before  it  ?  W;ho  can 
 believe  that  all  men  are  pardoned,  who  has  read  in  innume- 
 rable passages  that  "  all  men  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath  ;" 
 that  "  God  is  angry  with  them  every  day ;"  that  "  his  wrath 
 is  revealed  from  heaven  against  them  ;"  that  it  is  "  coming 
 upon  them  ;"  that  "  the  whole  world  is  guilty  before  him  ?"  ' 
 Would  the  sacred  writers  have  spoken  thus  if  they  had  known 
 that  all  men  are  already  forgiven  ? 
 
 Others,  who  affirm  that  Christ  died  for  all  men,  explain 
 their  views  in  a  different  manner.  He  may  be  said  to  have 
 died  for  all,  because,  in  consequence  of  his  death,  a  dispensa- 
 tion of  grace  is  established,  under  which  all  men  are  placed  ; 
 a  new  covenant  is  made  with  them,  which  promises  eternal 
 life  to  sincere,  instead  of  perfect  obedience ;  and  such  assist- 
 ance is  afforded  to  them  as,  if  rightly  improved,  will  enable 
 them  to  work  out  their  salvation.  To  every  person  who  un- 
 derstands the  Scriptures,  it  will  be  evident  that  this  scheme  is 
 false  in  all  its  parts,  and  consequently,  that  the  doctrine  which 
 it  is  brought  forward  to  support,  is  destitute  of  any  solid 
 foundation.  If  this  is  the  sense  in  which  Christ  died  for  all, 
 he  did  not  die  for  all,  because  the  scheme  is  a  gross  and 
 manifest  perversion  of  the  Gospel.  The  fundamental  error 
 of  the  advocates  of  universal  redemption  lies  in  an  inaccurate 
 idea  of  the  nature  of  an  atonement.  We  have  shewn  that  it 
 consisted  in  vicarious  suffering,  the  suffering  of  one  in  the 
 room  of  another.  The  one  bare  the  sins  of  the  other ;  the 
 one  suffered  that  the  other  might  not  suffer.  From  the  appli- 
 cation of  the  terms  of  the  ancient  law  to  the  death  of  Christ, 
 it  appears  that  his  death  was  a  sacrifice  of  the  same  kind  with 
 
 •  Eph.  ii.  3.     Ps.  vii.  11.     Rom.  i.  18.     Eph.  v.  6.     Rom.  iii.  19. 
 
ii  I  l \  i  o]  Christ's  at<>  \^:'j 
 
 those  which  had  been  offered  by  Divine  appointment  from  t lie 
 beginning;  that  he  was  the  substitute  of  sinners;  that  their 
 guilt  Mas  imputed  to  him  ;  that  he  bore  the  punishment  to 
 which  they  were  exposed  ;  and  bore  it  with  this  design,  that 
 they  might  not  be  punished.  In  consequence  of  having 
 offered  a  sacrifice,  the  Israelite,  who  had  transgressed,  was 
 acquitted,  the  penalty  was  not  executed  upon  him.  Must 
 not  this  be  the  effect  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  ?  Must  not 
 those  for  whom  it  was  offered  be  freed  from  condemnation  ? 
 Does  not  justice  require  that  they  should  be  dismissed  with 
 impunity,  since  it  has  already  received  full  satisfaction  ?  The 
 surety  has  paid  the  debt,  and  shall  the  debtor  himself  be 
 called  upon  to  pay  ?  No  ;  the  claim  of  the  creditor  has 
 ceased  ;  the  debtor  is  under  no  obligation  to  him,  and  is  as 
 free  as  if  he  had  never  owed  a  single  farthing.  If,  then, 
 Christ  died  for  all  men,  it  necessarily  follows  that  all  men  will 
 be  saved.  The  inference  is  obvious,  and  cannot  be  evaded. 
 If  an  atoning  sacrifice  was  offered  for  all  men,  all  men  must 
 be  forgiven.  Will  God  punish  sin  twice,  first  in  the  person 
 of  the  Surety,  and  then  in  the  persons  themselves,  in  whose 
 place  he  stood  ?  It  will  be  acknowledged,  without  a  dissent- 
 ing voice,  that  in  any  other  case  this  would  be  a  manifest  in- 
 justice. But,  "  is  there  unrighteousness  with  God  ?  God 
 forbid :  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  will  do  right."  Either 
 then  all  men  will  be  finally  saved,  or  Christ  did  not  die  for 
 all.  But  few  will  be  so  bold  as  to  maintain,  no  person  who 
 has  any  reverence  for  Scripture  will  maintain,  universal  sal- 
 vation ;  and  to  be  consistent,  he  ought  also  to  renounce  the 
 doctrine  of  universal  redemption. 
 
 Our  Lord,  speaking  of  those  for  whom  he  died,  calls  them 
 his  sheep.  "  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep."  *  He  ex- 
 plains who  his  sheep  are  by  saying,  that  they  are  such  per- 
 sons as  "  hear  his  voice  and  follow  him  ;"  and  he  adds,  "  that 
 he  gives  to  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
 neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  his  hand."  f  Does  it  not 
 plainly  followT  from  his  words,  that  those  for  whom  he  died 
 shall  be  saved,  that  he  died  for  none  but  those  upon  whom 
 the  gift  of  faith  should  be  bestowed  ?     And  does  he  not  signi- 
 
 •   John  x.  15.  f   lb.  3,  4. 
 
484  APPENDIX. 
 
 fy,  by  particularizing  them  as  the  persons  for  whom  he  laid 
 down  his  life,  that  he  did  not  die  for  others  of  an  opposite 
 character  ?  If  he  died  for  all,  there  would  be  no  meaning  in 
 saying  that  he  died  for  his  sheep,  because  in  this  case  there 
 would  be  nothing  peculiar  to  them,  nothing  by  which  they 
 were  distinguished  from  any  other  description  of  men.  Again 
 he  says  in  his  solemn  prayer  to  his  Father,  "  I  pray  for  them  ; 
 I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  those  whom  thou  has  given 
 me,  for  they  are  thine."  *  He  prayed  for  the  disciples,  and 
 not  for  them  alone,  but  for  those  in  all  ages  and  places  who 
 should  believe  on  him  through  their  word ;  but  he  did  not  pray 
 for  the  world.  Intercession  is  a  part  of  the  priestly  office  of 
 Christ,  as  well  as  sacrificing  ;  and  it  may  be  assumed  as  cer- 
 tain, that  the  same  persons  are  the  objects  of  both.  On  what 
 ground  could  we  suppose,  that  his  sacrifice  embraced  a  wider 
 range  than  his  intercession,  that  he  willingly  shed  his  blood 
 for  the  redemption  of  some,  but  afterwards  declined  to  pray 
 to  his  Father  for  them.  It  was  not  so  with  the  Jewish  priests, 
 who  were  types  of  him,  for  they  bore  the  names  of  all  the 
 tribes  on  their  breastplate,  when  they  went  into  the  holy  of 
 holies,  and  represented  all  without  exception,  for  whom  the 
 annual  atonement  was  made.  So  also  does  Christ.  He  in- 
 tercedes for  those  whose  sins  he  bore  in  his  own  body  on  the 
 tree ;  and  therefore,  as  he  does  not  intercede  for  all  men,  he  did 
 not  die  for  all.  This  argument  may  be  considered  as  conclu- 
 sive, till  some  better  reason  is  given,  why  Christ  prayed  for  his 
 disciples,  but  would  not  pray  for  the  world. 
 
 It  is  acknowledged  there  are  some  passages  which  seem  to 
 favour  the  doctrine  of  universal  redemption ;  but  if  there  are 
 others  which  represent  the  design  of  his  death  as  limited, — 
 and  it  has  appeared  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  that  his 
 sacrifice  was  not  offered  for  all,  since  all  are  not  forgiven, — we 
 must  endeavour  to  give  a  consistent  sense  to  the  former  pas- 
 sages, and  shew-  that  Scripture  is  in  harmony  with  itself.  It 
 is  said  that  Christ  "  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  f  and 
 is  "  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  J  But 
 in  these,  and  some  other  places,  the  icorld  does  not  signify 
 every  individual  of  mankind,  but  the  nations  in  general,  as  dis- 
 
 •  John  xvii.  9.  f  Ib-  *•  29-  +  l  John  ji-  2- 
 
i. mi. vi  of  curist'a  ltonsmint.  485 
 
 tinguished  from  the  Jews,  who  were  Long  the  peculiar  people. 
 It  i>  said  again,  that  Christ  "  died  for  all;"  but  the  meaning 
 i-  explained  by  the  words  which  follow,  "  that  they  who  live 
 
 should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him 
 which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again  ;"*  and  they  signify,  that 
 by  (ill  we  ought  to  understand,  not  all  men  without  exception, 
 hut  all  those  who  are  made  spiritually  alive  by  his  death,  and 
 consecrated  to  the  service  of  their  gracious  Deliverer.  It  is 
 farther  said,  that  he  "  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all."]  But 
 if  every  individual  of  the  human  race  is  meant,  it  necessarily 
 follows  that,  the  ransom  being  paid,  all  must  be  redeemed 
 from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  the  curse  of  the  law,  unless  we 
 are  prepared  to  admit  that,  in  respect  of  many,  he  died  in 
 vain.  By  all,  and  all  men,  mentioned  in  another  verse,  \  it 
 appears,  on  considering  the  passage,  that  the  Apostle  included 
 persons  of  every  tribe,  rank,  and  condition  ;  Jews  and  Gen- 
 tiles, high  and  1owt,  rich  and  poor.  Once  more,  it  is  said, 
 that  "  by  the  grace  of  God  he  tasted  death  for  every  man  ;"|| 
 but  although  the  language  is  strong,  and  seems  to  be  conclu- 
 sive, some  of  the  advocates  of  universal  redemption  honestly 
 acknowledge  that  it  does  not  prove  the  point ;  and  that  there 
 is  a  reference  to  the  "  many  sons"  mentioned  in  the  following 
 verso,  whom  the  Captain  of  our  salvation  was  appointed  to 
 bring  to  glory  ; — he  tasted  death  for  every  one  of  them.  It 
 would  be  tedious  to  go  over  all  the  passages  in  which  the  uni- 
 versality of  the  atonement  is  supposed  to  be  taught.  I  shall 
 conclude  with  this  observation  : — That  the  sacred  writers  do 
 not  always  use  universal  terms,  in  the  strict  and  usual  sense  ; 
 that  the  world  sometimes  signifies  a  part  of  the  world,  and  all 
 is  put  for  many  ;  and  that  it  is  not  by  such  terms  that  we  are 
 to  determine  the  extent  of  the  atonement,  but  by  a  view  of 
 the  whole  case,  and  all  its  bearings. 
 
 •  2  Cor.  v.  15.  f  l  Tim-  ii-  6-  $  *b-  4.  ||  Heb.  ii.  9- 
 
 THE  END. 
 
INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 ABRAHAM,  state  of  religion  in  his  days,  i.  24a.     Sacraments  of  the  co\ 
 with  him,  iv.  1  19. 
 
 ABSOLUTE,  decrees  of  God  are,  ii.  169. 
 
 ACTIONS,  concern  of  Providence  in  good  and  bad,  ii.  303.     See  Providence. 
 
 A  I)  A.M.  viewed  as  the  federal  head  of  the  human  race,  ii.  358.  Effects  of  his 
 fall  on  his  posterity,  392. 
 
 ADOPTION,  iii.  380.  Meaning  of  the  term  '  Sons  of  God,'  387.  Practice, 
 and  nature  of  it  among  men,  388.  Scriptural  sense  of  the  term,  389.  The 
 mediation  of  Christ  the  meritorious  cause,  392.  Means  by  which  this  privi- 
 lege is  obtained,  393.  Difference  between  spiritual  and  human,  394.  Bless- 
 ings enjoyed  by,  395.     Signified  by  baptism,  iv.  177- 
 
 ADORATION,  a  part  of  prayer,  iv.  242. 
 
 ADULTERY,  iv.  4G1.     Whether  it  entitles  the  injured  party  to  divorce,  483. 
 
 ALMS,  duty  of  giving,  iv.  470. 
 
 ANGELS,  signification  of  term,  ii.  225.  Time  of  creation,  226.  Their  na- 
 ture, 228. 
 
 Holy,  are  intelligent,  230.     Their  activity  and  strength,  232.     Their 
 
 happiness,  233.  Are  there  ranks  or  degrees  among  them  ?  234.  Their 
 offices  in  the  affairs  of  Providence,  237*  Their  ministry  to  the  saints,  238. 
 Are  there  guardian  angels  ?  241. 
 
 Fallex,  were  originally  created  pure,  243.     How  long  they  continued 
 
 so,  244.     Their  sin,  245.     Their  number,  247-     Effects  of  their  fall,  247, 
 
 250.     Objections   to  their  existence,    249.      Their  subordination  to   Satan, 
 
 252.     Their  employment,  253.     Their  power  over  the  bodies  of  men,  253  ; 
 
 over  the  minds  of  men,  255  ;  to  work  miracles,  i.  115  ;  to  foretel  the  future, 
 
 i.  129. 
 ANIMAL  creation,  marks  of  design  in,  i.  291  ;  of  unity  of  design,  315. 
 ANOINTING,  practice  of,  iii.  39. 
 ANTINOMIANISM,  iii.  451. 
 
 ANTIPyEDOBAPTISTS,  doctrine  of,  considered,  iv.  160. 
 APOCRYPHAL   Books,  notice  of,  i.  63,  80. 
 
 APOLLINARIS,  his  opinions  respecting  human  nature  of  Christ,  iii.  21. 
 APOSTLES,  their  apparent  want  of  qualification  for  publishing  the  gospel, 
 
 i.  140.     They  were  extraordinary  rulers  in  the  Church,  iv.  368. 
 
 Creed,  iii.  168. 
 
 APPLICATION  of  Redemption.     See  Redemption. 
 
 ARIAN  Heresy,  ii.  73. 
 
 ARMINIAN  doctrine   of  divine  decrees,  ii.    178;    as    to   Adam  being    the 
 
 Federal  head  of  his  posterity,   356 ;  as  to   the  penalty    in   the   covenant  of 
 
 works,  370,  376  ;  of  application  of  redemption,  iii.  256  ;  of  the  panevennce 
 
 of  the  saints,  491. 
 
 ENSION  of  CHRIST,  iii.  189.     See  Christ. 
 ASSURANCE,  whether  it  is  of  the  essence  of  faith,  iii.  311.  356       Attainable 
 
 in  the  present  life,  313 
 ATHEISM,  forbidden  by  fir:>t  commandment,  iv.   125. 
 
488  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 ATONEMENT,  a  doctrine  of  revelation,  i.  156.  Idea  of  sacrificial,  prevalent 
 among  the  heathens,  iii.  104.  Sacrifices  for,  part  of  the  Jewish  worship,  107. 
 Atonement  of  Christ.     See  Christ,  Death  of. 
 
 ATTRIBUTES  of  GOD,  division  into  communicable  and  incommunicable, 
 i.  369.     See  God. 
 
 AUTHENTIC,  when  a  book  is  said  to  be,  i.  51. 
 
 AUTHENTICITY  of  the  Scriptures.     See  Scriptures. 
 
 AUTOGRAPHS  of  the  sacred  writings  lost,  i.  209. 
 
 BALAAM'S  Ass,  objections  to  story  of,  i.  177- 
 
 BAPTISM,  sacrament  of,  the  rite  of  admission  into  the  Church,  iv.  148. 
 Difference  between  baptism  of  John  and  of  Christ,  149.  Application  of 
 water  necessary,  150.  Popish  additions,  151.  Mode  of  applying  the  symbol, 
 152.  Who  may  be  baptized,  158  ;  Infant  baptism  vindicated,  159  ;  benefits 
 resulting  from  it,  183.  Administered  in  name  of  the  Trinity,  166.  Meaning 
 and  import  of  the  words  used,  167*  Who  may  administer,  169.  Baptism  by 
 laymen,  170;  by  heretics,  171.  Does  not  confer  regeneration,  170.  Place 
 for  administering,  173.  Time  for  administering,  174.  Sponsors,  174.  Bless- 
 ings signified,  175.  Duties  of  the  baptized,  180.  Only  administered  once, 
 182.     An  indispensable  qualification  for  church  membership,  305. 
 
 BARNABAS,  quotations  from  the  Gospels  in  the  Epistle  of,  i.  87«  Notices 
 of  the  other  Books,  90. 
 
 BELIEVERS,  privileges  of,  iii.  317.  The  law  a  rule  of  life  to  them,  iv.  98. 
 They  only  have  right  to  the  Sacraments,  124.     See  Saints. 
 
 BEZA,  his  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  i.  217- 
 
 BISHOP,  duty  of,  in  Episcopal  form  of  Government,  iv.  325  ;  Bishop  and 
 Presbyter,  convertible  terms,  329.     Office  in  primitive  times,  332. 
 
 BIRTH  of  our  Saviour,  iii.  155. 
 
 BLASPHEMY  forbidden,  iv.  440. 
 
 BODY,  Heathen  philosophers  had  no  idea  of  the  resurrection  of,  i.  159.  Marks 
 of  design  in  the  human  body,  291.  State  of  it  after  death,  iv.  37-  Resurrection  of 
 it,  38.    Identity  of  it  in  the  Resurrection,  44.    Nature  of  the  glorified  body,  50. 
 
 BUCER,  his  opinions  respecting  the  Eucharist,  iv.  219. 
 
 CALVIN,  his  opinions  regarding  the  Eucharist,  iv.  220. 
 
 CATALOGUES,  ancient,  of  Books  of  New  Testament,  i.  91. 
 
 CANON  of  Scripture.     See  Scriptures. 
 
 CAUSE,  final,  what  it  is,  i.  391. 
 
 CEREMONIAL  Law,  objections  to,  considered,  i.  182.     Its  design,  248. 
 
 CEREMONIES  decreed  by  human  authority  not  binding,  iii.  467.  Power 
 of  the  Church  to  exact,  iv.  395. 
 
 CERINTHUS,  his  heresy,  and  evidence  by  him  of  the  genuineness  of  the 
 Scriptures,  i.  92. 
 
 CHASTITY,  enjoined  by  seventh  commandment,  iv.  464. 
 
 CHILDREN,  early  depravity  of,  a  proof  of  original  sin,  ii.  404.  Their  duties 
 to  parents,  iv.  452.      See  Infants. 
 
 CHRIST,  appearance  of,  why  delayed  for  4000  years,  i.  258.  Duration  of  his 
 ministry,  259.  Nature  of  his  Sonship,  ii.  68.  Considered  as  a  party  to  the 
 covenant  of  grace,  419.  Dispensation  of  grace  committed  to  him,  455.  His 
 qualification  for  the  office  of  Mediator.  See  Mediator.  Proof  that  he  is 
 the  Messiah,  iii.  9.  See  Messiah.  Meaning  and  allusion  of  the  term  Christ, 
 or  the  Anointed  One,  38.  When  was  he  anointed,  39.  Office  to  which  he 
 was  anointed,  4L  Necessity  for  his  being  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  41. 
 Their  respective  provinces  and  mutual  relations,  42.  His  righteousness  the 
 ground  of  a  sinner's  justification,  328 — 52.  His  mediation  the  meritorious 
 cause  of  adoption,  392.  Did  he  purchase  temporal  blessings  for  his  people  ? 
 398.  In  what  sense  sanctification  is  his  work,  420.  His  is  the  pattern  of 
 sanctification,  426.  Spiritual  joy  arises  from  an  interest  in  him,  481.  His 
 mediation  secures  the  perseverance  of  the  saints,  497' 
 
 . 
 
inukx  or  m  \  i  nnl 
 
 CHRIST]  Asckvsion  of,  lift-  180.     Nature  la  which  hi  ■■canded1  101. 
 
 to  which,    103.      The  witnesses,    l!>4.      Otbci  circumstaiu •. a,   !!<■">. 
 
 Dkath  of,  was  ■  propitiatory  lacrificci  iii.  92.     Bodnian  view  of  it,  95. 
 
 The  middle  scheme,  100.  Proof  of  the  catholic  doctrine  of,  104.  Import 
 of  the  language  of  Scripture  respecting  it,  LOO.  Correspondence  with  the 
 atoning  sacrifices  of  the  Levitical  Law,  113.  It  is  a  circumstance  of  his  humi- 
 liation,   lift.     Extent  of  the  benefits  of  it,  iv.  481. 
 
 Divinity  of,  ii.  78.     Importance  of  the  doctrine,  and  grounds  of  it,  70. 
 
 Language  of  Scripture  regarding  it,  82.  His  pre-existence,  85.  Various 
 proofs  and  arguments  for  his  Divinity,  91 — 134.  Objections  to  it  considered, 
 Ki4 — 140- 
 
 Exaltation  of,  his  resurrection,  iii.  172.     His  ascension,  189.     His 
 
 sitting  down  at  the  right  hand   of  God,  and  what  this   implies,    196.     His 
 judging  the  world,  206.      The  kingdom  conferred  on  him,  224. 
 
 Humiliation  of,  iii.  134.     Distinction  between  it  and  his  condescen- 
 
 sion, 155.     Steps  of  it ;  his  birth,  155  ;  the  meanness  of  his  condition,  157 
 the  place  of  his  birth,    158  ;  his  subjection  to  the  law,    lo9  ;  events  of  his 
 life,    100;  his   sufferings,    162;  the  wrath  of  God  which  he  endured,   163; 
 his  death  on  the  cross,    165  ;  his  burial,    167  »  opinion  respecting  his  descent 
 into  hell,  168. 
 
 Intercession"  of;  what  it   signifies,   iii.    135.     Place  where  carried 
 
 on,  137*  Objects  of  it,  138.  Mode  of  it,  prayer,  140.  Subject  matter  of, 
 142.  Difference  between  it  and  the  intercession  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  147.  It 
 was  typified  under  Jewish  economy,  ib.  Cause  or  reason  for  it,  148.  Christ 
 the  only  intercessor,   149. 
 
 Judging  the  world,  iii.  206.     See  General  Judgment. 
 
 Kingdom  conferred  on,  iii.  224.     Distinguished  from  his  natural  king- 
 
 dom, 225.  In  what  nature  he  administers  it,  227.  Its  universality,  230. 
 View  of  it  in  reference  to  the  church,  230 — 8.  He  reigns  in  the  kingdom  of 
 glory,  239.  Its  duration,  240.  What  is  meant  by  Christ's  delivering  up 
 the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  240. 
 
 Person  of,  iii.  19.     His  human  nature,  20.     Its  integrity  and  sinless- 
 
 ness,  22.  From  whence  this  sinlessness  proceeded,  6.  Reason  for  his  assum- 
 ing human  nature,  23.  Constitution  of  his  person  as  God  and  Man,  25. 
 Heresies  respecting  it,  27-  Effects  of  the  hypostatical  union,  30.  Is  his 
 human  nature  the  object  of  worship  ?  34. 
 
 Priestly  office  of,  iii.  14.     Necessity  of  his  holding  it,  76.     His  call 
 
 to,  and  investiture  with  it,  79.  Duties  of  the  office,  and  general  observations 
 on  his  execution  of  them,  80.  Socinian  heresy  respecting  his  sacrifice,  81. 
 His  similitude  to  Melchisedec  explained,  84.  His  pre-eminence  as  a  Priest 
 over  all  others,  86 — 91. 
 
 Prophetical  office  of,   iii.  43.     His  exercise  of  it,  from   the  fall 
 
 to  his  birth,  45  ;  during  his  life  on  earth,  46  ;  from  his  ascension  to  the  end 
 of  the  world,  49.  View  of  his  instructions  as  a  Prophet,  52.  His  superiority 
 to  all  other  teachers,  58.  Agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  execution  of  his 
 Prophetical  office,  67. 
 
 Resurrection  of,  preliminary  remarks  respecting  its  possibility  and 
 
 necessity,  174.     He  was  raised  by  the  power  of  God,   176.  Time  of  it,  ib. 
 
 Evidence  in  proof  of  it,  177-     Objections  considered,    185.  Connexion  with 
 resurrection  of  the  saints,  iv.  48. 
 
 Substitution  of,  in  the  room  of  sinners,  iii.  113.  Various  passa- 
 
 ges In  proof  of  it,  1 14.  Objection  considered,  that  he  did  not  actually  suffer 
 the  punishment  to  which  men  were  liable,  121.  Correct  meaning  of  a  satis- 
 faction for  sin,  123.     Objections  against  the  doctrine  considered,  129. 
 
 Union  of  believers  to,  iii.  283.    (See  Union.)     Effected  by  justifying 
 
 faith,  306. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY  alone   has  pretensions  to  be   a    Divine    Revelation,  i.  50. 
 Truth  of,  proved  by  miracles,  112  ;   prophecy,  127  ;    success  of  GoOfd,  139  ; 
 
 internal  evidences,  149. 
 
490  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 CHURCH,  view  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  reference  to  the,  iii.  230.  How  founded, 
 ib.  Its  form  and  order  prescribed  by  him,  232.  His  authority  in  it  is  exclusive 
 of  that  of  man,  233.  Alliance  with  the  state,  iii.  233  ;  iv.  300.  Upheld 
 by  Christ,  235.  Defended  by  him,  237-  Different  meanings  of  the  term, 
 iv.  207.  The  visible,  301.  The  invisible,  303.  Distinction  of  militant  and 
 triumphant,  304.  Design  of  the  church,  304.  Qualifications  for  membership, 
 305.  Its  unity,  310  ;  its  universality  and  perpetuity,  31 1  ;  its  infallibility,  312. 
 Nature  of  schism,  314.  When  separation  justifiable,  310.  The  term  in  the 
 New  Testament  includes  more  than  one  congregation,  341.  Church  of  Jeru- 
 salem, its  extent,  342.  Constitution  of  a  church,  351.  Its  independence,  387. 
 Its  relation  to  the  state,  387,  399. 
 
 Government  of  the,  iv.  317.     Popish  form,  319.     Episcopal  forr:, 
 
 324.     Independent  and  Presbyterian  forms  examined,  340.     Power  of  church 
 to  enact  a  form,  393. 
 
 Power  does  not  flow  from  people,   iv.  352.     Opinions  of  Dr  Owen, 
 
 353.  Subordination  of  courts,  358.  Potestas  }<>y[*a.riKYi,  389  ;  in  reference 
 to  the  Scriptures,  389  ;  to  creeds,  390.  Potestas  liccTa.x.Tix.r.,  or  ordinans, 
 393  ;  cannot  establish  any  form  of  government,  393;  or  make  laws  to  regu- 
 late moral  conduct,  394  ;  nor  enact  rites  and  ceremonies,  395  ;  but  it  extends 
 to  matters  of  external  order,  398.  Potestas  Imxprmn,  or  judicialis>  398  ; 
 extent  of  this  power ;  over  whom  it  extends,  and  its  objects,  401. 
 
 ■  Rulers,  their  power  does  not  flow  from  the  people,  352.     Account  of, 
 
 367.  Extraordinary,  Apostles,  368  ;  Prophets,  369  ;  Evangelists,  371.  Or- 
 dinary, pastors,  378  ;  teachers  or  doctors,  376  ;  deacons,  377-  Ruling  elders, 
 and  warrant  for  them,  379  ;  their  duties,  380.  Power  with  which  rulers  are 
 invested,  385.     See  Church  Power. 
 
 CENSURES,  church,  iv.  401. 
 
 CIRCUMCISION,  a  sacrament  under  Mosaic  dispensation,  iv.  131.  Its  ori- 
 gin, form,  and  import,  132.  Was  temporary,  and  is  now  abolished,  134. 
 Superseded  by  Christian  sacrament  of  baptism,  139. 
 
 CLARK,  DR,  consideration  of  his  argument  a  priori  for  the  existence  of  God, 
 i.  280. 
 
 CLEMENT,  quotations  of  the  New  Testament  books  in  his  writings,  i.  87, 
 89.     Proof  afforded  by  them  for  Episcopacy,  iv.  336. 
 
 COINCIDENCES  in  Scripture,  a  proof  of  their  genuineness,  i.  101. 
 
 COMMANDMENTS,  the  Ten,  iv.  405.  Sum  of  them,  413.  Reasons  for 
 division  of  them  into  two  tables,  423.  Statement  of  the  sins  forbidden,  and 
 duties  enjoined  in  the  first,  425  ;  in  the  second,  430  ;  in  the  third,  437  ;  in 
 the  fourth,  442  ;  in  the  fifth,  451  ;  in  the  sixth,  457  ;  in  the  seventh,  461  ; 
 in  the  eighth,  466 ;  in  the  ninth,  470  ;  and  in  the  tenth,  475. 
 
 COMPLUTENSIAN  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  i.  216. 
 
 CONCOMITANCE,  Roman  Catholic  doctrine  of,  iv.  211. 
 
 CONCUPISCENCE,  whether  of  the  nature  of  a  sin,  iv.  476. 
 
 CONDITION,  of  a  covenant,  i.  430,  see  Covenant  ;— of  the  covenant  of 
 works,  ii.  366  ; — of  the  covenant  of  grace,  425,  et  seq. 
 
 CONDITIONAL,  the  decrees  of  God  are,  i.  359  ;  ii.  169. 
 
 CONFESSION,  popish  doctrine  of,  iv.  142.     A  part  of  prayer,  244. 
 
 CONFESSIONS  of  faith,  use  of,  iv.  307-  Power  of  church  to  enact,  391. 
 Authority  of,  392. 
 
 CONFIRMATION,  not  a  sacrament,  iv.  140.  Remarks  on,  as  observed  by 
 the  Church  of  England,  1 4 1 . 
 
 CONSCIENCE  bears  testimony  to  the  justice  of  God,  i.  461.  Import  and 
 nature  of,  iii.  454.  Office  of,  458.  Its  fallibility,  468.  Not  its  own 
 rule,  460.  Distinctions  of  casuistical  writers  as  to  the  rule,  461.  Power 
 of  superiors  over,  462.  The  will  of  God,  the  rule,  463.  How  this  rule 
 known  to  the  heathens,  464.  Only  rule  to  Christians  is  the  word  of  God, 
 464.  Authority  of  an  erring,  467-  God  alone  the  Lord  of  the,  470.  Dif- 
 ferent states  in  which  it  may  exist,  472.  Distinctions  into  antecedent  and 
 consequent,  472  ;  enlightened  and  erring,  473  ;   firm,  and  assured,  and  doubt- 
 
[HDBX  01    mm  i  4[)  I 
 
 big,  173  ;  timid  and  delicate,  474  ;  awakened  ami  hardened,  47<J  ;  good  ami 
 bad,  47."'.      Operations  of,  prove  immortality  of  the  soul,  iv.  13. 
 
 I  ONSCIBNCE,  Peace  of,  distinguished  from  mere  security,  iii.  470.  If  genuine, 
 it  in  founded  on  peace  with  God,  478.  Connected  with  privilege  of  sanctiiica- 
 tiou,    479.      Produces  spiritual  joy,  480.      Obtained  by  the  gospel,  iv.  tt'J. 
 
 CON8UB8TANTIATION,  some  remarks  on,  iii.  32.  Lutheran  doctrine  of, 
 iv.  211.     Objections  to  it,  213. 
 
 CONTENTMENT,  duty  of,  iv.  478. 
 
 CONTRADICTIONS,  objections  to  Scripture,  founded  on  alleged,  i.  183. 
 Remarks  for  explaining  apparent,  184. 
 
 CONVERSION,  the  effect  of  Divine  grace,  iii.  257-     See  Km. iteration. 
 
 COUNTENANCE,  variety  in  human,  an  argument  for  providence,  ii.  233. 
 
 COVENANT,  definition  of  a,  ii.  350—411. 
 
 of   Grace,  ii.  410.      The  parties  to  it,   413.     Character  sustained  by 
 
 the  Son  in  it,  429.  Distinction  drawn  between  it  and  the  covenant  of  redemp- 
 tion, 424.  Condition  of  it,  425.  Remarks  on  the  Son's  engagement  to  per- 
 form the  condition,  432.  Holiness  of  nature  not  properly  a  part  of  the  con- 
 dition, 432.  Perfect  obedience  included  in  it,  430  :  and  satisfaction  for 
 the  sins  of  his  people,  440.  Promises  of  it,  as  they  respect  Christ  himself, 
 443  ;  as  they  respect  the  elect,  445.  Administration  of,  455.  How  we  may 
 know  if  we  are  interested  in  it,  467.     See  Grace,  Mediator. 
 
 of  Works,  definition  of,  ii.  351.    Scriptural  evidences  for  it,  352.    Par- 
 
 ties, 354.  Character  in  which  God  stood,  355.  Character  in  which  Adam 
 stood,  357  ;  he  was  the  federal  head  of  the  human  race,  358.  Opposition  to 
 this  doctrine,  359.  May  be  inferred  from  the  effects  of  his  sin  on  his  pos- 
 terity, 301.  Condition  of  it,  was  obedience,  364  ;  its  extent,  366.  Penalty 
 of,  temporal  death,  370  ;  including  the  sufferings  of  this  life,  373  ;  spi- 
 ritual death,  376  ;  eternal  death,  380.  Penalty  still  in  force  against  all  under 
 it,  390.  Promise  implied  in  it,  382.  Seals  of  it,  384.  Enquiry  how  far  it 
 still  subsists,  389.  Covenant  form  abolished,  390.  Effects  of  the  breach  of  it 
 on  the  posterity  of  Adam,  392.  Scripture  proof  for  doctrine  of  original  sin, 
 399.     Other  proofs  of  it,  404. 
 
 COVETING  forbid  by  tenth  commandment,  iv.  475. 
 
 CREATION,  heathens  had  no  proper  idea  of,  i.  20,  152  ;  ii.  210.  Not  op- 
 posed to  the  immutability  of  God,  i.  364.  Proof  that  it  affords  of  the  excel- 
 lence of  God,  i.  389  ;  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  i.  392  ;  of  his  power,  416 ;  of 
 his  goodness,  430.  Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  112;  and  to  the  Spirit,  150. 
 What  it  properly  is,  206.  Arguments  to  prove  the  creation  of  the  world,  208. 
 Illustration  and  defence  of  the  Mosaic  account,  212.  Date  of  it,  217-  Time 
 occupied  in  it,  220.     Design  of  God  in  it,  223. 
 
 of  Angels,  when  it  took  place,  226.     See  Axgels. 
 
 of  Max,  ii.  261.     Mosaic  account,   262.     Pattern  after  which  he  was 
 
 made,  267.     In  what  image  of  God  consisted,  267.     Spirituality  of  his  soul, 
 
 267.  Authority  with  which  he  was  invested,  268.     Qualities  of  his   soul, 
 
 268.  His  knowledge,  269.  His  original  righteousness,  271.  His  happi- 
 ness, 274. 
 
 CREED,  the  Apostles,  iii.  168. 
 
 CREEDS,  use  of,  iv.  307-     Church's  power  to  enact,  391.     Authority  of,  392. 
 
 DEACONS,  duty  of,  in  Episcopal  form  of  gnvernment,  iv.  325.  They  are  or- 
 dinary rulers  in  the  church,  377. 
 
 DEATH,  temporal,  the  penalty  of  sin,  ii.  370  ;  iv.  1.  Spiritual,  in  what  it 
 consists,  ii.  376  ;  was  included  in  the  penalty  denounced  against  Adam,  ib. 
 Eternal  also  included,  380  ;  in  what  it  consists,  381.  Reason  why  death 
 befals  saints,  iv.  2.  Whether  it  is  necessary  for  the  sanctification  of  the  soul,  4. 
 Its  effects  on  saints,  7  ;  described  as  a  sleep,  8.  Survivance  of  the  soul  after 
 it,  9.  Doctrine  of  an  intermediate  state  after  it,  25.  Of  the  sleep  of  the 
 soul  after  it,  26.     Of  purgatory,  30.     State  of  the  body  after  it,  36. 
 
 of  Christ,  an  atonement  for  sin,  iii.  92.      Extent  of  the  benefits  of,  iv. 
 
 481.     Sec  Ciirist. 
 
492 
 
 INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 DECALOGUE,  the,  iv.  405.     See  Commandments. 
 
 DECREES  of  God  are  immutable,  i.  359.  Difficulty  of  reconciling  them  with 
 the  free  agency  and  accountableness  of  man,  300.  Definition,  ii.  159.  Con- 
 nection with  the  knowledge  of  God,   159.     Nature  of  them,  161.     Objects  of 
 
 I  them,  164.  Properties  of  them,  165;  they  are  eternal,  165;  wise,  166; 
 free,  167  ;  absolute  and  unconditional,  169  :  this  not  inconsistent  with  human 
 responsibility,  170.     See  Predestination,  Election,  Reprobation. 
 
 DEFENCE,  right  of  self,  iv.  458. 
 
 DELUGE,  objections  to  history  of,  i.  178. 
 
 DEMONIACS,  ii.  254. 
 
 DEPRAVITY  of  mankind,  a  proof  of  original  sin,  ii.  405. 
 
 DESIGN,  marks  of,  in  the  universe,  a  proof  of  the  existence  of  God,  i.  289  ;  in 
 the  human  body,  291  ;  in  the  bodies  of  animals,  291  ;  in  the  vegetable  crea- 
 tion, 294  ;  in  the  surface  of  the  earth,  295  ;  in  the  planetary  system,  295, 
 Unity  of  design  exhibited  in  the  works  of  creation,  314. 
 
 DEVILS.     See  Angels,  fallen. 
 
 AtaK^rixn  potestas,  iv.  398.     See  Church  Power. 
 
 AixTccxTixn  polestas,  iv.  393.     See  Church  Power. 
 
 DIDACTIC  Theology,  what  it  is,  i.  6. 
 
 DIFFICULTIES  may  be  expected  in  a  Divine  revelation,  i.  46. 
 
 DISCIPLINE,  power  of  the  church  regarding,  iv.  698  ;  in  primitive  churches, 
 400.     Over  whom  power  extends,  401. 
 
 DISCREPANCIES  of  the  Gospels,  a  proof  of  their  genuineness,  i.  100. 
 
 DISHONESTY,  iv.  467. 
 
 DISPENSATION  of  grace,  see  Grace  ;— of  religion  under  Old  Testa- 
 ment, i.  238  ;  under  New  Testament,  256.  Old  abrogated,  259.  Charac- 
 teristics of  Christian,  261.     Universality  of  Christian,  270. 
 
 DIVINITY  of  Christ,  ii.  78,  see  Christ  ;— of  Holy  Ghost,  ii.  141.  See 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 DIVORCE,  grounds  of,  iv.  463. 
 
 DOCET./E,  their  heresy  respecting  Christ's  human  nature,  iii.  20. 
 
 DOCTOR  or  teacher,  office  of  in  primitive  church,  iv.  376. 
 
 Aoypa.rix,'/i  potestas,  iv.  388.     See  Church  Power. 
 
 DUALISM,  or  the  doctrine  of  two  principles,  i.  324. 
 
 EBIONITES,  proof  they  afford  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  i. 
 
 EDITIONS,  different,  of  the  New  Testament,  i.  216. 
 
 EFFECTUAL  calling,  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  iii.  287-  See  Rege- 
 neration. 
 
 ELDERS,  ruling,  ordinary  office-bearers  in  the  church,  iv.  379  ;  their  duties, 
 380. 
 
 ELECT,  the,  objects  of  Christ's  intercession,  iii.  138. 
 
 ELECTION,  Divine  decree  of,  ii.  179.  Was  made  from  eternity,  181.  Did 
 not  proceed  on  the  ground  of  foreseen  qualifications  in  its  subjects,  183. 
 They  are  immutable,  185.  Connexion  with  the  mediation  of  Christ,  187. 
 Not  the  rule  of  human  conduct,  188.  Impossibility  of  total  fall  of  saints 
 from  grace  inferred  from,  iii.  494. 
 
 ELEVATION,  degree  of  inspiration  called,  i.  197-  Objections  to  the  term, 
 200. 
 
 ELZEVIR,  his  edition  of  the  Greek  New  Testament,  i.  217- 
 
 ENGLAND,  church  of,  practice  of  confirmation,  iv.  141.  Liturgy  seems  to 
 countenance  doctrine  of  regeneration  in  baptism,  171-  Use  of  sponsors  in 
 baptism,  174.  Practice  of  kneeling  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  232.  Liturgy, 
 271.     Form  of  government,  324.     Rites  and  ceremonies,  396. 
 
 ENOCH,  state  of  religion  in  the  days  of,  i.  243. 
 
 ENOS,  state  of  religion  in  the  days  of,  242. 
 
 EPISCOPAL  form  of  government,  iv.  324.  Duties  of  the  several  orders,  325. 
 Difference  from  Presbytery,  325.  Arguments  for  it,  325.  Christian  antiquity 
 of  this  form,  considered,  331.  Explanation  of  the  renunciation  of,  in  the 
 Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  339. 
 
INDi.x  01   UATT1 
 
 ERASMUS,  his  edition  of  the  Greek  New  Testament,  i.  JKi. 
 BRASTIANISM,  In  what  it  oomistt,  iv.  886,  w.>- 
 
 ETERNAL  doth,  a  penalty  «f  the  covenant  of  works,  ii.  300. 
 
 Life  comprehends  all  the  blessings  promised  to  believer*,  ii.    1  iff. 
 
 ETERNITY,   scholastic  divisions  of,   i.  303; — of  the  Divine  deem 
 
 — of  election,  101. 
 
 of  Gon,  i.  303.     Definition,  300.     Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.    103  ;  and 
 
 to  the  Spirit,  148. 
 
 i:(  <  BARI8T,  the.     See  the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 EUSEBIUS,  his  testimony  to  the  genuineness  of  Sciipture,  i.  00.  His  cata- 
 logue of  the  books,  91. 
 
 BUTYCH  ES,  his  heresy  respecting  the  constitution  of  Christ's  person,  iii.  29. 
 
 EVANGELISTS,  were  extraordinary  rulers  in  primitive  church,  iv.  37L 
 
 EVIDENCES  of  Christianity,  i.  48—180.     See  Christianity. 
 
 EVIL,  revelation  gives  the  only  satisfactory  account  for  the  existence  of  moral 
 and  physical,  i.  153.     Origin  of  moral  evil,  ii.  344. 
 
 EXALTATION,  Christ's  state  of,  iii.  171.     See  Christ. 
 
 EXCOMMUNICATION,  sentence  of,  iv.  402. 
 
 EXISTENCE  of  God,  a  primary  article  of  natural  religion,  i.  18,  277-  Belief 
 of  natural  to  man,  and  almost  universal,  277-  A  priori  argument  for  it,  con- 
 sidered, 280.  Bishop  Stillingfleet's  argument,  derived  from  the  idea  of  God, 
 282.  Several  arguments  for  his  existence,  285 — 300.  .Reflections  on  this 
 subject,  301. 
 
 FAITH,  demanded  by  revelation,  i.  40.  Analogy  of,  an  assistance  in  inter- 
 preting Scripture,  228.  Considered  as  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  works, 
 ii.  425.  It  is  the  bond  of  union  to  Christ,  iii.  287.  It  is  a  fruit  of  rege- 
 neration, 297-  Different  kinds  of  faith;  historical,  297;  temporary,  2!i8  ;  of 
 miracles,  298  ;  saving,  299.  Objects,  300  ;  nature  and  qualities  of  saving 
 faith  illustrated,  301. 
 
 Justifying,  defined  and  explained,  iii,   300.     Is  assurance   of  the 
 
 essence  of  faith?  311.  Does  it  consist  in  a  persuasion  that  Christ  died  for 
 us  in  particular,  and  that  we  are  pardoned  ?  311,  356.  Office  of  it  in  jus- 
 tification, 353.  Whether  it  precedes  or  follows  justification,  353.  It  is  not 
 our  justifying  righteousness,  357  :  or  the  condition  of  justification,  358  : 
 but  the  means  or  instrument,  359.  This  doctrine  well  adapted  to  promote 
 the  glory  of  divine  grace,  300.  Faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  361.  Justification 
 by  faith,  not  unfavourable  to  morality,  370,  et  seq.  It  is  a  means  of  sancti- 
 fication,  433.  To  secure  spiritual  joy,  believers  must  live  by  faith,  488. 
 Profession  of  it  necessary  by  adults  before  baptism,  iv.  158  :  and  a  necessary 
 qualification  of  church  members,  308. 
 
 FAITHFULNESS  of  God.     See  Truth. 
 
 FALL  of  man,  objections  to  the  story  of  the,  i.  177-  Mosaic  account  of  it,  ii. 
 341.  Agent  concerned,  342.  Owing  to  man's  own  fault,  345.  Consequences 
 to  our  own  first  parents,  ii.  347  ;  to  their  posterity,  392.  See  Covenant 
 of  Works. 
 
 FALSEHOOD,  crime  of,  iv.  470. 
 
 FATHER,  the.    See  God. 
 
 FATHERS,  their  testimony  to  the  genuineness  of  the  Scripture,  i.  80. 
 
 FORMS  of  prayer,  iv.  209. 
 
 FORNICATION,  crime  of,  iv.  464. 
 
 FRAUDS,  pious,  iv.  473. 
 
 FREEDOM  of  human  will,  consistent  with  decrees  of  God,  i.  360,  ii.  170,  201. 
 See  Providence. 
 
 FUTURE  STATE,  heathen  notions  of,  i.  157.  Superiority  of  Christian  doc- 
 trine, 158. 
 
 GENUINENESS  of  Scripture,  i.  51—103.     See  Scripture. 
 GENERATION,  eternal,  of  the  Son,  ii.  70. 
 
494  INDEX   or   .MATTER. 
 
 GEOLOGY,  remarks  on,  with  reference  to  the  age  of  the  world,  ii.  218. 
 
 GHOST,  the  Holy.     See  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 GIBBON,  examination  of  the  five  secondary  causes  assigned  by,  for  the  success 
 of  Christianity,  i.  146. 
 
 GLORY,  future,  one  of  the  blessings  promised  to  the  elect  in  the  covenant  of 
 grace,  ii.  448.     In  what  it  consists,  iv.  50,  CI. 
 
 GOD,  existence  of,  an  article  of  natural  religion,  i.  18,  277.  How  far  it  is 
 demonstrable  by  reason,  18.  Notions  of  the  heathens  regarding,  19.  How 
 far  our  relation  to  him  as  Creator  and  Governor,  discoverable  by  reason, 
 20.  Scriptural  doctrine  of  the  unity  and  existence  of  God,  an  internal  evi- 
 dence of  Christianity,  150.  Explanation  of  representations  of  him  as  corpo- 
 real, and  having  human  passions,  179.  Existence  of  God,  279.  His 
 eternity,  303.  His  spirituality,  308.  His  unity,  312.  His  immensity, 
 331.  His  immutability,  350.  His  knowledge,  370.  His  wisdom,  389. 
 His  power,  409.  His  goodness,  429.  His  justice,  449.  His  truth  and 
 faithfulness,  ii.  1.  His  holiness,  18.  Vide  these  several  titles.  Review 
 of  his  perfections,  ii.  29.  He  is  an  incomprehensible  being,  29  ;  all  sufficient, 
 32  ;  sovereign,  35.     Name  of  God,  ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  92. 
 
 The  Father,   viewed   as  a  party  in  the  covenant  of  works,  ii.  355. 
 
 And  as  a  party  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  ii.  415.  Sustains  the  relation  of  a 
 father  by  adoption,  iii.  395.  Sanctification  his  work,  419.  Happiness  of 
 intelligent  creatures  depends  on  him,  482.  He  is  the  only  proper  object  of 
 prayer,  iv.  245.  Connexion  between  his  character  and  the  duty  of  prayer, 
 252.  First  table  of  the  law  contains  our  duty  to  him,  iv.  424.  Command- 
 ments considered  in  their  order,  425.     Time  appointed  for  his  worship,  449. 
 
 GOODNESS  of  God,  i.  429.  Displayed  in  the  act  of  creation,  430.  Instances 
 and  proofs  of  it,  431.  Not  inconsistent  with  the  prevalence  of  disease  and 
 death  among  animals,  435.  Proved  from  his  dispensations  to  man,  430. 
 Consistent  with  the  existence  of  physical  evil,  439  ;  and  of  moral  evil,  442. 
 Displayed  in  redemption,  444. 
 
 GOSPEL,  the  success  of,  is  a  proof  of  Christianity,  i.  139.  Was  repugnant  to 
 Jews  and  Gentiles,  140.  Apparent  want  of  qualification  of  persons  employed 
 to  publish  it,  and  its  progress,  141.  Its  rapid  progress  cannot  be  explained 
 on  principles  of  reason  or  experience,  143.  Examination  of  Gibbon's  five  secon- 
 dary causes  for  its  success,  146.  Its  success  a  proof  of  the  power  of  God, 
 425.  Different  senses  of  the  term,  iv.  78.  Its  proper  import  as  distinguished 
 from  the  law,  81 — 91.  Not  a  new  law  of  grace,  84.  Its  efficacy  as  a  means 
 of  conversion,  87-  Peace  of  conscience  and  consolation  is  obtained  by  it, 
 89.     It  purifies  the  heart,  90.     On  preaching  it,  92. 
 
 GOVERNMENT  of  the  chuTch.     See  Church. 
 
 GRACE,  covenant  of.     See  Covenant. 
 
 Dispensation  of,  ii.  455.     Committed  to  Christ,  455.     Viewed  as  a 
 
 testament,  457.  Prior  to  coming  of  Christ,  460.  How  then  carried  on,  463. 
 How  earned  on  under  the  New  Testament,  465.  Distinguished  by  its 
 clearness,  465.     Design  of  it,  467. 
 
 of  God,  meaning  of  the  term  in  Scripture,  iii.  266.    Its  effect  and  mode 
 
 of  operation  in  conversion,  268.  It  is  mighty  and  invincible,  269  ;  but  con- 
 sistent with  liberty  of  will,  270.  Its  glory,  obscured  by  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
 fication by  works,  iii.  341  ;  but  promoted  by  doctrine  of  justification  by 
 faith,  360.  Its  riches  illustrated  in  the  decree  of  reprobation,  ii.  196. 
 External  means  necessary  to  all  but  infants,  iv.  75.  Gospel  not  a  new  law  of 
 grace,  84  ;  its  efficacy  as  a  means  of  grace,  87.  Sacraments  a  means,  iii. 
 111.     Prayer  a  means,  241. 
 
 HAPPINESS  primeval,  of  man,  ii.  274. 
 
 HEATHENS   were  sensible  of  their  ignorance  and  need  of  revelation,   i.   39. 
 
 Had  no  idea  of  a  resurrection  of  the  body,  159.  iv.  38.     Good  works  of,    iii. 
 
 446. 
 
M.\  oi   m  \  i  i  in.  495 
 
 HEAVEN,  what  the  word  signifies  in  different  places,  ii.  21  l.  Hi.  L9S. 
 
 inrc  of,  iv.  (JO.      Employment  of  the  saints  in,  61.      Felicity  of,  C>~>. 
 HELL,  notion  of  Christ's  descent  into,  iii.   168. 
 HERETICS,  early,  evidence  of  genuinenen  of  Scripture!  afforded  by,  i.  02. 
 
 il  HUM  AS,  paste*  or  shepherd  of,  allusions  to  the  New  Testament  in,  i.  07,  90. 
 
 IlOLINKSS,  meaning  of,  to  Scripture,  ii.  10.  increase  of  it,  implied  in  SMC- 
 tilication,  iii.  411.      Perfected  at  death,  iv.  24. 
 
 of  (Jon,  ii.   18.   Definition   of,   20.     Displayed    in   the  formation  of 
 
 man,  22  ;  in  the  law  given  to  him,  23  ;  in  the  dispensations  of  providence, 
 24  ;  in  redemption,  26,  418  ;  in  the  qualifications  for  eternal  happiness,  ii.  28. 
 
 HOLY  GHOST,  Divinity  of,  ii.  141.  Proofs  of  his  personality,  142.  Rea- 
 son of  the  name,  Spirit,  145.  His  divinity,  proved  from  divine  names  given 
 to  him,  14G  ;  divine  perfections  ascribed  to  him,  148;  works  he  performs, 
 159  ;  and  religious  worship  paid  to  him,  151.  His  relation  to  the  other  persons 
 of  the  Godhead,  called  his  procession,  72,  1 53.  Difference  on  this  subject  be- 
 tween the  Eastern  and  Western  Churches,  155.  His  agency  in  the  execution 
 of  Christ's  prophetical  office,  iii.  87-  In  what  his  teaching  consists,  80.  His 
 intercession,  147.  Sanctification  is  his  work,  422.  His  inhabitation  causes 
 spiritual  joy,  483;  and  secures  perseverance,  500.  His  office  in  sealing  be- 
 lievers, and  giving  them  the  earnest  of  their  future  inheritance,  501.  His 
 influence  must  accompany  the  reading  and  preaching  of  the  word,  to  ensure 
 its  success,  iv.  109. 
 
 HOPE,  its  influence  in  producing  spiritual  joy,  iii.  486. 
 
 HUMAN  nature  of  Christ-     See  Christ. 
 
 HUMILIATION  of  Christ,  iii.  154.     See  Christ. 
 
 HUME,  his  arguments  against  miracles,  considered,  i.  118. 
 
 HUSBANDS,  their  duty  to  their  wives,  iv.  453,  4G3. 
 
 IGNATIUS,  notice  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  in  his  writings,  i,  87, 
 
 89.      Proof  furnished  by  his  writings  for  Episcopacy,  iv.  334. 
 IMAGES,  worship  of,  unlawful,  iv.  427,  433.     Making  of  them  not  forbidden, 
 430  ; — of  God,  condemned,  431. 
 
 IMMATERIALITY  of  the  soul,  a  proof  of  its  immortality,  iv.  10. 
 
 IMMENSITY  of  God,  i.  331.  Denied  by  some,  332.  Definition  of,  334. 
 Distinguished  from  omnipresence,  334.  Proofs  of  it,  335.  Distinguished 
 from  infinite  extension,  341.  Unwarrantable  speculations  concerning  it,  343. 
 Presence  of  God  with  his  creatures,  344.  Doctrine,  reconciled  with  passages 
 which  represent  God  as  peculiarly  present  in  particular  places,  348.  Reflec- 
 tions from  the  doctrine,  347- 
 
 1 M  MORTALITY  of  the  soul,  result  of  inquiries  of  reason  with  respect  to  the, 
 i.  24.  Doctrine  of,  does  not  account  for  the  spread  of  Christianity,  147. 
 Proofs  of  it,  iv.  10. 
 
 IMMUTABILITY  of  God,  i.  350.  Proofs  of  it,  351.  He  is  immutable  in 
 his  existence,  355  ;  in  his  knowledge,  35G  ;  in  his  counsels  or  decrees,  359,  ii. 
 185  ;  and  in  his  moral  perfections,  381.  Necessary  to  the  support  of  religion, 
 382.  Consistent  with  consummate  felicity,  382.  Objections  considered,  364. 
 Reflections  on  the  use  of  this  doctrine,  367-  Incarnation  not  opposed  to  it, 
 i.  365  ;  nor  the  substitution  of  Christ,  iii.  132.     Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  110. 
 
 IMPUTATION  of  Adam's  sin  on  his  posterity,  ii.  393.  Of  Christ's  righte- 
 ousness in  justification,  336.  It  is  the  act  of  a  judge,  346.  Founded  on 
 union  to  Christ,  347. 
 
 INCARNATION,  objection  to  revelation,  on  account  of  the  doctrine  of,  i. 
 173.     Not  at  variance  with  the  immutability  of  God,  365.     See  Christ. 
 
 INCEST,  crime  of,  iv.  464. 
 
 INCOMPREHENSIBLENESS  of  God,  ii.  29. 
 
 INDEPENDENT  form  of  government,  iv.  340.  Examination  of  the  argu- 
 ments for,  341 — 364.    Objections  to  the  system,  365.    See  Chirch  Rtlers. 
 
 INFALLIBILITY  of  the  church,  iv.  312. 
 
 INFANTS,  death  of,  a  proof  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin,  ii.  304.     Early 
 
496  INDEX   OF  MATTER. 
 
 appearance  of  depravity  in  them,  a  proof  of  original  sin,  404.  Their  rege- 
 neration the  immediate  effect  of  the  Holy  Spirit  without  external  means,  iii. 
 255.  iv.  75.  Infant  baptism  vindicated,  iv.  159.  Benefits  resulting  from  it, 
 183. 
 
 INSPIRATION,  claimed  by  the  sacred  writers,  i.  188.  Different  opinions 
 respecting  it,  191.  Plenary  inspiration,  193.  Degrees  of  inspiration,  194  ; 
 superintendence,  195;  elevation,  197:  suggestion  or  revelation,  199.  In 
 what  sense  the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God,  201.  Whether  it  extends  to 
 the  language,  203. 
 
 INSPIRED  men,  character  of,  i.  205.  Mode  by  which  they  were  inspired, 
 206.     Peculiar  privilege  of  Moses,  207- 
 
 INTERCESSION,  the  duty  of  a  priest,  iii.  80.  Christ's  intercession,  135  ; 
 see  Christ  ;— of  the  Holy  Ghost,  147  ; — of  saints,  149. 
 
 INTERMEDIATE  state  of  the  soul  after  death,  doctrine  of,  iv.  30. 
 
 INTERPRETATION  of  Scripture,  rules  for,  i.  224. 
 
 IRENiEUS,  notices  of  the  New  Testament  in  the  writings  of,  i.  88,  89.  Proof 
 furnished  by  his  writings  for  Episcopacy,  iv.  337. 
 
 JAMES,  doctrine  in  epistle  of,  reconciled  with  that  of  Paul,  i.  226,  iii.  365. 
 
 JEHOVAH,  name  of,  given  to  Christ,  ii.  98. 
 
 JEROME,  proof  furnished  by  his  writings  for  Episcopacy,  iv.  338. 
 
 JERUSALEM,  extent  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem  in  the  Apostles  days,  and 
 argument  it  affords  for  Presbytery,  iv.  341,  350.  Argument  derived  from  the 
 account  of  the  council  of,  359. 
 
 JOHN  the  Baptist,  account  of  his  ministry,  i.  257. 
 
 JONAH,  objections  to  the  story  of,  i.  178. 
 
 JOY,  see  Spiritual  Joy. 
 
 JUDGMENT,  the  general,  will  exhibit  the  justice  of  God,  i.  470.  Ascribed 
 to  Christ,  ii.  117-  A  doctrine  of  revelation,  iii.  207-  Reasons  for  it,  209.  Time, 
 210.  Duration,  212.  Place,  213.  The  parties,  214.  The  Judge,  and  his 
 fitness,  216.  Circumstances  attending  it,  217.  Standards  of  judgment,  219. 
 The  sentences,  221.  Their  execution,  222.  Final  judgment  of  the  saints, 
 iv.  55.  Purpose  for  which  their  good  works  are  mentioned,  57.  Whether 
 their  sins  will  be  mentioned,  58.  Their  acquittal  and  entrance  into  heaven, 
 59. 
 
 JUDICIAL  law  given  to  the  Israelites,  i.  247. 
 
 JUSTICE  of  God,  i.  449.  Distinguished  into  absolute,  451,  and  relative, 
 454.  Avenging  justice,  460.  Testimony  borne  to  this  attribute  by  con- 
 science, 464  ;  by  the  dispensations  of  Providence,  466 ;  and  redemption, 
 468.  ii.  418.  It  will  be  openly  manifested  at  the  end  of  time,  i.  470.  Decree 
 of  reprobation  gives  an  impressive  view  of  it,  ii.  197.  Rendered  the  priesthood 
 of  Christ  necessary,  iii.  77«  Doctrine  of  his  substitution  not  repugnant  to  it, 
 129. 
 
 JUSTIFICATION,  importance  of  the  doctrine  of,  iii.  316.  Meaning  of  the 
 term,  318.  Its  author  and  subjects,  320.  What  it  implies,  321.  Ground 
 of  it,  327  ^  not  the  works  of  the  law,  328  ;  nor  repentance,  336  ;  nor  sincere 
 obedience,  339 ;  but  solely  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  342.  Remarks  on 
 the  imputation  of  his  righteousness,  346.  Office  of  faith  in  justification,  355. 
 Relation  which  repentance  bears  to  it,  361  ;  and  which  good  works  bear,  362. 
 Doctrines  of  Paul  and  James  reconciled,  365.  Objection  that  the  doctrine 
 is  injurious  to  morality  considered,  370.  It  supplies  powerful  motives  to 
 holiness  and  against  sin,  379  :  this  confirmed  by  experience,  383.  Difference 
 from  sanctification,  405.     Peace  of  conscience  founded  on  it,  478. 
 
 KILLING,  in  self  defence,  iv.  458. 
 KINGDOM  of  Christ,  iii.  224.     See  Christ. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE  of  God,  i.  371.  Proofs  that  it  is  one  of  his  perfections,  372. 
 Extent  of  it,  375.     Distinction  of  scientia  simplicis  intelligentice  and  scientia 
 
497 
 
 •i.      Sricnfxi  mrlnt,  i.  383.    Hi    l''<>-       I&  qualities,  304. 
 7.      Connexion  with  the  dtrric>  of  Ood,  ii.   1 
 
 KNOWLEDGE  poMMted  bj  man  at  his  creation,  ii.  269.     Koowled 
 quired  by  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghott,  LiL  70.     Degree  of]  neeeeeerjr  for 
 
 •station,  72.  Knowledge  powcrl  by  Miati  in  heaven,  iv.  <;:>.  Neceeeety 
 tor  church  member*,  and  the  degree  of  it,  iv.  306. 
 
 Ti;i:i:  of  good  and  evil,  command  regarding  it,  ii.  330.   "Whether  it  was 
 
 a  seal  of  the  covenant,  386. 
 KORAN,  character  of  the,  i.  4!). 
 
 LA  NGUAGE,  whether  inspiration  extends  to,  i.  203.  Objection  to  inspiration 
 of  Scripture  on  account  of  difference  in  style,   204. 
 
 LANGUAGES,  acquaintance  with  original,  a  prerequisite  for  study  of  the 
 Scriptures,  i.  220  ;   in  which  the  Scriptures  are  written,  221. 
 
 LAW,  thi:  Ci:iu:mom.w.  ;  ohjections  to  it  considered,  i.  182.  Correspondence 
 between  its  atoning  sacriiices  and  the  death  of  Christ,  iii.  113. 
 
 the  Moral  ;  excellence  of  it,  i.  100.     Exhibits  justice  of  God,  455  ; 
 
 and  holiness  of  God,  ii.  23.  IIow  far  it  retains  its  authority,  notwithstand- 
 ing the  breach  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  389.  It  was  not  corrected  and 
 perfected  by  Jesus  Christ,  iii.  47.  Is  one  of  the  principal  parts  of  the  word 
 of  God,  250.  Its  requirements  so  high  that  no  sinner  can  be  justified  by  it, 
 329  :  these  not  lowered  in  the  dispensation  of  grace,  33G  ;  nor  a  new  law  less 
 rigorously  enacted,  337.  The  law  as  distinguished  from  the  Gospel,  iv.  80, 
 96.  Its  use  in  awakening  sinners,  90  ;  and  as  a  rule  of  life  to  believers,  98. 
 Its  connexion  with  the  Gospel  as  a  rule,  101.  When  first  given,  405.  Rules 
 for  interpreting  it,  413 — 419.  It  is  of  universal  obligation,  420  ;  and  perpe- 
 tual, 421. 
 
 LEARNING,  competent  share  of,  a  necessary  qualification  for  a  student  of 
 Theologv,  i.  11. 
 
 LIBERTY,  human,  consistent  with  decrees  of  God,  ii.  170.  Consistent  with 
 the  power  of  Divine  grace  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  iii.  270. 
 
 LIES,  different  kinds  of,  iv.  473. 
 
 LIFE,  tree  of,  was  it  a  seal  of  the  Covenant  of  Works  ?  ii.  387,  iv.  117- 
 
 LITURGY  of  the  Church  of  England,  iv.  271. 
 
 LORD'S  Prayer.     See  Prayer. 
 
 Supper,  a  mean  of  sauctification,  iii.  430.     Institution  and  primitive 
 
 simplicity  of  the  rite,  iv.  184  ;  its  gradual  corruption,  185.  Transubstantia- 
 tion,  180.  Meaning  of  the  words  of  institution,  189.  Lutheran  opinion 
 of  consubstantiation,  213.  Opinions  of  other  reformers,  210-  Its  true 
 nature,  223  ;  in  what  sense  Christ  is  present  in  it,  224.  Observations  on  the 
 time  of  institution,  and  the  symbols,  220.  Mode  of  administering  it,  228. 
 What  the  partaking  of  it  implies,  232.  Who  may  partake,  235.  How  often 
 it  should  be  administered,  238. 
 
 LOVE  of  God  ;  the  promises  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  originated  in  it,  ii.  450. 
 See  Goodness. 
 
 LOVE  ;  good  works  must  proceed  from  love  to  God,  iii.  443.  It  is  the  sum  of 
 the  Decalogue,  iv.  413. 
 
 LUTHERAN  doctrine  of  consubstantiation,  iv.  213. 
 
 MAGICIANS  of  Egypt,  their  enchantments,  i.  115. 
 
 MAGISTRATE  has  no  power  over  the  conscience,  iii.  462,  470.  Inconsis- 
 tency of  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  on  this  point,  470. 
 
 MAHOMET  ;  character  of  his  religion,  i.  49.     Success  of  it  accounted  for,  139. 
 
 MAX,  creation  of,  ii.  201.  See  Creation.  Happiness  of  his  primeval  state, 
 274.  How  long  he  retained  his  innocence,  270  ;  was  created  fallible,  335  ; 
 was  placed  under  a  law,  337-  Fall  of,  341.  See  Fall.  Second  table  of 
 law  regulates  the  duty  of  man  to  man,  iv.  451.     See  Commandments. 
 
 MANKIND,  universal  depravity  of,  a  proof  of  original  sin,  ii.  406. 
 
 MARC  I  ON,  the  heretic,  proves  the  early  existence  of  the  Gospels,  i.  92. 
 VOL.   IV.  2    I 
 
498  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 MARRIAGE,  the  Popish  sacrament  of,  iv.  141.  Marriage  is  an  ordinance^ 
 God,  461.     Polygamy,  462.     Nature  and  duties  of,  462. 
 
 MASS,  the.     See  Transubstanttation. 
 
 MSS.  existing,  of  the  Scriptures,  i.  209.  Causes  of  various  readings  in  them, 
 212.     Classes  of  them,  214.     Sources  of  various  readings  in  them,  214. 
 
 MATERIAL   Universe,  existence  of,  proof  of  the  existence  of  God,  i.  285. 
 
 M'KNIGHT,  Dr,  character  of  his  commentaries,  iii.  81,  248,  250,  iv.  43. 
 
 MEANS  of  Grace,  the  word  of  God,  iv.  75.  The  sacraments,  iii.  112. 
 Prayer,  241.     See  these  Titles. 
 
 MEDIATION  of  Christ,  its  connexion  with  the  decree  of  election,  ii.  187- 
 The  effect  of  it,  482.  Whether  temporal  blessings  purchased  by  it,  iii.  398. 
 It  secures  the  perseverance  of  the  saints,  497- 
 
 MEDIATOR  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  ii.  423.  None  necessary  in  the  Cove- 
 nant of  Works,  470.  Necessary  since  the  introduction  of  sin,  470.  Obser- 
 vations on  the  office,  471.  Qualification  of  Christ  for  the  office,  473.  Peace 
 established  between  God  and  man  by  a  Mediator,  482.  In  what  nature  Christ 
 is  Mediator,  484.  He  is  not  a  Mediator  for  angels,  485-  Commencement  of 
 his  office,  487  ;  duration  of  it,  490.  iii.  240.  Offices  which  it  includes,  iii. 
 41 — 48.     Kingdom  conferred  on  him,  224.     See  Christ,  Messiah. 
 
 MELCHIZEDEC,  similitude  between  our  Saviour  and,  iii.  84. 
 
 MEMBERS,  Church,  qualifications  of,  iv.  305.  Duties  towards  the  rulers,  457. 
 
 MESSIAH,  his  character  different  from  what  the  Jews  expected,  i.  108.  Pro- 
 phecies respecting  him,  and  their  fulfilment,  136.  Opinion  of  the  Jews  re- 
 garding, 137.  Predictions  of,  prior  to  the  appearance  of  Christ,  iii.  2  ;  their 
 import,  7«  Proof  that  Christ  is  Messiah,  9  ;  from  the  time  of  his  appearance, 
 9  ;  his  character,  12  ;  his  miracles,  15  ;  the  success  of  his  religion,  16. 
 
 METHODISTS,  doctrine  of,  as  to  sinless  perfection  being  attainable,  iii.  416. 
 
 MIDDLE  Scheme  of  the  death  of  Christ,  iii.  100. 
 
 MINISTERS.     See  Pastors. 
 
 MIRACLES  are  possible,  and  afford  proof  of  a  revelation,  i.  35,  51,  124. 
 They  are  the  work  of  God,  36,  115.  The  miracles  of  Apollonius  of  Tyanna, 
 67.  Definition  of  a  miracle,  114.  Power  of  evil  spirits  to  work  them,  115. 
 They  are  capable  of  proof,  117-  Hume's  arguments  against  them,  considered, 
 118.  They  are  natural  accompaniments  of  a  revelation,  120  ;  and  necessary, 
 121.  Miracles  of  Vespasian,  122.  Popish  miracles,  122.  Rules  for  distin- 
 guishing the  true  from  false,  123.  Whether  they  alone  are  sufficient  to  prove 
 the  truth  of  a  doctrine,  125.  Ascribed  to  the  Spirit,  ii.  151.  The  faith  of 
 miracles,  iii.  298. 
 
 MORAL  Evil,  how  existence  of  it  reconcileable  with  holiness,  justice,  and 
 goodness  of  God,  i.  326,  442.     Origin  of,  ii.  344. 
 
 ■  Law.     See  Law. 
 
 perfections  of  God  are  immutable,  i.  361. 
 
 MORALS,  heathen  notions  of,  i.  22.  Excellence  of  Christian,  160.  Doctrine 
 of  justification  by  faith  not  contrary  to  morals,  iii.  370.  See  Good  Works. 
 Church  has  no  power  to  enact  rules  of  moral  conduct,  iv.  394.  State  of  hea- 
 then morals  accounted  for,  iv.  406.  Insufficiency  of  reason  to  discover  true 
 morality,  407-     The  rule  of  moral  action,  409. 
 
 MOSES,  books  of,  genuineness  of,  i.  53.  Cavils  of  infidel  writers  regarding 
 them,  56.  Opinions  of  Father  Simon  and  Le  Clerc,  55.  Their  authenticity, 
 105.  He  excelled  all  heathen  philosophers,  151.  His  peculiar  privilege, 
 207.  Character  of  his  institutions,  247.  His  account  of  the  creation  illus- 
 trated and  defended,  ii.  212.     Of  creation  of  man,  262. 
 
 MURDER  forbidden,  iv.  458. 
 
 MYSTERIES  might  be  expected  in  a  Divine  revelation,  i.  46.  Objections 
 made  to  revelation  on  account  of,  171  •  Was  a  name  given  to  the  Sacraments, 
 iv.  111. 
 
 NAME  of  God,  what  is  meant  by,  iv.  284,  422.  On  taking  it  in  vain,  437- 
 NATURAL  Theology,  articles  of,  i.  4.  How  far  these  discoverable  by  reason,  18. 
 NATURE,   Laws  of,  what  they  are,  ii.  288. 
 
^  "^ 
 
 iNUliX  of  M  ITTBR.  4^ 
 
 NEW  Testament,  account  of  the  books  of,  OS— 84.  Quotations  from,  or  refe- 
 rences to,  the  early  writers,  <J0 — 90.  Catalogues  of  Hooks,  91.  Inspiration, 
 l-'l.      Various  editions,  918.      N  nent  rljgpcniottoq,  258.   ii.  4»>.">. 
 
 ^pectiug  the  constitution  of  Christ's  pet 
 
 OATHS,  whether  lawful,  iv.  438. 
 
 OBEDIENCE,  the  condition  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  ii.  304.     Its  i 
 
 Mfc     Perfect  obedience  of  Christ,  a  condition  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  43b'  ; 
 
 how  it  availed  sinners,  4.*»7  ;   it  constitutes  his  righteousness,  442. 
 OBLIGATION,   .Moral  Law  is  of  universal,   h.  420. 
 
 OFFICES  of  Christ.     Sec  Chuist,  Mediator. 
 
 OLD  Testament,   notices  of  the  books  of,  fil — 56.     Inspiration,    108.     Old 
 
 nsation,   238.   ii.  4Cn. 
 OMNIPRESENCE  of  God,  i.  331.     Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  105.     Ascribed 
 
 to  the  Spirit,    149.     Sec  Immknsitv. 
 OMNISCIENCE  of  God,  i.  .".JO.     Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  108.     Ascribed  to 
 
 the  Spirit,  149.     See  Knowledge. 
 ORACLES,   character  of  the  heathen,  i.  130. 
 ORDERS,   Roman  Catholic  sacrament  of,  iv.  143. 
 ORDINANCES  of  Christ,  a  means  of  sanctification,  iii.  430. 
 ORIGINAL  Righteousness,  in  what  it  consisted,  ii.  271- 
 Sin,  consequence  of  Adam's  transgression,  ii.  397.     Scripture  proofs 
 
 for  the  doctrine,  399.     Early  depravity  of  children,  404.     Universal  depravity 
 
 of  mankind,  405. 
 
 PARADISE,  held  by  some  to  be  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  works,  ii.  385  ;  iv.  1 1 7- 
 PARDON  promised  to  the  elect  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  ii.  447-    See  Christ's 
 
 Death  and   Substitution.      Doctrine  of  universal  pardon  considered, 
 
 iv.  481. 
 PARENTS,  duties  of,  to  children,  iv.  453. 
 
 PARTICULARITY  of  Scripture,  a  proof  of  its  genuineness,  i.  98. 
 PASSOVER,  a  seal  of  the  covenant,  iv.  135  ;  its  significancy,  137.     Super- 
 seded by  the  Christian  Sacraments,   139. 
 PASTOR,    an  ordinary  ruler  in  the   church,   iv.  3/3.     Duties,  390. 
 PATRIARCHAL  times,  state  of  religion  in,  i.  242. 
 PAIL,   doctrine  of,   as  to  justification  by  faith,  reconciled  with  that  of  James, 
 
 i.  226  ;  iii.  365. 
 PEACE  of  conscience,  iii.  476.     See  Conscience. 
 PELAGIANS,   their  opinion  respecting  Adam  being  a  federal  head,   ii.  359  ; 
 
 respecting  penalty  in  covenant  of  works,  370,  376  ;  respecting  the  application 
 
 of  redemption,  iii.  25(3,  265. 
 PENANCE,  Roman  Catholic  Sacrament  of,  iv.  141. 
 PENANCES,  absurdity  of,  iii.  439. 
 PERFECTION,  not  attainable  in  this  life,  iii.  416. 
 PERJURY,  crime  of,  iv.  470. 
 PERSEVERANCE  of  the  saints,  iii.  490.     Different  opinions  respecting,  491. 
 
 Total  fall  of  saints  impossible,  493.     Arguments  for  doctrine  of  perseverance, 
 
 494.     Examination  of  texts  alleged  against  it,   503.     Not  unfavourable   to 
 
 holiness,  507. 
 PERSON,  meaning  of  the  term  as  applied  to  the  Trinity,  ii.  60.     Constitution 
 
 of  Christ's  person.     See  Christ. 
 PERSONALITY  of  the  Spirit  proved,  ii.  142. 
 PETER,  alleged   supremacy  of,  iv.  320.     No  proof  that  he   was  bishop  of 
 
 Rome,  329. 
 PHYSICAL  evil,  how  existence  of,  reconciled  with  goodness  of  God,  i.  439. 
 PIETY,  necessary  in  a  student  of  Theology,  i.  10. 
 PILGRIMAGES,  absurdity  of,  iii.  439. 
 PLENARY  inspiration,  i.  193. 
 PLURALITY  of  Gods  impossible,  i.  319. 
 POLEMIC  Theology,  what  it  is,  i.  7. 
 
500  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 POPERY.     See  Rome,  Church  of. 
 
 POPISH  form  of  government,  iv.  319. 
 
 POLYTHEISM,  origin  of,  i.  332  ;  forbidden  by  first  commandment,   iv.  426. 
 
 POLYCARP,  quotations  from  the  New  Testament  in  his  writings,  88,  89. 
 
 POLYGAMY,  remarks  on,  iv.  462. 
 
 PORPHYRY,  writings  of,  prove  genuineness  of  New  Testament,  93. 
 
 POWER  of  God,  i.  409.  Definition,  411.  Connexion  of  cause  and  effect, 
 411.  Apparent  limitations  to  it,  414.  Proofs  of  this  attribute  in  creation, 
 41G  ;  in  providence,  419  ;  and  in  redemption,  424.  The  power  exerted  in 
 the  conversion  of  sinners,  is  invincible,  iii.  2G9.     Ascribed  to  Christ,  ii.  111. 
 
 — — —  Connexion  between  truth  and,  i.  125. 
 
 of  the  Church.     See  Church. 
 
 PRACTICAL  Theology,  what  it  is,  i.  9. 
 
 PRAYER,  a  means  of  sanctification,  iii.  430.  Natural  to  man,  iv.  241.  De- 
 finition of,  and  its  parts,  242.  Object  of  it,  245.  Should  be  founded  on  the 
 dispensation  of  grace,  248.  Connexion  it  has  with  the  character  of  God,  252. 
 Objections  against  it,  254.  The  rale  of  prayer  is  the  word  of  God,  256. 
 Blessings  to  be  implored,  258  ;  for  others,  260.  Public,  263.  Private,  264. 
 Secret,  264.  Ejaculatory  prayer,  265.  Seasons  for  prayer,  267.  Forms,  and 
 objections  to  them,  269.     Acceptable  prayer,  272. 
 
 the  Lord's,   iv.  2/9 ;  its  use  as  a  form  and  pattern,   280  ;  it  is  not 
 
 a  compilation,  281  ;  its  parts,  282  ;  commentary  on  it,  283 — 296. 
 
 Intercessory,  of  Christ,  iii.  140. 
 
 to  Saints,  absurdity  of,  iii.  151. 
 
 PREACHING  the  Gospel,  in  what  it  consists,  iv.  93.     Observations  on,  107» 
 
 PREDESTINATION  defined,  ii.  175.  Supralapsarian  system,  176.  Sub- 
 lapsarian,  177«  Arminian,  178.  Decree  of  election,  179;  decree  of  re- 
 probation, 190.  Practical  utility  of  the  doctrine,  195.  Objections  to  it,  200. 
 See  Election,  Reproration. 
 
 PRELACY.     See  Episcopalian  Form  of  Government. 
 
 PRIEST,  office  of,  iii.  75.  Duties,  80.  Improper  designation  for  ministers 
 of  the  gospel,  86.     Duty  under  Episcopal  form  of  government,  iv.  325. 
 
 PRIESTLY  office  of  Christ,  iii.  74.     See  Christ. 
 
 PRIESTHOOD,  Christ's  superiority  to  the  Levitical,  iii.  84. 
 
 PRESBYTER,  a  convertible  term  with  bishop,  iv.  329.  Office  in  primitive 
 times,  335. 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN  form  of  government,  considered  along  with  Independency, 
 iv.  340,  et  seq.     Superiority  over  Independent  system,  365. 
 
 PRESERVATION  of  all  things,  a  proof  of  Divine  power,  i.  419.  See  Pro- 
 vidence. 
 
 PRIVILEGES  of  believers,  iii.  316.  Justification,  316.  Adoption,  386. 
 Sanctification,  403.  Ability  to  perform  good  works,  436.  Peace  of  con- 
 science, 476.     Spiritual  joy,  480.     Perseverance,  490.     See  these  Titles. 
 
 PROCESSION  of  the  Spirit,  meaning  of,  ii.  72,  153. 
 
 PROMISE,  the  first,  i.  239.  The  promise  implied  in  covenant  of  works,  ii. 
 382.  The  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  443.  Meaning  of  the  promise 
 in  the  fifth  commandment,   iv.  457.     Obligation  of  a  promise,  474. 
 
 PROMISES  of  God,  faithfulness  of  them,  ii.  7-  Remarks  on,  as  absolute  and 
 conditional,  7-     They  are  a  source  of  spiritual  joy,  iii.  484. 
 
 PROPERTY,  how  acquired,  iv.  466. 
 
 PROPHECY,  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  revealed  religion,  i.  127-  Definition  of 
 a  prophecy,  128.  Power  of  evil  spirits  to  predict  the  future,  129.  Character 
 of  heathen  oracles,  130.  Obscurity  of  prophecy  a  proof  of  Divine  wisdom,  131 . 
 Argument  from  prophecy,   131.     Consideration  of  particular  prophecies,  133. 
 
 PROPHET,  office  of,  iii.  43 ;  was  an  extraordinary  ruler  in  the  primitive 
 church,  iv.  369. 
 
 PROPHETICAL,  office  of  Christ,  iii.  43. 
 
 PROVIDENCE,  heathens  had  imperfect  notions  regarding,  i.  21,  152.  Proofs 
 it  affi  rds  of  the  existence  of  God,  299  ;  of  his  wisdom,  398  ;  of  his  power, 
 422  ;  of  his  goodness,  436  ;  of  his  justice,  466;  of  his  holiness,  ii.  24.     As- 
 
iNDi.x  01    M  I  ETBR.  501 
 
 cribed  to  Christ,  ii.  1  I  •"»  ;  to  the  Spirit,  10ft,  ArgtmtenCl  for  the  doctrine 
 of,  ii.  281,  ct  sc>/>  Objections  refuted,  994,323.  I  n  what  it  is  concerned, 
 ii.  L'!»7 — S83«  Its  concern  in  the  sinful  actions  of  men,  .'504  ;  distinctions  of 
 C.dvinistic  divines,  313;  and  language  of  Scripture  on  this  subject,  317- 
 God'l  ]>cculiar  or  gracious  providence,  'A2J.  [|  there  in  the  dispensations 
 of  Providence  a  revelation  of  grace  ?  i ii.  248.  Dispensations,  a  means  of 
 tification,  431. 
 PUBGATOBY,  doctrine  of,  iv.  30.  Arguments  against  it,  33.  Best  argu- 
 ment for  it,  34. 
 
 QUAKERS,  opinion  as  to  baptism,  iv.  150. 
 
 READING  the  word,  observations  on,  iv.  105. 
 
 REASON^  a  source  of  Theology,  i.  10.  Definition  of  it,  and  how  its  powers 
 are  to  be  ascertained,  lb".  Its  researches  in  natural  religion,  18;  in  morality, 
 22  ;  as  to  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  24  ;  altogether  fails  in  discovering  the 
 doctrines  of  supernatural  Theology,  20.  Its  proper  office  in  Theology,  28. 
 Objection  to  revelation  on  the  ground  of  its  sufficiency,  107-  Revelation 
 contains  no  doctrines  contrary  to  reason,  171.  Reliance  to  be  placed  on 
 its  discoveries,  ii.  3. 
 
 RECONCILIATION  to  God,  the  effect  of  Christ's  mediation,  ii.  482  ;  iii.  120. 
 
 REDEMPTION,  objections  made  to  revelation  on  account  of  the  scheme  of, 
 i.  173.  Proofs  afforded  by  it  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  403  ;  of  his  power,  42i  ; 
 of  his  goodness,  443;  of  his  justice,  408  ;  of  his  holiness,  ii-  20.  Divinity 
 of  Christ's  interwoven  with  the  whole  scheme,  ii.  128.  It  originated  in  the 
 covenant  of  grace,  ii.  411. 
 
 Application*  or,  iii.  24G.     Its  necessity,   and  what  it  implies,   247. 
 
 The  external  means  are  the  word  and  ordinances,  247«  Internal  and  only 
 effectual  mean  is  the  grace  of  God,  255.  See  Effectual  Calling, 
 Regeneration,  «xc. 
 
 Universal,  doctrine  of,  considered,  iv.  481. 
 
 REFORMATION  is  not  regeneration,  but  will  always  be  the  result  of  it, 
 iii.  277- 
 
 REGENERATION,  one  of  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  ii.  440. 
 Effected  of  Divine  grace,  iii.  271.  Change  implied  in  it,  272  ;  illumination 
 of  the  mind,  275  ;  renovation  of  the  will,  275.  Effects  of  it,  27G.  Refor- 
 mation is  its  fruit,  277-  It  is  specifically  the  same  in,  and  necessary  to  all, 
 27o.  It  is  the  foundation  of  all  subsequent  attainments  in  religion,  280. 
 Difference  between  it  and  sanctification,  400.  They  are  inseparably  connected, 
 408.  Good  works  a  part  of  it,  430.  Baptism  does  not  regenerate,  iv.  170. 
 It  is  signified  in  baptism,   175. 
 
 RELIGION,  dispensation  of,  traced  from  creation  to  New  Testament  times, 
 i.  238,  et  seq. 
 
 REPENTANCE,  not  the  ground  of  justification,  iii.  330.  Place  it  holds  in 
 justification,  3G1. 
 
 REPROBATION,  decree  of,  ii.  190.  Proof  for  it,  191.  The  ground  of  it, 
 192.      In  what  it  consists,  193. 
 
 RESPONSIBILITY,  Divine  decrees  consistent  with  human,  i.  300  ;  ii.  170. 
 
 RESURRECTION,  heathens  had  no  idea  of,  i.  159  ;  ascribed  to  Christ,  ii. 
 110  ;  iv.  47  ;  ascribed  to  the  Spirit,  ii.  151.  Doctrine  of,  a  matter  of  pure 
 revelation,  iv.  38  ;  was  believed  by  the  Jews  in  Old  Testament  times,  41. 
 Universality  of  the  resurrection,  43.  Identity  of  our  bodies,  44.  It  is  the 
 work  of  Divine  power,  47.  Connexion  between  the  resurrection  of  the  saints 
 and  that  of  Christ,  48.  Nature  of  the  saints'  glorified  bodies,  50.  Opinion 
 of  a  partial  resurrection.  52. 
 
 of  Christ,  iii.  172. 
 
 REVELATION,  necessary  even  to  establish  doctrines  of  natural  Theology,  25. 
 A  source  of  Theology,  31.  Definition  of  a  revelation,  31.  Its  possibility, 
 32.  Connexion  of  miracles  with  it,  35.  Its  desireableness,  37;  and  iur^- 
 sify  of,  41.      Its  probable  character,  41.      Demands  the  exeu'ise  of  faith,  40. 
 
502 
 
 INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 Has  a  revelation  been  given  ?  48.  Pretended  revelations,  49.  The  Scrip, 
 tures  contain  the  only  true  revelation,  50.  Miracles  are  necessary  accom- 
 paniments, 120.  Objections  to  revelation,  167-  Degree  of  inspiration  called 
 revelation,  199. 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS  of  Christ,  in  what  it  consists,  ii.  442  ;  the  sole  groundof 
 justification,  iii.  342  ;  his  obedience  was  entirely  gratuitous,  344  ;  was  fulfilled 
 not  for  himself,  but  for  sinners,  345. 
 
 Original,  of  man  at  creation,  ii.  271- 
 
 BITES  decreed  by  human  authority,  not  binding,  iii.  467.     Power  of  the 
 
 church  to  enact,  iv.  395. 
 ROBBERY,  crime  of,  iv.  4G7. 
 
 ROME,  Church  of;  her  pretended  miracles,  i.  122.  Belief  of  tradition,  231. 
 Conduct  in  reference  to  Scriptures,  233  ;  doctrines  of  intercession  of  saints, 
 iii.  149  ;  of  justification,  318  ;  of  pilgrimages  and  penances,  439  ;  of  works 
 of  supererogation,  441  ;  of  probability,  461;  of  purgatory,  iv.  30;  of  opus 
 operatum  in  the  sacraments,  125  ;  of  the  intention  of  the  administrator  of 
 them,  127.  Five  spurious  sacraments,  140.  Unauthorized  additions  to  rite 
 of  baptism,  151.  Opinion  as  to  the  persons  by  whom  baptism  may  be  admi- 
 nistered, 169.  Doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  186.  Form  of  government, 
 319.  Opinion  that  authority  of  Scripture  depends  on  the  church,  389. 
 Conduct  in  reference  to  the  ten  commandments,  424.  Worship  of  saints 
 and  images,  427* 
 RULERS  in  Church.     See  Church  Rulers. 
 
 SABBATH,  the  ;  whether  it  was  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  works,  ii.  385.  "When 
 established,  iv.  442.     Its  morality,   410,  445.     Change  from  the  seventh  to 
 the  first  day,  446.     Method  of  observing,  448. 
 SABELLIAN  heresy,  ii.  72. 
 
 SACRAMENTS  are  seals  of  the  union  of  believers  to  Christ,  iii.  291.  They 
 are  means  of  grace,  iv.  111.  Definition,  111.  Their  nature,  115.  Their 
 design,  1 1 6.  Sacraments  or  seals  of  the  covenant  with  Adam,  ii.  384,  iv. 
 117;  with  Noah,  118;  with  Abraham,  119.  Sacraments  are  of  divine  in- 
 stitution, 119;  are  significant  of  the  blessings  promised,  120,  and  assurances 
 that  they  will  be  enjoyed,  122.  How  they  are  to  be  used,  123  ;  by  whom, 
 124.  Source  of  the  efficacy,  125.  Not  affected  by  intention  of  the  adminiss 
 trator,  127  ;  consequences  of  the  popish  doctrines  on  this  subject,  129. 
 Sacraments  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation  ;  circumcision,  131  ;  the  passover, 
 135  ;  superseded  by  the  Christian,  139.  Spurious  sacraments  of  the  Church 
 of  Rome,  140.  Christian  sacraments;  baptism,  148;  the  Lord's  Supper, 
 184.  See  Baptism,  Lord's  Supper. 
 SACRIFICE  is  the  duty  of  a  priest,  iii.  80.  Christ's,  iii.  74.  See  Christ. 
 SACRIFICES,  institution  of,  i.  241  ; — of  the  ceremonial  law,  their  connexion 
 
 with  the  death  of  Christ,  iii.  113. 
 SAINTS,  intercession  of,  iii.  149  ;  origin  of  this  doctrine,  150.     Perseverance 
 of  the  saints,  iii.  490.     See  Perseverance.     Worship  of  them  forbidden 
 by  first  commandment,  iv.  427.     See  Believers. 
 SANCTIFICATION,  one  of  the  blessings  of  covenant  of  grace,  ii-  447.     In- 
 separable from  justification,  iii.  377-     Privilege  of  believers,  403.     Meaning 
 of  the  term,  403.     Difference  between  it  and  justification,  405,  and  regenera- 
 tion, 406.     Viewed  as  a  privilege  and  a  duty,  407'     As  a  duty,  is  our  work, 
 408.     What  it  implies,  408.     Extends  to  the  whole  man,  415.     Not  perfect 
 in  this  life,   417*     It  is  the  work  of  the  Trinity,  419.     Nature  and  effect  of 
 the  Spirit's  operation  in  it,  422.     Controversy  as  to  the  formation  of  holy  ha- 
 bits in  it,  424.     Christ  is  the  pattern  of  it,  426.     The  word  is  the  rule  of  it, 
 427-     External  means,  429.     Faith  is  a  mean  by  which  sanctification  is  car- 
 ried on,  433.     Good  works  the  fruit  of  it,  436.    Peace  of  conscience  connected 
 with  it,  479.     Whether  death  necessary  to  complete  the  sanctification  of  the 
 soul,  iv.  4.     It  is  completed  at  death,  21.     The  gospel  as  a  mean  of  sanctifi- 
 cation, iv.  90.     The  law  as  a  mean,  99. 
 SANCTIFICATION  of  the  Sabbath,  iv.  448. 
 
INDEX    OF    MATH.lt.  503 
 
 SATAN,  his  power  to  work  miracles,  i.   Ill  ;    to  foretel  future  I  6.  See 
 
 J  ai  i  i  \   A  n..i;t.s. 
 SATISFACTION  for  si",  correct  inclining  of,  iii.  123.     S.  •  Christ. 
 
 SAVIOUR.    SwObbist. 
 
 SCANDAL,  what  meant  by,  iv.  40  J.      Method  of  treating,  401. 
 SCHISM,  nature  of,  iv.  314. 
 
 SCRIPTURES,  the  holy,  contain  the  only  semblance  of  a  true  revelation,  i. 
 60.  Distinction  between  their  genuineness  and  authenticity,  51.  Nu 
 and  importance  of  ascertaining  genuineness,  51,  (JO,  83.  Account  of  books 
 of  the  Old  Testament,  51  ;  of  New  Testament,  CG.  Jewish  division  of  the 
 Old  Testament  books,  58.  Septuagint  version,  52.  They  existed  in  the 
 days  of  Ezra,  53.  References  to  books  of  Moses  in  the  other  books  of  the 
 Old  Testament,  53.  Proof  of  the  genuineness  of  the  several  books,  55. 
 Some  are  anonymous,  63.  Jealousy  of  the  Jews  in  admitting  books  into 
 the  canon,  63.  Apocrypha,  6'3.  Genuineness  of  the  gospels,  68.  Reason 
 of  their  being  four  gospels,  7^-  Genuineness  of  the  other  books  of  the  New 
 Testament,  74.  Whether  any  books  have  been  lost,  81.  Testimony  to  the 
 genuineness  of  the  New  Testament  books,  85.  Authenticity  inferred  from 
 genuineness,  105.  Proved  by  miracles,  112  ;  by  prophecy,  127  ;  by  success 
 of  gospel,  139  ;  by  internal  evidences,  149.  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures, 
 1<>7-  [See  Inspiration-.)  Sense  in  which  they  are  the  Word  of  God,  201. 
 Various  MSS.  210.  Kesult  of  comparison  of  various  readings,  218.  Ac- 
 quaintance with  the  original  languages  a  prerequisite  for  the  study,  220.  Me- 
 thods for  elucidating  the  text,  and  rules  for  study,  224.  They  are  the  only 
 standard  of  religious  belief,  231.  Lawfulness  of  inferences  from  them,  232. 
 Conduct  of  Church  of  Rome  regarding  them,  233.  Reasons  for  her  forbid- 
 ding them,  235.  The  Church  is  the  depository  of  them,  iv.  389.  Their 
 authority  does  not  depend  on  the  church,  389.  Her  duty  in  reference  to  them, 
 390.  See  Word  of  God. 
 SEALS  of  a  covenant,  what  understood  by  them,  ii.  384.  See  Sacraments. 
 SEALING  of  believers,  what  meant  by,  iii.  501. 
 
 SENSES,  dependence  to  be  placed  on  evidence  communicated  by  the,  ii.  2. 
 SEPARATION  from  a  church,  when  justifiable,  iv.  310. 
 SEPTUAGINT  version,  account  of,  i.  52. 
 SERVANTS,  duty  of,  to  their  masters,  iv.  453. 
 SEVENTY,  the,  commission  of  when  sent  out  by  our  Lord,  iv.  326. 
 SEXES,  proportion  between  the,  a  proof  for  an  overruling  providence,  ii.  292. 
 SHILOH,  meaning  and  derivation  of  the  word,  iii.  3.     See  Messiah. 
 SIMPLICITY,  of  the  nature  of  God,  i.  370.     Simplicity  of  the  Scriptures,  a 
 
 proof  of  their  genuineness,  97« 
 SIN,  existence  of,  reconciled  with  the  belief  of  a  just  and  holy  God,  i.  326, 
 442.     Sin  of  the  angels,  ii.  245.     Sin  of  Adam,  344.    Consequences  of  it  to 
 himself,  347  ;  to  his  posterity,  392.     It  is  universal,  405. 
 SINCERITY  of  God's  admonitions  and  invitations  to  sinners,  ii.  12.  iii.  252. 
 
 Consistent  with  his  decrees,  ii.  203. 
 SLEEP,  death  of  saints  compared  to,  iv.  8.     Doctrine  of  sleep  of  soul,  26. 
 SOCINIAN,  doctrine  of  inspiration,  i.  192  ;    of  immensity  of  God,  333  ;  of 
 Trinity,    ii.    73  ;    of  divinity  of  Christ,  80  ;    of  his  pre-existence,  85  ;  of 
 Adam  as  a  federal  head,  and  consequences  of  his  sin,  ii.  359  ;  of  Christ  having 
 ascended  to  heaven  before  he  entered  on  his  ministry,   iii.  43  ;  of  his  having 
 perfected  the  moral  law,  47  ;  of  his  sacrifice,  80  ;  of  his  death,   94  ;  of  the 
 application  of  redemption,  250. 
 SON,  the,    the  second  person  of  the  Trinity.   See  Christ.    Nature  of  his  Son- 
 ship,  ii.  68,  134. 
 
 8  of  God.     Meaning  of  the  term,  iii   387-     See  Adoption. 
 SOUL,  immortality  of,  a  doctrine  of  revelation,  i.  24.     Heathen  notions  regard- 
 ing it,  24.     Original  qualities  of  the  soul,  ii.  268.      Its  immortality,  far.  9. 
 It  is  completely  sanctified  at  death,  21.     Doctrines  of  an  intermediate  state  of 
 the  soul  after  death,  25  ;  of  the  sleep  of  the  soul,  26  ;  of  Purgatory,  30. 
 SOVEREIGNTY  of  God,  proved  from  review  of  his  attributes,  ii.  35.      In 
 Exhibited  in  reprobation,  195.    In  the  covenant  of  grace,  418. 
 
504  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 SPACE,  ideas  entertained  of,  i.  343. 
 SPIRIT,  properties  of  a,  i.  310. 
 
 The  Holy.     See  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 SPIRITUAL  death,  a  penalty  of  the  covenant  of  works,  ii.  375. 
 
 Life,  consequence  of  union  to  Christ,  iii.  293. 
 
 ■ Joy,  the  result  of  peace   of  conscience,  iii.  480.     Its    sources,    481. 
 
 The  believer  enjoys  only  occasional  transports  of  joy,  487.     Means  of  secur- 
 ing it,  488. 
 SPIRITUALITY  of  God,  i.  308.     Consistent  with  texts  in  which  bodily 
 
 members  are  ascribed  to  him,  170,  309. 
 STANDARDS  ;  the  Scriptures  are  the  supreme  standard,  i.  231.     Nature  of 
 
 subordinate  standards,  iv.  307. 
 STATE,  alliance  between  church  and,   iii.  233.  iv.  300.     Relation  of  church 
 
 to,  317,  399. 
 STUDENT  of  Theology,  qualifications  of,  i.  10,  220. 
 STEPHENS,  Robert,  his  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  i.  217- 
 STYLE  of  Scripture,  a  proof  of  genuineness,  i.  95.     Difference  of,  no  objection 
 
 to  inspiration,  204. 
 STILLINGFLEET,  Bishop,  i.  282,  iv.  332. 
 SUBJECTS,  duty  of,  to  their  rulers,  iv.  454. 
 SUBLAPSARIAN  system  of  the  divine  decrees,  ii.  177. 
 SUBSTITUTION,  objections   made  to  revelation  on  account  of  the  doctrine 
 
 of,  i.  174.     Doctrine  of  the  substitution  of  Christ,  iii.  113.     See  Christ. 
 SUCCESS  of  the  gospel,   a  proof  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  i.    139.     See 
 
 Gospel. 
 SUCCESSION,  absurdity  of  the  idea  of  eternal,  i.  286. 
 SUFFERINGS  of  Christ,  iii.  1G2.     See  Christ. 
 SUGGESTION,   degree  of  inspiration  called,  i.  199.     Objections  to  the  term, 
 
 200. 
 SUPEREROGATION,  Roman  Catholic  doctrine    regarding  works  of,   iii. 
 
 441. 
 SUPERINTENDENCE,  degree  of  inspiration  called,  i.  196.     Objections  to 
 
 the  term,  200. 
 SUPERNATURAL,   Theology,  i.  5.    Divisions,  6.    Doctrines  cannot  be  as- 
 certained by  reason,  26. 
 SUPPER,  the  Lord's.     See  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 SUPRALAPSARIAN  Scheme  regarding  the  Divine  decrees,  ii.  176. 
 SUPREMACY  claimed  for  Peter  and  his  successors,  iv.  320. 
 SURETY  of  the  covenant  of  grace  was  Christ,  ii.  421. 
 
 SYRIAC  Version,  evidence  afforded  by,  of  the  genuineness  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, i.  94. 
 
 TEACHER,  or  Doctor,  office  of  in  primitive  church,  iv.  376. 
 TEMPORAL  blessings,  whether  these  are  purchased  by  Christ  for  believers, 
 
 iii.  398. 
 
 Death,  the  penalty  of  sin,  ii.  370. 
 
 TEMPTATION,  duty  to  avoid,  iv.  293,  465. 
 
 TERTULLIAN,  quotations  from  the  Gospels  in  his  writings,  i.  89. 
 
 TESTAMENT,  account  of  the  Books  of  the  Old,  i.  51—65  ;  of  the  New,  66. 
 
 — 80.     Dispensation  of  religion  under  the   Old,  238  ;  under  the  New,  256. 
 
 See  Scriptures. 
 ■  the  dispensation  of  grace  viewed  as  a,  ii.  457. 
 
 TEXT,  state  of  the  Sacred,  i.  209.     Methods  for  elucidating,  224. 
 THANKSGIVING  a  part  of  prayer,  iv.  243. 
 THEFT,  different  kinds   of,   iv.  466.     Duty  of  restitution,   468.     Whether 
 
 lawful  for  the  preservation  of  life,  470. 
 THEOLOGY,  observations  on  its  importance,  i.  1.     Definitions,  3.     Articles 
 
 of  Natural,  4.     Divisions,  5.      Qualifications  of  a  student,  10.     Sources,  16. 
 
 Connexion  of  doctrinal  and  practical  parts,  iv.  404. 
 THREATENING S  of  God  ;  truth  of  them,  ii.  10.     Remarks  on  them,  11. 
 
]\ni;\   01   MAI  I  IK. 
 TIMOTHY,  vnethet  be  was  ■  Bishop,  iv.  3_'7- 
 
 TITUS,    whether  Ik-  w.t*  .1  Biobop,  iv.  888. 
 
 TRADITION  made  a  standard  of  religious  belief  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  i. 
 83 1 . 
 
 TRAN8UBSTANTIATION,  doctrine  of,  its  rise,  iv.  188.  Explained,  187. 
 I  In  contrariety  to  Scripture,  191.      Destroy!  the  nature  of  a    sacrament. 
 
 variance  with  reason,  194  ;  and  the  evidence  of  the  icnare,  I98L     Pas- 
 
 eal*l  defence  of  it,  800.      Errors  consequent  on  it,  203  ;   idolatry,  2(Ki  \ 
 
 lea  of   the  Maes,  806  :  mntllation  of  the  Sacrament,   209  ;  >igned 
 
 for  tl  is.  -J10.      Doctrine  of  concomitance,  211. 
 
 'I'll  I  MTV,  the  ;  objection  to  Revelation  on  account  of  the  doctrine,  i.  1  72. 
 Meaning  and  origin  of  the  term,  ii.  41.  Traces  of  the  doctrine  among  the 
 heathen,  42.  It  is  a  doctrine  of  pure  Revelation,  45.  Proofs  for  it  in  the 
 Old  Testament,  45;  in  the  New  Testament,  51.  Particular  statement 
 of  the  doctrine,  58.  Unity  of  the  Divine  Essence,  59.  Threefold  distinction 
 of  Persons,  M>.  Different  ideas  of  this  distinction,  03.  True  nature  of  it, 
 94*  Opinions  respecting  subordination  of  Son  and  Spirit,  66.  Nature 
 of  the  Sonship,  G8.  In  what  his  generation  consists,  70.  Procession  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  72,  163.  Heresies  opposed  to  the  doctrine,  72.  Objections 
 to  the  doctrine  considered,  75  ;  see  also  i.  328.  See  (Jurist,  Divinity  of. 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 TRUTH,  love  of,  a  necessary  qualification  for  a  student  of  Theology,  i.  13. 
 Connexion  between  truth  and  power,  125.  Duty  of  speaking  truth,  iv.  471. 
 Natural  propensity  to  truth,  472. 
 
 of  GOD,  ii.  1.  Truth  of  his  communications  to  man,  2.  Faithful- 
 ness of  his  promises,  7  ;  of  his  threatenings  and  denunciations,  10.  Sincerity 
 of  his  admonitions  and  expostulations,  12.  His  nature  renders  him  incapa- 
 ble of  error  or  deceit,  14. 
 
 TYPES,  observations  on,  i.  250. 
 
 UNCONDITIONAL,  the  decrees  of  God  are,  ii.  1G9. 
 
 UNCTION,  extreme,  Popish  sacrament  of,  iv.  145. 
 
 UNION  of  believers  to  Christ  of  two  kinds,  hi.  282  :  legal,  formed  when  he 
 was  appointed  their  federal  head,  282  ;  spiritual,  or  mystical,  formed  in  re- 
 generation, 283.  Its  nature,  284.  The  bonds  of  it,  286.  It  is  real,  288  ; 
 spiritual,  and  without  confusion  of  persons,  289  ;  and  indissoluble,  290. 
 The  Sacraments  are  seals  of  it,  291.  Consequences  of  it,  293.  Faith,  as  a 
 bond,  more  particularly  illustrated.  See  Faith.  Imputation  of  Christ's 
 Righteousness  is  founded  on  it,  347«     Spiritual  joy  results  from  it,  481. 
 
 UNITY  of  GOD,  i.  312  ;  inferred  from  the  uniformity  of  the  works  of  nature, 
 314.  Other  arguments  for  it,  319.  Doctrines  opposed  to  it ;  Polytheism, 
 322.     Dualism,  324  ;  not  opposed  to  Scriptural  doctrine  of  Trinity,  328. 
 
 UNIVERSAL  Redemption,  derogatory  to  the  excellence  of  Christ's  sacrifice, 
 iii.  89.     Not  a  doctrine  of  Scripture,  iv.  484. 
 
 UN  I VERSALITY  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  i.  261.  Of  the  Church,  iv. 
 310. 
 
 UNIVERSE  not  eternal,  proved,  i.  286. 
 
 VARIOUS  readings  in  sacred  text,  Sources  of,  212. 
 VESPASIAN,  Emperor,  miracles  ascribed  to,  i.  122. 
 
 WAR,  whether  consistent  with  sixth  commandment,  iv.  459. 
 WIFE,  duties  of,  to  her  husband,  iv.  453,  463. 
 
 WILL,  rectitude  of  man's,  at  creation,  ii.  274.  Freedom  of  the  will  consistent 
 with  divine  decrees,  i.  360.  ii.  170,  201. 
 
 of  God,  whether  the  source  of  moral  obligation,  iv.  409. 
 
 WISDOM  of  God,  i.  389.  Distinguished  from  knowledge,  389.  Character- 
 istics of  it,  390.  Proofs  of  it  from  works  of  creation,  392  ;  from  providence, 
 398  ;  from  redemption,  403  ;  from  the  means  used  for  publishing  the  gospel, 
 407.     Exhibited  in  divine  decrees,  ii.  166. 
 
506  INDEX  OF  MATTER. 
 
 WORD  of  God,  sense  in  which  the  Scriptures  are,  i.  201.  The  word  an  ex- 
 ternal means  of  salvation,  iii.  247-  iv.  74.  It  consists  of  two  principal  parts, 
 the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  iii.  250.  iv.  78.  It  addresses  persons  of  every 
 nation  and  condition,  251.  It  is  not  the  efficient  cause  of  conversion,  255. 
 It  is  the  rule  of  sanctification,  427  ;  and  a  principal  means  of  carrying  it  on, 
 429.  It  is  the  only  rule  of  conscience  to  Christians,  464.  Condemns  every 
 sin,  and  enjoins  every  duty,  4G5.  Its  adequacy  as  a  rule,  466.  Its  doctrines 
 and  promises  a  source  of  spiritual  joy,  484.  The  Law  and  the  Gospel  consi- 
 dered separately,  iv.  78.  Use  of  other  portions  of  the  Word,  103.  Observa- 
 tions on  the  reading  and  preaching  of  it,  102.  Necessity  of  the  accompani- 
 ment of  the  Spirit,  109.     It  is   the  rule  of  prayer,  256. 
 
 WORKS,  Covenant  of,  cannot  be  the  ground  of  justification,  ii.  328.  The 
 law  considered  as  a  covenant  of  works,  iv.  96.     See  Covenant. 
 
 Good  ;  relation  they  bear  to  justification,  iii.  362.     The  apostles 
 
 Paul  and  James  do  not  teach  different  doctrine,  365.  Although  not  ground 
 of  justification,  there  are  strong  reasons  for  the  performance  of  them,  374. 
 Motives  to  them,  held  out  by  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  379.  Sanc- 
 tification, as  a  duty,  is  our  work,  408.  Good  works  are  the  fruit  of  sanc- 
 tification, 436.  What  they  comprehend,  436.  Their  relative  value,  437. 
 When  materially  good,  i.  439.  Whether  the  end  will  justify  the  means, 
 440.  When  morally  good,  442.  They  are  possible  only  to  believers,  446  ; 
 necessarily  imperfect,  448 ;  incumbent  on  all  the  followers  of  Christ,  449. 
 All  have  means  and  opportunities  of  performing  them,  450.  Extremes 
 with  regard  to  good  works,  451.  Antinomian  doctrine,  451.  Necessity  of 
 inculcating  them,  452.  Reason  for  the  mention  of  them  in  the  general 
 judgment,  iv.  57. 
 
 WORLD,  creation  of  the,  ii.  206.     See  Creatton. 
 
 WORSHIP,  religious,  claimed  by,  and  paid  to  Christ,  ii.  120  ;  paid  to  the 
 Spirit,  151.  Whether  Christ's  human  nature  is  the  object  of,  iii.  34,  Time 
 appointed  for,  iv.  449. 
 
 WRATH  of  God  endured  by  Jesus  Christ,  iii.  163. 
 
 ZUINGLIUS,  his  opinions  respecting  the  Eucharist,  iv.  216. 
 
INDEX  OF  TEXTS 
 INCIDENTALLY  ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Cen.  i.     .      .        Vol.  ii. 
 
 212 
 
 Psalm  li.  5,      . 
 
 400 
 
 i.  2,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 150 
 
 li.  11,       . 
 
 .    iii. 
 
 493 
 
 i.  26,  27,  . 
 
 ii.  48,  262 
 
 Iv.  17,      . 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 267 
 
 ii.  7,     .     • 
 
 ii. 
 
 lxxxii.  6,  7, 
 
 ii. 
 
 353 
 
 ii.  16,  17.      • 
 
 ii. 
 
 338 
 
 lxxxix.  3,  4, 
 
 in 
 
 414 
 
 ii.  20—24,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 266 
 
 xcii.  2,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 267 
 
 iii.  1—6, 
 
 ii. 
 
 341 
 
 xcviii.  1, 
 
 ii. 
 
 19 
 
 iii.  7,  19,        . 
 
 ii. 
 
 347 
 
 civ.  4, 
 
 ii. 
 
 228 
 
 iii.  16,       .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 2 
 
 cv.  25,      . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 321 
 
 iii.  22,       .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 118 
 
 cxix.  164, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 267 
 
 iv.  4,  26,        . 
 
 i. 
 
 242 
 
 cxxx.  2,  5,  6 
 
 ,     iv. 
 
 275 
 
 .... 
 
 i. 
 
 244 
 
 cxxxii.  11, 
 
 .    iii. 
 
 4 
 
 vi.  2,     .     .      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 245 
 
 cxlv.  17, 
 
 ii. 
 
 21 
 
 viii.  21,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 399 
 
 Eccles.  vii.  29,    . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 22 
 
 ix.  11,  13, 
 
 iv. 
 
 118 
 
 Isaiah  vi.  1 — 5,  . 
 
 .      ii. 
 
 19,49,  100 
 
 ix.  16, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 122 
 
 vii    14,     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 5 
 
 xvi.  12,      . 
 
 i. 
 
 134 
 
 viii.  13,  14, 
 
 ii. 
 
 101 
 
 xviii.  25,    . 
 
 ii. 
 
 395 
 
 xiii.  19—22. 
 
 i. 
 
 135 
 
 xix.  24,      . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 50 
 
 xxxiii.  16, 
 
 .    iv. 
 
 289 
 
 xxii.  1, 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 319 
 
 xl.  3, 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 100 
 
 xxii.  18,     . 
 
 .    iii. 
 
 3 
 
 xiv.  21—23, 
 
 ii. 
 
 102 
 
 xlix.  10,     . 
 
 .    iii. 
 
 3 
 
 xlviii.  16, 
 
 ii. 
 
 50,66 
 
 Exod.  vii.  11,     . 
 
 i. 
 
 115 
 
 1.  8,     .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 319 
 
 fit  13,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 317 
 
 liii.  4,       . 
 
 iii. 
 
 120 
 
 xii.  13,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 136 
 
 liii.  10,    . 
 
 ii. 
 
 413 
 
 xii.  36,    . 
 
 it 
 
 181 
 17 
 
 Jer. 
 
 lxv.  23,  24, 
 xx.  7,  9,      . 
 
 iv. 
 ii. 
 
 274 
 16,  320 
 
 xvi.  21,      . 
 
 36 
 
 /ii. 
 
 (iii. 
 
 101 
 
 xix.  19,     . 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 489 
 
 xxiii.  5,  6, 
 
 8 
 
 xx.  2,  .     . 
 
 .  iv. 
 
 101 
 
 xxiii.  23,  24, 
 
 ii. 
 
 105 
 
 Levit.  x.  3,     .     . 
 
 .   iv. 
 
 285 
 
 xxxii.  40,     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 495 
 
 xvi.  21,  22, 
 
 .  iii. 
 
 116 
 
 Ezek 
 
 .  xiv.  9, 
 
 ii. 
 
 320 
 
 xvi.  45, 
 
 .    iv. 
 
 4 
 
 xviii.  20,  . 
 
 .    iv. 
 
 437 
 
 Numb.  vi.  24 — 26, 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 49 
 
 xviii.  24,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 503 
 
 Deut.  xiii.  1 — 3, 
 
 .     i. 
 
 126 
 
 xxvi.  14,   . 
 
 i. 
 
 135 
 
 xxviii.  46,  64 
 
 j      *• 
 
 134 
 
 xliii.  26,  27, 
 
 .   iv. 
 
 447 
 
 2  Sam.  xii.  11,     . 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 321 
 
 Dan. 
 
 ix.  17,  •     . 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 50 
 
 xvi.  11.    . 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 321 
 
 ix.  24—27, 
 
 .  iii. 
 
 11 
 
 1  Kings  xxii.  22,  2 
 
 3,   ii. 
 
 16,  321 
 
 xii.  3, 
 
 (Hi. 
 
 320 
 
 Job  ix.  33,     .     . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 472 
 
 {iv. 
 
 72 
 
 xiv.  4,      .     . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 403 
 
 xii.  13,  .     . 
 
 .   iv. 
 
 38 
 
 xiv.  5,  14,  20, 
 
 ii. 
 
 300 
 
 Hosea  i.  7>      •     • 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 50 
 
 xxviii.  12,  &c 
 
 i. 
 
 27 
 
 vi.  7,    •     • 
 
 ii. 
 
 353 
 
 xxxi.  33, 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 353 
 
 Alicah  v.  2,     .     . 
 
 .    ii. 
 
 104 
 
 Psalm  xxxiii.  6, 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 150 
 
 Haggai  ii.  9,  .     . 
 
 .  iii. 
 
 10 
 
 xxxvii.  37, 
 
 .    iv. 
 
 7 
 
 Zech 
 
 .  i.  12,     .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 489 
 
 xl.  7,  8,    . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 420 
 
 xii.  10,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 102 
 
 xiv.  6,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 50 
 
 Malachi  i.  1 1,     .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 207 
 
 xlix.  12,   . 
 
 ii. 
 
 27C 
 
 iii.  1,     .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 10 
 
508 
 
 INDEX  OF  TEXTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Mai.  iv.  2,  4—6,  Vol.  i. 
 Matth.  ii.  22,         .     iii. 
 
 256 
 115 
 
 John  iii.  13,    Vol. 
 
 105 
 192 
 
 iii.  6,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 154 
 
 iii.  36,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 129 
 
 iii.  16, 
 
 iv. 
 
 155 
 
 iv.  2,  3, 
 
 ii. 
 
 86 
 
 v.  8,       . 
 
 iv. 
 
 65 
 
 iv.  14,       . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 501 
 
 v.  17,  19, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 338 
 
 v.  2,     .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 72 
 
 v.  24,     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 127 
 
 v.  11,  12, 
 
 ii. 
 
 105 
 
 vi.  9—13, 
 
 iv. 
 
 279 
 
 v.  17,  19, 
 
 ii. 
 
 65,  HI 
 
 vi.  14,  15, 
 
 iv. 
 
 293 
 
 v.  21,        . 
 
 ii. 
 
 117 
 
 vi.  23,  . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 473 
 
 v.  22,  23, 
 
 ii. 
 
 121 
 
 xi.  19,  . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 319 
 
 v  28,  29, 
 
 ii. 
 
 116 
 
 xi.  27,   . 
 
 ii. 
 
 108,  129 
 
 v.  36, 
 
 i. 
 
 127 
 
 xii.  32, 
 
 iv. 
 
 33 
 
 vi.  35,  53,  54 
 
 ,     iv. 
 
 192,225 
 
 xiii.  fO,  21 
 
 ,    iii. 
 
 504 
 
 vi.  38,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 137 
 
 xvi.  18,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 320 
 
 viii.  44,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 249 
 
 xvi.  19, 
 xviii.  10, 
 
 iv. 
 ii. 
 
 400 
 241 
 
 viii.  58, 
 
 u 
 
 355 
 88 
 
 xviii.  15,  1 
 
 7,   iv. 
 
 356,  300 
 
 x.  15, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 483 
 
 xviii.  18, 
 
 iv. 
 
 321 
 
 x.  16,        . 
 
 iii. 
 
 138 
 
 xviii.  20,    . 
 
 f   ii. 
 \iv. 
 
 106 
 225 
 
 x.  29, 
 
 xi.  25,       . 
 
 iii. 
 ii. 
 
 496 
 117 
 
 xix.  14, 
 
 iv. 
 
 164 
 
 xiv.  2, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 63 
 
 xix.  16, 
 
 ii. 
 
 138 
 
 xiv.  11,     . 
 
 i. 
 
 127 
 
 xix.  17, 
 
 \  1V- 
 
 392 
 97 
 
 xiv.  16,     . 
 xiv.  28,    . 
 
 iii. 
 ii. 
 
 500 
 136 
 
 xix.  21,      . 
 
 iii. 
 
 441 
 
 xv.  26,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 153 
 
 xx.  28, 
 
 iii. 
 
 115 
 
 xvi.  26,  27, 
 
 iii. 
 
 147 
 
 xxii.  35 — 4 
 
 0,  iv. 
 
 413 
 
 xvii.  3, 
 
 ii. 
 
 135 
 
 xxiv.  3, 
 
 iii. 
 
 212 
 
 xvii.  5, 
 
 ii. 
 
 89,  103 
 
 xxiv.  22, 
 
 iii. 
 
 495 
 
 xvii.  9, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 484 
 
 xxiv.  24, 
 xxv.  31,  32 
 
 iii. 
 ,     ii. 
 
 494 
 117 
 
 xvii.  11,15,2 
 
 0.  iii. 
 
 f  137,  139 
 1  143,  499 
 
 xxv.  32,  33,     iv. 
 
 55 
 
 xvii.  21,  .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 285 
 
 xxv.  34-36,  \ l"' 
 
 '   (    IV. 
 
 363 
 57 
 
 xvii.  24,   .     . 
 xx.  17,      . 
 
 iii. 
 ii. 
 
 142 
 
 109 
 
 xxvi.  20,  26,    iv. 
 
 226 
 
 xx.  19,  26,    . 
 
 iii. 
 
 187 
 
 xxviii.  19,    i  "* 
 
 1       (   IV. 
 
 55,  126 
 305 
 
 xx.  22,     . 
 xx.  23,     .     . 
 
 ii. 
 iii. 
 
 130 
 320 
 
 xxviii.  20,        ii. 
 
 107 
 
 xx.  28,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 95 
 
 Mark  i.  10,        .     .      iv. 
 
 155 
 
 Acts  i.  6,  7,      •     • 
 
 iv. 
 
 276 
 
 xiv.  23,    . 
 
 iv. 
 
 229 
 
 ii.  5,    .     .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 343 
 
 xvi.  19,    . 
 
 iii. 
 
 196 
 
 ii.  27,  31,      . 
 
 iii. 
 
 169 
 
 Luke  i.  1 — 4.    .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 71 
 
 ii.  32,  33,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 456 
 
 i.  35,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 69 
 
 ii.  38,  39,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 163 
 
 xi.  2—4, 
 
 iv. 
 
 279 
 
 ii.  42,        .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 239 
 
 xi.  11,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 292 
 
 ii.  44,  46,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 344 
 
 xviii.  1,    . 
 
 iv. 
 
 266 
 
 iii.  23,       .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 129 
 
 xx.  36,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 229 
 
 iv.  31,  32,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 345 
 
 xxii.  31, 
 
 iii. 
 
 493 
 
 v.  31,  32,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 147 
 
 xxii.  44, 
 
 iii. 
 
 163 
 
 v.  12,  13,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 345 
 
 xxiii.  34, 
 
 iii. 
 
 136 
 
 vi.  1,         .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 346,  377 
 
 xxiii.  43, 
 
 iv. 
 
 27 
 
 vi.  3,         .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 352 
 
 John  i.  1,  2, 
 
 ii. 
 
 87,  103 
 
 vii.  38,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 489 
 
 i.  1,  3,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 92,  112 
 
 vii.  55,      .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 197 
 
 i.  18,  .     .     . 
 i.  29,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 iv. 
 
 129 
 137,  484 
 
 vii.  59,  60, 
 
 J"' 
 
 123 
 
 27 
 
 ii.  23—25,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 108 
 
 viii.  38,  39, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 155 
 
 iii.  5, 
 
 iv. 
 
 175 
 
 ix.  14, 
 
 ii. 
 
 122 
 
 iii.  6, 
 
 ii. 
 
 402 
 
\I)1.\    OF    fEXTS. 
 
 I'UiK 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Ac*  x.  34, 36,  Vol.- 
 
 f   i«. 
 [iii. 
 
 MM 
 
 4  18 
 
 1  Cot  iii.l.'U.'.  Vol.  iv. 
 iii.  21,23,         iii. 
 
 909 
 
 x.  48,    .     . 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 168 
 
 iv.  4, 
 
 iii. 
 
 340 
 
 xv.  1,2,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 3.-.!) 
 
 v.  4,         . 
 
 iv. 
 
 XV.  ltt, 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 165 
 
 v.  6, 
 
 iv. 
 
 ■102 
 
 xix.  ."). 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 150,  107 
 
 v.  7,8,    . 
 
 iv. 
 
 iif;,  ISO 
 
 w.  7, 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 239 
 
 v.  !>. 
 
 i. 
 
 7<; 
 
 xx.  28, 
 
 f  H. 
 (iv. 
 
 132 
 
 32!  > 
 
 vi.  17,    . 
 
 vii.  1—11, 
 
 iii. 
 iii. 
 
 286 
 441 
 
 xxiii.  1, 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 476 
 
 vii.  14,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 li,:, 
 
 Rom.  ii.  13, 
 
 , 
 
 iii. 
 
 319 
 
 x.  31,      . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 4  4."» 
 
 ii.  14,  15, 
 
 (  ii- 
 
 290 
 
 ( 
 
 191,  226, 
 
 (iii. 
 
 219,4'Ii 
 
 x.  16,  17, 
 
 '      iV'J 
 
 227,  233, 
 
 ii.  10,       . 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 7" 
 
 I 
 
 2:;  4 
 
 iii.  23,      . 
 
 \  ii. 
 t  iii- 
 
 461 
 
 125 
 
 xi.  14,     . 
 xi.  17,  20, 
 
 ii. 
 iv. 
 
 396 
 239 
 
 iv.  3, 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 357 
 
 xi.  18,     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 315 
 
 iv.  4,  5,    . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 310 
 
 xi.  23—26, 
 
 iv. 
 
 184 
 
 iv.  11,       . 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 132 
 
 xii.  4—6, 
 
 ii. 
 
 56 
 
 v.  3-5, 
 
 iii. 
 
 432 
 
 xii.  13, 
 
 iii. 
 
 286 
 
 v.  7,  8,     . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 115 
 
 xii.  28, 
 
 iv. 
 
 355,  381 
 
 v.  10,  11, 
 
 iii. 
 
 126 
 
 xiii.  9—12, 
 
 iv. 
 
 66 
 
 v.  12,  14, 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 394 
 
 xiii.  12, 
 
 ii. 
 
 61 
 
 v.  15,  16,  19, 
 
 ii. 
 
 393 
 
 xv.  20,  21, 
 
 iv. 
 
 49 
 
 v.  15—19, 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 421 
 
 xv.  24,  26, 
 
 iii. 
 
 240 
 
 v.  18,       . 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 381 
 
 xv.  29, 
 
 iv. 
 
 179 
 
 v.  19,      . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 326 
 
 xv.36,37,38,53,iv. 
 
 45 
 
 vi.  4, 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 155 
 
 xv.  41,     • 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 73 
 
 vi.  5, 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 179 
 
 xv.  50,  51, 
 
 iv. 
 
 52,53 
 
 vi.  6, 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 421 
 
 2  Cor.  i.  11 
 
 iii. 
 
 480 
 
 vi.  23,     . 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 380 
 
 i.  21,  22,     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 501 
 
 vii.  4, 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 433 
 
 v.  6,  8,   . 
 
 .      iv. 
 
 29 
 
 vii.  7,  8, 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 398 
 
 v.  10,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 117 
 
 vii.  25,     . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 410 
 
 v.  15,       . 
 
 .      iv. 
 
 485 
 
 viii.  1,     . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 378 
 
 v.  19—21, 
 
 iii. 
 
 128 
 
 viii.  13,  . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 503 
 
 vii.   1,      . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 408 
 
 viii.  17,   . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 401 
 
 xii.  9,     . 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 276 
 
 viii.  26,  . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 147 
 
 xiii.  11,  . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 480 
 
 viii.  28,  . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 431 
 
 xiii.  14,  . 
 
 ii. 
 
 56 
 
 viii.  30,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 494 
 
 Gal. 
 
 ii.  £0, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 293 
 
 viii.  33,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 320 
 
 iii.  10, 
 
 iii. 
 
 330 
 
 viii.  35 — 39, 
 
 iii. 
 
 485,  497 
 
 iii.  13,      ,     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 166 
 
 ix.  4,        . 
 
 . 
 
 iii. 
 
 387 
 
 iv.  4,         .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 258 
 
 ix.  5, 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 94 
 
 v.  4,    .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 84 
 
 ix.  15—18 
 
 • 
 
 ii. 
 
 192,317 
 
 v.  17,        . 
 
 ii. 
 
 274 
 
 x.  13—17, 
 
 iv. 
 
 76 
 
 Eph 
 
 i.  10,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 486 
 
 xii.  6—8, 
 
 . 
 
 iv. 
 
 379 
 
 ii.  3,    .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 395 
 
 xiii.  1  —  4, 
 
 5, 
 
 fiii. 
 
 (IV. 
 
 463 
 456 
 
 ii.  5,    .     . 
 ii.  6,        .      . 
 
 iii. 
 iv. 
 
 293 
 49 
 
 xiv.  14,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 468 
 
 iv    11     1 9 
 
 IV.     1  l,     1.,        . 
 
 iv. 
 
 354 
 
 xiv.  23,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 443 
 
 iv.  28,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 468 
 
 1  Cor.  i.  2,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 123 
 
 v.5,    .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 97 
 
 i.  10,  12, 
 
 iv. 
 
 315 
 
 v.  32,       . 
 
 iv. 
 
 113,145 
 
 i.  13—15, 
 
 iv. 
 
 168 
 
 vi.  2,  .     .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 423 
 
 i.  30,      . 
 
 iii. 
 
 348 
 
 vi.  12,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 256 
 
 ii.  8,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 132 
 
 vi.  18,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 266 
 
 ii.  9—11, 
 
 i. 
 
 43 
 
 Col. 
 
 i.  15,  17,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 114,115 
 
 ii.  10,  11, 
 
 16,  i 
 
 149 
 
 ii.  11,  12.       . 
 
 iv. 
 
 139,  162 
 
 ii.  14,     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 68 
 
 ii.12,  .     .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 16ft,  179 
 
510 
 
 INDEX  OF  TEXTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PAOK 
 
 Col.  ii.  17,  .     .   V 
 
 OH.  ii. 
 
 4G4 
 
 Heb.  ix.  16,  17,    Vol.  ii. 
 
 459 
 
 iii.  9,  10, 
 
 ii. 
 
 403 
 
 ix.  35,      .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 42 
 
 iv.  16,        .      . 
 
 i. 
 
 77 
 
 xi.  1,    .     .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 299 
 
 1  Thes.  iv.  3,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 405 
 
 xi.  3,   .     .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 207 
 
 iv.  16,        . 
 
 iii. 
 
 217,  iv.  43 
 
 xi.  4.    .     .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 242 
 
 v.  16,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 487 
 
 xi.  5,         .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 244 
 
 v.  23,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 405,415 
 
 xiii.  8,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 110 
 
 2  Thes.  i.  12,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 96 
 
 xiii.  12,    .      . 
 
 iii. 
 
 404 
 
 ii.  3,  4,     . 
 
 i. 
 
 138 
 
 James  i.  13,      .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 294 
 
 ii.  13,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 182 
 
 ii.  10,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 330 
 
 Phil.  i.  23,       .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 28 
 
 ii.  21,  22,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 367 
 
 ii.  5—11,      . 
 
 iii. 
 
 230 
 
 ii.  25,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 368 
 
 ii.  6,    .     .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 136 
 
 v.  14,     .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 146 
 
 ii.  7,  8,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 155,156 
 
 1  Peter  i.  10,  11,  . 
 
 iii. 
 
 45 
 
 iii.  21,      .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 51 
 
 i.  15,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 408 
 
 1  Tim.  ii.  1,  2,      . 
 
 iv. 
 
 260 
 
 i.  15,  16,  . 
 
 ii. 
 
 20 
 
 ii.  6,      .     . 
 
 fiii. 
 
 116 
 
 ii.  24,    .     . 
 
 iii. 
 
 117,121 
 
 \iv. 
 
 485 
 
 iii.  21,  .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 180 
 
 iii.  16, 
 
 iv. 
 
 113 
 
 2  Peter  i.  1,       .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 97 
 
 iv.  2,    . 
 
 iii. 
 
 475 
 
 i.  10,    .     . 
 
 i  "• 
 
 188 
 
 v.  17,    .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 382 
 
 1  iii. 
 
 313 
 
 v.  21,    . 
 
 ii. 
 
 97 
 
 ii.  4,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 250 
 
 2  Tim.  i.  10,    .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 19 
 
 ii.  20,    . 
 
 iii. 
 
 506 
 
 iii.  16, 
 
 U 
 
 188 
 
 77 
 
 1  John  i.  2,       . 
 
 ii.2,     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 103 
 
 481 
 
 Titus  i.  5—7,  .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 330 
 
 i  iii. 
 
 125 
 
 ii.  13,       . 
 
 ii. 
 
 96 
 
 ii.  18,   . 
 
 1. 
 
 79 
 
 iii.  4,  6,  . 
 
 .      iv. 
 
 175 
 
 iii.  18—21 
 
 ,     iii. 
 
 480 
 
 iii.  5,  6, 
 
 ii. 
 
 403 
 
 iii.  24, 
 
 iii. 
 
 286 
 
 Philemon  18,     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 347 
 
 iv.  10, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 125 
 
 Heb.  i.  1,     .     . 
 
 i. 
 
 206 
 
 iv.  13, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 286 
 
 i.  3,      .     . 
 
 .     ii. 
 
 60,  116 
 
 v.  7,     • 
 
 ii. 
 
 52 
 
 i.  6,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 124 
 
 v.  16,    . 
 
 iv. 
 
 263 
 
 i.7,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 228 
 
 Jude  4,   .     .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 97 
 
 i.  8,      .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 93 
 
 14,  15,      . 
 
 i. 
 
 244 
 
 ii.  2,    .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 237 
 
 19,       .     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 69 
 
 ii.  9,     .     . 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 485 
 
 Rev.  i.  4,  5, 
 
 ii. 
 
 56,  152 
 
 ii.  10,  .     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 79 
 
 i.  5,  6,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 125 
 
 ii.  14—16, 
 
 ii. 
 
 473 
 
 i.  8,  17,  18, 
 
 ii. 
 
 104 
 
 ii.  16, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 23 
 
 i.  20,  .     . 
 
 iv. 
 
 113 
 
 ii.  17,        • 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 125 
 
 ii.  23,  .     . 
 
 ii. 
 
 109 
 
 v.  6,     .     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 83 
 
 v.  6,    .     . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 137 
 
 v.  7,    .    . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 136 
 
 v.  11,  12, 
 
 ii. 
 
 125 
 
 vi.  4,  6,    . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 505 
 
 vii.  10,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 126 
 
 vii.  3, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 83 
 
 xii.  10,      . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 145 
 
 vii.  21,      . 
 
 .      iv. 
 
 208 
 
 xix.  13,    . 
 
 .      iv. 
 
 152 
 
 vii.  22,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 421 
 
 xx.  4,  5,  . 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 52 
 
 vii.  28,      . 
 
 viii.  7, 
 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 
 132 
 413 
 
 xx.  12,      . 
 
 fiii. 
 
 \  IT. 
 
 218,  362 
 56 
 
 ix.  12,      . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 82 
 
 xxi.  19—25, 
 
 iv. 
 
 60 
 
 ix.  13,  14, 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 404 
 
 xxii.  1,  2, 
 
 .     iv. 
 
 60 
 
 ix.  14,      . 
 
 ii. 
 
 148 
 
 xxii.  13,    . 
 
 ii. 
 
 104 
 
 ix.  15, 
 
 ii. 
 
 462 
 
 xxii.  14,    . 
 
 .     iii. 
 
 364 
 
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