N 4: .H^ Henderson, Robert. A series of sermons on practical and familiar SERIES OP . i^^iE®Si OTf Pvaclical Sind Tamilian Subjects IN .TWO VOLUMES, BY THE UEV. ROBERT HENDEUSON, PASTOR OP THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN MURFREESBOROUGH. VOI/UMEIi TRIKTED AT THE KNOXVILLE REGISTER*' OFFICE. BY HEtSKELL AND BROWN. INDEX. SERMON XX. THE CHRISTIAN HOPE. Fags. ^'* That by two immutable things, in which it luas impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us ; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and lohich ent&reth into ,thai loithin the vail ; whither the fore-run- ner is for us entered, even Jesus made a, high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec;'' Heb. vi, 18, 19, 20, 1 SERMON XXL ON THE DEATH OF THE LATE PIOUS AND VAL- UABLE COL. FRANCIS A. RAMSEY, OF KNOX VILLE. >' The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart ; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to eome;^' Isaiah Ivii, 1. 4:1 SERMON XXIL COMFORT FOR THE AFFLICTED AND DISTRESS ED. ^^ O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, IV INDEX. and not comforted, hdiold, I zc'dl laij thy stones loith fair colours, and laij thy foimdatiomvith saj)2^hires;^' Isaiah lIv/11. 67 SERMON XXIII. THE DOCTRI^sE OF THE ATONEMENTj ITS MA- TURE, NECESSITY A]ND EXTENT, STATED ^ND ILLUSTRATED. '•* And he is the propitkition for our sins, and not for ours only, hut also for the sins of the mliolc loorld;'' 1 John, ii/2. 83 SERMON XXIV. RATIONAL 3I0TIA^ES ADDRESSED TO ALL, TO IN DUCE THEM TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. ^'My son, for get not my laio ;hut let thine heart keep my commandments ; for length of days, ajid long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee;^ bind them about thy neck ; icrite them upon the table of thine heart ; so shall thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of Godandman;^^ Proverbs iii, 1 — 4. 101 SERMON XXV. THE ANXIOUS sinner's EA^INEST ENaUIRY FQR SALVATION. •• Xoio lohen they heard this, they iccre pierced in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles. INDEX V }ne)i and hrttliren, ivhat sl\all we do ? Then Peter said unto them^ repent and he baptised every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christy for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the giftQf the Holy Gho^t ;'' Acts ii, 37, 38. 119 SERMON XXVI. AN EXPOSTULATION WITH THE HAUGHTY RE- JECTORS OF god's COUNSELS. '' But the pharisecs and laioyers, rejected the counsel of God against themselves^ not being baptised of him ;^^ L ^5 ; " But hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for.'' Hope is a compound passion and may be analyzed into expectation and desire. Its object must always be some future good. It must be future, "For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for." It must be a good and desirable thing, otherwise it might be an object of terror or detestation, according as it might be ch'cumstanccd ; but could not be an object of hope. We must likewise conceive it to be attainable, otherwise we will not hope for it. The christian hope in particular, is the chris- tian's waiting with patience and earnestly looking for the accomplishment of all God's gracious promises ; particularly that of eternal life in Heaven ; that is, that God will take care of him in this world, and cause all things to work for his good, and in the end bring him to the possession of heaven and eternal happiness. This is truly the christian hope ; see Titus j^ i, 2. Then the object of the christian hope which we describe, is the promises of a good and faithful God, or per- haps more correctly speaking, it is the blessings contained in these promises, the cliief and most comprehensive of which is, God himself who speaks them; Psalm, Ixxviii, 7; also. Psalm, cxlvi, 5; Jeremiah, xiv, 8. The apostle Paul expressly calls Jesus Christ our hope ; I. Tim. i, 1 ; I, Pet. i, 21. Then in strictness and propriety of speech, God himself speaking the promises is the greai objr'ct of the christian hope, as he is the sub- stiince of all those good things contained in the promises. The christian hope is founded upon, A2 and preceded by faith agreeably to I. Pet. i/, 21 ; " Who by him do believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God." Here, then, we see the apostle represents the christian as believing in God, before he hopes in him, and faith as pre- ceding hope ; and thus it must be, for how can a man hope for a good, which he does not believe jie shall ever receive ? see also^ I. Peter, iii, 15 ; *^ And be ready always to give an answer to eve- ry man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." This reason is our christian experience, or, in other words, our faith in Jesus Christ. We are also to speak a little of the properties of this hope. 1. It is of a purifying nature. " And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure ;" I. John, iii, 3. And herein is it distinguished from the false hope and delusive ex- pectations of the hypocrite, which shall perish ; Job, viii, 13, 14 If our hope in God, our ear- nest expectation of, and waiting for, future blessed- ness, makes us more cautious and circumspect that we may not offend God ; more humble and meek; more gentle and unassuming toward our fellow men ; more prayerful and anxious to obtain the ilivinc blessing, and daily communion with God; then I think we may conclude we have the hope of the true christian. But if our hope leaves us incautious about often ding God, light and trifling in our behaviour, and pufts us up with a high conceit of ourselves, and a showy .disposition in religious attainments, and leads us to despise others; then I presume there is strong reason to suspect, that ours is the hope of the hypocrite \^^}Tch shall perish. 2. Another property of this hope is that it great- ly gladdens and rejoices those who are the subjects of It ; Prov. X, 28 ; " The hope of the righteous shall be gladness ;" Rom. v, 2 ; " And rejoice in hope of the glory of God ;" Rom. xii, 12; ^'Re- joicing in hope ;" And well, my dear friends, may we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. What so well calculated to excite the most divine joy and satisfaction, as the lively hope of that most blessed world, where sorrow will never come, neither the water-spouts of God pass over us any more ; "If in this world only," says an apostle, " We have hope we are of all men most miserable ;" I. Cor. xv; 19. But blessed be God this is not the case. Our hope casts anchor within the vail; and though we will be humbly -thankful for every drop of «omfort which a gracious God bestows upon us here; yet it is to the blessed world to come, that our sublimest expectations are raised ; and this exalted hope rejoices our hearts even amidst the wintry gloom of affliction. 3. This christian hope is of a very growing Mature, and much encreased by experience. Rom. V, 4; "Experience hope," that is, the more the christian experiences of God's goodness, faithful- ness and fulfilment of the divine promises, the more confidently will he hope in him; and thus his hope increases^ II. I am to shew what it is in the language of my text "to fly for refuge, to lay hold on this hope." When the apostle speaks of flying for refuge, to lay hold on this hope, we are to understand by hope, in this connection, the great object of the christian hope, Jesus Christ himself, and not strictly speaking, hope, as it is a grace of God's spirit and an exercise of the human mind ; and I presume we are justified in this observation by a comparison of some other passages. See Joel iii, 16 ; "But the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." See also, 1 Tim. i, 1 ; "And the Lord Jesus Christ who is our hope." Then to fly for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us, is just to lay hold of Jesus Christ by faith, as he is offered in the gospel. Or if we understand hope as most strictly defined, the exercise of the christian mind, looking for and expecting future and eternal hap- piness, still the flying for refuge to lay hold upon this hope, must imply a receiving Jesus Clirist by faith; for the christian hope always supposes sav- ing faith; and without it there is no such thing as christian hope. For a man cannot have a well founded hope of heaven and eternal happiness, without faith in Christ, seeing it is through Christ alone we must obtain salvation, as the sacred writings every where assure us. Without faith in Christ we may have presumption and false con- jidence, but no true hope. Flying for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before xxs, implies danger which is likely to •vcrtake us if we fly not. When a man takes refuge in some strong hold or place of retreat, it is gene- rally from some threatening danger. Those who fly for refuge to this hope see themselves, through ^e medmm of God's word, pursued by the sword ©f justice, and feel that they deserve it for violat- ing the divine law. They see and feel that they are justly exposed to eternal misery, and undone forever without Jesus Christ. Rom. vii, 9 ; "When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Gal. iii, 24 ; "Wherefore the law was our school- master to bring us to Christ." Then, in a word, t® see and feel that we are sinners, that we huve in- curred the penalty of the divine law, and God*6 righteous displeasure ; to see the fulness and plen- teous redemption that is in the blessed Saviour^ and to rest on him for the pardon of sin, is to fly for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. For whenever we have received Chjist by faith^ we have a rational and scriptural foundation for the christian hope, and not till then. III. I am to speak something of the storms, billow-, ancf tempests, which beset the christian as he sails thro' the sea of tliis life, to the port of eter- nal rest, and which render the anchor of hope S9 necessary. . ^ Those billows, storms and tempests, are mani- fold, and sometimes very furious; insomuch that the christian would soon foui^der on the rocks of desjjair, were it not for the anchor of hope. " Man is horn unto trouble as the sparks fly upwards ;^ 3foo. v, 7 ; and of this troubl-, ch'i^tians havr dy^ir fsU share as wjgII as other men, while they are ii this world. It appears to be a part of the divine plan, that all shall taste the bitterness of sin, and christians themselves as well as the rest. \Vhen a man believes in Jesus Christ, he has the promise of eternal life from a God that cannot lie, and this is the christian hope as suggested above ; but he had no promise that he shall not meet with the waves and billows of distress, on the troubled ocean of life, as well as others. And oftentimes the christian makes the plaintive language of the Psalmist his own ; " Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts ; all thj waves and thy billows are gone over me ;" Psalm, xlii, 7. And in this situation, were it not for the anchor of hope, these waves and billows would certainly overwhelm him. These troubles are various. Sometimes the christian is afflicted in his own person, with severe bodily pain. Day after day, night after night, yea, and often month after month, the cliild of God is confined to the cham- ber of sickness and distress ; till he is made to cry out with the illustrious sufferer of old ; *' So am I made to possess months of vanity, and'wearisome nights are appointed to me ;" Job, vii, 3. O sirs! how necessary is the anchor of hope in such an extreme case as this ? Sometimes he suffers by proxy, when a dear wife, or son, or daughter, lies under long protracted pain. Ah sirs ! this is a woiid of SLiffering, in which we are ; and natur- al, in consequence of moral, evil, has found ten thousand avenues to guilty man. Sometimes the christian is ^ ereaved,and his choicest comfort torn from him by the relentless hand of death, " That 11 canker worm of human joy.'^ A darling wife, a beloved son, or an only daughter, is summoned to eternity, and he is left to bemoan his bereaved conilition and wet his couch with tears. Oh! how necessary is the christian hope now to raise and cheer his drooping heart, and to operate as an antidote against gloom and despair? Some- times the believer suffers more intensely still, Ihrough the medium of others. His children are not taken from him ; they live ; but live not to administer comfort to a fond parent, by walking in the paths of wisdom and virtue ; but to harrow his heart with the most pungent distress, by a vi- cious and disgraceful conduct ; which to the feeling and affectionate parent is infinitely worse than death. These, and an hundred other waves and billows, trouble the christian's bark, in common with others, as he sails through the sea of this w orld, and renders the anchor of hope indispen- sibly necessary. But the christian is liable to many other storms . which are peculiar to him as a believer; that is, spir- itual distresses, with which the man of the world hath no acquaintance. Often his sins beset him in some unguarded hour ; and he does the things which he highly disapproves of, in his more re- flecting and collected moments ; and in this sense it is, " That the good which he would, he does not, and the evil which he would not, that he does;" Rom. vii, 19. And these things fill him with sore distress, which is one of the waves that trouble his sea, and render necessary that anchor of hope, which is sure and stedfast, and enters into it that within the vail, where those backslidings aiid departures from God will trouble his soul no more. Sometimes the believer has a serene sky, and enjoys light and love, he draws nigh to God ia prayer, and with freedom tells him all his heart. These are his gladsome days, in which his soul exults in the Lord, and which he would wish to last coeval with his existence below. But this is not his favorite lot ; he often loses these bright and pleasing prospects, and his sky is overcast with gloomy clouds. The light of the divine eountenance is suspended, and he bewails his dreadful darkness. Now he is ready to cry out with pious Job of old, " Oh that I were as ia. months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness f^ Job, xxix, 2, 3. And again, " Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat, I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments ;" Job, xxiii, 3, 4. This withdraw ment of the divine presence, this dark and gloomy frame of mind, is one of those spiritual billows, which often fearfully rolls over the believer, and fills him with sore dismay, and would utterly overwhelm him, were it not for the anchor of hope, which enters into that within the vail, and preserves him firm and sted- fast amidst those low ering skies. In these gloomy houi s, the great adversary of God and man, that Twitter enemy of the christian hope, is exceeding busy w ith the poor beclouded believer, endeavor- . ing with all bis black ingenuity, to destroy his liopc and confidence. How often does he now suggest to the distressed and bewildered christian;, that he has no religion, that all he ever thought lie had, was mere fancy and delusion, for if he was a true believer God would never leave hiiii thus. And sometimes he is dreadfully successful^ in bewildering the poor christian more and morcj and brings him for a time almost to the borders of despair. Oh what a dark and gloomy situation is this, and how dread fuliy do the billows of dis- tress now roll ! The poor and almost desponding teeliever, hears the thunders of Mount Ebal roar, and in his own apprehension,almost feels the tern pest of divine indignation beat upon his defence less soul, threatening his little bark with an entire overthrow. How necessary now the anchor of bope. And blessed be God that grace, which ne- ver fails those who trust the Lord, is sufficient for the drooping christian, and enables him to make his escape from this unpromising and almost hope- less situation. It enables him to raise an eye of faith to the divine promises, and cast himself on the blessed Jesus ; and when he is enabled to do this, then he throws out the anchor of hope which enters into that within the vail, and renders his vessel firm and stable amidst all the drivings of these dreadful storms. Sometimes this malignant enemy attempts to destroy the christian's hope at once, and involve lum in oceans of distress by what St. Paul calls the "fiery darts of the devil ;" Ephes. vi, 16. By these I understand vile blasphemous thoughts- of God, his governmentand ways, and unbelievin4»i Vol IL B. u iJespairing thoughts of Jesus Christ, and Ms gracious tokens of redeeming lost sinners. These things, and such as these, are sometimes darted in- to the mind of a behever as quick as lightning, and appear as unavoidable as death, and almost as dread -- ful too ; and oftentimes the more the pious mind strives against them, the more are they borne up- on it. I believe the adversary of souls has some- times so perplexed christians with these things, as to render them extremely miserable, and more especially in the earlier years of their piety. Oh I sirs, when believers are tossed on such billows as these, how much do they need the sure and sted- fast anchor of hope ? Perhaps many pious minds have been unduly distressed, on account of these things. If ten thousand of the vilest thoughts of which Belzebub himself is capable, be injected into the mind of a believer, if he is conscious he cordially hates them, and anxiously prays for de- liverance from them ; that instead of taking any satisfaction or delight in them, he feels them as the punishment of his soul ; and to be delivered from which he would give the world were it at his disposal ; then I think they are not his sins at all., but the sins of the devil, with whom they origin- ate ; and for them he is accountable, and not the poor distressed believer, who feels and hates them. IV. I am to show that the christian hope is the most sure and stedfast anchor of the soul, amidst those threatening storms and tempests. When mankind are sorely afflicted in any way^ they wish for some support and consolation, and greatly need it tco^ to buoy.up their fainting spirits 15 that they may not be entirely overwhelmed by their distress ; and what else is equal to the christian hope, the high expectxition of eternal rest, for this invaluable purpose ? Is there any thing else so well calculated to cheer the suffering mind, and prompt it to endure all the will of God with patience and resignation ? This hope it was which so excellently supported that amiable friend, whose'death gave occasion to our present meeting^ during the tediousness of eighteen months painful confinement, and not only prevented her from all jnurmui-mg and repining at the allotments of hea- ven, during so long an illness, but enabled her to meet the last enemy death, with the most perfect dignity and composure. And vvell might the chris- tian hope thus support her in the trying hour of dissolution, who had lived on it when blessed with health and comfort, and walked so correctly in the paths of virtue and piety, and maintained so inti- mate an intercourse with her God and Saviour. Let others imitate the bright example, and walk with God as she did, and no doubt they w ill find an equal support, from the same precious hope, whenever such support is necessary. Is the chris- tian confined to a bed of languishment and suffer ing? Will not the christian hope best support him, while he reflects that all these sufferings are laid upon him by a God who loves him, and has given Christ to die for him ; that they will all work together for his good, and be sanctified to hh growth in grace, if he is raised again; and if he is not, they will, by dissolving his cla;^^ tabernacle, put him in possession of eternal joys ? Certainly these are considerations better calculated to recon- cile the suitcrer to liis disU'css than any thing which the world can either give or take away. And does it not appear from matter of fact, that the christian hope is the most sure and stedfast an- chor of the soul, under those billow^s of distress, of which we now speak ? Who suffers with the greatest resignation? Who parts with the world, with friends and families, with the greatest cheer- fulness and dignity ? Is any body who frequents the chambers of the sick and the dying, at a loss to answer these questions ? Does not the man of the world, toss like the wild bull in the net, under affliction, and mosi; reluctantly part with his friends and possessions when called to go? On the other hand, with what calmness and submis- sion, do we often see the humble christian suffer all the will of his heavenly father, saying, "it is the Lord let him do as scemeth him good }'' With what dignity and resolution does he part with the world, with his family and friends, while a lively joy is depicted on his countenance, and lie is lovely and cheerful even in death? How are we to ac- count for so striking a contrast? I presume, sirs. it is to be resolved into the christian hope. Ask the humble christian who suffers all the will of his jieavenly father with the utmost magnanimity^ w^hat it is which supports him? And he will teU. you, it is the sweet christian hope ; the blessed expectation of being forever with tlie Lord. With respect to the poor worldling, we know bufctoo well what is the matter with him, that he is so much i^U-M of death : And, sir^;, it i« tlje want of the w christian hope. He has taken the world for Ms all, and is now called to part with it, and has no other God. Deplorable condition ! A poor sullen soul, forced reluctantly into eternity ! Into an aw- ful eternity! Without a God or any well founded hope of future happiness ! Let no impudent opposer tell one, that these arc no realities ; that the triumphant death of christians spoken of, is only imaginary, or at the best, exag- gerated to serve a purpose : I know as well what- I see and hear, as the boldest infidel or scoffer a- mongst them. I have attended a number of dying people, and those of very different charac- ters too, and have seen some of them joyful and triumphant in the hour of dissolution, and leaving the world, and bidding their families farewell, with as much calmness and composure, as if they were leaving them only for a day or an hour ; and Hiany *>f th'^s^ofthe softer sex. Ah! ye unbe- lieving and dissolute sons of riot, if ye saw an emaciated woman, constitutionally timid in the ex- treme ; an affectionate v\t:fe, a tender and feeling mother, bidding a beloved husband farewell ! an everlasting farewell ! Takitig leave of her young and unraised children, and among the rest, the suckling on her bosom, without the least perturba- tion, nay, with triumphant 'complacency ; her countenance suffused with the most engaging smiles, while, with the language of the holy scrip- tures, and good sense on her tongue, she comforts those who are weeping round her, without shed- ding a tear herself! Telling 3^ou with her expiring breath, and on the veracity of a dving woman, 1^ ititit the reason of all this, was the chrislian hope*, that isj the full and unshaken expectation of being' forever with the Lord ; what would you say to it ? Would you, dare y6u say, the woman is in a high raised delirium, and this accounts for all ? If this be a delirium, heaven grant me a delirium while I breathe. But give me leave, sirs, to tell you all with plainness, it is a delirium which I very much fear you will not manifest in that trying hour, un less you experience a change of heart. Is the christian bereaved? Are his dearest en- joyments taken from him ? And do the billow s of parting distress pass over his soul ? What can so well console his troubled mind as the christian hope? If his wife,hisson, or his daughter, died Jioptfully in Jesus, may he not assuage his bleeding sorrows with such pleasing, such ration- al and scriptural reflections as these ? I am call- ed, it is true, to part with my dcaV catfiJt^' liorj, but blessed be God it is not forever, it is not an eter-' iial separation ; we part, but part to meet again in that bright world, where parting of friends shall be no more ; where we shall be forever together, to enjoy each other, and each to enjoy his blessed God, through an eternal day. Let these divine considerations reconcile me to my present lot, while I bless the Lord for the animating hope of a glorious resurrection. Well may the surviving christian, in such a case, join in the sweet song of •the poet : "Farewell bright sdul, a short farewell, Till wc shall meet again above ; In the sweet groves where pleasures dwelt, And trees of life bear fruits of Jove.'* 19 Now, sir, do you think there is any thing else cas; .'iminister so fliviiic a tonsolutioii to tiie be- liever, as the christian hope, when these billows of distress break in upon him? The consideration of any part they may have sustained in life, or any thing they may have left behind th^^m, dwindles in- to a mere nothing, compared with so divine a con- solation as that of w hich we speak. Or even sup- pose the very w orst of the case, that when the christian loses a fi-iend, that friend did not leave satisfactory evidence of true religion ; yet the christian hope is still, for obvious reasons, the best anchor of the soul. The christian knows his de- parted friend is where the best and holiest being in the universe, allows him to be, and that tliis is perfectly right ; and still he hath the sacred hope, that he himself will shortly be where he never can be stript of his enjoyments again, and w^here the billows of distress will neve r beat upon hrs peace ful bosom. Thus, then, the christian hope is the best anchor of the soul still. Do the billows of distress break in upon the christian from the irregularities and vices of his family ? These certainly are great troubles, but the anchor of the soul still is, the christian hope. The true believer enjoying this hope, knows from his ow^n experience, that the grace and power of Gad, can as easily reform these unruly members of his family who give him so much uneasiness, as they once did himself, and therefore he hopes in the Lord, that his grace vvillyet convert them^ and 2D bring them to be heirs of glory together with him. self; and this hope preserves him from sinking so much under his distress^ as he would otherwise do. But at all events he knows, if he himself is a christian, it will be but a very little while, that these sorrows will trouble him, and the hope of be- ing shortly placed beyond the reach of these and all other troubles, the better supports him now ; and what other consideration could do it so well } When the christian has backslidden from his God., and is convinced of the guilt and folly of his con- duct, insomuch that he is dreadfully tossed on the billows of distress, what will best support him, and preserve him from being swallowed up by the waves of despair? Is it not the anchor of hope ? I think this is what supported the Psalmist's soul when "deep called unto deep at the noise of God's water-spouts, and all the waves and billows of the Lord went over him ;" Psalm xlii, 6, 11. And certainly it is the hope of pardon and forgive- ness, which preserves the soul of every christian from despair, in a similar situation. What else could support him ? Did he not hope for forgiveness, he would be utterly miserable ; for he knows he has offended God and deserves his eternal dis- pleasure. Precious as faith is which lays hold of the promise, and instrumentally obtains the par- don ; yet it is the hope of forgiveness and eternal life, which consoles the believer. When the christian is under the hidings of God's face, and does not enjoy that sw^eet access to God, which he once enjoyed, nor that sacred satisfaction in religion which he has often felt, his soul is cast 21- down and he feels great discouragements ; and probably he would ncvev rise again to satisfaction und comfort in this world, were it not for the chris- tian hope. B*ut when he recollects what the Lord has done for him in time past, and his divine and gracious promises, his hope casts anchor withiu the vail, and thro' divine grace, his comforts are restored ; so that the billows of distress do not overwhelm him. And when doubts are suggest- ed by the wicked one ; and his most fiery darts shot at the believer, so that his soul is exceedingly distressed, his hope still bears him through, and he is- brought off more than a conqueror. V-. I am to take a little notice of the end of this hope, and thehappy condition which succeeds to it^ when the saints are brought where Jesus is, who Jftas for them entered within the vail. Hope is extremely proper and beneficial too, t® the christian while he is in this world, beriause he is not yet in possessionof the promised inheritance : but when he gets home to heaven, where Chrisv has entered within the vad, his hope will of course terminate : what was once the promised good, will then be in possession, and his little bark will be safe in port, where storms and tempests will ne- ver drive, where billows of distress will never roll, and where he will not need to cast anchor any more; "For hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for ?" Rom. viii^. 24. In that blessed world faith shall be swallow- ed' up in vision, and hope in fruition. There sor- row shall never come, nor pain and anxiety exist Rev. xxi, 4 ; "Nor sliallthe favorcfl itrhabitants of that blessed country any more say, I | am sick ;" Isaiah xxxiii^ 24. Oh sirs, what a change hath taken place in the condition of those who have died m Christ ; "Yea,saith the spirit, thatjthey may rest from their labors, and their works do : follow them ;" Rev. xiv, 13. Lately some of them j were sickening, groaning, dying ; but are now J raised superior to all suffering, and basking in the : beams of eternal blessedness; and flourishing in | immortal strength and vigor, before the throne of ^ God and the lamb. Now they shine in the courts j of eterual glory ; "clothed in white robes and ^ palms in their hands ^" Rev. vii, 9. Then they defile themselves no more with sin, nor shall they « ever feel one painful sensation to all eternity. ' There we doubt not is that amiable and highly va- , lued friend, whose death we now commemorat^^^ i in some honoured seat near her Saviour's side, en- J joying at this moment, the plenitude of blessedness, '' under tlie smiles of him, who hath pardoned her \ iniquities, pitied her infirmities, and said to her., ' "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou j into the joy of thy Lord.'* ^ The saints now in heaven, while they were ia this world, often complained of sore temptation ; ^ but no such things ever obtain in that blessed world ' of rest, where they now enjoy their Lord. While 1 in tiiis world they had many sore conflicts with ^ the powers of darkness, and sometimes it appear- j ed dou!)tful even to themselves, how the contest t was to terminate ; but now it is entirely ended and J they bear the palm of victory forever. In that ] j^lessed place, where the saints who died in JcsuF' are, the din of arms is never heard, and the Btari- al trumpet sounds no more ; nor is the child of ^race ever called, as heretofore, to contend with ^^principalities, and powers, and spiritual wicked- ness in high places. There peace forever spreads her brightest banners, and all the blood -bought miUions, in that land of rest, enjoy her choicest blessings. There the saints behold forever, the face of that God whom they most ardently love, and who brought them safely through all the storms and tempests of this world, to the fair ha- ven of eternal rest ; "and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them ;'' Rev. vii, 15. Oh friends ! what extatic delight and rapture must they feel^ who are thus incessantly before the throne of God ? "And see him face to face, without a cloud be- tween ;" They feel no want, they know no anxiety; ^^They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light upon them, nor any heat ;'' Rev. vii, 16. Those calls of nature which they felt here shall trouble them no more ; for through the goodness of God, they are now superior to them all, as the angels are in heaven. While the saints, now in glory, were here be- low, they received but little honor from men, nay, they were probably despised by the wicked and ungodly ; many of them moved in an obscure sphere, little heard of, and little known beyond the narrow limits of their own neighborhood ; but oh how great the contrast now ! What honors, what signal honors, are conferred upon them, while "the iamb in the mindst of the throne, feeds them aiKl 2;4 leads them to fountains of living waters, and feod wipes away all tears from their eyes ;" Rev. vii, 17. "Now they are all made kings and priests imto their God ;" Rev. i, 6; "And shall reign with him forever;" Rev. xxii, 5. When we have paid the last obsequies to the dy- ing saints, and attended their remains to.the silent house appointed for all living ; when we have looked upon the narrow tomb, and heard the ilids rumble so dolefully upon the coffin lid, a sole«inf andineftable kind of gloom possessed our minds, and we almost felt compassion for the apparently solitary situation of our dear departed friends ; ^nd indeed, were.it not for the sublime doctrines of Christianity, for aught that all the world could tell Us, we might contemplate the grave as their last dwelling, and the loathsome worms as their final companions: but glory to God, the gospel, the sweet gospel of Jesus, tells us better things, and through the telescope of faith, we see them seated at the right hand of God ; and thither, in the due season, their bodies shall be brought, and the grave shall lose its boasted prey. Then christi- ans, with respect to our departed friends who have died in Christ, let us not view their situation, for a single moment, as a solitary one. No, blessed be God, their immortal souls, their only conscious part, enjoy at this moment, the most exalted sweets of society, while we are wetting their ash- es \vith our tears. Yes, sirs, they make a part of that refined and numerous assembly which no man can number. Through the grace of God, and the Hieans of those angelic guides, who escorted thorn 25 through the valley of the shadow of death^ am? arrested the waves of Jordan till those favored servants of the Lord had passed over ; they have made a large acquaintance at the court of glory. There they have met with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets ; with Peter, Paul^ James and John, and all the apostles; with Pp- lycarp, and llodgers, and all the martyrs ; there they have found all their godly friends who have gone before them, and over whom they wept as we do over them ; there the tender mother has fondly ranged the field's of bliss, and found her in- fant son, and given him an eternal clasp to her now happy bosom ; there the dutiful son has met his honored father, and received a cordial wel- come to those bright abodes of joy ; there the soli- tary and weeping widow has found her beloved husband with whom she spent so many happy hours here on earthy and who was the first among those favored spirits to hail her arrival to the man- .^ions of rest. Ah, sirs, and what is infinitely more, there the saints have met their Jesus, that glorious Saviour who died on Calvary for their redemption, and shall be forever in his society and go no more out. I hope, sirs, these things are not the mere flights of an unbridled imagination, unsupported by the wordof God ; Heb.xii, 22 — 24 ; "But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumera- ble company of angels, to the general assembly, and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the Vol. II. 0. i^pirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus iht mediator of the new covenant." This certainly goes to justify all that we have said of the heaven- ly state. Then, sirs, we see that the saints in heaven, and our departed christian friends amongst the rest, enjoy the most delightful society ; and a pleasing thought it is. We are social creatures, and our happiness very much consists in the sweets of social enjoyment. Yea, sirs, so much is this the case, that I believe there are very few of our spe- cies to whom life itself would l)e desirable, if de- prived of associating with their fellow men. While saints are in this world, they enjoy something of the benefits and pleasures of social converse ; but tliis, like every other enjoyment we possess here^ is extremely mixed. Sometimes we enjoy the company of the wise, the benevolent and good ; and then how pleasantly our moments pass away. Old time appears to fly with swifter wings, and the sun himself on a fleeter steed, posts faster to ]iis goal. But these, for the most part, are short lived enjoyments while we are in the present state. Anon our duty calls us somewhere else, and to aningle with other company, and of quite a diiier- entcast. Perhaps when we enter the next street or the next room, our ears are stunned with oaths and imprecations, as our eyes are shocked ^ith sights of blood and murder. Such is the mixed state in which we are ; well. Ictus make the best of it and live for heaven. There, blessed be God, these interruptions never are ; there the ears of the blessed are never saluted with blasphemy and ira- precations ; there, there are none impious and prt> at fanCy but all are wise, and virtuous, and good. 6uch, O! christians,, is the place to which yovi go, such is the place, the favored place, invvhich your christian friends who have departed alreatly are ; and be ye ready whenever God may cuil you to join their blessed society. I come now to draw a few inferences and con elude. 1. Learn from the subject we have contem- plated, that if any make pretences to the christian hope, while they are living in subjection to sin and lust, they are only deceiving their own souls and being deceived. The hope of such, however high it may appear to run, is not well founded; it is but Mie hope of the hypocrite, which shall perish. We, arc informed that he who hath this hope "puritieth himself, even as he is pure ;" I John iii, 3. Con- sequently then, he who doth not purify himself, cannot have a well founded hope. His hope is but presumption, which w^ill fail him in the end. Let us then, dear brethren, examine ourselves careful- ly in the light of God's word ; and if we indulge the christian hope, let us see that it be on a good and sulticient foundation, that we are born of God, progressing in the divine life, and purifying our selves, even as he is pure. 2, Learn the indispensible necessity of the chris- tian hope, in order to any high degree of comfort and happiness in the present state. This world is a world of trouble, as we have heard ; many are the billows of trouble and distress, vi^hicli roll high on the ocean of life and all men are lia- ble to', them. Trouble and sorrow, pain and 2S bereavements, are not peculiar to the people of God; of these things, sinners as well as christians, have their full share. "Man/' as we have heard, ^'is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward. ^-^ And oh ! how necessary is some sovereign anti dote against despair; something which will heeci. the spirits up in the gloomy hour of distress. This, the christian hope, as our subject informs us, is quite capable of doing. It administers ineffable comfort and solace, when every other considera- tion must fail, while we remember that '^our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for u$ a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glo- ry ;'^ II Cor. iv, 17. But oh, the wretched state of the ungodly sinner ; "When deep calleth unto deep at the noise of God's water-spouts, and all the waves and billows of the Lord pass over him ;" what shall he do ? What shall comfort him and be his hope ? He has no dear covenanted God, to whom he may apply for solace ; no sweet saviour to sup- port him by the aids of his grace ; "No christian hope, which looks to that within the vail, where Jesus the forerunner hath entered ;" where every sorrow shall be at an end; and pain and trouble roll their floods no more. Despair and raven winged melancholy seize his vvretched heart and make it their gloomy prey ; or if he flatters himself that after this hfe there is none other, and that he shall lie down at the end of his present troubles, and take an eternal sleep with French atheists and philosophers, it is but a poor contemptible hope at the best. If ar.nihilation be a refnge to a soul in distress, it is certainly only such a one as ari 29 awful precipice woiild be to a criminal pursued by tliK officers of justice, falling from which, he would be at once dashed to pieces, and thus escape the ven- geance of the law. Oh lamentable case! that rea- sonable creatures, capable of so much better things, should have no better prospects than these ; creatures who have the christian hope in their of- fer, which would best support them now^,and not disappoint them in the end. 3. Learn that the part which they act, wIk) fly for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them3 is as wise as it is dutiful and obedient. The glory in this case is God's, as it ought to be ; but the be- nefit is the believers. God has so connected the duty and interest of moral agents, that the latter always succeeds to the discharge of the former ; and mankind never perform their duty faithfully, but what they promote their interest. The psal mist saj^s w hen speaking of the commandments of the Lord, "in keeping of them there is great re^ ward/' Psalm xix, 11. And again he saith, "vc rily there is a reward for the righteous ;" Psalm Iviii, 11. The wisdom of those who fly for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them^ appears in this, that thereby they obtain to themselves the ve- ry best support under all the troubles of life which can possibly be obtained ; one w hicli will best serve to keep up their spirits and^dminister solace to their minds, under pressures and sorrows of eve- ry kind. For whether they suffer in their own persons, or through the affliction and distress of others, still the christian hope, as we have heard, h their )hoiit support; because it looks to that 02.. ^ 30 within the vail, and brijags that world to view.; v/here sufferings and sorrows will be known no more. Certainly, then, it must be the part of wis- dam to lay hold on such a hope as this, one which brings with it so many advantages. Let none say we must not have respect to these advantages, be- cause then the service is not sufficiently disinter- ested. I presume it is about as disinterested as that of Moses was, of which St. Paul speaks with such decided approbation, declaring that "he had respect to the recompence of reward ;" Heb. xf, i^. And Jesus Christ tells his disciples "not to rejoice because the spirits were subject to them,, but rather because their names were written in Heaven ;" Luke x, 20. I am as far as any man from teaching that the benefits which God confers on believers, are the only reason why they ought to love and serve him ; or that they are the leading motive with any true christian. I firmly believe we ought to love God supremely for his own glory, for what he is, and I have no doubt but this is the primary mo- tive with every true christian ; but I am for from setting aside a suitable regard to the rewards of virtue, and the punishments of vice, in this sacred business, seeing the inspired penmen, and Jesus Christ himself, have not done so ; says the Psalm- st, " I love the- Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication;" Psalm cxvi, 1. 4. Let christians learn from this subject, that they are not to expect a perfect calm, till they ar- live at the port of eternal rest. Storms and tern- pests, waves and billows of gn^ kind or another 31 will betide them while on their passage. The sub- ject has informed us, that this is a world of sor row, and that christians themselves must have their share of it while here below ; so true is it that "through much tribulation, we must enter in- to the kingdom of God ;'^ Acts xiv^ 2. Then be- lievers, do not flatter yourselves that you shall enjoy a continual calm while you are out on the troubled ocean of life. You know it is when the mariner is in port^ that he enjoys freedom from waves and tempests, and not while he is out on the high seas. There he may have a serene sk}^, and a quiet placid sea for a time ; but he can hardly flatter himself, that this shall still be the case ; he knows the waves and billows will rise and roll again, with the next storm that blows. The seaman's busi- ness is rather to know how to manage the vessel skilfully in the storm, than to sit idly wishing the surges may never rise. So, oh christian ! let it be your business to manage your spiritual vessel skil- fully, that you may not suffer wreck from the dreadful tempests which trouble your sea. En- deavour always to have the blessed Jesus with you, and then, in the language of the poet, "you may smile at the storm.'' But be assured, with- out this blessed saviour by your side, when the tempests beset you, you will drive before them like a mere wreck on the water. It is not a mat- ter of half so much account to you, believers, ne» ver to have your sea troubled and to meet with no storms, as to conduct with fortitude and proprie- ty, while they spend their fury upon you, 32 5. From this subject, learn the divine excei'^ lence Jjnd glory of the christian religion. The re- ligion of the blessed Jesus not only commands the most holy duties and teaches mankind to love one another in a degree far superior to what was ever done before, but likewise sets before the chris- tian the most sublime and exalted hope to stimu- late him to the discharge of his duty and to sup- port him under all the trials and calamities to which he is liable as he passes through the present world ; even the hope of eternal glory and rest at last, where he shall w eep and sorrow no more, but enjoy the most divine delight forever. What religion can be compared in point of excellence and utility, w ith that of Jesus Christ ? The hea- then sages, it is true, taught mankind some virtue m their systems ; but at the same time admitted of much vice ; and with respect to futurity, it w^as left by them all, involved in utter clouds and dark- ness. The farthest they presumed to go on this interesting point, was a peradventurc the soul was immortal, and if virtuous, w^ould be rewarded af- ter death. But blessed be God '*life and immor- tality are brought to light through the gospel;'' JI Tim. i, 10; in every page of which the belie - yer is assured of eternal happiness on the veracity of a faithful Ood ; the hope of which eternal life is the anchor of the soul, both sure and sted- fast, and lookethinto that within the vail. And,sir^, as the precious religion of Jesus fur- nishes mankind an infinitely sublimer hope than any other ; so it is a religion better adapted to human wants and necessities, and goes farther to diftuse iiuman happiness than any other. ^* Peace on earth and good will towards men," are pro- minent features in this divine religion ; aning, for fire and for fcread ; see these dear fellow creatui-es', warmed and fed, clothed and cheered by the generous char- ity of christians ; and then you see something of that benevolent religion, which never was intend- ed by its divine author, to evaporate in noise and sound. Oh Voltaire, Bohnbroke, Hume, Chubb and Tindall, with Paine and all the rest of your little retailers; what .have you done ? or rather,, what have you impiously wished and attempted, though unsuccessfully, to do ? For notwithstand- ing all the audacity of your attempts ; "He thatr sitteth in the Heavens hath laughed, and the Lord hath had you in derision ;" Psalm ii, 4. But I feel it my duty to expose for a moment, your mali- cious and infernal attempts. You have impiously and unfeelingly attempted to cut off that h»nd of christian charity, which has relieved so many thousands of the sons and daughters of want. You have said by your conduct, let tlie sick and friendless stranger, lie down and die without at- tempted pity or relief. You have said, let the* thousands of poor children, in aU the populous ci- ties, both of Europe and America, whose parents are not able to school them, grow up in ignorance and vice. You have said, let the thousands of fe- male children, w ho are without father or mother_, or friend, grow up under the most distressing po- verty, and come forward in the world, in the haunts of prostitution, "tou have said, let the for- lorn and weeping widow continue, to furrow her cheeks with hopeless tears, and feel all the rigors of v/ant; Jet her tender bosom heavt^ and palpitate with anguish and distress, while she hears her helpless babes, whose father sleeps in the. ^6 dust, cry for bread and none to give them. For by endeavourirfg to shake the faith of christians, and to eradicute Christianity, the known and acknow^ ledged source of the charities, which liave blessed and ycheved so many fatherless children, you have virtually said all these things, and a thousand more. Yes, ye enemies of human happiness, you have said, by attempting to overturn ' Christianity, let the thousands, and the millions of the poorer or- ders of society, whose lot in life appears even to yourselves a hard one, be deprived of every com- fort and be completely miserable; for there are thousands of poor people, who live extremely hard, and who notwithstanding, appear cheerful and happy ; supported by the exalted hope of the gospel, and that in a condition, as to temporal com- forts, to which, if you were reduced, your iirst •thought would probably be the halter or the blade ^ and can you be so cruel as to deprive them of the only comfort which they enjoy amidst such a numerous train of ills. Cease, ye thoughtless sons of violence, cease from your unfeeling attempts to rob so many of your fellow men of their dearest enjoyments. Were Christianity even a fable or im* posture, as you profess to deem it, it is certainly a very pleasing and profitable one to millions of the human race ; and at the same time, so perfectly in- nocent, that your zeal is but poorly employed by attempting its destruction. Now, christian friends, those are the men who 4alk in swelling language, about revolutionizing the world, breaking off the shackles of prejudice. and making mankind happy ; judge of them fe yourselves. It only remains now before I close^ to call U> Fecollection for a moment^ the character, virtues and exercises of that amiable friend, who assigned me this subject for your present improvement. And in doing this, I design no adulation, either to the living, or the dead ; for as it respects either of them, it is the object of my abhorrence. Yet, to state a few facts honestly and fairly, may be pro- fitable to stimulate others to tread the paths of wis dom, piety and virtue. With this lady, I had the honor of an mtimate acquaintance for the fourteen last years of her life ; and know, perhaps, as well what her religious ex- ercises were, her hopes and fears, her joys and sor- rows, her encouragements and discouragements, as any of her male acquaintance in the world, her husband excepted, Mrs. Ramsey was born of, and raised by respec- table parents, in Mecklenburg county, in North Carolina. She received an early and careful re- ligious education, and as good a literary education as was given to any ladies in the part of the world where she was raised, which, with her own native strength of mind, qualified her highly, to take her share with respectability, in rational and improv- ing conversation. From my earliest acquaintance with her, I have always esteemed her, possessed of a very considerable share of understanding, high- ly improved and cultivated ; which was one thing ^^mongst many, that endeared her society very mucli to me. I believe I can say with the strict- est truth^ I have never been any lengtli of time in her company, without feehiig myseh echfied either by her good sense or piety. S^lie pos- sessed considerable constitutional and some sys- tematical reserve, especially in the company of gentlemen, and in mixed companies ; but I pre- sume not to a degree faulty in a lady. If her re- marks in company were fewer than those of some other ladies, they were always pertinent and re- plete with good sense ; and I believe I never heard her make one, which I thought she oughfc notto have made. One striking trait in her char- acter, which raised her very highly in my estima- tion, and the imitation of which, I earnestly re- commend to all, especially to m.y female friends, was her entire freedom in all her conversation from the low arts of scandal and detraction. She appeared quite devoid of taste for those mean and ignoble things. Often has she lamented and ex- pressed her sorrow at them in others, while I be- lieve none had room to remark them in herself Conscious of her own merit, she never attempted to shine at the expense or disadvantage of others i too much of which, I am sorry to say, I have of- ten seen. She was amongst the greatest practical philoso- phers of my acquaintance, either male or female. Several breaches were made in her family before the Lord called herself home. She buried three sons. One of these was her oldest ; a fine pro- mising boy about eight years of age ; another was her third son about five or six ; the other was her Vol. II D youngest son, an infant. On these occasions, which were certainly very trying ones to a feeling and aftectionate mother, though tender, she was always calm and collected, and the most success- ful comforter of her husband when likely to be swallowed up with much sorrow. Shortly after these severe trials, she detailed the circum- stances respecting ^them to myself, and scarcely shed a tear. This I never construed into any want of sensibility, or the most warm and hearty- affection for her children, of which she certainly possessed as much as any lady of my acquaintance, but into her great command of her passions, and her cordial submission to the appointments of hea- ven. Of these she gave a signal display shortly before her departure. Feeling that her dissolu- tion was at hand, and being apprehensive that if Mr. Ramsey should vent his grief in her presence^ it might have an undue ascendency over her pas- sions, she requested him by a friend, to suppress his trouble as much as possible ; ''for,'' said she, "it is but dying, and let us part like heroes." As a wife, she was faithful, affectionate and du- tiful ; as a mother, she was tender, feeling and moderately indulgent ; while at the same time, she was strictly and religiously careful of the con- duct and morals of her children. In the exercise of benevolence and charity, she was equalled by few, and exceeded by none, whenever there was a call in divine providence, to the exercise of these important duties. This call was given her. sundry times in the course of my acquaintance with her j and it always met the most cheerful and ready compliance. Two strangers were cast on her care, and that of her family, to end their days. They both lay a considerable time before they died, and during all their lingering illness, they received from this worthy lady, though very weakly herself, the most tender and assiduous at- tention. And perhaps dying men, who were de prived of their own connections, in their last ill- ness, never had less cause of regret, whilst in her they found all the tenderness of a sister or a mother. Respecting the last of these gentlemen who died in her house, she writes thus to a friend. *^I intended to have spent a few days in Knoxville with my friends, and to have proceeded to yotu* house to spend the remainder of the court days, but Mr. Lawrence is unable to remove, and it ap,- pears inhuman to leave him alone with the black people. He appears providentially cast, particu- larly on my care ; I hope I will be strengthened for iluty." Thus it appears it was that best of ail mo- tives, a sense of duty, which induced her to forego the society of her friends, and confine herself at home with a dying stranger whom providence had sent a thousand miles from his father's house to die in her's, and whom she had never seen till a few- weeks before ; while her husband, an officer of the superior court, was necessitated to be from home, This, sirs, is the kind of religion I love and wish to see propagated throughout the world. A reli gion which consists, not in making a noise, or court ing observation ; but in doing good and blessing- mankind. This is like the saviour of sinners, in imitating whom all our duty consists; this is like m die religion of which the apostle James speaks; or ratiier, it is the very thing itself; ''Pure religion and undefiled before God even the father is this, to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction^ and to keep himself unspotted from the world ;" James i, 27. Now, if visiting the fatherless and widow in their affliction, be religion, then I sup- pose for a lady to deny herself the satisfaction of her friends, and shut herself up at home to take care of a dying stranger is religion too; and such a religion as the gospel recommends ; "For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger and ye. took me in ;'^ Mat. xxv, 35. She obtained a hope in the redeemer at a very early period of her life, and through the remain^ der of it, was for the most part, subject to those religious joys and sorrows, hopes and fears which are the general lot of most christians. For about the seven last years of her life, however, she appeared to me to improve much in the divine life, and to maintain a very growing intercourse with heaven. From that time she was much more detached from this world, and more assiduous in her preparations for a better one. For the nios^ part, I believe, she maintained a comfortable hope, that her peace was made, and her sins forgiven ; this hope, however, was not entirely uninterrupt- ed. She sometimes had her fears and doubts that all was not right ; which led her to the most careful cxammation of which she was capable, inio i>oi- ^niritual situation ; the happy result of which was generally the confirmation of her hope 41 In a letter to a particular friend, dated September 13th, 1803, she writes as follows ; "I had under stood that times of revival of religion, were try- ing times on old professors. This excited me to self examination from the scriptures of truth ; and from the most impartial enquiry which I was en- abled to make, I had to conclude, that I had in- deed believed in the scriptural way ; and I could find no other way but resting on Christ the rock of ages. Thus was I rejoicing and solacing my- self when our sacrament came on, where I was considerably strengthened by the preaching of the word, particularly my faith on the sabbath was liv^ely and strong." In the same letter, speaking of a particular week after she had seen her friend^ she writes thus. "That week was spent in a vio- lent contest between faith and unbelief Some- times I must, I did rejoice ; at other times I could not, "but almost despaired. In these despairing moments, the throne of grace I ever found de- lightfully accessible through the blood of the Me- diator, and it was my only refuge." In a free conversation with myself about her spiritual exercises, the last I ever had with her previous to her confinement, she said ; "I have been much perplexed for some time past, with doubts and fears respecting my peace with God. I have examined and re-examined ; the general result was a hope that I had true religion ; howe^ ver my doubts would still return and fill my soul with trouble. At length I came to a resolution that I would not vex my soul any longer with these things. Here is my duty plainly before me, D2. • 4^2 whether I have religion or not, I am required t« cast myself on Jesus Christ at all events ; to love my God and discharge my duty. This, through grace, I am determined to do ; and henceforward it> shall not be so much my business to doubt and examine and re-examine, as to act faith on the blessed redeemer, and discharge all known duty, leaving the event in the hand of God." "And'^ continued she, "since I have taken this ground,! have had much more comfort and satisfaction, and went on much more smoothly in the discharge of my duty ; and thus I am determined to walk.'^ Thus was she exercised just before she became confined to her chamber and her bed. During her confinement I had the opportunity of seeing her but seldom, living at a distance of thirty -five miles, and wljen I did see her, had but little con- versation with her, on account of her extreme de- bility. In what little conversation I had with her^ she discovered no alarm at death ; on which, however, she calculated w^ith certainty. With respect to her exercises in her last hours^ and since I saw her, a friend writes me thus. "As to her exercises from the time I first visited her, after my return about three weeks before her death, I would inform you, that, that calmness, equanimity, resignation, detachment from the world, and almost entire command of her pas- sions, which marked her journey through life, shone more conspicuously, and were by her pos- sessed in a more eminent degree.'^ This lady often through life, expressed a desire that she might end her career on the sabbath. 4-3 hccause she thought on that day, there was greater intercourse between heaven and earth. In this^ she was gratified. On the Lord's day, July 7th, about twelve o'clock, she serenely breathed her last ; and has joined, as we confidently hope, that immortal company on high, *Svho have washed their robes and made them wliite in the blood of the lamb ; and are therefore before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them ;" Rev. vii, 14, 15 ; "Therefore let us not sorrow even as others who have no hope-; for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also, which sleep in Jesus will God bring with liim ;" I Thes. iv, 14. i .rtiv.-^f^. ^mmii#»a^i* On the death of the late pious and val uable col. francis a. ramsey, of knox VILLE. ^'Tht righteous perisheth, and no wan layeth it to heart ; and merciful men are taken aivay^ none considering that the righteous is taken aicay from the evil to come.^' MANY are the allurements held out in the sa- cred volume to induce mankmd to the practice of virtue and moral goodness ; as well as many terri- ble things exhibited there to deter them from walk- ing in the paths of vice and impiety. One is the very different end with which death may be said to call for the man of virtue and piety, from those with which he comes for the wicked and ungodly. ^o the latter, death is most emphatically the king of terrors, and the most grim and dreadful enemy, as he deprives him of the few poor paltry enjoy- ments which he had in this world. While to the former, he performs the part of a friend, as he re- leases him from pain, sorrow and anxiety, and puts him in the full possession of his eternal inheri- tance. Thus, St. Paul informs us, for "him to die was gain ;" Phil, i, 26. And in our text death is manifestly represented as acting the part of a 45 ■ I friend to the righteous man in taking him away from the evil to come ; "The nghteuus perislieth^, and no man layeth it ta heart ; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righte- ous is taken away from the evil to come." In the last part of the preceding chapter, the prophet rfe- presents, in strong terms, the exceeding corruption of the Jewish people, and more particularly, that ©f the watchmen or publick teachers ; "His watch- men are blind ; they are all ignorant ; tliey are all dumb dogs ; they cannot bark, lying down, loving to slumber ; yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds which cannot understand ; they all look to their own way; eveiy one for his gain, from his quar- ter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine and we will fill ourselves with strong drink ; and tomor- row will be as this day, and much more abundant.''^ And then, in our text, as a farther testimony of the people's corruption he informs us, that "the righte- ous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart. '^ The following propositions, I presume, are con- tained in my text. I. That even in the most corrupt times, God has still a seed to serve him ; and there are still a few that are righteous. II. That the death of the righteous is a publick calamity, a great loss to society. III. That whatever loss the publick may sus- tain in the death of the truly religious, yet it is tlie believer's own great personal advantage. IV. That when the best characters are taken a- way by the hand of death, and the loss appears 4^ not to be felt and lamented by the public, it is a strong symptom of insensibility and depravity. My design at present is to illustrate and con- firm the truth of each of these propositions, and then conclude with some inferences and ap- plication. PROPOSITION I. In the worst of times, God has still a seed t« serve him, that is, there are still a few righteous. Sometimes when the friend of God, of virtue and of man, takes a serious survey of the morals and conduct of society at large, he is almost tempt- ed to draw the conclusion of the prophet of old. But as the prophet was so far mistaken, that when lie thought the people were wholly devoted to idol- atry, God had in Israel seven thousand men, who had not bowed the knee to Baal, nor partaken of the idolatrous worship; so we hope it is yet. In the very worst times of papal darkness, God still had his witnesses ; Rev. xi, 3 ; "And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall pro- phesy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth." And in the very worst times we have ever known, there have still been a few, who appeared not to defile their gar- ments with the general pollutions. And God re- presents himself as having his elect in the very worst of times ; Mat. xxiv, 22 ; '* And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Are any desirous to hear the righteous farther :** 4. Learn how readily good men, real and mn. cere christians, ought to die at God's call; death Tvill be their ineffable gain; they shall then quit a world of trouble and sorrow, of distress and pain ;; and this seems to be a good reason why they should be reconciled, and cheerfully retire to tliat blessed w^orld of joy and delight and felicity reserved for the saints bej^ond the grave. 5. Learn the indispensible necessity of all being righteous and serving God, that death may be, their gain. And be it sensibly and feelingly re» tnembcrcd, ibat death will soon call upon us al], O brethren let ns all be in readiness. 6^ "^^^ hen the righteous die, though there is rnuchr ground to laiiient iheir loss, as r cspects society^, yet there is none as respects themselves ; the gain is theit s. they enter into the blessed habitations of glory ; tliey shall go no inore out, but be forever with the Ijovd aad enjoy him through the revolu^ tions of eternity. Rather let us hail their happy spirits in the mansions of eternal rest, than sorrow on their account. A few observations respecting that very valua?- ble man whose death has given occasion to this dis- course, will close our design. Here permit one t© observe that I am a little afraid 1 may be subject- ed to a suspicion of adulation ; than which noth- ing in the world is farther from my design. But my good opinion of the deceased, from upward of a thirty year's acquaintance seems so high, that when I have stated my opinion of this individual's virtues and good qualities in simplicity and in sin- T^rity, I fear suspicion; however^ no fe^r oHk^ m kind will prevent me from stating my opinldii just as it is, without disguise. Col. Ivamscy, whose death ^ave rise to the pre- sent diseourse^ was bcni oi* respectable parents in the state of Pennsylvania, May ')] , A*. D. 1764. He early received an acc^jrate iioglish education, and such au one a& fitted him very well for any kind of ordinary busiiicsti, which in the course of divine providence rniglit aiturrrard be thrown ia his way ; such as surveying, clerk's ofiice, or the Kke; being a young 1,1 an of a veiy enterprising disposition , he came to the wsstem country with the consent of iiis parents, while his years were yet very tender^ in order id do aa well as he couldf for himself; this ifliistht^re been v^'hilst he was yet in his teens ; for whexmny acquaintance commenc- ed with him in Washingion county, which is now inthis state, and then belonged to North Carolina, I think he was under twenty one. Being a youth of remarkably soft, »xjlished and easy manners^ he soon stood remarkably high with the first fa- milies in that section of country, and received their patronage greatly to his advantage. The first business in which he engaged for a support in this section of country, i belies e was the art of survey- ing. But shortly after this, he received the clerk- ship of the superior court of Washington district from the Hon. judge Campbell, which ever after afforded him a genteel support as long as he remam- ed in the district. He stood at that time very high with the circle of his acquaintance generally ; and though he was a young man of great gaiety and t^ivacity^ and indulged moderately in soi^e of what Were viewed at that time the more fashionable^ amusements of the day, yet I never knew him^^ even then, amongst all the heat and ardour of youth- ful blood, charged with one single immoral action ; mr do I believe it ever was in the power of either malice or envy to charge htm with any thing of the kind. I do not believe that Col. Ramsey at this, or a- ny other period of his single life, made any pub- lie .profession of the christian religion, or at all e- vents if he did, this circumstance was not known to me. About the end of his 24th or sometime in his 25th year, he made a public profession of religion, and became a member of the prcsbyterian congrega- tion in Washington county* at that tnne under the pastoral charge of the venerable, the devoutly pi- ous and reverend Samuel Doak' ; a society which you may rest assured were not lax in their terms of admission ; but entirely the reverse ; and one of the most repectable societies in point of intelli- gence, pure morals, and fervent piety, within the circle of my acquaintance. From this time to the hour of his death, he maintained his christian pro- fession with the highest credit and manifest cor- rectness. Permit me to drop a remark on his marriage and its happy influence on his best interests. He made his addresses to a young lady of celebrated beauty, enhghtened mind and polished manners, in Meck- linburg county, North Carolina, the daughter of M. Alexander Esq. and succeeded in obtaining her baod and her heart. This lady was a professor of iS^ligion before Ool. Ramsey married her, and as ke himself has informed me, very profitable after- ward to his spiritual interests , by her prudent and judicious counsels and ud vices. She became the-^ mother of five sons and a daughter, or peradven- 'ture, six sons ?-^\^, a dauglUer ; if s:;:^. ere the num- ber of sons* 7-ur - f tlvvim ^'.A^d. young, only tvvo^ Jiaving arrived at maturity. 'A.'his i\miable womaa lived u'ith Col. Ramsey ivbout sixteen or seven- teen years, riid died about the 37th or .SStk year of her age; pfter . b'^^-h he malried a Mrs. Fleming, a very rirniab'cpnd reputable widow la-^ -dy of Gettysburg in Pennsylvsiiia, with whom he* Jived several years, perhaps tzn or twelve, and who also died before him, leaving him one son. With this lady he also lived in binds of strictest- 'fearmony and coaj'a;;al affection, as he had done? with the other. Soriietinie after the death of thl» ^cond vi^ife he intermarried again with a very^ worthy, andhighly lespectable lady of Knoxville^ Mrs. Hume, with whom he lived but a f^w montl^ till divine providence saw proper in the depth of kis inscrutable counsels, to call lima to anothear world, and as we confidently believe, to a erovv^ ©f immortal glory ii\ the heavens. Mrs. Ramsey ^till survives. As a good husband, I will not say that Col. Ramsey cannot be equalled ; but it is utterly im> possible that he should be exceeded ; in conjuai aiiection, tenderness, Oddity and indulgence, hi^ conduct exhibited lucidly all that was noble and praise worthy. Every thing that denotes the gen- jBroiK and manly jiiind, anil the feeUng sympathe^Q Si husband. Yea, I have thought he went even t«^ excess in some instances. During the last illness of his first wife, w^ho according to the best of my yecollection, was confined about eighteen montlm tl^ her chamber, he was very seldom oif his own plantation, and not much out of her room, thougli a man of considerable business, which was very Bear impairing his health materially, and I think it not unlikely that this extreme confinement did- affect his constitution to some disadvantage. . This: I thought might be going a little too fer ; but if it was, let our goodnature easily excuse it,, as it is- by no means the general sin of the present age. Overdone attention to a weakly suffering wife ifr not the sin that stains isost the character of m^ acquaintance. As a father. Col. Ramsey w^as afiectionate, ten^ derand indulgent; but at the same time duly a* wake and eagle-eyed to the faults of his children^ and would not pass them tvithout suitable and me- rited animadversion. He was strictly careful of his children's morals, and governed them as every discreet and intelligent parent ought, mostly by r reason, admpnition and advice ; but when his duty imperiously made the demand, he would proceed to a prudent and discreet use of eoersion. Thi& was always resorted to with tenderness. and reluc^ tancc^and never with a surly ancf angry temper. Ah, happy spirit, now in the realms of glory, thy example in family government was one of the ;niost complete and finished thy ardent and , sur- viving friend has ever scea. As a master, Col. Ramsey was tender and iii- fruulg'iit. When his duty as a family govcrnoi? com jielled him to administer stripes to that unlbr^ tunato and degraded class of human beings called slaves, I believe he administered them with much jreluctaoce and feelings highly painful. As a neighbor, this valuable man was amongst the kindest and the best. Humanity, sympathy and compassion abounded in his benevolent and feel- ing heart. As a friend, he was amongst the most ardent and iBincere. In cbuosing, he chose, and then confided till death. On this subject I have a right to know ^metbing with much ce^taint3^ With the ardor •f his fi-iendship I was honored for the thirty last years of his life, and something upward. This friendship commenced when I was nothing b tit an obscure, unnoticed school-boy. And from thafc time 'until the time he surrendered his willing spirit ^p into the hand of him who gave it, this ardent^ ihis reciprocal friendship never suffered a parti- cle of diminution to my knowledge, nor one single moments interruption. The polish and suavity of Col. Ramsey's manners were certainly equal to those of any gentleman I have ever seen in any- Country. ' Plainness, simplicity and sincerity^ marked them in every stage ; they were the very language of nature, and at the greatest possible re* move from every tincture of show, ostentation or X- anity. To all which things he appeared the most >jntirti stranger. In the strictest hospitality this good man abound- ed. Hishouse was the straiiger^s home, and the* \5ick stranger'* asjlum. Within »y dertain "scaCt personal knowledge, two sick men, both irom as foreign a country as New- England, were taken by this teeling gentleman, this sympathetic christian to his house, the mansion of the distressed, and Ihere comforted and cheered as much as dying meja eould be by this hospitable and charming family. This was done by this valuable man when he Icnew they must die. In short, those dying men Avere taken to this welcome retreat, lest they could not receive that strict attention to which dying men are entitled in the noise and bustle of a pub- lic house. Here those strangers terminated their earthly career, waited on with all that tendernes* and attention which they could possibly have re- ceived in the houses of their fathers and mothers.: I make these statements not merely on the flatter- ing report of some third person. I conversed with these dying men, and speak partly from the things I saw, and the balance from what those men themselves told me. The name of one of those suffering and obliged strangers, was Lawrence 2nd the other Lang. O my benevolent Lord God i father of divine mercies, this is the religion -for roe ; a religion whicli does not evaporate in noise and sound, but consists essentially in blessing the. needy, and doing good to the helpless. Brethrea let us compare it a little w^th that which is repre- sented by Jesus Christ himself as standing well the scrutiny of tlic great burning day ; "Then shall the king say to them on the right hand, come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared fbr YOU from the foundation of the world, for J was m. ail hungered and yo gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, 1 was a stronger and ye took me m, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me, I was in prison and ye came unto me." Menof reilection, women of sober rea- son, turn your attention here and see what good men arc. The crowning trait of this good man's character was his devout, his fervent and evange- lical religion ; "For he was a good man ami rail of the holy ghost, and of faith ;'' This is a remark of a sacred writer respecting Barnabas, an evan- gelist of the apostohc age, who was sent to Anti- och by the church in Jerusalem to promote the gospel. And these words, "That he was a good man and full of the holy ghost," will certainly ap- ply as well to Col. Ramsey as to any of the hu- man faniily I have seen. His religion so far as I could judge, was fervent, rational and spiritual. He was a strict and regular attender at his church. I liked then, and do now, his views of attending divine worship much better than I do those of your run about-people, who will leave their own worship any time to wait on the preaching of any stranger who may come the way. I recollect to have heard him once make some strictures on this subject many years ago, when the Rev. and wor- thy Mr. Anderson, now of Maryville, preached a part of his time at Lebanon, in the fork ; I think one of his observations was as follows; "If a strange minister of fair character should preach in Knoxville when we have no preaching in the fork, I should be glad to attend and hear him ; but if Mr. Anderson was preaching in the fork. Vol. II F. and Doctor Rodgers from New- York was to preach on the same day in Knoxville, 1 would not go to hear him. This sentiment met the approba- tion of my mind as strictly correct and proper then, and it does so yet. Col. Ramsey was a strict performer of family IM'ayer, which duty he discharged with great fer- vour, and manifest devotion of spirit, and requir- ed the strict attention of all his family, white and black. In retired devotion he was strictly punctual, and for many years appeared to me to spend more time in it, than any other of my acquaintances. He was a strict reprover of vice wherever he thought it necessary and prudent, and more espe- cially, in the latter part of his life, when increased years and an established reputation for piety and t:orrectness, rendered it the more proper for him to take these liberties, and added weight and dig- nity to his reproofs. And his reproofs were al- ways administered with so much of the meek and gentle spirit of the gospel, that they scarcely ever gave the least umbrage or offence ; and I have not the least doubt, were productive of no small r^um of spiritual good When Col. Ramsey's last end approached, though I did not witness this closing scene, yet I have satisfactory reason, and that from various sources to believe, he met it with that entire re- signation and dignified composure which might leasonably be expected to terminate such a life as he had lived. I have had letters from some of those who were present and witnessed his last cjid, which were entirely satisfactory on this sub- jecc, tliough they have got so misplaced amongst my papers, that I cannot now lay my hand on them to make any particular quotations. SuiJdce it to say, he died as he had lived, a humble, fer- vent, pious christian ; "Mark the perfect man and beliold the uprigut, the end of that man is peace -y Psalm XXX vii, 37. This, sirs, is a plain, simple, unvarnished narra- tive of this very valuable man, formed entire- ly on my own knowledge and observation, and known to be true ; it is not borrowed from others. I have known, and therefore have I spoken. Col. Ramsey may have had his spots, and so has the sun; yet it illummates all the solar system. He was but a man, and no doubt had his imperfec- tions. The speaker, however, knows too little a- bout these to be justifiable in making any observa- tions on them, and entertains no doubt, but that weighed in the balance with his thousand virtues, they would be found lighter than the chaff of the summer thrashing floors. Permit me now, my friends, without feeling yourselves in the smallest degree neglected, to close this discourse with a few words addressed particularly to the surviving members of this good man's family. And first, my dear madam, would I address a few things to you, his surviving widow. Though you have passed through hfe thus far, with a high degree of reputation, credit and dignity, for which you ought, and for which I hope you do feel thankful to the supreme dispo- . ?er of all events ; yet, you too, have had yonr trials; trials, bitter and poignant. You have depa- sited in the silent house appointed for all living, three husbands, each a respectable and %\orthy character. Ttiis I am warranted to say from my own personal knowledge of those gentlemen, and also from well known public opinion respecting them. Each of those worthy men, we hope, reaps the fruits of his doings now in the happy mansions of everlasting rest. I hope, madam, it wdl be the great and assiduous care of your future life, so to order your conversation, and so to approve yourself to God, that you may at last be accounted worthy to be received through the grace of God to the same habitations of eternal rest, where you may be for- ever with the Lord. And permit me, my dear madam, to indulge the pleasing hope, that should I be accounted worthy through grace to enter the kingdom of glory at last, I shall there see that dear friend whom I have now the pleasure to ad- dress, as safely seated in glory as any husband she has ever buried. May the God of blessing bless you ; may he crown the evening of your life with his richest mercies ; may he conduct you gently down its steeps, and when your sun is called to set, may he decline in smiles ; and when he sinks beneath the horizon, may your favoured spirit, now no longer a fit inhabitant for the lifeless clay tene- ment, be received to the habitations of eternal glo- ry, there with the blood bought millions of the lamb to enjoy the God of love and mercy with Je- sus the mediator of the new covenant, and all the splendid retinue of angels and the spirits of just men made perfect through an eternal day. These, 65 madam, be assured are the unfeigned brcathingjs of a heart that has loved you and wished your best happiness for forty years. My dear young friends, the three sons, and the only daugliter of that respected friend whose char- acter I have this day pourtrayed, and who, through life, was dear to my heart as a brother, w ill you receive from me a word of advice administered in the simplicity and unaffected sincerity of my heart? Will you strictly endeavor to approve yourselves to God, children worthy of such parents as you have lost ? Will you copy their bright and worthy example ? Will you fear God as they feared him? Will you tenderly, dutifully and affectionately re- collect and strictly act up to the pious counsels and admonitions of your father? You know they were most salutary, pious and tender. You know how replete they were with all the yearnings of an affectionate father's heart. These tender coun- sels and admonitions even to this hour reverberate in your ears, and'permit me to hope, are not with- out their salutary mfluence on your hearts. Shall their pious accents ever be forgotten by you ? I trust never, never, never. About your valuable and amiable mother, I should reasonably suppose you recollect but very little ; you were advanced too short a distance beyond the threshhold of life to have any thing like a perfect impression even of her personal appearance. Her good sense would well have enabled her to have given you the most correct and salutary advices, whilst the goodness of her heart and the fervor of her piety would not have suffered her to neglect so important a duty to m her beloved offspring. But at a very early peri- | od of your lives you were deprived of this tender, * tliis enlightened and faithful guide of your youth. But whenever you realise the best advices of your ; father, which you well recollect, associate with i them those of your mother, and rest assured that } had she lived, she would have been with him h\ '':^ the best advices of which he was capable J ^mmm#ir^^ii* COMFORT FOR THE AFFLICTED AKD DISTRESSED ^'Otliou afflicted^ tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I ivill lay thy stones zcith fair colours, and lay thy foundatioh ivith sapphires.'^ WHOEVER, my brethren, has any experi- iriental acquaintance with a life of true godliness, must know something of the pains, the sorrows and anxieties of christians as well as their com- forts and their joys. This is a mixed state in which we are, and christians have their peculiar sorrows and joys, as well as their share of such as are common to them with other men. The christian scriptures, it is true, speak of very high and exalted joys belonging to those w ho believe lirmly in an unseen sorrow ; "Whom not having seen, ye love ; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeaka- ble and full of glory ;" I Peter i, 8 ; "Great peace saith the Psalmist, have they that love thy law; and nothing shall offend them ;" Psalm cxix, 165 ; But should any understand by those and many other similar expression sin the writings, that uninterrup- ted peace, and high never fading and extatic joys, are the certain portion of every sincere christian^ m ©rof any individual christian^at everyhourof his christian life, I presume they would grossly mis- understand the sacred writers. Very pleasant and sensible joys are beyond doubt, in some measure, the happy and desirable lot of sincere christians ; but they are liable to extreme interruption in the present mutable state of mankind from a variety of causes. And the fact is, christians are as often represented in the lively oracles of God, as mourn, ing, sorrowing, sighing, depressed and dispirited, as rejoicingjin God and their everlasting inheritance; Psalm xlii, 7 ; '^Deep calleth unto deep, at the noise of thy water-spouts ; all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me ;" Psalm xxxviii, 1 — 4 ; "O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath ; neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine ar- rows stick fast in me, and thine hand presseth me sore. Theie is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger ; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mme head ; as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me;" Heb. x, 82, 33; "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, af- ter ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions ; partly, while ye were made a gaz- ing stock, both by reproaches and afflictions ; and partly, while ye became companions of them that were so used ;" II Cor. iv, 9—12; "Persecuted^ but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed ; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that m the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So, then, death workcih in us. but life ill you ;" Also my text ; "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, &c.'' In the first part of this chapter there is an address given to the gentile church, and a promise of great enlargement ; ^' Sing O barren, thou that didst not bear ; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child ; for more are the ( hildrenof the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. IJnlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the cur- tains of thy habitations ; spare not, lengthen thy ncords, and strengthen thy stakes ; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left : and thy seed shall inherit the gentiles, and make the de- solate cities to be inhabited." From the 4th to the 10th are made the most gracious promises of deli- verance, and that they shall never be forsaken. In the words of our text, the church is addressed, as being in a most deep and dreadful state of afflic- tion, without comfort, and a very gracious promise is made of deliverance in due season ; from, this her affliction and distress, and of being edified and built up in faith and piety. Now, as the church is thus represented as being in a deep state of afflic- tion, doubtless so may every individual mem- ber of it be. The doctrine, then, manifestly contained in my text is this, that the Lord's people while in this world, are liable to deep spiritual trou- ble and affliction ; but have the promise of God, that in due season he will deliver them from it all." 70 I. I Will speak a little of those spiritual trou- bles to which siiints are liable while here below, represented by being "tossed with tempest, and not comforted^' in my text. II. I shall make a few remarks to distinguish the exercises of real and genuine piety, under such trials and difficulties, as shall have been mention- ed from the exercises of those who are not genu- ine christians. III. I shall point out what I, conceive to be the duty of christians under those exercises and trials that they may obtain deliverance. IV. Show that God will sooner or later work deliverance for all his dear people, and then con- ijlude w ith some interences and application. I. I am to speak something of those spiritual troubles to which christians are liable while in this world, represented by being tossed with tempest, and not comforted, in my text. Here my observa- tions are to respect such troubles as are peculiar to them as christians, and not such as befal them in common with other men. 1. I presume one great matter of spiritual trou- ble to christians, is their doubts respecting their in- terest in the covenant of grace and the divine fa- vor. Many christians while in this world are lia- ble to these ; perhaps very few are clear of them ; sometimes they may have a lively hope, or sweet assurance; but anon, sin prevails and sweeps their joys away. These doubts about their acceptance with God, are sources of much distress ; nay, they amount even to tempests ©f sorrow. So dear fs ri ferae religion and acceptance with 6^od to thei hearts, that they cannot be brought into Ruib with respect to the reahty of these things, without teelmg much moved. And by how much the more a chris- tian loves and adores his God, by so much the greater will his ti-ouble be when made to question his acceptance with him ; just as the more a tender husband loves his wife, the greater will his sorrow be if he loses her. 2. That prevalence of sin, from whence result these doubts, is in itself a great source of distress and spiritual affliction to the believer. Sin is cer- tainly a great source of distress to the pious mind^ when brought to sober reflection. Do any ask me here, how sin can be burdensome and distressing to the pious man, seeing he commits it, as those things do not generally distress us much in which we en- gage with our ow^n consent ? To this question I answer, that the soul, m the unguarded, unretlect- mg hour of temptation, sometimes does things which cause extreme grief at another time ; wit- ness Peter's denial of his master ; Mat. xxvi, 74^ 75 ; "TUen began he to curse and swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew ; and Peter remembered the words of Jesus., which said unto him, before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly." Do you ask if the temptation is an ex- cuse for the crime, I answer no, there is no excuse for sin. Our duty at all times is, supremely to love God, and religiously to keep his command- ments, and there is no excuse for failing in the flischarge of our duty. Do you ask me farther. iiow is it that one christian professor conijjIaiiTs^ from day to day of the corruption of his heart and the failings and shortcomings v\ hich he feels with respect to his duty to God, sometimes exclaiming with the apostle ; "O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?^' And another professor boasts that he has not com- mitted a sin for years, and yet, from an intimate acqnaintance with both those men, and an atten- tive obsei*vation of their conduct, the former ap pears to you the most holy ? What conclusion, say you, am I to form with respect to these professors? In answer to your question I will inform you what opinion I have in such a case, and the ground of that opinion, and leave you to form your own con elusions as you see proper. My conclusion has uniformly been, that the man w ho humbly confes- ses his sins, and whose life exhibits lucid evidence by a holy and unblamable walk and conversation, that his heart is right with God, I view as the most pious man. Now hear my reasons for this con- clusion. The opinion of Jesus Christ weighs much with me. See that opinion plainly expressed ; Luke xiv, 11 ; "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted ;" This is a favorite maxim of the redeemer, and repeated oftener perhaps, than any other he ever used. Be assured, sirs, humility is a cardinal grace according to the christian system ; compare I John ii, 7, 8 ; "Little children let no man de- ceive you. He that doth righteousness, is righte- ous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil ; read at leisure the parable of the •^harisees and publican ; Luke xviil^ 1 — 14 ; But do you farther ask if this humble confessing man be the most holy, why so many confessions 1 This by no means proceeds from his being in re- ality a worse man than he who boasts of his per- fection ; but from his being the subject of a high- er degree of spiritual and saving illumination. And every real christian must know, the more the human mind is enlightened, the more the man will discover of his own vileness ; "I have heard of thee, says Job, by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor my- self and repent in dust and ashes." So does the speaker think it will be with every sincere saint. 3. I think doubts presented by the great enemy of souls and of God respecting the authority of the sacred scriptures, and the reality of religion, are sometimes a painful and distressing affliction to the believer. Objection after objection, respect- ing Christianity and God's w^ays of dealing with mankind, are extremely painful to a soul that loves God. Do you ask if it is possible that a christian can ever entertain a doubt on such a subject as this? I may not understand, perhaps, what the querist means by entertaining a doubt ; but I believe christians and pious men may feel such doubts, and have done so both in ancient and modern times ; Psalm Ixxiii, 13 ; '^Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innoeency ;" verse 21, 22, of the same chapter; ^'Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. Vot. IL F. 74 Bo foolish was I and ignorant ; I was as a beast before thee." 4. I think foolish, vain and worse imaginations, are an extreme calamity to some christians ; to how many, I know not. The imagination is that 'active roving power of the human mind, whereby we form the images and representations both of words and things in our minds, and is the source of much happiness and misery both, to human kind. Perhaps there is no power of the soul to which satan has more access, or with which he has more to do, than with imagination. In mani- fest testimony of this truth, see how he acted on the imagination of the immaculate redeemer; Mat. iv, 8 ; "Again, the devil taketh him up into a^- exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all tlift^ kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.'' Now this we know could be done no otherwise than in the saviour's imagination, for two substan- tial reasons. First, no human vision can extend to the thousandth part of the whole world, were it even a plain. Second, the globularity of the earth must of necessity prevent the lower hemis- phere from being seen. Now the devil having such access to the imagination, in presentmg the images both of words and things, has it in his pow- er, when not restrained, to occasion us much wretchedness, and to render us a tensor to our ve- ry selves. O what horrible things have some christians experienced on this subject ; some of which must never be told? O what horrible ima- ges has he presented ? What dreadful thoughts has he suggested to the unspeakable terror of the 7^ humble believer? What tempest tossings have the righteous experienced here r And while vile pol- luted images have been pressed on the beUever's imagination, and vile blasphemous thoughts sug gested to his mind, how has he been afflicted and not comforted ? True it is, the imagination is not a moral faculty of the human soul, and therefore the bare presenting an image^ or a thought, involves the soul in no guilt, as was the case w^ith the holy saviour. Yet, vile and polluted images pressed on the imagination by the foul prince of darlcness, or the vile blasphemous thoughts suggested to the mind, gives a ch;'istian of a tender conscience ex- treme pain; though if he resists them sincerely, they involve him in no guilt. It is only when these vile things are dwelt on with delight, that they become sinful. Do you ask why they need bepaintulif not sinful? I answer, when the hum- ble, pious, modest christian walks the street, (or passes the squares on his business, and hears vile and guilty wretches swearing in the most vile and guilty maimer, and impiously blaspheming the name of the everlasting God. It is not his sin, when these vile blasphemies and imprecations reach the organs of hearing; but it certainly gives him pain ; otherwise he must be exercised \ev\\ differently from Jeremiah the prophet of the Lord; Jer. viii, 22 ; "For the hurt of the daughter of my people, am I hurt, I am black, astonishment hath taken hold on me." Here appears to be great pain experienced by a pious man, although he was involved in no guilt by these wicked people's transgressions. Yet such was the pain felt, that 7a his very visage was changed. Again, hear him exclaim, chapter ix, verse 1; ''O that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slam of the daughter of my people." We cannot exclude these vile images and thoughts by an act of volition, but we can abhor them ; and doing so, we are not guilty, though miserable." All the Lord's people are not called to navigate these deep and turbid wia- ters ; some are. O christian brethren, how ought He to pi ay tO be delivered from temptation. 5. The nidings of God's face is another great source of afflicaon, and want of comfort to the people of God. That there is such a thing, and that the scriptures expressly speak of it, there is no doubt; Job xiii, 2^ ; "Wherefore hidest thou thy iace, and boldest me for thine enemy r" Job xxxiv, 29 ; "When he giveth quietness, who then, can make trouble ? Anci when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Psalm xxx, 7; "Lord by thy favour, thou hast made my mount to stand strong, thou didst hide thy face, and I was trou- bled ;" Psalm xliv, 24; "Wherefore hidest thoa thy face? Isaiah xlv, 15; "Verily, thou art u God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel the saviour.'' Do you ask me what I understand by the hidings of God from his people, which I have stated to be matter of affliction to the saints, and which I have so plainly proved from scripture? I answer, I un^ derstand that the deity sometimes in his divine so- vereignty, and forthe trialof his people's faith, docs not manifest himself to his children, as he has done at some other times, and withholds from thewa .77 those comforts and refreshments which they Have experienced at other times, in waiting on the ordi- nances of divine mstitution ; and not that the dei- ty ever departs from one place to another ; with vegardto locality he knows no change ; he is al ways every where throughout the universe, which he hath made. 1 1. I am to make a few remarks to distinguish the exercises of real christians, under these trials, from the exercises of those who are not such. 1. The true christian when he labors under doubts about his acceptance with God, is anxi- ous and uneasy j^and endeavours to render the mat- ter more certain, by a course of duty, aifd search- ing the scriptures, and waiting on divine ordinan- ces. The hypocrite or formalist rests contented without any certainty about the matter. 2. I presume another distinguishing trait in the true believers exercises is, that he is more anxious to be delivered from sm, than from uncertainty a- bout his final destinatiorl ; while the hypocrite, or insincere professor, has very little anxiety for free- dom from sin, provided he might somehow escape the wrath of God in the end. Under any doubt the true christian may feel respecting tchristianity, he is exercised extremely differently from the worldling, or irreligious man. The true christi- an's doubts are attended with painful anxiety ; ^*For if the foundations be destroyed, what slsall the righteous do ;" Psalmx?, 3 ; " When I thought to know this, it was too painful forme, till I went into the sanctuary of God ; there understood | their end ;V P^^alm Ixxiii, 16, 17 ; The pious man F 2' ^7B wishes i^he truth of Christianity, and thinks that (he duties it prescribes ought to be practised amongst reasonahlc creatures, even admitting tliat the gospel history was a fable. The irreligious doubt- er wishes it false, that he might be freed from the duties it enjoins. When the man of genuine piety feels a doubt respecting the truth of Christianity, it brings him to earnest importunate prayer to God, that he may be so confirmed m the belief of Chris- tianity, as never to feel another doubt to eternity; ^^Lord help my unbelief,'' is his importunate cry. Not so with the irreligious doubter, who secretly desires that the gospel history might be untrue. To the true christian, all is gloomy, dark and drea- ry, without the light of the sun of righteousness. The true and sincere christian, when vile pol- luted images, and wicked blasphemous thoughts are suggested to his mind, feels that he hates them ; Psalm cxix, 113; "I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love." He strives against them, he iiies to his God for relief, and prays most im- portunately for deliverance ; he feels them as a cross, and theyavex his righteous soul from day to- day ; he examines his own heart very carefully ta- see that he does not indulge them. When likely to be overwhelmed, his only refuge is his Gad; Psalm Ivii, 1 — 3; "Be merciful unto me O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in ,thee ; yea, in the shadow of thy v/ings will I make my re^ fuge until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high, unto God, who perform- cth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and shall save me from the reproach of him that ^iikv % m^ir XX 111* THE DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT, ITS NA- TURE, NECESSITY, AND EXTENT, STATED AND ILLUSTRATED. 1. 3o\ii\, 11, a. "' And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only y but also for the sins of the whole ivorld.^' THE doctrine of the saviour^s atonement and propitiatory sacrifice, is one of the great and fun- damental doctrines of Christianity, and lies at the foundation of all gospel religion. The new testa- ment writers concur in asserting this doctrine, and insist on it in the most direct and positive manner. St. PauPs epistles are full of it, and Christ crucified is his darling theme. St. Peter pso abounds in the same, and uniformly insists, that the salvation of men is procured by the death and sufferings of the blessed Jesus ; I Pet. i, 18, 19 ; " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers ; but with the pre- cious blood of Christ, as of a lamb slain without blemish and without spot ;" I Pet. iii, 18 ; " For Ohrist also hath onee suffered for sins^ the just for 8-4 the unjust, that he might bring us to <5od, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit." St. John insists expressly upon it in wj text, as well as elsewhere, that he is the propitia- tion for our sins. And the writer of the acts of the apostles insists that according to the gospel ihere is no^ salvation in any other name but that* of Jesus Christ ; Acts iv, 12 ; " Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved.'' Indeed, sirs, the doctrine of Christ's death far sinners, and his divine and sacred atonement, is not a doctrine peculiar to the new testament, but isalsf) plainly asserted in the old ; Isaiah, xlii, 21 ; '* The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake ; he shall magnify the law and make it hon- orable." This is the doctrine of the atonement; Dan. ix, 26 ; "And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for him- self." This is the same doctrine of vicarious suf- fering. Jesus Christ was, and is, the great medium of access for guilty men to their God, under ever^ dispensation of his gracious covenant, and upon his propitiatory sacrifice, our acceptance entirely depends. It therefore highly becomes us to study and understand this important and interesting sub- ject ; " And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." It IS proposed to enquire in the sequel of tbe^ following discourse ; I. Into the nature and necessity of this propi- tiation^ and « II. Into its extent. And tken conelude with ,?ome inferences. 1. We are to enqure into the nature and ne cessity of t)iis atonement or propitiation; " For he is the propitiation for our sins,'^ By a propitiation I mean that act, whatever it be, by which a person offended with another, is Induced to exercise toward the oiYender, favor and kindness. This I take to be the strict and correct meaning of the word in general. In a rehgious sense, and the general scripture sense, the propi- tiation is that for the sake of which the almighty God, who is justly offended with fallen and guilt} sinners will show himself favourable and kin J to them, be at peace with them, pardoning mo^t graciously their iniquities and transgressions. I do not think it strictly correct to say that the atone • mentor Christ's propitiation is that which renders the deity placable toward guilty offenders. For he was always placable toward sinners and dis posed to forgive them. But I presume it is liter- :ally and strictly proper to say that the propitiation is that which removes the obstacles, which ob- sti'ucted the egress of mercy and rendered it con- sistent with the dignity of the divine character and government, to exercise that forgiveness to the penitent sinner, which he before felt disposed to exercise toward the p-^itent sinner. I think this matter according to the sacred records, stands thus. Jesus Christ's advent to our world, and the atone- ment he made, result from God's placable and Vofi. II H. i*ui%iving dis])OsitIon iovvard orieiiders, and that it is not strictly coiTCct to siw that his forgiving dis- position rises out of the atonement. For this is not correct according to the sacred records. Now, sirs, let us see the fair and legitimate bearings of holy writ on this question, whether the atone- ment rises out of the deity's placable disposition, or that placable disposition out of the atonement ; John iii, 16 : ^^For God so loved the world, that he>:gave his only begotten son, that whosoever bef lieveth on him should not perish but have ever- lasting life.'' This passage from the tongue of the blessed Jesus, shows at once how the matter is. And it is plain, that the propitiation does not ren- tier the deity propitious, strictly speaking ; but simply renders it consistent with the honour of God, and the dignity of his government, to ex- Icncl to lost and ruined sinners, the mercy whick he already felt. God loved the world and sent his son ; and had not the deity thus loved the world^ would the son ever have come ? As to the necessity of a propitiatory sacrifice, it lies here. God was offended with sinners, and would be appeased in no other way. ^ That God was offended with sinners, is manifest, both from his word and works; Psalm vii, 11 ; "God is angry with the \vicked every day;" Zachari- ah i, 2 ; "The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers ;" 15th of the same chapter ; '^"'Aud I am very sore displeased with the hea- then:" Fvom the providence of God it appears he is Bispleased with them. This is manifest ft-ptw all 8.7 the natural evils to which they arc subjected oji account of sin. Immediately on the fall we find the Lord cursing even the very ground for their sakes ; and threatening the female world Vi ith sorrow, in conception and child birth ; Gen. iii^ 16 — 19 ; "Unto the woman he said, I will great- ly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception ; in sor row thou shalt bring forth children ; and thy de- sire shall bo to thy husband, and he shall rule ovcr> thee; And unto Adam he said, because thou hast- hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I command thee, say- ing, thou shalt not eat of it ; cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread., until thou return to the ground ; for out of it wdst> thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalfc- thou return." This conduct certainly savors strcrg ly of sore displeasure, and evinces it beyontl con-, tradiction. That God continues to be displeased with mankind, and did not say this in haste, and afterward found reason to repent of his conduct, appears plainly from the daily and literal infliction of the threatened punishment. Is there a mother in this assembly that is not a living and painful witness of the verification of this threating? See that laborious husbandman drenched from head to foot with perspiration under the beaniing .ardcrs of a July sun. Does not this show that the threatening is verified ? Bui for the curse origin ally unpressed on the earth, on accouut of imm'-i transgressions, might not the earth produce cofr, the whetit, the cotton and every thhig else nece^ sary for man's subsistence and comfort as sponta- neously as the noxious vegetation. 2. It appears plainly that God was displease; those children yell, while they hold fast bf their parents as they ascend ; see them presently anake the highest summits, whence they are speedi- ly swept off, and the great world of men all losty cxccf^t Noah and his w ife, his three sons and then- three wives. Does not this sufficiently evince- God's displeasure with wicked and ungodly men? Full to the same point is the extraordinary ruitt and overthrow of Sodom and Gonwriah, thifr worse thaii beastly cities of the plain. Ah, see the Games from heaven, attended with sulphur, seize upoii those devoted cities and reduce them to ash- e^. O how marked is the signal vengeance of an jingry God here: Witness to the same dreadful point, all the plagues, pains and fevers we icel 89 from day to tlay, and death itself in the end ; and stand thoroughly convinced tliat God is exceed- ingly displeased with sinners. We now proceed to enquire why the eternal Cyod, who is thus displeased with guilty men, will he propitiated in no other way than by the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ his adorable son. We arc to remember here, that God is the mo- ral governor of the universe, and that he will maintain the rights of justice and the dignity of the divine government. And that whatever will an swcr these great ends, and nothing else will pro- pitiate him. ^, Now, mankind being all fallen sinners, can n^Kc no atonement for their past sins by their repen- tance and future obedience. As all tlic repeiitaTicc possible, and all the obedience of which they are capable is their indispenable duty at every hour ^^ for the divine requirement is, that we must aT* everyhour love the Lord with all the heart, soul, strength and mind. Whoever would propitiate the justly offended deity, must obey the preceptive requirements of the divine law to the most pure, spotless and sinless perfection, and sustain the wrath of God duo to the sins of believers. And whoever does not do this, can never be an effectual propitiatory sacri • fice. Whoever does this, becomes a propitiation ; Jesus Christ has done this, therefore Jesus Chris?: has become a propitiation. Very well am I J^any that many divines obj*ct to using t'l:? word ivmih here, and to saying CiJrist was punished in the room ^v, I^ilo thiiu; ibr my own \>vvv 90 that christian divines ought to be better employea than in keeping up a privy contention about mere words, where there is no difference of ideas. When I use this phraseology, I do not mean that Crod was angry at, and displeased with, his adora- ble son for his undertaking. I believe the eternal Ood was just as well pleased with Jesus Christ when he cried out on the cross 'Svhy hast thou for- ^3aken me r" as he is this day ; and all I mean by using such language is this; the wrath of God was certainly due to sinners, Christ certainly suffered for sinners and in their stead, and strictly on their behalf Isaiah liii, 5 ; ^'He was wounded for our iransgrcssions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and Avith liis stripes we are healed.'^ Now, sirs, give me leave to ask what was due to sinners ? Was it not the wrath of God? II Chron. xxviii, 11; ^"For the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.'' •He that believeth not, shall no^ see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him ;" I John iii, 36. Now, sirs, provided Jesus Christ undertook to suf- fer in the sinner's place, pray what great impro priety is there in saying he suffered the wrath of God ; seeing the wrath of God was strictly in scripture account and scripture language due to the sinner, in whose stead the saviour suffered. Jesus Christ came to suffer in the sinnei's place ; but the wrath of God was the sinner's due, therefore, Je- sus Christ came to suffer in the sinner's place the' wrath of God due to the sinner. Be it always re- collected however, that I do not mean that God ^vfts displeased with his son at all, but that he loved 9JL liim to perfection, and entirely approve tl his cou- diict at the very time the vengeance was inflicted on him. Nor did 1 ever know an individual in all my life that believed the dtity was sorely dis- pleased with his son Jesus Christ when suffering in the sinner's stead on Calvary ; as he is sorely displeased with the*obstinate and impertinent sin- ner when inflicting the torments of liell upon him. And with due deference to better judges, I think, when I represent Jesus Christ as punished for sin, I am representing scripture truth fairly, and using language in its well knov^n and general accepta- tion, as I think I always do use it. Doctor John- son in the definition of the active verb to punish^ gives it two explanations and no more, '^ To chas tisc ; to afflict with penaUies.*' Now, if I say Je- sus Christ was punished for our offences, am I saying any thing very different from Isaiah, when he declares the saviour " Was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, that the chastisement of our peace was upon him.^' Now, sirs, is not objecting to this diction making a distinction without any difference. Is it worthy a man of science and candor. Let such useless and ungrounded distinctions henceforward cease amongst christian theologians. * 2. We are to enquire into the extent of this propitiation. Our text informs us ^'He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." ♦^Vari- ous are the opinions of different denominations, and different individuals respecting this j^nd sinai- lar declarations of the sacred writers. Some 92 believe the saviour died for the elect only, cr those individuals who shall eventually be saved, and they explain the unijersality of the passage thus; that seme of those men for whose sins he is the propitiation, are chosen out of all nations, ranks and conditions of men ; some are chosen from the rich and the great ; some the poor and obscure orders of society ; some from the learned, and some from the unlearned, some from tlie free, and «omc from the bond, some from the rulers, and some the ruled. Thus they satisf}^ themselves the «acrcd writer just means some of all ranks and conditions of men. Others insist he died for all men strictly and intentionally to save them, but after all, some for whom he died will go to hell. Others insist he died for all men, with an express determination *to save them, and that according to this, the divine design, all will eventually be saved, though some will go to hell and stay there a while as they pass along. None of these explanations satisfies me. I will state my objections to each and then state as lucidly as I can what appears to me the consistent sense of the apostle. The universality in the first of these opinions, viz : That some of this whole world for whom the propitiation is made, are chosen from all nations, ranks, tribes and condi- tions of men, does not satisfy. This sense of the passage is entirely too far fetched, too foreign from he manifest dictates of easy, plain, unbiassed ccm- moii sense. I will hazard the opinion if you will prr.pose the question what the apostle here means Ijy the whole worlds to a hundred boys of good. plain, common sense, unbiassed by party opinioa and party prejudice, thiit not iivc of them will answer as the first opinion states. To suppose liiat the whole world means some diosen out oi a.il Bations, or the whole elect world, is tukmg t^oo gr.eat a liberty with the sacred writings ; and in- dulging unlimitedly m this way of interpretation you make the lively oracles of Gv)d spCuk v,i.y fihing you wish. To insist thac Christ died wnh a design to save all men miallibly, but that some- jfor whom he shed his blood will eventually be- Ibst, is indeed to make his death, in a great mea-. sure, void. This, then, will not do, it is quite eon-' li-ary to holy writ, and the very teachings o^ Christ himself; John, 6, 40; "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one wiiieh seeth the son and belicveth oii him may have evei'< lasting life, and I w^ill raise him up ai the last :]ay;'* V. 44 ; " No man can come unto me exceot the father who' hath sent rac draw him, and 1 vvil^ i*aise him up at the last day ;" John, x, 29 ; " My father who gave them me is greater tlian all, and none is able to pluck them out of my father's hand.'* These scriptures need no comment, nor shall I give them any. But they do not appear to me to Gomport well with the idea that some souls whvini. J^siis really intended to save wiiwi he shea Hist blood, will finally be Lst. The other opinion which I suggested to be thC' opinion of many, that he died ibr all men With/ifli express intent.an to save them, and that all will infallibly be sa^e^, thot:gh many must ^ t^ tornfentfwa w4»ile. Thi^upinioa wHi oo)» do 9^ iJScause it is directly contrary to the whole teacli ings ot God's word on the subject. That the tor- ments of hell are strictly and literally eternal, is the doctrine of God's \a ord generally, and the new testament in particular. This is a subject on which we know nothing with certainty but irom. God's holy word. Permit me to turn you to the tlniciiings of God's pure and holy spirit on this subject ; Mat. xxv,46 ; "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal; Rev. 14, 11; "And the smoke of feheir torment ascendeth up forever and ever and; i^ey have no rest day nor night, who worship the- bcast and his image, and whosoever receiveth th^- inark of his name ;" Mark, ix, 44 ; " Where their w orm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.^'-' These words, and similar passages, plamly show tfiat the torments of the wicked are without end.. The worm, their own conscience, dies not,;j, but torments them forever; "The fire is not quenched," the wrath of God is poured out without mixture, and that as long as souls en- dure. Kow, brethren, my text asserts that Christ is the propitiation, not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world ; and the apostle- Paul saith, Heb. ii, 9 ; " That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Now, I presume the import of these passages is just about, the same. Now, sirs, I presume the import of these phrases is this; that Christ has made an atonemelit whioh appeases the deity and reconciles him te 95 penitent sinners ; an atonement which renders it perfectly consistent with the perfections of deity to bestow happines and salvation on whom he? will ; and that there is ample and sufficient merit in the death and sutierings of Jesus Christ for the salvation of all men. And the apostles declare iSiat he tasted death Jor every man, and that he; is the propitiation for the sins oj the vvhole world ; (hat none need be discouraged from making appli. cation to the saviour. According to my views of the atonement the warrant is perfectly equal to all men who hear the gospel to believe on Jesus Christ. The invitation is to all, and the utmost encouragement is set be. fore them to make application, and if they do not, the lault is exclusively their own. Hear the gen- erosity and universality of the invitation; Mat. xi, 28 ; " Come unto me all ye that labour a«d arc heavy l:iden, and I Will giv^e you rest ;" John, vi, 37; "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out ;'' John, vii, 37 ; " In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, if any man^thirst let him come unto me and drink." My views of the atonement farther are, that before even one single soul can be saved, Christ must shed his blood ; "For w^ithout shed- ding blood is no remission;" Heb. ix, 22 ; "For' this is my^lood of the new testament shed for Kiany, for the remission of sips;" Mat. xxvi^'28. Clirist's death and sufferings manifest most clearly Ood's regard to the rights of justice, to the main- tenance of holiness, to the dignity of the divine fevernment. This being done, no obstacle !ies '96 in the way 6f tjie salvation of , any men, nor of.alj men, who hear the gospel of Chii^t iind embruce it. For that which is a sufficient atoncmcni for #ie sins of one man is a sufficient atonemeit for #ie sins of all men. And I see no improprict} in my saying what the inspired apostles John apd Paul have taught me to say and have ^.said before me, '" That Christ is the propitiation for our sins, ^nd not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," and that "Jesus Christ by the grace of God might taste death for every man.'' Tiius those inspired penmen have said, and thus I am willing they should say, and am willing to believe theui when they do say it. And to tam- per with the word of God, and distort it from its plain manifest meaning by saying the whole world means the whole "elect world," and that Christ ^^ Tasting death , for every man" means . every ^^believingman," is unjustifiable, unwarrantable^ limiting the sacred records, and dangerous to the souls of men. Let us say what the apostle has said, and be therewith contented, that Christ has become a propitiatory sacrifice, " For the whole world," without any unwarrantable limitations about it. With regiu'd to the number of souls that will be saved through this atonement I satisfy my own mind by answering, and am entirely pleased with the answer, just as many as an inllnit^ly wise, immaculately holy,^and sovereign God sees proper^ and not one more nor one less. This is a qnestion ray own mind asked me thirty eight years ago, this is the answer I then gave it, with the holy biblic in my hand^ and. with which 1 have ever sijacc Ecsted satisfied, and intend so to do till God- shall tall me home, and with this laconic answer; am 1 so entirely satisfied that I never mtend to seek any •ther. My own mind asked me how comes it to pass, and where lies the fault, that all are not sav- ed since God is gracious, and a propitiation made for the sins of the whole world. With the bible in my hand, and I humbly trust the fear of God before my eyes, I answered thus ; the fault is ex- alusively the sinners' own, and the character of deity spotless and clear. The passages w^hich were presented to the view of my mind, and on which this answer is principally predicated, were and are, such as the following , John, v, 40 ; " And ye will not come unto me that ye might have life;" Mat. xxiii, 37 ; " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gath- ered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not;-*' Luke, xix 41, 42 ; " And when he came near and beheld the city he wept over it saying, if thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes.'' Any comment on these passages of sacred writ, which fell from the lips of the holy Jesus himself, so plain and full of significancy, appears to me entirely useless. With regard to the answer given above to the question, what number of the human family will be saved ? which answer was in the following words ; " Just as many as an infinitely wise, immaculately holy, and sovereign God sees proper." If any w ish t^ Vol. II I. m know the passages of sacred writ on which the answ6i'is founded, they shall be gratified ; II Tim, ii, 19"j " Nevertheless the foundation of God standee sure having this seal, the Lord knoweth them thkt are his ;'^ John, xiii, 18 ; "I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen ;" Rom. ix, 17 ; *^ For the scripture saith unto Pharoah for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth; therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." Are any of you ready to say this is a hard saying, who can hear it ? The saying is not mine ; it is his who spake by the afflatus of the holy ghost ; and they who find fault, find that fault not with man but with 'God, and to him they must answer it. 1. Learn from this subject how anxious sinners ought to be in their application to Jesus Christ for salvation. Is the Almighty God offended with sinners and offended justly too ? Is Christ ihe only mediator between God and man ? Is he the only propitiation for our sins ? Ought we not then most anxiously to seek an interest in his gracious favour ?, Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, in him there is eternal salvation and in no other. "Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved." Let us then, dear brethren, be all earnestly engaged in " Seeking the Lord while he may be found, and calling upon him while he is near. Let the wick- ed forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, who will abundantly pardon ;" Isaiah, Iv, 6, 7. 2. How great the encouragement all have, to cast themselves on the divine mercy and trust in the Lord Jehovah forever, in w horn there i.s everlasting strength. "Jesus Christ is the propi- tiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Now, no one man has a right to say to others I have more en- couragement to apply to the saviour than you. Christ died for a certain number of the human family and for no more ; he suffered to make a propitiation for my sins, but not for yours. The encouragement to one sinner is just as ample as to another, and the assurance of the saviour is, that he who cometh shall m no wise be cast out, as we have seen above. Let all be solemnly engag- ed and most earnest w^ith their God ; " From the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force ;'' Mat. xi, 12 ; ''Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them ;" Ezek. xxxvi, 37. Christian salvation is of grace, and of grace alone, beyond controversy, according to the sa- cred word of God ; Ephes. ii, 8, 9 ; " For by grace are ye saved through. faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." But, notwithstanding this, we have a part assigned us which it is our duty to discharge and that with fidelity. This part is to seek the Lord with all our hearts, and t© 100 (iischarge all the duties incumbent upon us accord- ing to the requirements of the divine law. The scripture command is, " Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord ;^' Heb. xii, 14. Let us, then, seek the Lord, brethren and sisters, wivh all simplicity and Godly sincerity, by devout and humble praycF an'i supplication ; '' Let us seek him by breaking off from ^r sins and show^ing mercy to the poor, if peradventure, it may be a lengthening of ouf tranquility ;" Dan. iv, 27. No overtures of salva- tion t)y grace made by the Lord in the gospel, are designed to relax the sinews of our industry. We are to be just about as earnestly engaged in attend- ing to all the various means of grace, as though we were to be justified by our vigorous exertions, and when we have done what is our duty to do, let us account ourselves only unprofitable servants, and confide for acceptance with God on the mer- it of him, who is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world ? — -a©©— NATIONAL MOTIVES ADDRESSED TO ALL, TO IS^ DUCE THEM TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. TroyeYlis, 111, 1— 4i« ^'31]/ son, for- get not my law ; but let thine heart keep my commandments ; for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to fhce. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee ; hind them about thy neck ; ivrite them Upon the table of thine heart ; so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and manJ^ MANYof the human race, ray friends, I pre- sume greatly mistake the nature, design and ten- dency of true religion. They seem to tliink that all its benefits and rewards respect another state of existencey and can be looked for beyond the grave only, and that no benefits accrue from it in the present life. In the estimation of these peo- ple, if we get religion ever so shortly before we die, every end will be answered that this sacred thing can ansvver at all. In that event we shall be secure of everlasting happiness, . and this ac- cording to their mutilated sclicme is all it promi- ses. Now, I conceive for my part, that true 12. 1(B religion is the highest dignity and happiness of hu- man nature in all states of existence ; and that its rewards are not altogether confined to another world. True it is, its highest rewards are to be conferred in a future state, and there it is, that the dev^out and pious man looks for them in the high- est degree, but not exclusively. And to con- ceive that true religion has no other rewards at- tached to it but these, is extremely erroneous, and antiscriptural. The sacred pages uniformly re- present true religion as conferring on its posses- sors, present, as well as future, rewards ; "Great? peace," saith the psalmist, "have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them ;*' Psalm cxix, 165. That peace is a blessing and advan- tage to the human soul, I presume, will not be de^ nied by any. The king of Israel, speaking of reli- gion, saith ; "Length of days is in her right hand ; and in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" Prov. iii, 16, 17; "Godliness with con- tentment," saith St. Paul, "is great gain ;" I Tim. vi,6. But perhaps no where in the sacred records, are the present advantages of religion spoken of more decidedly, than in the words 1t)f my text ; '^My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments ; for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee, &c.^' Here we find length of days, long life, and peace promised to the recollection of God's law, and keeping his commandments. And favour and good understanding with God and man are pro- mised as the reward of mercy and truth, whejJ written on the table of the heart. 103 But it must be recollected, it is to true and ge- unine religion that these good things are promised , and not to a mere show or profession of the thing. It is when the heart keeps the commandments of God, and when mercy and truth are bound about the neck and written on the heart. design, I. To explam and enlarge on the duties en- joined. II. I shall a little explain and enlarge on the rewards promised. Then conclude with some inferences and appli- cation. I. I am a little to explain and enlarge on the duties enjoined. 1. The first is not forgetting the law of God ; "My son, forget not my law." It is much to be feared this is an injunction greatly violated by multitudes of mankind. How many are there, who are going on in their courses of business and amusement, or which is much worse, in their guil- ty pleasures and dissipations, quite forgetful of God and his law, to the extreme injury of their own souls, and the great dishonor of God ; "For- get not my law." We ought ever to remember, that we ai% not our own, that we are dependent on God ; that he has a right to give us law ; he is Our creator, preserver and benefactor. Hence is founded his righteous dominion. He has given us' a law, and furnished us with a rule for our conduct in all cases whatever. By this law, we are to be regulated ; when any thing occurs in the course of our conduct, in the least degree doubtful in its na- tiire ; we ought not, as a great many do, appeal to our passions, our sellish inclinations, an^ tmrnal propensities, to know how we are to pro- ceed in this doubtful matter. They will very of- ten lead us astray. We ought to consult the law of our God and do as that directs, how contrary r-Oever such course maybe to the fro ward inclina lions of our own minds. This is to remember the divine law, and it is to remember it in just such a wavj as is our indispensable duty. We ought to remember that so far as we violate this law, we arc exposefl to condemnation at the hand of Almighty God. This consideration ought to excite us to the greatest diligence and care. Let us remember ,?what a fearful thing it must be to fall into the hand of the living God. 2. The second direction given in my text is, to let our hearts keep the commandments of God. vSeeing God has a right, as above suggested, to give us law, it is our incumbent duty strictly, and in good faith, to keep the commandments he gives us, and that both in heart and practice. When we ob- serve the commandments of God strictly in our practice, this will passw^ith men, as they are incapa- ble of scrutinizing the motives of our conduct; but this will not pass with God unless we keep them iu our hearts. It must be known to every one who. reads the sacred records, that God always requires the heart in his service, and never will be pleased with a moral agent without it. I think, we then keep the commandments of God in our hearts, when we pay attention to the divine lavs^ for God's sake, and for conscience sake.. When we would be just as careful to perform our duty to God if 105 tmne of our fellow creatures knew any thing about it, as we would be if the whole world were look- ing on. Some people will perform' 6fertain duties carefully and with great apparent zeal, provided they arc duties of a splendid nature, and likely to i; recommend them highly to public notice, and po- • pnlar applause. But these same persons, if they thought the public would know nothing about it,, would move very heavily in the discharge of duty, or leave it entirely undone. This is certainly not keeping the commandments of God m the heart. Su3h is the vanity of many men, that they will go almost any length, to gain a little empty applause^ and stand well with the public. We then keep the commadments of God in our hearts, in the strict scripture sense, when our obedience to the divine law is rendered from principles of pure and impartial love. When the christian can say with the psalm- ist ; "my soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I lovC' them exceedingly." 3. The next direction of my text is, not to let mercy and truth forsake us ; but to bind them a- bout our necks, and write them on the table of our hearts. These good things we are not to lose sight of in all our intercourse with our fellow men ; "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee." Mercy is a dis- position to pity, relieve and assist the needy, the tielpless and suffering, who cannot relieve them- selves so far as w^e may have it in our power, and in this view^ of it, is extremely important in society, and repeatedly enjoined in the sacred writings. An apostle exhorts to put on bowels of mercies ; Col, iii, 12 ; "Put on therefore, as the elect of God,* 106 holy and beloved, bowels of mercies.'* Mercy, al- so, uas respect to otfenders, and means a placable disposition toward them^ and a readiness to tor give them their trespasses against us. To this, we are also, ardently exhorted by the apostle ; Ephes. iv, 32; "And be ye kind, one to another, tender hearted, forgiveing one another, even as Gody for Christ's sr.ke hath forgiven you, so also do ye.'' And Christ himself hath taught us to pray for for- giveness, asweforgiveothers ; Mat. vi, 12 ; "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,'' Now, sirs, if we make our forgiveness of those who have offended us the measure of that forgive- ness for which we pray, ought we not ever to maintain a forgiveing dii^position tow ard our fellow men ? Otherwise, would we not be in the utmost danger ? Truth is the conformity of our words to our thoughts, and is plainly opposed to every thing like falsehood, prevarication and dissembling. The rules of truth are exceedingly often violated amongst mankind, and much guilt contracted in this way Hypocrisy, dissimulation and insin- cere pretences have prevailed so much in modern times, that they appear to be almost the order of the day. But these things are all opposed to that truth, which w^e are exhorted in my text, to bind about- our necks, and write upon the table of our hearts. When we speak with our neighbors we ought to speak truth, and nothing contrary thereto, agreea- bly to divine direction ; Ephes, iv, 25 ; "Where- fore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.'^ W7 When we make promises we ought to fulfil them to the extent of our power, and not to do tliis, is certainly to trespass on truth. Many make pro- mises, and are not at all particular to discharge them. This is extremely wrong, and is very in- jurious to society. And it is often very injurious to tlie person himself, who is guilty of it. For whenever it is ascertained by the public, that a man pays but Httle regard to his promises, the public will not long pay much regard to him, unless he is very plenty of property ; then commercial men will credit him, relying on coercion to get their own. The direction is, that we bind these sacred things about our necks, and write them on the ta^ bles of our hearts. I presume we are to under- stand by this figurative language that these things ought to be very dear to us, and entirely sacred in our estimation. We ought certainly to dehght in them, and perform them from principle, for conscience sake ; and m obedience to the command- ment of God. If we promise a man a sum of money on a certain day, I think we ought to furnish him as punctually as possible, not only be- cause we think he will compel us eventually, to discharge the debt, but we ought to do it for du- ty's sake, and for conscience sake. And when we do so, in all cases we bind truth about our necks and write it on the table of our hearts. And when we perform mercy to our fellow men^ not to attract the notice of men by our liberality, and thereby emblazon our names ; but because €rod has commanded it, and to diffuse human happiness. Then I think we write mercy on the taf>le of our hearts, and comply with the very spirit ©f the direction contained in my text. II. I am a Httlp to enlarge on, and explam, the rewards promised in my text. 1. The first reward promised is length of days or long hfe. I do not presume God has bound himself by promise, that the man who is obedient in remembering the divine law, and keeping the commandments of his God in his heart, shaU cer- feinly live to a very advanced age, the contrary of which we often find turn out to be the fact. But I presume we are fairly to understand the sacred writer as teaching that the native tendency of obedience, and keeping the commandments of God, is to prolong life and will do so, unless di- vine providence sees proper, for his own inscruta- ble reasons,. to order it otherwise. And will not this sentiment well stand the test of sober reason a*nd experience ? Do not half the human family shortea their days, and fall victims to an untimely death ; " Through surfeiting and drunkenness, chamber- ing, and wantonness," intemperance and de- bauchery ? See the drunkard wasting his vitals, destroying his health, and wrecking his constitu tion by the inflammatory draught ; see the glut- tonous man overloading his stomach by his enor- mous meals ; how does he oppress nature, and put it to the expence of a fever and a vomit, in order to discharge the unwieldy and offensive load*? Does not every man of common sense know that these things must iirjure the constitution and im- pair the health ? Nature will not long suffer 1Q9 these things without retaliation. Violence is seldom done to nature's laws but what the guilty of- fenders are the miserable sufferers in the end, nor can it be reasonably expected it should be othel* wise. See that man of irascible passions, even in th *^ That a soft answer turneth away wrath ;" Prov, XV, 1 ; and that a '^ Soft answer breaketh the bone ;" Prov. xxv, 15. He is not hasty in his spirit to be angry, well recollecting that " anger resteth in the bosom of fools ; Prov. vii, 9 ; "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rest- eth in the bosom of fools." 3. The finisliing stroke of the reward promised in my text is, that those who let not mercy and truth forsake them but bind them about their necks, and write them on the tablesof their hearts, shall find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. That keeping the commandments of God, being holy and righteous, is the ready way to find favour with God, we have no doubt ; Prov. viii, 17 ; " I love them that love me." We do not mean by this observation to be understood as dis- claiming the atonmg merit of Jesus Clu-ist, in the great article of justification and acceptance with God. This doctrine we view as the great founda- tion stoue which God has laid in Zioa ; and Qp m 11^ which believing sinners must build the fabric of their immortal hopes. But is it not the command- ment of God that we believe on the name of his' son Jesus Ciirist ? " For this is the commandment of God, that ye believe on the name of his sou Jesus Christ and love one another ;" I John, iii, 23. And does not the apostle John pronounce a blessing most expressly on those who do his com- mandments ? Rev. xxii, 17 ; '' Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life," &c. How far this favov shall be shown them in the present life so as to be manifest to their fellow men, is a separate ques- tion. But certain it is beyond all controversy, that God will lead them through this world in that way his infinite wisdom sees best for them, and in the end will receive them to the habitations of eternal glory. That the exercise of mercy and truth is as cer tainly the way to conciliate the favor of men, I pre- s\x\m there is full as little dou!)t. When a man manifestly abounds in all the kind, tender, and social affections ; when he is generous and com- passionate to the needy and sutfering, sympathises with those m deep distress, and is strictly just to all,, is he not the darling of societj^, and highly esteemed by all the well thinking part of the community ? This, I presume, is at once conced- ed by all the fair and candid, and the concession is predicated manifestly on the face of universal fact. When a man's reputation is fairly establish- 'e:d for truth and integrity, when it is clearly it. 114 uscertained, that bis word may be ^SbMy beFiev^^cl and his promises relied on, does it not give him a- standing with his acquaintances, which is not gen- erally obtained by faithless and prevaricating men ? Is not such a man the one who will generally be confided in and pass well with so- ciety ? Is he not generally esteemed the man of real and substantial worth ? Whatever arts of low and selfish cunning, chicanery, and intrigue a man may possess, yet 1- presume he is never es- teemed by society a man of sterling worth, unless he be known to be a nian of fair dealing and rigid truth. This latter is the man who will pass cur- rent in society, in every country^ and in every age. 1. Learn from this subject that true and genu- ine religion does not consist in rites and forms, and external acts of worship offered to the deity, without a good life. W^ must remember God's law, we must keep his commandments, and exer- cise mercy and truth, if we would approve our. selves to God and man. The very essence of true and genuine religion is love to God and our fellow men; but to satisfy a fair and candid enquirer of the sincerity and real genuineness of this love v^hereitis professed, there must be a correspond- ing life, a life conformable in some good degree to the holy requirements of the divine law. A-nd without this corresponding and regular life the evidence never can be satisfactory to any candid and impartial enquirer that the love is sincere, if we judge according to the scriptures, and there is certainly no other safe ground on which to judge; 4 iu John, XIV, 15 ; "If ye love me keep my com* mandments;'' John, xv, 14 ; '' Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I coiiiraaiid you ;" I John^iii, 7, 8 ; " Little children, letno man deceive you;^ he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the devil ;" I John, v, 3 ; *^ ]^or this, is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and thatr his commandments are not grievous."'^ Thus is it manifest from the sacred records, that no evidence can prove to the satisfaction of our rniiuls,. if they are well informed and view the subject right, that professions of love to Gx)d are genuine and sincere, short of keeping the commandments of God. Let us all then, dear brethren, who profess the hol^ religion of the redeemer, be careful to maintain good works ; so shall we prove our love sincere ac- eording to the teachings of the blessed saviour, so shall W'e do good to the world of mankind, for "These thingSj^are good and profitable to men;*^ Titus, iii, 8. 2. Learn from; this subject, that whatever regu- larity of conduct we may manifest before the w^orld ; yet are we not possessed of true religion unless our obedience and good conduct proceed from a heart right with God. This lies at the very foun^ dation of all real and genuine religion. We are required in my text, be it recollected, to keep the commandments of God in our hearts, and to w^rite uaercyand truth on the table of our hearts. These directions plainly show how much the heart is ac- counted of m the sight of God, And the sacred scriptures- require, to tii« same amomit elsewhere!^ lie Prov, xxiii, 26*^ *^*My son, give me thine hearf A sacred writer says elsewhere; *'Thcn shall, they seek me and find me, when they shall search for me with all the heart." Thus we find, God ex- pressly requires and calls for the heart in his ser- vice, and without this, God never was pleased ; neither ever will be. On this you may rely with infallihle certainty. • ■, v. 3. Learn the great and prevailing reason why so many professors of religion reap none of its comforts. The great reason is their hearts are not in the matter. We are not to expect any thing or pursuit to make us happy, unless the heart is in it. Such an expectation is weak and puerile ; it has- never been realized, and it never will, and every man of tolerable understanding knows it, and it is contrary to all human experience, that ever we should be happy m those pursuits where the heart is not. The heart is almost all in all, in pursuits of idmost every kind ; and religion above all thmgs^ will not do without it. Hear, my friends, and be convinced, that without the heart, in the sacred thing we call religion, you never will succeed. Why, sirs, recollect that if you put two boys to reading dead languages, say Latin and Greek, one of whom has his heart in the business, and the other feels his heart directly opposed to it ; the one whose heart is delighted with it, will double the other, ai)d in fact more than double him, suppose all other things to be equal. So much does it aid every pursuit, to have the heart engaged in it. Surely, then, we never ought to attempt the dis^^ charge of religious duties without the heart. IIT 4 Learn that those who are truly religious, and keep God'slaw in their liearts, have made the wisest as well as the safest, choice. A life of temperance and holiness, is usually a life of pi-oportionable health and happiness. So true is the declaration of ^ sacred writer; ^'That wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are paths- of peace ; Prov. iii, 17. And permit mc here to ask ; what does the debauchee, the man of viciou& life and practice make, by all his sinful courses ? The fair and rational answer must be, wretched- ness and misery in this life, and the displeasure of God, and eternal ruin, in that which is to come^ *^ Who hath woe ? Who hath sorrow ? Who hatU contentions ? Who hath babbling ? Who hath wounds without cause ? Who hath redness of eyes ? They that tarry long at the wine. They that go to $cek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wincjj when it is red, when it givethits colour in the cup. At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like- an adder." 5. Learn fr®m this subject, that the opinion.^ that all the rewards of a religious life, lie beyonll the grave, is an extremely dangerous one, as it is calculated to favour procrastination, which general • ly ruins the soiil. While careless sinners draw the conclusion, that no reward is attached to a religious life in this world, and that all its rewards respect the world beyond the grave ; they wdl be disposed to put off the matter of seeking religion ; the prol»able consequence of which is, that they wilt lose their souls. The strong and rational proba- bility is that death will surprise them into thi? i I oilier world without the least opportuiuty at' making their peace ; and then eternal ruin must' ensue. Let us guard against this fatal mistake ; \ "Let us seek the Lord while he is to be found, let" ' us call upon him while he is near. Let the wick- ed forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thought, and let him return to the Lord, who will • have mercy upon him, and to our God, who wW i abundantly pardon •" Isaiah Iv, 6, 7. i m%m ^^^% THE AI^XIOUS sinner's EARNEST ENaVIRY POR SALVATION. acts, 11, ar, sa. ^^Now when they heard this, they loere pierced in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the ■rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what ■shall we do ? Then Peter said unto them, re- pent, 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 HoUj ■most:' THE connection of these words is this. The apostles of our Lord continuing in the city of Je- rusalem, after the ascension of the redeemer, untfll^ the day of pentecost was fully come ; the time ap- ;pointed in the divine mind, to endow them with -power from on high, there came suddenly a ^sotind from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind, and filled the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and sat on each of them, arjd they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance. And there were at that time Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven, dwelling at Je- rusalem, and they heard the apostles every map; 12© ' hi his own tongue wherein he was born ; verse 6^— 11 ; verse 12 ; " And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, what meiineth this? Others mocking said, these men are fdled with new wine. These, I suppose, were the native Jews of Jerusalem, who understood none other language than the Hebrew, and to whom all these -strange languages appeared like jargon. Peter makes a very ingenious and able defence against this foolish and infatuated charge. He alleges in this defence the charge was not reasonable, for even drinking men were not generally drunk at bo early an hour of the day, for it was then only the third hour, that is, our nine o'clock. And he goes «n to show that all this extraorditiai-y appearance #lis a literal fulfilment of an ancient prophecy by J'oel, and that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah, whom with wicked hands they had cru- cified and slain. And he concludes his defence by telling them that they ought to know assuredly^ that Grod had made this same Jesus, whom they had crucified and slain, both Lord and Christ, Consult the chapter at lei«;ure from the 14th to the 36th verse inclusive. On hearing this, they were in the language of tny text, pierced in the heart, and said unto Peter and the rest Of the a^osttes *-^ Men and brethren what shall we do ?" It appears, then, that conviction now seized the hearts of these bloody Jews, who Md cfiicified the Lord of life and glory. . The spirit of God accom- panied the preaching of Peter, and it was made lifV- and spirit to their souls. When the spirit of €rod accompanies the preaching of liis word, then 121 ^t is powerful to the awakersing and conviction of sinners, and i-.cver till then. O liiatmy God would instruct me to discretion, and teach me wliut to say on the present occasion, which might he oless- cd to the »iroduction oi the same powerful effect on your minds, that was produced on Lhe minds of Peter's liearers, by his rational, pathetic and ear- nest address. I propose to show ; I. What ought to produce the same compunc- tion in vour minds which Peter's .hearers felt, II. T will describe a little, the v^iews and feelings of the mind in such a situation as these heai-ers of Peter were in, wdien they cried out as in my text, "men and brethren, what shall we do r'^ III. I shall attempt to show wjmt s"ch enligh- tened and convinced sinners ought to do, and what they must do, or be lost. And then close with a few inierences and application. I. I am to show what ought to produce the Fame kind of compunction in your minds which Peter's hearers felt. And here let me say in one word, your sins. You, as well as they, are sinners. You never crucified the Lord of life and glory as they did ; neillier did you ever nail him t© the tree. Of this you never had the opporiunity ; and therefore, vou could not do it. But have you not spurned diis dear saviour? Have you not set at nought, and sold him ? Have you not repeatedly declared, by turning your backs on his sacred ordinances, iVom time to time, that he should not reign over you. Then you areas guilty as they, and 'oaght to feel such compunction as they ielt. Are there not a Vol. II. K. thousand proofs of this amongst sinners ? And the loudest testimony borne by their conduct, that they are enemies in heart to the blessed Lord and Sa- viour Jesus Christ. What says the profanity of numbers of you ? Is it not a loud and awful declar- ation that your hearts are enmity, direct enmity itself, against your God ? How else are we to ac- count for such oaths, and such direct attacks on the almighty himself There is no other principle on which it can be done. Profane language is the mere ebullition of the enmity of the sinner's heart. Then, profane man, if you consider the matter well, will you not stand convinced that you as well as Peter's hearers have much ground for compunction ? What says the mispence of the sacred sabbath of the Lord ? Does not this ar- g«tr avbj[iart not right with God. If we love the ^ord, will we not be disposed to keep his com- itjandments ? ^' For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and that his com- inandments are not grievious ;" but is not the commandment of God express, that we shall remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy ? Now, sirs, how can we be holy men vvithout a disposi- tion to keep the sabbath holy ? It appears to me as one of the most extraordinary things, that any man who makes any claims to religion, should set himself in opposition to the sanctification of the sabbath ; or try to show that the fourth command- ment of the decalogue is not as binding as any other precept of the same. It appears to me that to the truly godly man the sabbath is the dehght. He esteems it holy and honorable. It meets the ardent wish of his heart. And I think we may take it for granted, we may view him as an ene- my in heart to God, who is entirely opposed to the sanctification of the sabbath. What says the inispence of time with respect to many others, and their entire neglect of the great duties of religion ? How many amongst us, my friends, are destroying the precious jewel, time ? How are we suffering it to run to waste ? My friend, how old art thou ? Thirty, forty, or fifty years. What hast thou done in thece years ? Hast thou secured an interest in the divine favor ? Hast thou made thy peace with God ? Hast thou secured thine eternal well- being ? Must not many put a negative on all these questions ? Then, my friend, have you not ground for compunction? Or can you misimprove the ipost precious opportunities and incur no guilt ? Can you squander away jewels, and be blameless? ^ IS'ay, more, have not many of you not only mis- ^ improved the golden opportunities which an in- dulgent providence hath thrown in your way, but have you not employed this precious thing to the worst and most pernicious of purposes, promoting sin and transgression in corrupting others, and drawing them into the way of transgressors which is hard ? Brethren, review your conduct, and an- swer conscientiously. If your conscience brings the charge against you, have you no ground oP compunction ? And might you not well exclaim with Peter's hearers, " What shall I do to be saved ?" What says the malignant, defamatory tongue of many, who delight in reproachmg fheir neighboars ? Is not there great ground oi 124 compunction? The good man delights in the weijare of his fellow -mcn^ and the happiness of his iViends is happiness to-him. Cur any thing be a piuiiier nvark of a wicked and depraved !\eart5 than a manifest disposition to injnre the character and lower the standing of om* ieilow men? Cer- tainly, then, those an iongst us to whom these re- marks apply have no small ground of compunc- ti(;n as well as Peter's hearers. What sjiys the attachment of many to levity and dissipation, and that attachment too often found even m the hoary head, and the decline of life. Ought not years to teach wisdom and the hoary head to be always found !M the way of Well doing ? How very un- seemly and improper for a grandfather, an(> some- times a grcatgranfUafcher, to be seen indulging in all the tricks and levity and freakishness of a boy. Have not such ample reason to be pierced in the heart at the recollection of their exceptionable and wicked conduct, and to exclaim with Peter's hear- ers, '' Men and brethren, what shall we do?'* What says the inattention of many to the worship of God .- How is this sacred, this rational duty neglected by a great proportion of the human race? O how many are there in every part of oui' coun- try living in the neglect of God's holy worship ! How is God's house and service neglected ? How many amongst us whom we scarcely ever see in a worshipping asseml»ly, 'nit who, when oUier people are humbly and devoutly attempting to honor God by waiting on him devoutly in his sanc- . tuary, are strolling through the Countj-y, paying unnecessary visits, or peradventure, engaging iti scenes of riofc and debauch ? Have not these great ground of alarm ? Are they not directly vi- olating the laws of the Almighty, and drawing down the divme vengeance on their own devoted and careless heads ? May net they with much propriety exclaim as in my text, ^^ Men and bre- thren, what shall we do ?" How many amongst us are living in the entire neglect of family devo- tion ? Are they not living then in the neglect of an important duty, and therefore offending God ? Have they not ground of compunction as well as Peter's hearers ? Do you ask me if there is any direct commandment for family prayer ? I an- swer, the thing is manifestly required by fair implication in the word of God, and therefore is as binding as tht>ugh there were the most direct commanjdment. See to this point, Jeremiah, x.^ 25 ; '' Pour out thy fury, O Lord, upon the hea- then that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name." Now, sirs, permit me to ask, if the fury of the Lord is to be poured out upon the families that do not call upon the name of the Lord, if this is not equal to the most positive declaration that families ought to call upon that name? How much is closet devotion neglected amongst us? With regard to a direct and posi- tive commandment for this particular duty, there certainly cannot be tlic least doubt ; Mat, vi, G ; '^.But thou, when thou pa^st, cnier into thy closet, and when thou hast^Hi[t thy door about Ihce, pray to thy father vvb^^^i secret^ and thy Aither who sacth in secret ^Bpreward thee cpcn- lyj' What say the many backsliders amongst us' 126 who once had some hopeful appearance of relief ion but have now exchanged that appearance i'cr the spirit of the world ? Does not this plairdy show that the heart is not right with God, and that we h|^ great ground for compunction and regret, and time w^e have suiiicient reason to exclaim witli Pe- ter's hearers/' Men and brethren, what shullwc do? II. I am to describe the views, feelings, and ex- ercises of the human mind in such a situation as these hearers of Petci" were in, wlien they ex- claimed as in my text, " Men and brethren, what shall we do r" 1. One view the human mind has of itself in such as ituation is, that it is a poor, condemned, and sinful creature ; condcmncf' Justly too for the dreadful and aggravated violation of God's righte- ous and equitable laws. The sinner in such a situation feels that it would be just and righteous in Ahnighty God to cut him off in sin and appoint him his portion with hypocrites and unbelievers. Another view the sinner has of himself is, that he is in a most miserable and helpless situation, that nothing without relief from his pitiable and de- plorable condition can make him happy. If you give him wealth, honor, rai-l^, or elevated station, still he cannot be ha})ny or enjoy himself without deliverance from his present deplorable condition. He sees and feels, tlvat without the special grace of God he is unrioii^Arever, and realises that so- lemn and most si gnlBtnt question of our blessed Lord, " What is a|||flbrohted if he shall gain the whole world and losWis own soul ? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'-' Mat. xvi> 12T 26. Another tiling the soul sees iind feels when in ihis situation is, thuthc is helpless, ;iimI impotent as he is guilty, and liable ever^ moment to sink to everlasting ruin ; that he cannot save liim-c^lf, hf any exercises or exertions of his ow n. Sii-ictly dbes he realise in his present deplorable condition, anH most sensibly does lie leel, all t[)e force of that deelaration of our hlesi^l Lord; John, nv, 5; ^* For without me ye can do nothing.'^ O how sensii)ly does he feel his impcicncy, an() how morti fyingly too! O how sensibly (iocs the sinner feel [>is l!id>irity to sinU down to hell ut any moment an angry G>.d may sec propc]' ! No marvel tfien if like Peter's hearers, he cry wit'i utmost anxiety '* Men and brethren, what shall ue andment of the decalogue ? Not only in that flagrant manner which is noticed by the laws of the community, and receives at their hand con- dign punishment ; are not all attempts to do vio- lence to the persons of our fellow men, all assaults and batteries, and all attempts to do them person- al injury, under the influence and at the dictates of an angry and malignant temper, so many viola- tions of this commandment? How numerous, then, are its violaters ? And how do they need repentance ? And how am I bound to view your conduct in the light of this commandment, as a fair and candid investigator of divine truth, ve Vol. II. L. 131 blood-stained duellists, with bands and garments, ensanguined from the veins of your fellow men, not slain in honorable battle, in defence of an in- sulted, injured, invaded country, but slain in sin- ixle combat, a combat which grew out of nothing it-it pride and ambition. O ye Burrs, and ye Barrons, and ye, whovcvcr you may be, like minded with these degraded savages, I have a message to you from heaven's holy sovereign, if perchance this little backwoods discourse should eyer be seen by you, and that message I am dis- posed to deliver, whatever you may think of it. That message I will deliver in the language of my text, " Repent, and be baptised, if necessary, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost." I trust you are not beyond the reach of divine mercy, if ye sin- cerely repent of sin and seek your God. But, with- out that repentance, I am as sure you are eternally undone, as I am that God's word is true ; " Who- soever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye knov^ that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him ; I John, iii, 15. Is it hoped by those very honorable men that I will not call them murder- ers ? I know not what else to call them with so much propriety according to the word of God, the laws of society, and common sense. I presume whoever takes away the life of his fellow maa wilfully, otherwise than as an officer of justice^, and in obedience to the laws of his country, is a murderer. The duellist takes away the life of his fellow man wilfully, with evil temper toward him, not in obedience to the laws of his country, but in express violation of those laws, therefore the iS5 daellist is a murderer. To say that duellists have certain laws of honor by which they are regulated in this concern, and that they risk their own lives, is saying nothing to purpose. If the Ahiiighty God has given us a set of laws by which he re- quu-es us to regulate our conduct, and which for- bid murder, has any set of men a right to establish any system of laws in opposition to these ? How absurd the hypothesis? Does the greatness cf- those men, and their elevated standing in society, exempt them from amenability to the scrutinies- of judgment, and the damnation of hell ? Permit me to answer this question by asking another. Does the greatness of these mighty men preserve them from sickness and death in common with their menial servants, from corruption, darkness, and the worm ? Then shall I admit that they may form laws destructive of God's laws, and triumph over deity himself When I find they can sa.y with effect to sickness, when invading them, stand oft* thou pale, unwelcome messenger, and thon grim and ghastly monster death, approach not my dwelling, I will admit, that they sliall destroy mankind at pleasure, and like other cannibals, feast on their flesh, and drink their blood at will. Burr shall not only have leave to kill Hamilton, but to eat him, and Barron shall drink with impunity Decatur's blood. But till then, I must view them as subject to God's law as other men, and when they violate that law by wilful, deliberate, and premeditated murder, I will call upon them in the sacred language of my text to repent of this their ^reat and aggravated wickedness. Duellist, have you read the bible enough to answer me the hY- iowing question : For wliom is tophet ordained 1 All, you say I have not made myseli* much ac- quainted with that stale, old fashioned booiv, and I do not know very much about its contents, and yet I am a man of some reading too ; but Voltaire, V^olney, Chubb, Hume and Tindal, are my favor- ites, from whom I am proud to learn. So 1 would liavc supposed, sir, and in you and your murders, the WiJrld have a correct and lively specimen of that to w^hich such writers lead. But come, nfiy blood stained friend, I must not quit you so ; suiYer me for once to introduce you, very politely and gentleman like, as you are so finished a gentleman, to the good old prophet Isaiah, and hear him^in- swer in his plain and honest way, the question >vliichyou have so politely declined, " Tophet is ordained of old ; yea, for the king it is prepared ^ he hath made it deep and large ; the pde thereof is lire and much wood ; the breath of the Lord^ like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it ;'' Isaiah^ XXX, 33. This, my man of blood, is the true an- swer to the question; the answer of which you so politely declined. How many of the grossest violations of the seventh commandment daily take place in society ? The evidences are numerous^ • glaring, and indisputable, in every section of the country ; and when we take into view the Sa- viour's explanation of this commandment as given, Mat. V, 28, w ho will plead exemption from guilt? Haw numerous then the violators of the divine law ? How universal the necessity that exists amongst men of repentance ? And did time suflicc 137 to examine the remaining commandments of i\tp decalogue on which we have not particularly re- marked, would we not still see a proportionable increase of crime, and an additional cause for com- punction ? 2. Let us enquire a little whether we ever have felt such a compunction as that which Peter's hear- ers appear to have felt, when they exclaimed in my text, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ?'•' Have we ever felt ourselves in a state of condem- nation ? Have we ever seen and sensibly felt the misery and wretchedness of that state in which we are ? Have we felt that nothing can make us happy without deliverance from this deplorable condition ? Have* we felt that we are helpless as we are wicked ? Have we sensibly felt our lia- bility to eternal ruin us sinners, whenever the Lord may be pleased to take the forfeiture at our hands? Have we felt deeply and sensibly that cur con- demnation would be just ? Now, sirs, if ue have not gone this far in religion, it is certain we never have gone farther ; as it is to be presumed fairly they have never accepted of Jesus Christ as a saviour, who have never felt that they stood in need ofhmi. 3. Learn that this is a painful situation of mied to be in, and from which the aovil h wont te fee! strong desires of deliverance. 4. Let us all take occasion to ily I'rom it by re- pentance and faith, an ! lay hi-ld of the otV^Ted mercy of the gospei spcet'il^ -iumt (kJuy. Which may the good Lord of bis iciliiiU; mncy en- able us all to do for the rcdccni.^r's sak;\ A^viv,-.. smmm^ir ^^^1* AN EXPOSTULATION WITH tHE HAUGHTY tH^- L\\kc, ^11, SO. "'But the pharisees and lawyers, rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not being baptised of him.^' THE SE arc the words of Jesus Christ respectmg the conduct of the scribes and* pharisees, touching the ministry of John the baptist. The connection of the words is this. John on a certain occasion, wlien he himself was a prisoner, sent two of his disciples to Jesus Christ to ask him expressly, whether he was the Messiah that was to come, or whether they were to look for another. And while John's messengers were in waiting he cured many of their plagues and infirmities and evil spirits, and to many that were blind he gave sight, and then told these messengers to go and report to John the things which they had seen and heard, and gave them no other answer. And wheit the messengers of John \yere departed, he began to speak to the people respecting John, and to question them what they went out into the wilder- ness to see ? "A reed shaken with the wind ? But what went ye out to see ? A man clothed in soTt- raiment? Behold they that are gorgeously appar- ailed, and live delicately are in king's houses^*' iS9 &c. &c. verse 24—^9 ; f*Bat the pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against them- selves, not being baptised of him." I presume, sirs^ as did these scribes and pharisees of old, so do mil- lions of the human race yet. Tiiey reject the counsels of God against themselves. I design through divine aid, to show, I. What that counsel of God is, which so ma- ny of the human race reject against themselves. II. What the rejection of this counsel is, or in other words, who are rejecting it against themselves. III. I shall expostulate a little with them, and propose a few arguments and dissuasives against their conduct, designed to induce them to de- sist from the same, and embrace the offers of mer- cy as proposed in the Gospel. 1. I am to show what that counsel of God is^ which so many of the human race are rejecting against their own souls. By the counsel of God I understand that device or scheme, which the dei- ty, in his infinite benevolence and wisdom, hath devised for the purpose of redeeming lost and guil* ty sinners. St. Paul, we find, apjjcals to the el. ders of the church of Ephesus, that he had not shunned to declare unto them all the counsels of God ; Acts xx, 27; ''For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." Now, sirs, we are at no loss at all to know what the bur^ den of St. Paul's preaching was. We know it was the scheme of salvation through Jesus Christ ; see Acts xx, 21 ; "Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God^ and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ;" I Cor. 140 i, 23 ; '^But we preach Christ crucifiecl, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks fooU - ishness ; but to them that are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of Qod and the wisdom of God ; 1 Cor. ii, 2 ; "For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified ;" Gal. vi, 14 ; "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Je- sus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto thew^orld.^' This counsel of God, or scheme of saving sin- ners through Christ, assures us, that in Christ alcce we are to expect salvation, and in no other' way ; Acts iv, 12 ; "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men w hereby we must be saved ;'- II Cor. V, 19; "To wit, that God was m Christ reconciling the w orld unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ;*' I John ii, 2 r "For he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours, only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 2. We are informed according to this counsel of God, that all who believe on Jesus Christ shall be saved from wrath through him ; Mark xvi, 16; ^*He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned ;" Johniii, 18: "Hctliat believeth on the son, hath everlasting life he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wTath of God abideth on hnn ;" Rom. v, 9; "Much more then, being now justified by his- blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.'^ 3. According to this counsel we are assured ihat it is not only our privilege, but likewise ou^ 141 indispensable duty to believe on Jesu5 Christ ; I John iii, 23; ^'For this is the commandment o\ God that ye. believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another." And it informs us honesU ly what will be the dire consequence of neglecting this duty; Mark xvi, 16 ; ''He that believethnot shall be damned ;'' John iii, 36 ; "Eut he that be- lie veth not the son, shall not see life, but the v^^rath of God abideth on him." 4. We are required by this counsel of God, to depart from all iniquity, and to walk in new ness of fife; II Tim. ii, 19; ''Let every one who nam- Gtb the name of Christ depart from iniquity; I John iii, 3 ; "And every one that hath this hopeln him purifyeth himself even as he is pure." 5. This counsel of God assures us if we are tru- ly religious^ there is a delightful heaven, which we shall enjoy forever ; I Peter i, 4; "To an inheri- tance incorruptible, nndefiled and that fadeth not awxiy reserved in heaven for you ;" Heb. x, 34 ; ^'Foryc had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the sipoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance ; John xiv, 1 — 3 ; "Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many man- sions ; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and re- ceive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also." G. The counsel of God to us is to be most ear-, nestly engaged to seek our heavenly inheritance Ml/ amd that in preference to every thing else ; Mat. Vi, 33 ; **But seek ye first the kingdom oi God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be ad- dend unto you ;'' Mat. vii, 7 ; ''A4io are lovers of carnal pleasures more than lovers of God. Such as will not give Tip their frolics and scc*nes of folly and dissipation for Christ's sake ; II .Tirn. iii, 4 ; " Traitors, hea- dy, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God :-' Isaiah, v, 11, 12; "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink ; that continue until night and wine inflame them ! and the harp, and the tabret, and the vral and wine are in their feasts ; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operations of his hands ; Amos, vi, 1, 4, 5,6 ; " Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall ; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to them- selves instruments of music like David, that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but the)^ are not grieved for the afPiictions of Joseph." It is admitted at once that the practice of the people here pointed out by the sacred penmen, and of those exercised in like man- ner at the present day, are not by any means such aggravated offences as those|&of many others that might be named. Yet tliey go to show witly per- fect clearness, that the persons who delight in them arc estranged from God and have no genuine piety, for if they had they would certainly find other objects of delight than these frivolous things, even the ever blessed God and his holy cause. 5. Such as will not wait attentively on God in the ordinances of divine institution. Such as w iU not read his sacred w^ord, or acquaint themselves carefully with its holy contents. Surely such as these reject the counsels of God against them- selves. It is the word of God which contains his counsels, or rather, this word is his very coun- sel. But how many are there amongst us, who scarcely look into their bibles once in a month ? Do they not prefer a common newspaper to the Sxicred word of God, and that, too, even on the holy sabbath ? These, I presume, are rejectmg the t'ounsels of God. Such as will not wait on the prcachnig of the divine word when they might do it with conveniency. The great God, in his infi- nite wisdom and benevolence, has instituted this as one way in which to make his counsels known ; Mark xvi, 15; " Go ye forth into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Now, when we will not hear this word, are we not re- jecting the counsels of God ? How many instead of attending reverently at the house of God, spend the day in vislfing, in business, in pastmie ? Surely these reject the counsels of God. Will any plead their guilty cause and say they could not help it ! 6. Such as are putting off religion until some fu- ture period, and w^ill not attend to it at the present time. To say I will not attend t<> religion now, is Vofi. II. M. ceftainly to reject the counsels of God ; because' God has not promised us any other time. To day is the time, and the divine word knows nothing of to-morrow; II Cor. vi, 2; *'Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." 7. Such as arc profane in their language, and ungodly in their lives, and will not attend to the admonitions of Almighty God to desist from their- guilty practises. III. I am to conclude this subject by expostu- lating with such as reject this counsel and using- tjUch arguments and persuasives with them, as ap- ^Dcar Calculated to induce them to desist from tliFg t&oHsh conduct, and to embrace the precious gospel, according to the invaluable counsel of n against God. 6. Let me expostula'te with you on tlie value of that precious immortal thing which you lose ; a soul. " Weigii well its value, by its duration ; the price given for it, the blood pf the son of God as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot ;" I Pet. i, 19 ; " Now what shcdl it profit a man if lie gain the whole world and lose his own soul ?" Mat. xvi, 26. 7. Let me expostulate with you on the disin- genuousness of your conduct as relates to the blessed saviour. Consider, O sinners, what the blessed Jesus has done for you, and then see^ if you can justify to your own mind your treat- ment of him. May the Lord of his infinite mercy enable us all to consider this matter well, and ground the arms of our rebellion, for the Redeemer's sake, Amen= mmm axTii* SIMPLETONS, SCORNERS AND FOOLS, IN THE SCRIPTURAL ACCEPTATION OF THE TERMS, ENTREATED TO DESIST FROM THEIR SIMPLI- CITY, SCORNING AND FOLLY, AND TO ACCEPT^ THE OVERTURES OF DIVINE MERCY. ^^IIow long, ye simple ones, will ye love simpU- city, and scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge,^^ THESE, my brethren, are the words of divine wisdom personified, addressed to the sons of levi- ty, madness, and folly, expostulating with them on the unreasonableness of their conduct. This chap- ter contains a great deal of most excellent counsel delivered by King Solomon its author. In verse 7, we are taught that "the fear of the Lord is the be- ginning of wisdom ; in verses 8 and 9, the best of counsel is given to the youth ; "My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother ; for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chams about thy neck ;-' In verse 10, and downward to the 19th inclusive; he cautions sinners against evil company, and its snares and dangers. Consult the passage at largo M2i 150 In verse 20, he informs us ; ^'Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets ;" 21 ; ^'She erieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates, in the city she uttereth her words saying ;'^ In the language of my text ; '^How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplici- ty, and scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge :'' These words manifestly present to our minds this idea, that the conduct of sinners in hating wis- dom and knowledge and goodness, is extremely foolish. I design to show, I. When people may be said to be actmg the simple and foolish part suggested in my text, or in other words, who arc these simpletons, scorner? and fools. II. Why the part these people are acting must be viewed as the most extreme simplicity and fol- III. I shall expostulate a little with them on the extreme simplicity and folly of their conduct, and propose a few dissuasives against it. I. I am to show when persons may be said to be acting the foolish and simple part suggested in my text, or in other words, who are these simple^ tons, scorners and fools. How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? 1. They certainly are simple ones, and loving- simplicity ^Yho are neglecting heaven and their immortal souls for earthly good of any kind. Say wealth. Now, there is a number of people who are so engaged about accumulating wealth, that they take no time to adjust the things whieb m helong to their peace ; no time to pray ; to read God's word; na}^, not even on the sabbath day. Even these hallowed hours are stolen from religi- ous purposes .and devoted to the pursuits of the world. How is this sacred day abused by thou- sands of the human race ? How is it devoted by many to sloth, to indolence, to business, to amuse ment, to visits? Say honor. Some in the pwsuit of preferment and elevation are neglecting God and heaven and things divine. Their grovelling souls appear to be taken up altogetlicr with ad- vancement ; and to ol^tain the good opinion of the public, goes farther with them than to obtain the favour of God their maker. Say carnal pleasure. Many are so taken up with a course of what the world calls pleasure, the gratification of their -car- nal propensities, that forsake thereof, they forfeit everlasting happiness, and debase themselves by indulging in every species of sensual gratiiication ; such as intoxication and impurity. These are simpletons to all intents and purposes. Now, if these are simpletons who are proposing to them- selves some gratification of their avarice, their ap- petites and ambition, what «hall we say of the swearer, the liar, tlie mischief maker ? Are they not simpletons too? Yet how many of mankind are thus volunteering in the cause of darkness and serving the devil most disinterestedly ? This is eommitting wickedness for its own sake, which is certainly disinterested wickedness. Bat there are scorners also mentioned in my ti&xt ; "And the scorners delight in their scorn- ing." These, sirs-, are they who not contented witii 4^ Beglecting religion, actually despise it, and tnafce it the matter of their ridicule and contempt; abois* ing it, and endeavoring to render it despicable ifi the view of others. Fools are also mentioned in my text; "And fools hate knowledge." Here it is manifest divine wisdom gives them the epithet of fools, who hate knowledge. And how many are of this descrip-,- tionin the world ? How many amongst our acquain-- tances? Yea, how many amongst ourselves? Do they not manifestly hate knowledge, who decline all the meansof instruction, when they might con . venienlly wait on those means ? Do they not hate knowledge, especially religious knowledge, whicK is what our text contemplates, who let the bible lie by them, shut up from week to week without opening this sacred and invaluable book, even on the hallowed sabbath; but will rather spend its sacred hours in visiting or sleep, than employ them in reading the holy word of God. Do they not hate religious knowledge who neglect every mean ©f information which divine wisdom hath appoint- ed? II. I am to show why the part they are acting must be viewed as extreme simplicity and folly; "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simpli- city r" 1. The part they are acting is extreme simplici- ty, because they are proposing happiness to them^ selves where it never will be found, from the en- joyment of the world, and the things of it. That this world cannot make mankind happy is mani- Tcst from human experience. No man has realised 153 this happiness. Witness the case of King Solo- mon as you find his, experience recorded ; Eceles. in, 1— rll ; ^^Isaid ni my heart, go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure ; and behold this also is vanity. I said of laughtei* it is mad, and of mirth, whatdoeth it r I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine ; yetacquamt- ing mine heart with wisdom ; and to lay hold on folly, till I might sec what is that good for tiie sons ©f men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their lifc.'^ Now, from these three llrst verses of the chapter, it is mand'est the king's de- sign was to put the. matter fairly to trial how far the world and its enjoyments could satisfy the huv man mind and make a man happy. Tins he plain- ly avows to be his design in the third verse. The subsequent verses, four, and down ward, will plainly «how us-whetheror not he was in an eligible bitu- ation for acquiring happiness ; ''I made mc great works, I builded me houses, 7^ lilanted me vine^ yards, I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted me trees in them.of all kinds of fruits ; 1 made me pools of water, to water therew^ith the wood that bringeth forth trees ; I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house ; alsg I had great possessions of great and small cat- tle, above all thdt w ere in Jerusalem befoi-e me ; I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculi- ar treasures of kings and of the provinces ; I gat me men-singers and women. singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than 5i]l that we^Q before me m Jerusaiqio; also m^^ wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine ©yes desired I kept not from them, I withheld notr my heart from uny joy ; for my heart rejoiced i» all my labour ; and this was my portion of all my labour." Now, sirs, is there not combined here ©very ingredient for the promotion of human hap- piness, so far as happiness depends on. or can bt promoted by, sensual delights ? Here are concen- tered wisdom, wealth, honor, greatness, servants and music. Is there any thing wanting ? Noth- ing. All the ingredients of felicity are here. Thfe man must be happy. I would suppose he knew iest himself. Let him speak ; verse 11 ; *'TheA I looked on all the works that my hands had 'fv'rought, and on the labor that I had labored to do} ^ud behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun," Then, vvc find, he that made the experiment, fairly pronounces if ail vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no pro- iit under the sun. 2. The part which wicked and ungodly mi:'% are acting would be extreme folly, if they could aven obtain as much happiness from the world as their own fervid and sanguine imaginations promise them ; " For what is a man profited, if he 4liull gain the whole world and lose his ownsoulj^ or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul r"' Mat. xvi, 26. Now, sirs, if men expose them- -selves to everlasting torments for present pleasures^ are they not acting the part of extreme folly, how .great soever these present pleasures may be?. What proportion is there between time and eter- fiity, or beiwe,en present aud fnture^ eiyoyjnent^f 155 ^s Rot this letting go the greater far the lessee ^ood ? And, su's, is not this always the part of folly? Suppose, sir, you have two notes due, one for five thousand dollars, the other for fifty, and you can possibly collect either of them, but cannot possibly collect both ? Which does common pru- dence say shall be abandoned, and which collected? Cannot every child of seven years answer ? Let ;go the smaller to collect the greater, if both can* not be secured. 3. The conduct of sinners is extremely foolish because they are pursuing the very courses whicli will actually lead to pam instead of pleasure. Yea, my friends, so far are those sensual indul- gences which sinners pursue from leading to feli- «ty, that they lead a directly contrary course,i Witness the conduct of the drunkard, and his deplorable situation ; his sickness, his fever, his family peace destroyed, his wife's affections alienat- ed, his children discouraged, his credit sunk, his standing in society let down. Take these things^ ieareful observer into view, and then say whether his indulgences lead to happiness or misery ? Wit- ness the adulterer, who by his irregular conduct^ alienates the affections of a lawful, perhaps a very amiable wife, destroys his family happiness and peace, and induces a long train of evils, for all "which he hath nothing in return but the illicit tjmbraces of a base harlot, who fixes on him ii loathsome and degrading disease, which shall be as rottenness in his bones. Witness the angry, ill tempered, and malignant man. Ah ! what .groans are those I hear itJ that adjoining room '^ 156 O how hollow they are ! Ah how like the groaiis of death! And such indeed they prove to be. They grow taint ! they cease ! The patient has jusf expired ! As the last hollow groan ceased the miserable suiicrer gave op the ghost, and reluctantly ! O how reluctantly ! surrendered his blood stained, sullen soul, into the hand of him who gave it. I enquire the cause ; I am informed the deiith resulted irom the passage of a leaden ball thi'ough his bowels, andwhich left his body close by the spine. I enquire farth<;r how he received this mortal wound ? No general war prevails, my peaceful country is not invaded. I am inform- ed he fell in a duel, resulting from the following circumstance : 'Phe deceased a few days ago entered the common room of a public house in which some gentlemen were already seated. A favorite dog followed him, and took his station very near to one of the gentlemen previously seated, who had his riding whip in his hand. And notwithstanding this young gentleman had no ap- pearance of self conceit or vain glory,' yet, he thonght himself entitled to company something more respectable than reynard, and gave him a cut round the flanks with his horsewhip, for the purpose of making him clear the room, in which he eiasily succeeded ; reynard's high toned, and right honorable master, resented the stroke given to the dog, a quarrel ensued, which terminated in the field of downright honor, where the master of the dog received the wound which has just ended his earthly existence. [Founded on fact.J Do the scriptures speak the truth when they tell us that 1^7 . *• Bloo ly and deceitfal mzn shall not live out half their days;" Pr^alm, Iv, 23. 4. The simplicity of sinful courses appears man- ifestly in this. If ever the sinners who ure pur- suing them repent at all, repentance and reforma- tion will be so much tlie more difiicult, by how much the longer the sinner has indulged in his transgression. Now, sirs, to render a thing which we ourselves have to do, and really calculate on doing, much harder by our own act and deed, is certainly the part of extreme folly. This folly is manifest at first blush. 5. The course sinners are pursuing is extremely snnple, because the service in which they are en- gaged is so perfectly unreasonable. Whatever course of human conduct contradicts every dictate of right reason, must be a foolish and simple course. But such is that the sinner pursues. What reason is there why we sliould revolt from Grod our right- ful sovereign, and devote ourselves to the adver- sary of souls ? W^hat reason is there that we should violate the reasonable commandments and law of our God, and offend his divine majesty ? III. lam to conclude by expostulating a little with sinners on the simplicity and folly of their conduct, and urge a few dissuasives against it; '' How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplici.^ ly, and scorners delight in tiieir scorning, and fools hate knowledge ?" Now, sinners, I do most earnestly beseech you to stop, and think: seriously, what you are doing. Consider you cannot harden your heart againsi, C4od and prosper; -' He is wise in heart and; Vol II. N. M8 mighty in strength, who hath hardened himself against him and prospered ?" O sinner, you are not in the road to happiness even in this world ! Even in this life the believer is much happier than you. You are in danger, sinner, the most awlul and dreadful, and I tenderly beseech you to con- sider it before it be eternally too late ! You are liable to die at any moment and be lost, irrecover- ably lost ! You are in danger of sinning away your day of grace, and provoking the almighty God to swear in his wrath, you shall not enter into his rest. By your sinful courses you are planting your dying pillow with thorns, and how- ever conscience may now be stifled by guilt, or lulled to sleep in the languors of pleasure, it will probably roar loudly then, and O ! how dreadful its accents ! You have to die sinner and appear a naked and disembodied spirit before your God. The death of a despairing impenitent sinner, O how dreadful I That of a saint how tranquil, how serene, how desirable ! A crown of immortal glory is in your offer ; sinner ! have you no ambition to seize the blessed prize ? Now is your time. O how long will ye love simplicity ? Eter- nal happiness, how sweet the sound! You have souls, my dear friends, of incalculable value. Arc you willing to lose them forever ? Those souls, sirs, are exalted in their powers and capa- cities ; I hope you will not be willing to lose them. Those souls are eternal in their duration, O can you think of losing them to all eternity ? By tum- ping from your sins, you will gratify all holy beings hi heaven and on earlh so far as they shall be 16^ acquainted with it ; ^^ Likewise I say unto you there is joy in presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth," and I presume the same sacred occurrence affords joy likewise to pioufr souls on earth. The Lord Jesus Christ died for sinners, and shall he die in vam, with regard tt» you ? Shall this benevolent saviour die to atone for our vilest sins with his precious blood ? And shall we cry out, crucify him ? May the Lord for- bid it of his infinite mercf . Amen. ■ mt,Aiv ^'^^mmw zzTiai* i THE MAK OF GOD ENGAOIiafG HIS HEART T«» APPROACH UNTO GOD, 5eTe,\\\ia\\^ XXX, ^i, last t5\av\»e* ^■Forivho is this that engaged his heart to apy proach unto me, saiih the Lordf^' FROM the 18th verse of this chapter to the words of my text, the restoration of the Jews to their own land and the distinguishing blessings of the gospel are particularly predicted ; "Thus saith the Lord, behold I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places ; and the city shall be builded on her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the man- lier thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry ; and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few, and I will also glorify them and they shall not be small. Their children also, shall b1ace, we never «an be nearet i« God at one time than another. In this fespect he is intimately nigh to every one of us ; for "In him we live, move and have our being.;'' Acts xvii, 28. With regard to God's e&sential presence, he is as near us one time as another. In this respect tie is as near to the greatest sinuer on earth as the greatest saint, and as near to Belzebub m hell as to Gabriel in heaven. Approaching God in the sense of my text, is having communion and fel- lowship with him. And persons are then said with propriety to approach unto God w hen they have spiritual intercourse and fellowship with him,, and only then. For notwithstanding we are en- circled in his being, and he is in a literal sense iu-» timately nigh to every one of us ; yet, while we are in a state of sin and enjoy no communion with God, we are in a moral and spiritual sense at an infinite distance from him; Ephes. ii, 13; "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime w'ere far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ/" Then we see at one time those christian Erphcsians were far off from God ; at another time they were brought nigh, though no doubt, they lived all the while ia the same towns, nay, very probably, in the same houses. Then this plainly confirms what we have said above ; for whenever a soul has sweet com- munion and fellowship with God he may be said^ with strictest propriety, to be brought nigh to God. Nor is it at all material to this spiritual approach in what part of the universe such soul may be. But in order to entire satisfaction on this subje'ctV i6^ 5K4t is necessary to make a few observations on thi^ communion and fellowship with God. There is certainly a particular kind of commu- nion and fellowship, which can and does take place betwixt the man of piety and his God, when thafc eternal being causes his light to shine on the christi an believer, and on the road that leads him to the lamb ; and when he is made to exult in God his saviour. And to the truth of this, every christian believer can in a greater or less degree bear his testimony. This sweet intercourse is better un- derstood by the true believer who feels it through grace, than expressed to him by any third person. When God causes his light to shine upon the belie ver, so that divine truths are more clear, plain and impressive than usual, and the soul sweetly delights in contemplating them, and viewing the glorious and lovely character of God, then I think it may be said, there exists communion and fellowship with God. When the soul approaches in heart to God and communion, and fellowship takes place between them, the unbounded love of God to <^ lost and ruined world is sensibly realized, and the >^oul warmly loves his God in return ; Psalm xxix., 3 ; ^^My heart was hot within me; whilst I was^ musing, the fire burned, then spake I with my tongue ;" Luke xxiv, 32 ; "And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened the scriptures.'^ When the soul has a deep-felt? sense of sin, not only as dangerous, but as vile and improper, and hates it as done against an -infinitely holy God, and dishonorable to him, and 1^ icels holy meltings of soul that ever he has becu guilty of a thing so vile and base, then I think he may be said with much propriety to approach God, for here is communion with him. When the soul of a worshipper has sweet liberty in prayer and en- largement of heart, feeling desires after conformity to God and communion with him which cannot b6 expressed ; and the spirit maketh intercessions for him with groanings wdiich cannot be uttered, then, I presume, communion may be said to take place betwixt God and that soul, and we may be said to approach him. Tliat it is sometimes the case w ith the true believer, that he has his heart so filled with divine things, and so overwhelmed with a sense of the divine goodness, that he has not sufficient com- mand of language to express his feelings, and that the spirit of God in this case grants him special and divine assistance by an enlargement of heart which can be expressed by a kind of groanings on- ly, is the manifest doctrine of St. Paul ; Rom. viii, 26 ; ^'Likewise the spirit, also, helpeth our infir- mities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the spirit itself maketh interces- sions for us with groanings which cannot be utter- ed." When the believer feels a sweet resolution of will into the divine will, and happy in the consi- deration, that God reigns and is sw eetly delighted with the divine government, and with all the pro- ceedings of the deity, it may be said, I presume, here is spiritual communion and a sweet approach to God. Suffice these observations on this point We proceed to consider ; 11. In what particular ways and duties tl?> believer ought to approach God. We have already observed that God is not to be approached corporally, but spiritually ; and that we may approach him and have eommtinion with him, he has appointed certain ordinances of divine institution, and in those we are to approach our God. We are to approach him in reading his word. This is ordained by the great and adora- ble saviour himself; John v, 39; '^ Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.'' And, sirs, I presume there is no doubt but that God's people often find sweet intercourse with God when engaged with earnestness and rever- ence in reading his sacred word. O christian, have you not found this sacred word sweeter than, honey or the honey comb to your taste ? Has it not in a thousand happy instances been found to prove life, and power, and quickening to your souls? Can you not well remember the time and place^ and the dreadfully perplexed situation of mind ift which you were when you applied to these lively oracles to try if you could find there the path of duty, and what the Lord would have you do ? And O how have you been illummated, blessed; and favored in consulting this holy book ? Have not your fears been given to the wind ? While you read of the holy Jesus, his undertaking, his obedience, his excruciatmg torments, even unto blood and death for sinners, all he did, and all he suffered for the guilty, and also, the inlluene- es of the blessed spirit, have not the clouds, an.d darkness that e>nveloped your soul, even unto inucU dread and uxmbliog been dissipated, a« th<:' 166 iiiorning clouds and early ^ew, before the golden ruler of the day, when rising in all his majesty and glory ? O my christian brother, O my sister in Christ, what says. your favored experience on this subject ? Do you answer " Should all the forms that men devise, Assault my faith with treacherous art, I'd call them vanity and lies, And bind the gospel to my heart ?".... Watt4. In this, my christian friend, the brother who addresses you pledges you with all his heart and soul. May the Lord of his infinite mercy grant^ that we may all live and die clasping the gospel and the precious redeemer it reveals to our hearts. So shall it be well with us. How exceeding the= change which the grace of God makes on the hu- man mind with regard to this precious gospel i Well does the speaker recollect the feelings of his own heart with respect to this matter. He was early, very early in life, taught to read the holy scriptures by his mother, as she sat at her spinning wheel. And he could read that sacred book with considerable ease before he ever saw the inside of a school house. And at that early, period of his life, and long after, certain passages of this sacred book pleased his juvenile mind very much ; more particularly, he was much delighted to see how the old eastern monarch and his ungodly courtiers were disappointed about burning the very virtuous Hebrew youths, Shadrach, Meshach and Abedne- go. And he was delighted to see these Hebrew youths who had done no wrong to any humaa ei*eaturQ^ walldng quit$ at e,a^e in the. bvixum^ 1^ fiery fbrnaee, and even the very hair of their heads not singed, nor the smell ot lire had ^jusscd on their garments. Do you ask, sceptical sir, what idea a child of seven years of age formed of men being in a fiery furnace and not being burnt ? Did he not see that fire consumed every thing combus- tible that came within its reach ? This he ac- knowledges he saw, sir, and this he sees yet. But his calculation was, that the almighty God made^ the iire, and consequently, that he could restrain, and control what he made at pleasure. And he now thinks the same, when a full half century is added to the seven y^ears. You say, your credulity is put a little to the trial. This appears a little too logical for a child of seven years. Give me leave to help you out on this subject. I do not wish your mind to labor on my account. This child of sev^ en years was blessed at that time with a sprightly active minded mother, about thirty -five, who was at great pains to assist his infantile calculations, just as mothers ought, and still he thinks the same on the most mature reflection of which he has beea capable for forty years. O mothers ! Sacred name, how I revere it ! Be faithful to your solemn trust ; discharge your duty well; the world will owe you much, and grateful men will pay it. Mothers t When I see you in the nursery, furnishing the milk of human kindness to one lovely child, and holding out the page of moral and religious instruc- tion to another, using every pious endeavor to form his mind aright and " teach the young idea how to shoot," however others may think, be assured there is one man who thinks he sees yoH 168 performing an office as all important to the best in- terests of society as the orator himself who makes the senate of a kingdom ring with the thunder of his eloquence. The narrative of Joseph and his brethren , cap- tivated my mind in very early years to a still superior degree, and if this piece of moral painting has its parallel for all that is tender, interesting, and pathetic, the speaker never saw it, nor can you furnish him the sigiit. But, notwithstanding he was charmed, even in childhood, with such interesting narratives as these, yet when he came to feel the power of Crod's grace, and the illumin- ation of the holy spirit, the bible appeared to him like a book he had never seen before, every thing respecting things divine appeared so novel. He read it with avidity. Every page almost of this sacred volume presented somethmg new; something divinely interesting. He read ; he wondered ; he adored ! We are to approach God in the preaching of the word. This is likewise an ordinance of divine institution ; Mark, xvi, 15 ; " Go ye forth into all the world and ppeach the gospel to every creature." This certainly made it the duty of our Lord^s disciples and their successors in office to preach the gospel ; compare Heb. X, 25 ; '' Not forsaking the assembling ourselves together as the manner of some is." This certainly makes it the duty of people to wait »aa preached gospel, and ordains that they shall do so. Consequently, then, we are to approach dur God by waiting on a preached gospel. How often have the children of God had swecf 169 communion with the blessed redeemer, their heavenly friend, in waiting on the christian min- istry, and hearing addresses on divine subjects? How has the truth come home to their hearts and served for their quickening, reproof, or comfort? Experienced christians can answer these questions, and testify the truth. Have you not often found a pr .-ached gospel, spirit and life to your soul ? Let the humble believer answer. In prayer and su plication, the christian believer is to approach his God ; and this in various ways. See the comaiand for retired prayer, for every individual believer to pray b}^ himself, for himself; "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut thy door about thee, and pray to thy father who is in secret, and thy father who seeth In secret shall re- ward thee openly.'' O how often has the humble christian found his heart enlarged in this devout exercise ? Prayer is sweet to the new born soul, because therein he draws near his ever blessed GoJ, and thus has communion and fellowship with the father and with his son Jesus Christ, Public prayer with, and as a part of, the great congregation is of divine appointment, and is one of the ways in which christians are to approach their God ; Psalm c, 4 ; *^ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, be thankful unto him and bless his name ;" Psalm xxix, 2 ; " Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holi- ness ?" I presume family prayer is another way in which chri faas ought to approach their God ; Vol. U, N, %i7o ; Jeremiah, X, 25; ^^Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the fanulies that call not upon thy name." Now, sirs, if the fury of God is to be poured out upon the families ■ that call not upon his name, the deduction is as \ plain as it can be, that families ought to call upon his name. We ought to approach our God in the solemn seals of his gracious covenants baptism, and the Lord's supper. How often has the hum- ble believ^er approached his God with sacred de- light in these solemn ordinances, and had sweet communion and fellowship with him ? How often i in rising from the hallowed communion table has the christian believer been enabled to make the I language of the spouse in another case his own ? Song, ii, 3, last clause ; " I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit w as sweet ' to my taste." How dear are the ordinances of God j to his humble followers ? ' III. We are to show by what means we are to I engage our hearts to approach unto God. Here, ^ my brethren, we may observe that services ofl'ered to God without the heart, are not acceptable, be-^^ ■] cause it is the heart which God principally re- , quires in his service. No outw ard forms can ever | please God or find acceptance with him, while ; the heart of the worshipper is wanting. We are \ then entering on a very important part of our dis- course and our duty, when about to show how we are to engage our hearts to approach unto God. 1. As one way of engaging cur hearts to ap- proach unto God let us rt-mtmber as above, that this is the principal thing, and that without it God in will not be pleased. We often lose sight df this great matter, and thus set down contented with a form of Godliness without the power. Perhaps we perform with some decorum the external round of duty, but where is the heart ? Is it not often almost forgotten? Brethren, these things ought not so to be ; " God is a spirit and they that wor- ship him must worship in spirit and in truth." 2. Let us remember that God always sees our hearts and services and is not at the least loss to know, when the former is wanting. Let this stil- us up to engagedness of heart to call upon God, and approach him humbly and earnestly. God, my brethren, is not to be mocked with empty pretences when the heart is far from him ; and *be it realised, he is not capable of imposition by empty pretences, as mankind are. He knoweth perfect- ly well on all occasions what is in man. 3. Let us carefully remem'jer on all occasions that when the heart is wanting there is no service at all performed acceptable to God ; and that thus God will view it. Nv)w, I presume, there are many persons in the world who would feel very oneasy if they thought they performed no religious s^ervice at all, who feci quite contented when they have gone an external round, though the heart be wanting ; but let all such know assuredly, that nothing to purpose is done, if the heart be wanting; Frov. xxiii, 26; "My son give me thine heart.'^ 4. Another good way by which to engage the heart to approach unto God is often to examine how we have performed religious duty, whether the heart has been in it or not. I presume one ire great reason why the heart of many professors of religion is so little in the duties they perform, is that they scarcely ever call their hearts to an ac- count to see whether they have been engaged op not. They just go the external round of duty, and suffer the matter to pass off without the heart, and never so much as seriously enquire whether the heart has been in it or not. Brethren, let us carefully and conscientiously, by the light of sacred writ, en- quire into the state of our souls agreeably to divine direction ; " Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves ; know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ;'' II Cor. xiii, 5. 5. Let us remember and contemplate the amaz- ing love of God to us, and the incomparable ex- cellence of the divine nature, till our souls are all on fire, and we have thus affectionately approach- ed our God. This we shall find a successful way of engaging our hearts to approach unto God. How excellent is the loving kindness of our God ? How- rich his grace ; John iii, 16 ; "For God so loved the vYorld that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life." O what love is displayed here ! God giving his own son to die for lost and guilty sinnei-s ! Coniemplate that love aright. God, the everlasting and adorable God, exalted above all creature comprehension or possible praise. This exalted, this glorious being adored, by Cheru- bim and Seraphim set his blessed love from eter> nity on lost and guilty man, and in order to deliv- er him from everlasting ruin, deputed his adorable soti on the generous errand of man's salvation. Is not this a theme divinely calculated to excite our hearts to approach unto God. How honorable the rank Almighty God has given us in the scale of being ! Psalm viii, 5 — 9 ; "For thou hast made him a little lower than tlie angels, and hast crown- ed him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the work of thy hands ; thou hast put all thmgs under his feet ; all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of tlie air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in ail the earth!'' Is not this exalted and honourable standing given us by the creating God sufficient to attach US inviolably to his cause ? How gracious the care tills universal God has exercised over us from our earliest moments until the present hour. Who, I beseech you, took care of us, and safely guard- ed us from the thousand dangers which impended us, when feeble infants we hung upon our mo- ther's breast? Was it not the God of babes? Was it not that same Almighty Being who pro- tected the babe of Bethlehem, when sought by Herod and his men of blood ? But, O sirs, how unavaiHng all the efforts of a Herod and his bar- barous soldiers when the mighty God of Jacob is there. 4^nd shall not all the tender mercies of our God, and all his loving kindness, engage our hearts to approach unto God : who crowns our lives vyith mercy, who supplies our daily and re- turning wants, who covers our tables with plenty and to spare ? 1,3 it not that bountiful God of the vr4 universe ^^wlio enquires in my iexi, who isf tht» that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord?" And, O brethren, shall not all this loving kindness engage our hearts to approach un- to God ? Who sends the due proportions of rain and sunshine so essentially necessary for fructify- ing the face of nature ? Ah, see those beautiful cornfields, how luxuriant their growth. What plenty do they promise ? Is it not the Lord who makes the grass crown the mountains, and the corn grow so luxuriantly for the benefit of man }. Will not these sacred considerations induce our hearts to approach unto God our supreme bene- factor, and humbly acknowledge our obligations ? 6. Another good way to engage our hearts to approach unto God is, to consult the experience of eminent christians who have gone before us, of whose heart exercises we have some account, un- til we grow ashamed of our dulness and negli^. gence, and our hearts become engaged unto God. Thus we see in our own nature, and very near to our own times, how far human nature may go. And thus are we likely to be quickened in the ser* vice of God. I recommend this plan the more readily, because I think if I am not very much deceived, I have felt the benefit of what I recom. mend. 7, Another mean by which we may stir up our hearts to approach unto God is to consider that without this \ye cannot enjoy, to any high degree, the comforts of religion. It will always be a dull drawling thing where the heart is not ; but where .Jfeis is, It will be sweet and delightful Then it t? 1^ .ecriainly^ a matter of the utmost importance to have our hearts stirred up and engaged to approach unto God. 1. Learn from this subject that a great many professors of rehgion, who have long had some form of rehgion are strangers to the power of vital godliness, and to approachmg God in the sense of his word. This is not done by a mere outside and show in religion ; but by having the heart sweetly engaged in his service. Without the heart in re- ligion, it is impossible to please God or meet his sacred approbation. 2. Learn that true heart religion is an extreme. ly spiritual thing, and external duties are only th^ body of this refined soul. To do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God, are certainly important external duties of the christian religioa and such as every true christian will be careful to practise and such as every faithful minister of Jesus will be careful to preach. But these are mere ex- ternal things, and rather strong and lively evident ces of religion in the heart, than that sacred thing itself. Religion is radically seated in the hearty and consists essentially in a right temper of heart toward God and man, with such a steady and uniform course of practices as will evince this tem- per of mind toward the one and the other. And this justice, mercy and humble walking with God^ express well this holy temper of heart, in which real and genuine religion essentially consists. Brethren, let us be assiduous in our endeavors to have the heart right with God, knowingjof a cer- tainty, that this is the great matter in religioif. m JLet us solemnly realise at every hour, ^^That God js a spirit, and that they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth ;" John iv, 24. 3. Learn from this subject, that they wlio do not attend to the sacred word anti the ordinances of divine institution, who live in the neglect of prayer and of reading the divine word, afford plen- ary evidence to every reader of the sacred scrip- tures, that they are estranged from a life of godli- licss, and do not approach God at all in the sense of my text. These are the very specific things in which God has required us to approach him. And the neglect of these things renders it quite manifest we do not ap})roach him in the sense of his word. Can any man of common sense, and tolerable understanding, ever bi-ing himself to believe, with the bible in his hand, that a man \vho lives prayerless, is a true christian? 4. Learn how much we have all failed of ap- proaching God steadily in the sense of my text } How contented have we too often been with a form of godliness without the power ; how often have we hurried over the great and im- portant duties we owed our God with very little of the heart in them. Ought not the best of ua to blush before God on account of the careless iframe and temper of mind of which we have been the subjects when professing to approach in duties of the most signal solemnity. Let us repent therefore and do our first works, les,t the Almighty grow weary of us and our suit^ and reject it and us togetlijer. Let us realisia how ^btsplutely i^u^ispensable it is, that we give i75r the Lord our hearts, and how absolutely impossi- ble it is, that without these we should please bin). May the Lord add his blessing. AmeN; ^®mm®ir ^ai^% THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER ARDENTLY DESIR ING COMMUNION WITH GOD. Psalm, Xlill, a. •' 3/?/ soul thirsteth for God, the living God, luhen shall I come and appear before God V^ THE psalmist expresses in this psalm with great pathos and energy of language, the pain and anxiety he felt, when bereaved of spiritual conso- lation, when banished from the house of his God, and ungenerously insulted by his enemies; but amidst all his distress, expresses his entire confi- dence in God, that he w^ould yet help him and bring him forth out of all his troubles. This psalm was most probably composed by its royal author, when driven from Jerusalem and beyond Jordan, by Absalom's rebellion ; and thus deprived of the benefit and comfort of public ordinances, under his complicated and numerous afflictions. And to the temple service at Jerusa- lem, no doubt he has particular reference, when he exclaims in the language of my text, *^ When shall I come and appear before God ?" It is highly probable he v> as under some sore bodilj affliction, and there is no doubt he felt deep ^ 179 spiritual distress ; yet all these things did not de- stroy his confidence in God. His hope ail this time was in the Lord and his prayer to the God of his lite; the Lord alone was all his salvation and all his desire ; verse 1 ; " My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall 1 come and appear before God r" As if he had said as the hunted hart closely pursued by the howling canine pack, covered witli sweat and dust, panteth for the cooling water brook, where he may lave his panting side, and slake his raging thirst ; so, with equal desire panteth ray soul after thee, O God ! " My soul thirsteth for God, the living God," &c. As the poor, sun burnt, way worn traveller, traversing the sandy deserts of Arabia, for painful hours or days together, thirsts foi* the cooling stream ; so, with equal strength of desire does my soul thirst for the living God ; verse 3 ; *' My tears have been my meat night and da}'', w-hile they continually say unto me where is thy -God ?" Through my distress of mind and my painful feelings I have almost forgotten my daily food, but my tears appear to be my daily repast ; V. 4 ; " When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me ; for I had goue with' the mul- titude, I w ent with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise, with a mul- titude that kept holy day." This pious man delighted greatly in the sanctuary service of his God. He greatly rejoiced in going with the tribes of Israel to the temple service in Jerusalem. Witness his own language elsewhere ; Psalm Ixxxiv, 18 ; "For a day in thy courts is 180 . better than a thousand. I had rather be a doov- keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." In the 5th verse ha chides his soul for being so much depressed and so low spirited, as if it implied a deficiency of faith ; as I presume it did ; *^ Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for i shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance/' This is the lan- guage of faith, and here it gets the ascendency over uni^elief In verse 6, he addresses his God with a promise, that though he was deprived in divine providence, and in the course of human events, of waiting upon him in the temple service, yet he would still be mindful of his God in his retirements and be engaged in his service in that way which he had in his power ; "O m} God, my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermanites, from the hill Mizar." These were the places of his retreat, I presume, during his banishment from the city of Jerusalem, west of the Jordan and some distance from the holy city. In verse 7, he repre- sents his trouble as exceedingly great, and com- pares himself in his tumults and sorrows to a ship in all the violence of an impetuous storm; ^'Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts ! all thy waves, and thy billows are gone over me.'' In verses 9 and 10, he expresses his confidence in God. and his determination to trust in him. The reproaches of his enemies appear to have been the very jetofliis distress and sorrow ; Verse 10 ; "As -with aewordinmy bones^ mine enemies reproach 181 aie while they say unto me continually where is thy God ? Tiius did they insult his feelings and ongenerously reproach him by asking him from day to day, where is thy God ? If you exercise so much confidence in him as you pretend, and ho loves you as you would have us believe, wh}^ does he fail to relieve you in your distress ? Have you not reason from your sore and long continued trials to fear, nay to conclude, that God has no regard for you at all ? These ungenerous observa- tions pierced him to the very heart ; in verse 11^ he mterrogates his own soul on being so much cast down, and encourages his faith by exercising a humble confidence that he should yet praisa. him who was the health of his countenance and his God. " My soul thirsteth for God, the living God,, when shall I come and appear before God.'^ I design to show, I. The exercises of mind which are implied in , thirsting for the living God. II. When the believer may be said to appear before God ; and also something of his frame,, feelings, and exercises when thus favored. And then conclude with some inferences and applica tion. I. I am to point out the pious and devout exer 6ises implied in thirsting for the living God. 1, Thirsting for the living God implies, and greatly consists, in a strong and ardent desire cf communion with and enjoyment of him. It is of the very nature and essence of genuine and unfeign ed piety, most earnestly' to desire communion Yot. II p aiid fellowship with Grod. If wc thirst for pardon only, if a mere pardon of sin, so that we may not eonie into condemnation is the only object of desire, then it cannot be called thirsting for the jiving God ; it is no more than a thirst for self preservation. But if communion and fellowship with God arc the great objects of cur desire, then I humbly presume it may be said to be thirsting for the living God. Very well am I aware, that to speak of communion and fellowship with God is sufficient to brand us with enthusiasm, fanatic cism, and many odious epithets. But we hum- bly hope we are wilhng to meet all the scandal and shame for the sake of our divine master which a sneering and ungodly world is disposed to attach to his sacred cause. If we will speak pret- tily to these people about the exercise of moral rectitude and strict justice between man and man^, press very nicely the love of man to his fellow man, and also enjom a little with great decency the exercise of some compassion toward our sutler-, ing fellow men, these people will be quite indul- gent, they will take it very welK Nay, farther,, they will vouchsafe us a little applause. But if we talk freely about communion and fellowship ^vith God, the influences of the divine spirit, and the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we are forthwith viewed as enthusiasts and fanatics. "Now, sirs, why should these things be ? Come let us reason together a little as men of sense ought to do. If vve err here, wc doubtless have the honor of erring with several sacred writers ; bat more especially vSt. Paul and St. John. Tf> 18S convince all whom it may concern that we have the honor of being with the first of those sacred writers, consult II Cor. xiii, 14; " The grace of the Xiord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with yoa all. Amen ;" also ; I Cor. i, 9; "God is faithful., by whom ye were called to the fellowship of hie son Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, is not here fellowship with Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost as plainly spoken of as lan- guage can represent any thing ? To convince all that St. John taught in perfect consonance with his brother Paul, consult his first epistle ; 1 chap S verse ; " That which we have seen &.nd heard declare we unto you, thatye also should have fel_ Jowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with itlie Father and with his son Jesus Christ." And now, sirs, permit me to ask what there is in this doctrine of divine operation on the human lieart, and of communion and fellowship with God, that contradicts the dictates of the strictest philoso phy and the most sound and illaminated reason ? A sacred writer puts the following interrogatories ; " He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? lie that formed the eye, shall he not see :" Psalm xciv, 9. Arid, sirs, may not I, in the same tone of interrogation, put the following question ? He that formed the mind of man with all its soaring and capacious powers, shall not he communicate with that mind at ^pleasure ? Now, sirs, I presume these several interrogatories, if they are to be finr- ly answered, must ajl liave precisely the ssmo ^.nswcT; and that ra«st be positive. 184 •2. Thirsting for the living God implies a strong; and ardent desire after more hohness, greater coir- forinity to God's law, and greater submission t« God's will For in tfiese I humbly presume the holiness of moral agents, being accountable, con- sists. Now, if we thus most earnestly desire growth in grace and progress in the divine life, we undoubtedly thirst for the living God. Be- cause thirsting for Godliness is thirsting for God. This always implies an earnest desire of mortify- ing sin and gaining the mastery over it. That thus the saints of God in days of yore were exer- cised, there is the most plenary evidence ; Psalm xix, 12, 13 ; " Who can understand his errors ?^ Cleanse thou me from secret faults ; keep back- thy servant also from presumptuous sins ; Rom. vii, 24 ; *^ O wretched man that I am, who* shall' deliver me from the body of this death r" 3. I think thirsting for the living God implies., and in no small degree consists, in a strong and ardent desire that religion may spread and be- advanced in the world, not only that our own soul? •may abound in holiness, but that otliers too may pirtake of the same divine and inestimable bles- Mngs. I can have no idea of a sincere and genu- ine christian who has no desire for the promotioH of holiness in others. Those who thirst after the living God rejoice and exult in the spread of holiness and piety, and lament and bewail the prevalence of sin and transgression ; Jeromiak viii, 20 — 22; "The harvest is past, the summei? js ended, and wc are not saved. For the hurt of Pic daughter oC my pcp^lQai» I Iswrt; iatnblacjc; 185 Astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there uo bahn in Gllead ? is there no physician there ? why then is not tlie hurt of the daughter of my peo- ple healed ?" Jeremiah ix, 1 ; " O that mj^ head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and r ight for the slain of the daughter of my people." This is thirst^ ing for the living God. Compare Habakkuk iii, 2 ; " O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the miot bf 1^7 able ;^' Luke xiii, 24. This is not the portion which requires willingness to go to hell ; " But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righte. ousness, and all these things shall be added unto you ;" Mat. vi, S3. This certainly does not re- quire it ; "Say unto them as I live saith the Lord God I have no delight in the death of the wicked^ but that the wicked turn from his way and live ; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil vvays, for why will ye die, O house of Israel ;'' Ezekiel xxxiii^ 11. This passage certainly does not require i{^ And I believe I shall search in vain for it. I have read the bible in some way for about fifty -one years. About forty of them I have read it with all the attention of which my mind is capable, and I never yet have found the first passage that requires me, either directly or indirectly, to be willing to go to hell. Nor can the obtuse faculties of my mind conceive how the deity could require me, in my state of probation, to be willing to go to hell, without requiring me lo be willing to be a sinner, an enemy to himself in heart. I think the following is fair logical reasoning on the sub- ject : God sends no body to hell but sinners ; Ezekiel xviii, 20 ; " The soul that sinneth it shall die.'' If, then, God requires me to be willing td go to hell, God requires me to be willing to be a sinner. This horrid, this tremendous consequence will follow, notwithstanding all the attempts of the most acute and active minded men to turn it off. I now show my own opinion of the passage under consideration; "Fori could wish that I werfe apciirsed from Christ for my bnethreiibj" &c. i!S"otwithstan<1ing I am not very apt to find ]nnc&> fault with the translation of the sacred reocrd*^ which we have, as I think much of this looks low, pedantic, and ostentatious ; yet I must beg leave to translate this passage a little oitt'erently, and appeal to the learned in the original language of the new testament, that the word, the transla- tion of which I wish to alter, will bear that al.. tcraiion. I only wish to alter the translation of the preposition apo, which is here rendered from^ which is certainly a very correct rendering of the word. I would translate this word " after the example of ;^^ then the passage reads thus ; " For I could wish that myself were accursed, after the example of Christ, for my brethren,'' &c. Yoa know it is written " Cursed is every one that liangeth on a tree ;" Gal. iii, 13. Now, Christ has been made a curse for u^, having thus hung on a cross. Thus he has redeemed a ruined and sinful world by his crucifixion; Gal. iii, 13; *^ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Then what the apostle says is simply this, that as Christ has been crucified and made a curse by hanging on the tree and thus redeemed a lost and guilty world, so he would be willing to be made a curse and be cru- cified after his example if this crucifixion would avail to the salvation of a lost and mined nation of men, the Jews. This, then, is what ^e apostJe eajs, and this is what he means, according to my humble views, and I think is a sufficient ex- pression of his zeal and ardent desire for the salva- tion of Ills people. With regard to my translati«|i' 189 of the preposition, I introduce as sufficient justifi- cation II Tim. i, 3 ; "I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience." The preposition rendered /rom here is the same preposition as in the passage under consideration Here we must translate it, after the example of^ fo make the apostle speak comnion sense. What does the phrase " from my forefathers'^ mean ; does it mean he served his maker in a way differ* «nt from his forefathers ? or does it mean that h6 served him from their days in the world ? or what does it mean. Now, if what the apostle says is, ttiat he served his God, after the example of his forefathers, it is easily understood by every child 4. Thirsting for the living God implies, and greatly consists in a strong and ardent desire for the promotion of the divine glory, and that the most- high God may be signally honoured. Whoever thirsts for the living God is certainly desirous of this ; I Tim. i, 17; "Now unto the king eternal,, immortal, invisible, the only wise G^jd be honop and glory forever. Amen;" Psalm xxix, 2 ; "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, wor- ship the Lord in the beauty of holiness ;" Luke :jwvii, 18 ; "There are not found who returned to give glory to God, save this stranger." That is, 1 presume, there were not who thirsted after the living God, save this stranger ;" Psalm cxv, 1 ; "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us ; but unto thy name be the glory." II. I am to show when the believer may be said to appear bcforo (?rod iji th^s sense of i»y tex4;,aTT^ also some of his frames, feelings and exercise's wbeatbus favoured, 1. The believer may be said to appear befoi*e <3rod wbeii he waits on him in bis bouse ©f prayer, or in any other ordinance of divine institution. And as we have already suggested, there is no doubt but the psalmist bad particular reference to the temple service at Jerusalem, when he ex- claimed as in my text; ^'When shall I come and appear before God?'' See also, Isaiah i, 12; "^ When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts." The believer maybe said to come and appear be- fore God at least externally, when he addresses him in prayer in his closet, or his family, or waits on him at a sacramental table. These are all or- dinances of divine institution, v\ hich the most higk •God has commanded ; and when we wait upon liim in them, we may be said, in a certain sense, tft appear before God. But, sirs, a bidT boddy ap- pearance cnce before God in these tilings, when the iMiart is not in the matter, wdl avail « ut little ; nor tloesit, by any means, come up to the iuU meaning of the psalmist wb.en lie exclaims, "When shall I (?ome and aj)pear beiore God >" The christian believer may be said, in a very im- portant and interestmg sense, to appear before God, when in those duties I have mentioned, or «ny other duties of divine appointment, he has hi^ heart enlarged and earnestly engaged, and really enjoys his God ; waiting upon him in spirit and ttmih' Tjsis is to all iwtents aiid purposes t-o arvpcaf* before God. It is to appear before him in the most profitable, important and interesting man- ner in whieh he can appear before him vvhil<^ here on earth. This is the appearance before him for which every good man exclaims so ardently with the psahnist in my text; '^Whec^ shall I come and appear before God r" Thi^ is the appearance before him which Moses the man of God wished to make when he exclaim- ed, Exodus xxxiii, 18 ; ^*I beseech thee show me thy glory ;" This is the appearance before hint which holy Job wished to make when he exclaini.- ed, Job xxiii, 3, 4; "O that I knew where I might fmd him, that I might come even to his seat, I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with argument.'' And again in chap, xxix, 2, 3 ; "O that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined on my head and when by his light I walked thro- darkness.'' This is the appearance before him w hich the psalmist wished to make when he exclaimed as in psalm Ixv, 4; ^^Blessed is the man wliom; thou choosest, and cansest to approach unto thee^ that he may dwell in thy courts ; w^e shall be e;atis- fied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy ho^ ly temple." This is the appearance before him which the spouse wished to make w hen she ex* claimed, Canticles viii, 1; ^'O. that thou vvert as my brotiier, who sucked the breasts of my mother when I would find thee without I would kiss thee, yea I shoidd not be despised," This is the appear- ance every sincere christiaj^ wishes to make when he exclaims in sincerity, *Svhen shall 1 comQ,ai>di appear before God?" ♦*,.*. ^-^ 19^ But here 1 am also to point out something of the ift-anii's, feelings and exercises of the believer when he thus comes and appears before God ; w hen in ^e ordinances of divine institution he has his heart enlarged, is earnestly engaged, and really enjoys God. When the ma.n of ger.uine piety thus comes and appears before God, he feels deeply sensible of the great love of God, and waiTnly loves him in return ; Psalm xxxix, 3; ''My heart was bet within me, while I was musing, the fire burned;'^ JLuke xxiv 82; "Did notour hearts burn within us while he talked w^ith us by the w^ay and opened to us the scriptures r" These are the v^'ords of two of our Lord's disciples to whom he joined himself incognito as they were on their way to a Je^^ ish village called Emmaus, after his resurrection from, the dead, when he had vanished out of their sight. And are we to suppose, sirs, these arc the only persons whose hearts ever burned w ithin them^, when the blessed Jesus joined himself with them by the way ? I humbly trust not, sirs. I hope there are thousands of others who can say with the disci- ples, did not our hearts burn w ithin us by the way, while he opened to us the scriptures ? Q. I presume when the christian believer ap- i^earsthus before God, he feels a heart hatred of sin and holy meltings of heart, and sincere mourn- ings at the recollection of it; Job xlii, 5, 6; "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.^* The manifest and neverfailing consequence of divine illumination is humility of soul. And by how much the more the human mind is illuminated by the Holy Ghost, by m much the more is the favoured recipient of this illu miiiation hum!)led before God on account of his sins. And vvlienever our pretended illuminations leave the soul who v^rofesses them, proud, haughty and disdainful, the genuineness of such illUmma- tions is thereby rendered extremely suspicious. 3. .\nother exercise of the believer who thus ap- pears before God, is telling him all his sorrows and complaints and most earnestly imploring his blessings and safe keepmgin future life. He has much to tell his God, much to implore and maj,y arguments to use; Job xxiii, 3, 4 ; "O that I knew where I might find him, I would come even to his seat, I would order my cause before him and PJI my mouth with argument." 4. The christian who thus appears before God, is li^ifKi without wandering, and lively without tiring ; Psalm cxii, 3; *^^My heart is fixed, trust- ing in the Lord." 5. Tiie believer who thus appears before God, sees and feels the folly of seeking the world as a portion, and is made to wonder exceedingly at the conduct of the thoughtless multitude who are spending all their ardor on earthly pursuits. His renewed mind being now too much filled with the great God and the things of his kingdom to be sa- tisfied with any earthly portion whatever, stands, exceedingly amazed at their conduct who seek no higher portion. III. In the highest and most important sense of which the phraseology of my text admits, the be- hever may be said to appear before God when he passes the Jordan of death, and lays the body by. Vol. II. a. W4> Whatever appearances he makes before God in this life, are often much tarnished with defilement, and extremely imperfect. But there he shall feel none of these things ; neither shall he go out any more, but be in the immediate and soul -cheering pre- sence of God and the lamb forever ; John xiv, 3 ; ^'And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also ;'^ "And Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be w ith me in Paradise ;" Luke xxiii, 43. And what shall be the exercises of the christian believer when he shall thus appear before God in the heavenly world? Of these we can give but a very inadequate description ; "for eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard what God hath prepared for them who love him." Yet to take a humble view of the believer's exercises and condition as set forth in the sacred pages, is not beyond our sphere. 1. A principal exercise of the believer will be praise and adoration forever; Rev. v. 11, 12; "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many an- gels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders ; and the number of them was ten thousand iimes ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; say- . ing with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.'* Now,sir^, I presume the calculation is a fair one, that this passage gives a correct representa- tion of heavenly exercise, and of course, of those redeemed from amongst men as well as the rest ; 195 Rev. xix, 1 — 7 ; "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying^ alleluia, salvation, and glory, and honor, and pow- er unto the Lord our God ; for true and righteous are his judgments ; for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her forni- cation, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four living crea tures fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne,* saying amen, alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were, the voice of a great, multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, alleluia; for the Lord Gjd omnipotent reigneth. Let us re- joice and give honor to him ; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'' This is the state of prayer and faith, that of fruition and enjoyment. This is the state of warfare, that of victory. 2. The state of the believer, when he appears before God, will be very different from what it is now. In this world, in his nearest approach- es to God, his most favored hours, there is much imper lection ; in that celestial state whither the be- liever goes, none at all. Here he is liable to fa- tigue, there to none Here he is often the subject of much affliction, suffering and distress ; in the heavenly world no suciithing obtains ; Isaiah xxxiii^ 34 ; "And the inhahitants shall not say I am sick; Ihe people who dwell there shall be forgiven thefl* 196 iniquities." Here ilie believer is surrounded with moral turpitude and transgression, and often takes up his parable and laments the evils which all his benevolence cannot heal. Here drunkenness, debauchery, sabbath breaking and injustice, with malevolence and riot, vex his soul from day to day; Jeremiah viii, 20 ; "For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt, I am black, astonish- ment hath taken hold on me." Sinners are not ad- mitted there, but banished down to hell. Here the believer is liable to the attacks of a tempting devil, not so there. Here when the believer has appeared before God in his house and in christian ordinances, he must leave them anon, and enter into, and mingle with, the world again ; but there his appearance before God shall be eternal. 1, Learn from this subject how few, how la- mentably few, they are who are thirsting for the living God. How few of mankind are anxiously desiring communion with, and enjoyment of, their God. How many of those who even make some pretences to religion, have nothing more in view than simply to escape misery, while they have no real taste for intercourse and fellowship with God, The true christian loves God for the excellence of his character, and desires communion with him because the Lord is holy and that communion sweet. ' 2. Learn that those persons who are conscious they do thirst after the living God, have the mo«t satisfactory evidence of the reality of their religion. 3. Learn that true christians, who are really thirsting after the living Gcd have made the wisest, as well as the safest choice. True religion is the best support to the human mind under all the trou- bles and pressures of life that has ever been expe- rienced, and leads to final and eternal happmess. To which may the Lord of his infinite mercy' eventually conduct us all for the liord Jesn^'"' j*?lke. Amen, m 1 ©amm®sr z,^a flPHE LABORI?fG AND HEAVY LADEN SINNER I^* VITED TO CHRIST FOR REST. i ^^ Come unto me all ij€ that labour, and art heavy laden, and I will give you i^est" SUFFERING is the consequence of sinning, and ever since the fall of man, misery and wretch- edness, in a greater or less . degree, has been the common lot of humanity. All men experience some degree of suffering and sorrow in this life, because all have sinned, and without the divine mercy all are exposed to eternal suffering in the world to come. There is one way, and one only,, to escape the wrath and curse of God due to sin, and that is by embracing the Lord Jesus Christ as offered in the gospel. In this way sinners may escape the wrath and curse of God due to sin, and in no other way. Thus they may be deliver- ed from everlasting misery in the world to come, and be put in possession of everlasting happiness ; and not only so, but thus they may find the best antidote against all the sufferings of the present state ; for it is a solemn and incontrovertible fact, that true religion and a union to the blessed 19^^ Saviour, affoi^d a better support to the huinau mind under every kind of suffering, than any thing else that has ever been tried. And this observation has been niade good in the experience- of a million pious souls, and is no more than is ex- pressly promised by Christ himself in the words of my text. Jesus Christ had just before spoken of his own extensive power, dominion and ad ministration ^ as in the 27th verse ; " All thmgs are delivered unto me of my father ; and no man knowcth the son but the father ; neither knoweth any man the father, save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.*' Here the blessed saviour expressly asserts that the whole mediatorial king- dom, government and administration were deliv* ered unto him by the father, that he had the direc- tion of it all, and that no being knew the son but tiio father, and that none knew the father hut himself the son, and he to whomsoever he con- descended to reveal him. Having thus asserted his own power and fulness, he gives poor, suffering, sinful men a most encouraging invitation to come to him and obtain rest ; " Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," as if he had said, O ye sinful, ungodly and unhappy men, you have ruined yourselves by your transgressions of my father's laws; you have drawn down an awfiil load of divine vengeance on your own weak and defenceless heads, for who can op- pose the Lord and prosper? It is in consequence of sin, that such a weight of woe lies on sinners. You now feel something of the bitterness of sin, 20d but all you now feel is only as a drop to the ocea»^ only a mere prelude to that eternal pain which awaits you in the woi'ld to come, unless you pre- vent it by timely repentance. Seeing your de- plorable and helpless situation I have commisserat- ed your case, and having left my native heaven on your account, have come down to redeem you; For this purpose I am furnished with every neces- sary qualification, and to this office I am deputed by my Almighty Father. I have come on the errand of saving sinners and healing their bleeding w oes^- and now I freely propose to fuUil my high com- mission on you; I see you are its proper objects ; I see you are labouring under burdens and sorrows of various kinds ; I see that rest and happmess are the great objects of your pursuits and desires; but alas ! I see also that you never will obtain those sacred things in any high degree, in your present course. I tell you then I am ready to impart to you that rest and happiness you so much need. Only there is one condition necessa- ry, that you vt^ill come to me for it, or in other words, be willing to receive it; " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I. I design to show who the labouring and hea- vy laden are whom Christ invites in my text to Gome to him for rest. II. What that rest is which he proposes to be- stow upon them. III. That this rest is the best antidote againsi all the troubles and calamities of life that maivkind have ever experienced. 201 IV. What it is to come to Christ for this resf. And then conclude by pressing sinners to come. I. I am to show who those hibouring and hea- vy laden are who are mvited to come to Christ for rest. I humbly presume, sirs, they are all mankind that are in distress and trouble of any kind and ai'e anxiously desiring deliverance from that trou- ble, whether it be spiritual or temporal. I pre- sume we are not warranted to say they are those only who are in deep spiritual trouble and are anxiously panting for deliverance from the yoke and bondage of sin, that are invited. These be- yond controversy are intended and invited, but not exclusively of others. Mankind while in this world are liable to many troubles and burdens of a temporal kind. Yea, they are often very sorely burdened with them. These I think are also in- vited. Job informs us '^ Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward ;'^ Job v, 7. And I pre- sume we all find this truth verified in our own ex- perience. Who is there in this assembly who has not had his fall share ? Sometimes the young and inexperienced think otherwise, with regard to the wealthy and the great ; they are wont to conclude that those who are rolling at ease in their carriages from place to place, and command wealth at will^ must be happy. Well, sirs, they may be about as happy as others, and I humbly presume they are not more so. When the philosopher draws the curtain aside which hides their feelings and exercises from vulgar observation, he sees these people corroded with pains, cares and solicitudes. 202 ib common with others. Still the poor man tug- ging at the labouring oar " from dawn to dewy eve," will ask what can these rich people, living at their ease and feasting at the table of luxury,^ have to make them unhappy ? A thousand things,, my non-discerning friend, may contribute, not many of which I shall take time to remark on at the present. A conscience wounded by a sense of sin, may furnish indescribable smart ; " The spir- it of a man may sustain his infiiinity ; but a wound- ed spirit who can bear;" Prov. xviii, 14. Per- haps this very husband and wife who ride in this finest carriage you ever saw, and whom half a hundred poor trembhng creatures half starved and half naked, call master and mistress, are on bad terms with, and cordially hate each other, and are living in a little hell upon earth ; emblem too plain of the hotter flames to w hich they go. But I will forbear these remarks ; they are not pleas- ant ; but of their lamentable truth there is no doubt- The fact is this, no plenitude of worldly posses- sions can so felicitate the human mind as to place it beyond the reach of those troubles, burdens and inquietudes, which are the commonlotof poor, suffering man. For what is all the world to a man if he cannot enjoy it ? Some have a burden of poverty and want. Suffering through lack of the common necessaries of life, they are labouring and heavy laden. I presume these, as well as others, are invited by the blessed Saviour to come to him and obtain rest. Some are labouring and heavy laden under a burden of sickness and pain.. AvUd though we are. not warranted t® say thgt even a believing application to Jesus Christ would cure tiic disease under v^hich they labor, it would certainly aftord them the best consolation under their sutferings and distress. Seme are laboring under a burden of disappointment and chagrin ; they have trusted their fellovi^ men, and tiieir con- fidence has been shamefully abused ; they find that the great bulk of mankind are unfeeling, un- faithful, and utterly unworthy of conlidence. This is distressing and unpleasant, and withal, m obtaining the knowledge which they now p©sses§ on this subject, they find it has been of^tained at too great an expense. Now, the blessed redeem- er, seeing these things, and being deputed on the errand of mercy to man, invites them to come to him for rest, and promises they shall obtain it I am induced to think his invitation has reference to such as these, from the many cures he perform- ed on the bodios of men in the days of his incar- nation. We find he had great compassion on the bodies of men, and in many instances cured their diseases and afforded tliem relief ; but as amongst all the burdens and troubles of mankind, there are none more intolerable than a wounded con- science and a deep felt sense of sin ; so there are certainly none more particularly intended thaa those in the invitation of the divine saviour in the words of my text. When the sinner is deeply sensible of the commission of sin and its ill desert., his distress is usually very pungent, and his feel- mgs extremely bad. To such the saviour gives most graciously the welcome invitation of my text; "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest/' *04 II. I am to show wliut ilmt rest is which Christ pron^iiscs to give. J.. With regard to temporal. troubles, I suppose it does not mean relieving them from the thing which may be the matter of their trouble. If po- verty and want he the matter of their distress, it iloes not mean that Christ will forthwith make them rich and^akc away all their temporal wants. If they are sick and pained it does not mean that they shall be sick ajid pained no more. Neither doe« it mean that if disappointment and chagrin is the matter of their troubles, that they never shall be disappointed any more. But with regard even to these kinds of laborings, it means he will so display to them spiritual objects, as that they shall be the best support under all the troubles they feel, and raise the suft'erers superior to them all, and by fix- ing their attention to heavenly and divine objects, and inspiring them with the heavenly and sublime hopes of future and eternal felicity, enable them to bear their burdens here with fortitude and pati- ence. 2. With regard to the burden of sin, or a sense of guilt, he vi^ill give them rest in a little difierent sense. With respect to the dominion of sin he will deliver them from it ; "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law- hut under grace ;" Rom. vi, 14 Sin shall not have the mastery over them as heretofore, and as it has still over the unregenerate and ungodly. And as a great part of the burden here is a dread- ful fear of the everlasting wrath of God ; from this he will deliver them, by grantmg a sweet sense of pardoned sin ; "Comfort ye, comfort ye my 205 people, salth your God, speak ye comfortably unto Jerusalem, cry unta her that her warfare is accc-m- plished, that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for ail her sins.'' And in the end he will bring tliem to complete and everlasting felicity. III. I am to show that this resi is the best anti- dote against the troubles and sorrows of life that mankind have ever experienced. Surely, sirs, there is nothing mankind have ever tried so well calculated as true religion to ousting all the cala- mities of life. How does that sweet prospect which religion gives us of eternal happiness beyond the grave, support and succour the droop- ing soul under the most distressing ills of life ? Do troubles press, does deep call unto deep at the noise of the water-spouts of God, and the rising- waves and billows of sorrow pass over the soul ? O how consoling, under these severe calamities, 'to look forward by the eye of faith to that bright world of rest where he shall never experience pain and anxiety again ; but where he shall be forever with the Lord. Is the man pressed by poverty and want, what consolation must it afford him to realise the gracious promises of God, that he shall shortly be at his father's board, where he shall never experience w ant any more. Is he in pain or loaded with sickness, must it not aflbrd him the best relief, and enable him to drink the bitter cup his heavenly father puts in his hand, to reflect, that in a few days or weeks more, he will take up his abode in that salubrious clime, where *^the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick;'- Vol II B 206 Isaiah xxxiii, 24. Is he in a state of bereavement ; are his clearest connexions torn from his embrace by the relentless hand of death ; did they possess religion ; then the sacred records assure him, they shall meet again never to part any more while eternity lasts, or saints in glory live ; I Thes. iv, 13, 14; ^^Bnt I would not have you to be igno- rant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that ye sorrow not as others who have no hope ; for if we believ^e Jesus died and rose again, even so also those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with hnn." IV. I am to show what it is to come to Christ for this rest. 1. Coming to Christ for this rest implies a be- lief, in the saviour's promises, that he is faithful and true, and that he will perform them all and actu- ally bestow upon us the rest he promises if we apply to him for it in the earnestness and sincerity of our souls ; "For he that would come to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ;" Heb. xi, 6. 2. Coming to Christ for rest consists in surren- dering ourselves cordially mtohis hands to be sav- ed by him on the terms of the Gospel. This is the very act itself of coming to Christ. This is taking him as our saviour and resting on him for salva- tion as offered in the gospel. This cordial sur- render to Christ implies m it several things; a sense of our burdens. If we do not feel ourselves laboring and heavy laden, and that we actually need Christ, for what rational purpose could we come to the blessed redeemer? "The whole 207 4iave no need of a physician, but they that arc sick ;" Mark ii, 17. It implies plainly, a sense of helplessness in ourselves. For if we be not helpless there is no sense nor propriety in applying to another for assistance. It implies a cordial wil- lingness to part with sin for the Lord Jesus' sake. This is quite essential ; without it, he never will give us rest. We are not to calculate on the blessed Jesus saving us in our sins ; he did not come to discharge any such office. It was announced by the angel, who advised Joseph of the Virgin^s miraculous conception, ^' That he should call iii^ name Jesus, because he should save his people from their sins ;" Mat. i, 21. I am now to conclude by pressing sinners to come to Christ for this rest. I press you by the necessity of the case. Without him you will never obtain rest ; the world you know cannot make you happy ; it has nothing in its power which can fully meet the boundless desires of your im- mortal souls ; il never has made any of the human race happy ; it never will. You know how often this lying shrew has cheated you ; she has made you many promises she never performed nor never will. Of this your soul is the living witness. When we possess what the world can give us^ we are not satisfied still. Its enjoyments pall up^ on the sense, we are still as listless as ever, and much about as far from real satisfaction. By the certainty of obtaining this rest if you come, I press you. The blessed saviour has promised this rest if you come; his word is out, "he is faithful who hath promised,'' Heb. x, 2a He will not 208 de^jeive you, for " He is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent; hatli he said and shall he not do it ? or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good ?" Numbers xxiii, 19. By the sweetness and value of this rest when we obtain it, I press you. How sv/cct, how precious this rest! What comfort to feel that our sins are pardoned ! What divine refreshment to know in whom we have believed ! and that he is able to keep that which we have committed un- to him ! O Brethren and sisters, be ye persuaded to come to Christ that you may obtain this sacred rest and all that it imparts. There is no rest ?o divinely sweet as that which Jesus gives ; no shade so cooling and so sweet as that which he reflects ; no waters, no streams of consolation so comforting as those that flow near the foot of the celestial throne ! " And a man shall be as an bid- ding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in aweary land ;'^ Isaiah xxxii, 2. This man, this glorious man, this hiding place, this covert, tliis rock, this river, is the be» lievcr's covenanted Jesus, he who has that di- vine rest to give of which we speak. By the dreadful prospect of dying without this sacred rest, and the divine consolation it is capable of af- fording in that gloomy hour if we obtain it. Ah hear the groans of that poor, despairing sinner! what wretchedness do they seem to utter ? He ap- pears on the very rackof torture the most direful I Forced, reluctantly forced, by death in all his horr rors tp the awful tribunal of an angry God ! Jlosy 2oa indescribably dreadful his feelings ! None cait thoroughly know them but he who is unhappy enough to be the subject of them. O what would he not give for one of those golden opportunities of securing his eternal well-being, which he has so wantonly thrown away? How haggard his visage ! What looks of despair and a condition the most hopeless ! He siglis, he groans, he dies \ On the other hand, how serene, how tranquil, the humble child of grace ! His will bowed to the will of his God, his faith lively, and his hope of eternal life bright and ardent. He bids the world and friends farewell in triumph ; he dits in the Lord Jesus and is blessed, he rests from his la- bors and his works follow him with a rich reward. Such is the end of the pious and goaly. O what a difference ! By all this I press you to come to Christ for this rest. By the groans and tears, the sweat and blood of an expiring saviour, I press you to come to the blessed Jesus for this rest. " It cost him death to save your lives, To buy your souls it cost his own, And all the unknown joys he gives, Were bought with agonies unknown. Our everlasting love is due, To him that ransom'd sinners lost 3 And pitied rebels, when he knew The vast expense his love Avould cost.". ...Watts. By the madness and folly as well as the dire consequences of neglecting this rest. Wiiat mad- ness and folly marks tliis dread fidly foolish con- duct ! By neglecting this rest, we are risking, nay, mire, we are rendering sure and certain our own destruction j we are drawing down the divine K2 ^10 V^engeance on our own devoted heads. Was ther'e ever equal folly ; equal madness ? Our danger is most imminent. v> e expose our immortal souls to everlasting woe. Can we act this dreadful part and be blameless ? Be persuaded to be earnestly engaged to obtain an interest in this rest \\ liich will eventually be a heavenly one ; '* There re- m^ineth therefore a rest for the people of God ;" H; iv, 9. May the gool Lord grant us all an interest therein for the redeemer's sake. Ame>% ■'^.^- ®m aaa.1* '//OVE TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER, A PROOF THAT THOSE POSSESSED OF IT ARE BORN Of^ GOD. 1 3oVin, lY, "I. '-'Beloved let us love one another, for love is of Gody and every one that loveth is horn of Qod and knoweth God.^* THE sacred scriptures uniformly represent irue and genuine religion, as consisting essential- ly in love to €rod, and love to man. Our text in- forms that ^^every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." Consequently, then, he pos- sesses true religion ; for this same writer informs us elsewhere, chapter iii, verse 9, that '^Whoso- ever is born of Gofl doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him,, and he cannot sin because lie is born of God." Jesus Christ, that infallible expounder of God's holy law, tells us that the sum of that law is to love the Lord our God with all the heart, soul, strength and mind, and our neighbors as ourselves ; Mat. xxii, 37 — 40 ; "Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind. Thii is the first and great commandment. And the se- cond is like unto it, namely ; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.^' The apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans tells them that love is the fulfilling of the law ; Rom. xiii, IQ : "Love work- cth no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the ful- filling of the \'dw.'' Consequently? ^^^^*^? ^<^^'c ^s true religion, for whatever fullils God's law must be religion. When God made man he made him upright, that is, supremely loving God his maker ; Eccles. vii, 29 ; "Lo this only have I found, that God hath made man upright ; but they have sought out ma- ny inventions '' From this state of holy rectitude mankind have fallen. They have lost the holy image of God and have become possessed of the foul image of Belzebub ; they now possess hearts by nature opposed to God and holiness ; Rom. viii, 7; "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be." Now, sirs, the great design of the gracious scheme of redemption and of God in sending his son into the world, is to restore the fallen creature man to the favor of his God again, which he had forfeited and lost, and to that pristine state of \o\e. in which he was originally created; John x, lOj "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." This life consists essentially in love to God and man. For ^^ Every one who loveth is born of God affd know^- 6th God." That is, he has true religion. But "He 21^ that lovcth not, knoweth not God, for G)d i«^ love ;" verse 8. This, my brethren, is one of the most important subjects that ever occupied the mind of man% And as we are just about to celebrate a love- feast, an ordinance to which none liave any right- ful claim but those who aftectionately love God, and one, which so eminently displays the love of God to man, I thought it proper to turn your at- tention to the subject of love, just before you ap- proach this sacred feast. There are certainly counterfeits, many gross counterfeits of this love, and it is certainly a sub- ject respecting which, thousands of the human family have been greatly in the dark. That you may the better determine whether or not you have the love of God in your hearts, even that love which decides that those who are pos- sessed of it are born of God and know God, I shall proceed to point out the definite object of such love, together with the motives of the mind in loving such object, and then conclude by a short application of the subject. As my plan is simple, and I propose attendmg^ ro the one single thing only, you will, I hope, be able to go along with me with ease and clearness^ and be assisted to determine with precision that most interesting of all questions, '"Do I love the Lord or no?" ''Am I his or am I not?' "Every one who loveth, is born of God and knoweth God," says my text. The definite object of this love, together with the motives of the mind m Ibvmg this object, I am now to point out. 214 The object, then, my brethren of this holy love^ IS the great kingdom of holiness. This kingdom consists of God himself at the head, together with all his intelligent creatures capable of happiness, and ourselves amongst the rest, as a part of the great whole. This, sirs, is a most glorious kingdom, and every way worthy the most ardent affections of the human heart. And though w^e cannot com- pletely comprehend it, yet so far forth as the holy mind is capable of taking a view of it, it appears glorious, and a most fit and proper object of chris- tian affection and holy love. And by this view the believer is convinced, that could he see this kingdom as it is, and love it with that intensity of desii'e it justly requires, this would be perfect bles- sedness. It is this kingdom of holiness united in moral character, which is held up as the great object of christian afi^ction and holy love in the revelation with which we are favored by the Lord, and just (conformably to this view of the matter is the great ~ ©(mimandment of God ; Mark xii, 29 — 31 inclu- sive ; "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind arul with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, name-. ly, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself There h none other commandment greater than these." Through the weakness of the human intellect, if we woulcl view this glorious kingdom of holiness in the best manner of which we are capable, so as f<5 dtsc^ver^ to the highest aflvantuge^ this grea;|; ^15 object of holy affection, we must analyse it, not being capable jf takmg it in at one view. We have said that Almighty Grxi and his intel- ligent creatures, capable of happiness, compose this kingdom of holiness, and are the object of christian affection ; but then we are to recollect, that not on- ly God himself will be loved by the true believ(gr, but also his law and gospel, and whatever he makes use of to make himself known, will be in part the object of this love also, and a union of heart to these several objects in christian affection, is an undoubted proof that we belong to the fold of God ; "For every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God/' With regard to the several parts of this great kingdom of holiness which is the object of christiasi affection ; 1. God himself is one, and a very principal one. The humble christian consulting the word and works of God to find what the deity is, ascends to God himself in holy love and is quite charmed with his character and perfections. And thus that ado- rable being who is possessed of infinite perfection is loved by him in the most ardent manner. There is no doubt, sirs, but that every rational creature out of hell, who views the works of the almi ghty creator, arid realises ih any degree, his own entire dependence dponr^him, may feel some- thing of obligation to this creator and supporter of all things, and some kind of grateful affection to him, as a being of infinite kindness, and whose gracious favours he has experienced from day to day ; yet he may have no love to God for the 216 excellence of bis holy character, and for what be is in himself; and^onsetwnlly he is therefore essen- tially deficient, and is not the person who loves in tlie sense of my text, and whose aiiection has the glorious kingdom of God as such for its object. Now J in this kind of affection, and where there is no higher principle in exercise, there is no real ho* liness ; tliemost unregercrate sinner is quite capa-. ble of it ; and to love exercised from no higher principles than the?e, there is no reward ; Mat. V, 46; '^'Forif ye love them that love you, what re-.vard have }er Do not even the publicans the san'e?'* But, sirs, the good man wlio loves God in the sense of my text, loves him from much more noble and generous principles. He loves him for what he is. And my text saith of him, that "he is born of God and knoweth God." He loves liim su- premely because he is a God of infinite perfection and excellence. This man, illuminated as he is, to see the supreme moral excellence of the deity, loves him supremely for his own glory, and, I pre- sume, would do so, possessing his presentholy tem- per if there was neither heaven nor hell. Now, sirs,if what is called a Hopkinsian divine, means, by his disinterested benevolence, loving holiness for its own sake, and God for his own glory, in- dependent of the consideration of God's personal kindness to him, then he is strictly correct in his sentiments, whether he chooses the best words to represent his ideas or not. But if this be his mean- ing, what is the use of making an outcry about it ? This is what every pious man under heaven feels. 217 call him by what name you please. Will the pub- lic permit me to speak for a moment on this inter- esting subject from my own experience without 11 charge of ostentation ? Granted, by all I hope, by my baptist brethren especially. Then, sirs, I go on to say in truth, and I hope in the fear of God, and with a humble, modest appeal to that awful, that tremendous and heart-searching being for the^ truth of what I say ; after having been the sub- ject of the most dreadful conviction and consequent alarm that perhaps any human creature could feel and live, and this I think for the space of a year, and perhaps something upward, it pleased the great and adorable God, in the infinite stoops of his unsearchable mercy and good will, as I hope^ whilst I, with a heart all anxiety, and the holy, ho- ly bible in my hand, meditated on divine things, and tried to call on God for mercy, to reveal Christ in me the hope of glory, and to open up the scheme of salvation to my soul, and to display the glories of the divine character to my mind in a way of which before this favored, this never to be for gotten moment, I had no more adequate concep tion than I now have how the inhabitants of Sa- turn live ! This glorious revelation of Christ hi ray heart took place, as I hope, while I meditated on God and his precious word and wonderful works, under the shadow of a pleasant sugar tree in my widowed mother's field, where I trust I may say I not only sat under the shadow of the sugar tree, but also of the apple tree Jesus, too, with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my tasto. O my God, may I not appeal to thee, how passing Vol. II. S. 21S ^wcet i Thou knovvest all things ; does not the recollection of thy ineffable goodness, thus mani- fested to a poor, burdened, distressed, and almost broken hearted youth, now warm this heart a little again under all the frosts and snows of fifty -seven winters ? Do you ask my friends what were the principal ingredients in the happiness of which I speak on this auspicious occasion ? Of these I have to this hour some distinct recollection, and according to that recollection, I think a prominent one was, that tho Lord is God ; that he is doing all things well ; that he is infinitely holy ; that he never will approve of, or countenance sin ; that he has invented a scheme of salvation for poor sinners in which he can be just and the justifier of all who believe. And I think I distinctly re* coll(^ct of feeling that all intelligent creatures, that all moral ugc^nts ought supremely to love God, whatever should become of them ; and that it IS the indispcnsible duty of devils damned, and souls of men lost in eternal ruin, to love God for bis glory ; and that they deserve eternal torment because they do not. And this with me at this boar is one of the strongest arguments for defend- ing the scripture doctrine of eternal torment. Do any ask if amidst these pleasing raptures I felt willing to go to hell ? I answer candidly and with truih, never, never, never. And should I say I did I should lie in the presence of God. But I know I felt then, and strongly desire to feel now, that I ought to love God supremely for the glory of his character, whatever may eventually be my lot. This, which a Hopkinsian calls loving God 219 (.lisintcrestedly, and which I call, in language a little more scriptural, loving God for his own glory, is by many branded ignominiously , as they in- tend it, as Hopkinsianism. Now it is certainly improper to apply this to me as Hopkinsianism. For the public are informed this was the scriptural doctrine of my heart, in my eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth years, on which I hope my soul grew and throve spiritually ; and I did not know there existed such a man on earth as Samuel Hop- kins until after my tliirticth year ; thcret'orc, I scarcely learned from him. But if people choose to give me a nick name undeservedly, I must just submit to it as to other undeserved injuries. I wish for no other name but that of a moderate Calvmistic presbyteriau according to the West- minster Confession of Faith. Doctor Hopkins believed very fully the doctrine of loving God su- premely for his glory, and his neighbour as him- self, according to his worth. So he did also, that Jesus Christ, the babe of Bethlehem, was a divine person, equal with the eternal father in dignity, power and glory. And I do not know that cither of the doctrmes is a fraction the worse for his belief of them. And they are both true if the bi'ole be true. I do not offer my experience as a proof of the scripture doctrine of loving God, both primarily and supremely for his own glory, being the in- dispensible duty of man and essential to the sal • vation of his soul. I am quite aware that the world are not under any obligations to receive my experience as an individual for substantial proof ef what the scripture teaches. Keither am I capable of'insultingtlie piibhc so far as to offer it as such. But I do think every fair and candid reasoner will at once admit that it is fully, faiily, and logically in proof of that for the estabUshment of which I oiiei? it, and that is, tlmt I did not learn this doctrine from Samuel Hopkins, seeing it was the doctrine of both my head and my heart in my nineteenth and twentieth years, and in every hour from that period to this, and I never knew that such a maii as Doctor Hopkins existed till after my thirtieth year. With regard to the scripture doctrine that God IS to be loved for his glory primarily, I submit the following passages to the consideratiofi i)f those who allow themselves to reflect before they censure ; Psalm viii, 1 ; " O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, who hast set tliy glories above the heavens ;" Psalnl Jxxxix, 6,7; "For wlio in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord ? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord*?'' ;Pnalm cxlviii, 13; " Let them praise the name of the Lwrd, for his name alone is excellent ; his glory is above the earth and the heaven." Now, if we love G )d only because we have taken up the notion that he loves us, and net for his owri excellent character, what revvanl have we ? "For if ye love them that love you, wlrat reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same ;" Mat. V, 46. 2. The Lord Jesus Christ, in liis mediatoriat character, as God-man mediator, is another im-. portant part of the kingdom of holiness, and a« -.iich. a great Ql)icct of christian affection.' •^21 Now, sirs, considering the God -man mediatoi', in the character of a deliverer from hell and ruin, "which character he does certainly sustain, he may be in some measure dear to all who believe in the christian revelation as true, and a state of punish ment awaiting the ungodly. For even an unre- newed sinner may feel a selfish attachment to Christ as a deliverer from pain, who feels no love for him as being possessed of infinite holiness, or as a deliverer from sin. For the worst and most selfish sinner on earth may feel a desire to be de- livered from pain. S;;eipg then the most selfish smner on earth, a? well as the most humble saint, may feel some at- tachment or love of some kind to Jesus Christ, we shall discrimmate a little here between the principles of the sinner and him who loveth, be- ing born of God and knowing God. The uncon- verted sinner enquires into the undei'taking, death, and suiTenngs of Jesus Christ, purely as a deliver er from pain, and the saviour appears dear to him but it is merely as a deliverer from hell. Whilst he feels even an enmity of heart against the holiness of the saviour's character, and an attach- ment to tho>e very evils from which he came to deliver. Stdl wed led to his idols, he will not let them go for Jesus' sake. He continues to add drunkenness to thirst, and to indulge m all the fleshly desires of the mind. Now, he that lovetli, in the sense of scripture in general, and of my text in particular, and is born of G )d and know- eth God, though he feels, as indeed he ought to do, a hi eh degree of gratitude to the saviour S2 22^ ^s a deliverer, yet he loves him on other anci mach higher principles. The real good man? he that is born of God and knoweth God, loves him because he is the express image of his eternal father, and possessed of infinite rectitude and per- fection. He reads his word, and hears his holy character, and loves, admires, and sweelly adores ; and when headdresses himself to God in prater, he forgets himself, as it w^ere, untd he has said " Father, glorify thy son." He reads, he hears, and he esteems it amongsf the most precious bless- ings bestowed upon him by an indulgent God, to have leave to lie at the feet of this precious saviour and incessantly adore. Christ is preciousness itself to this humble believer; I Pet. ii,7 ; "Un- to you therefore who believe he is precious." Do you enquire what it is which renders Christ so precious to the true believer ? One thing is be- cause he honors God. The true believer being savingly illuminated by the Holy Ghost, sees God's honor as a great and interesting object, which he wishes most heartily to see promoted. And inasmuch as Jesus Christ by his sufferings and death promotes this honor to the highest de- gree, he is therefore most precious to the believer. His fulfilling God's broken law, renders him pre- cious to the man of true piety. The good man loves the law of God. He sees it to be holy, just and good, and as such his delight is in that; Psalm cxix, 70 ; "But I delight in thy law;" bis revealing God and his eternal counsels ; Mat. xi, 28; "All things are delivered to me of my fdther } and no man knoweth the son but the father; 223 neither knowetli any man the father save the son, and he to whomsoever tiie son will reveal him." Christ as the ,Q,'reat medium of revelation is dear to the people of God. The displays and man- ifestations of the divine perfections which he gives render him dear. Christ delivering such multi- tudes of the human family from everlasting misery and bringing them to everlasting glory, and him- self amongst the rest, renders him precious to the believing soul. And when w^e say that a pious man loves God primarily for his own glory, w^e do not mean to say that he loves him for nothing else. The pious man loves God dearly for his great communicated goodness to the children of men at large and to himself in particular ; and in saying this the scriptures bear us out plainly and fairly; Psalm cxvi, 16; '' O Lord, truly I am thy servant, the son of thine handmaid ; thou hast loosed my bands,;" Psalm cxvi, 1 ; " I love the Lord because he hath heai'd the voice of my supplication;" Luke, x, 20 ; *' Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the devils are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Tlien here is ample scripture authority for loving God for liis communicated goodness. And base would be the ungrateful wretch who would receive the divine favors from day to day, and feel no gratitude to the divine benefactor. But wdiere the soul does not love the divine char- acter and God for his glory, there is no proof of true religion. And there certainly exists an es- Fenii.d difference betwixt loving God from the pure %nd holy motives which the excellence of his character presents, and loving him only for favors received, and I think every professor of religion ought carefully to examine his own heart with respect to this matter. o. The Holy Ghost, the third person of the adorable trinity, (iischarging the sacred office of sanctifying his people, is another part of this kmgdom of holiness, and a proper object of chris- tian affection. His operations are sweet and de- lightful to the believer. The unrenew^ed sinner too may feel some kind of regard for the holy spir- it^ on the principles of mere selfishness. He hears, it is the office of this holy agent to effect some kind cf a change on the heart of a sinner which is necessary to qualify him for heaven ; and as hebciieves he cannot escape hcli without this of- fice being performed on him, he therefore may feel some regard for, and desire his operations from the principles of selfishness, without one spark of real love to him, for his holiness. He that loveth and is born of God, and knoweth God^ loves in this case from other and higher motives. He loves this holy spirit, because under the in- flnence of his operations he has communion with G >H, and fellowship with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. He loves the Holy Ghost and his saci*ed inPiuence because thereby he is con formed to God and made holy ; he desires his operations to be more constant, more ardent and delightful; Psalm Vi, 10—12; "Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew in me a right spirit. Cast me not away from thy presence ; and take •not thy holy spirit from me ; restore unto me the 255 joy of thy salvation, and uphold mc with thy free spirit." 4. T,hc law of the Lord is another part of the kingdom of holiness and an object ot christian love ; Psalm i, 2 ; *' His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night ;" Psahn xxxvii, 31 ; " Tiie law of his God is in his heart ; none of his steps shall slide ;*■ Psalm cxix, 72 ; '' Tiie law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." The unregenerate sinner may have some regard to the law of Gad, as a covenant of worlcs, by which he expects to obtain salvation, whil6 he has no regard for it as a holy law. Cat the good man loves it because it is lioly, and because iiis own holiness consists in coiiformity to this law ; while he luoivS for salvation and acoeplance with his God, noi by his obedience to this law, but tnruugh ihe atoning merit of Jesus Giiiist. 5. The peculiar doctrines of grace ar-e another part of the kingdom of holiness, and the object of Christian affection ; such are the sovereignty of God ; the atonement of Jesus Christ ; justifica- tion by faith in the righteousness of the blessed re- deemer ; self denial and parting with sin for Je- sus' sake. Now, some doctrines of the gospel the unregenerate sinner thinks very well of, such as God's great love to a ruined world ; Christ delU vering sinners from the wrath to come ; but when it comes to parting with all sin for Jesua' sake, the unregenerate man stops, and gives the gospel up. Tais is the parting place between mir «)?ra^lo sinners and the gospel af grace. They 226 cannot be reconciled to parting with sin lor Jesub' sake. Tliey love their idols and after tl'iem they will go till their hearts are changed. Self denial is a doctrine of the gospel which the poor ungodly sinner never complies with ; he may go some length toward it, may part with some things in a partial manner which are dear to him, or bear some de- grees of mortification ; but to deny himself in the true scripture sense, which is in fact to give himself up entirely into the hand of God, to be disposed of according to his sovereign pleasure, and to bear every thing which God may lay upon him, and to part with every thing which God may require, is a length to which the ungodly sinner never goes. Kow the true christian loves all the doctrines of holinesfi and the goi^pel, and gives himself up into the hand of God, and wishes no alteration made in the doctrines of divine grace and the practices the gospel requires for his accommodation. Such is the man of God, the real saint in his views, feelings and desires. O how diiferent from the exercises, feelings and views of the unregenerate sinner ! 6. Another important part of the kingdom of holiness, and an object of high christian aftection, is our fellow men. The divine law not only re- quires us to love the Lord with all the heart, soul, strength and mind, but also to love our neighbors as ourselves. Is it asked what description of men are to be the objects of our holy lover I answer, every description of men. Our holy love is not to be confined to any class, colour or nation. Wc a-re required to love all men, and of all nations^' 2^7 seeing every miTti is our brother. We are not re- quired to love all men alike, and thus I lend virtue and vice, and level all distinetions ; God'b holy law requires no such thing. We are to love our fellow christians, who in a judgment of charity are the |ieople of God, not only with a love ot benevo- lence, in common with others, but also with a love of complacency, as being the people of God and as bearing his moral image. And to do so s made an evidence of true religion by the apostle John; IJohn iii, 14; "By this we know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.'' We are to love sinners, yea, even our very enemies, with a love of benevolence; Mat. V, 44 ; "But I say unto you, love your ene- mies, bless them tliat curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitetully use you and persecute you." Now, bad men may love both saints and sinners, but it is never with a holy love. They delight in, and are warmly at- tached to, some men who are called saints, but it is on account of some other quality than their holiness; then this is no holy delight. They love men who have no religion. Perhaps they are attached to them for their very wickedness ; then this love is not a holy love ; or they may love them for per- sonal favors received ; though their attachment is an exercise of gratitude which is a thing well enough in itself, still it is no holiness. Now, the true christian loves God's people because they bear God's image. As he possesses a holy tem- per, he loves God for his holiness, consequently from the same holy principle he will love holiness 228 wherever he sees it, but seeing something of it in the saints, he loves them on the same ground. He loves men who have no religion in obetiience to the commandment of God who requires it, and because every man is his brother. And also be- cause men, thus loving one another, conduces to peace, harmony and happiness. Andloving our fellow men on these principles is holy exercise. This subject may be advantageously improved by \\ ay of self examination. We ought often to bring our religious opinions, feelmgs and exercises to the severe correction of truth and see whether they will stand the test or not. And be assured it is no good sign of a christian professor to see him shun the hght of self examination ; John iii, 20, 21 ; "For eveiy one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth com- eth to the light, that his deeds may be made mani- fest that they are wrought in God." Then brethren let us take a review of this most important and in- teresting subject, so discriminating in its nature, and in the glaring light of the same, let us carefully examine our own hearts and exercises that we may not be mistaken in a matter of so much impor- tance to our very best interests. How do we stand affected toward the great and adorable God of all ? Are we conscious we love him ? Can we appeal to him with Simon Peter of old, saying, "Lord thou know est all things, thou knowest that I love thee ;" John xxi, 17. Again can w^e say it is for the glory and holiness of the divine charac- ter wc love him? If so, all is well and we 229 arc not far from the kingdom of God. But if all our love to God be bottomed on some special kind- nesses done to us while we have no love to him for the excellence of his nature, be assured it does not prove that we love him at all in such way as will be acceptable ; ^^For if ye love them that love you what reward have ye ; do not even the publicans the same ;" Mat. v, 46. How do we stand affected to the blessed Jesus 'in his mediatorial character ? Do we love him as the great atonuig saviour. So far well. What is the reason ? Is it barely because he h. j atoned for our sin, or is it because he has restored the honors of the broken law, honored his, God, and our God^ and fully revealed the eternal father of all ? If the latter, our christian hope is well founded ; if the former only, I tremble while I am constrained to view it as bottomed only on the sand, ^^ How do we stand affected to the Holy Ghost? Do we love his operations ? Do we earnestly soli- cit the same because thereby we are more and more conformed to God, and made holy in all man- ner of life and conversation ? How do we stand atTected to the divine law? Can we say, indeed, "That our souls have kept the testimonies of our God and that we love them ^ exceedingly r" Psalm cxix, 167. Do we love the law of God because it is a holy law and requires a holy service ? How do we stand affected, dear brethren, to the gospel of God and the doctrines of free and sove- reign grace? The sovereignty of God ; justifica. tion by faith in the imputation of ChnstV Vol. II. T. 230 righteousness ; sanctification by the operation of God's holy spirit ; are these doctrines our delight? Is our confidence here ? This looks like the exercise of grace. How do we stand affected to our fellow men ? Do we love those who afford us evidence they are thechildren of God witha love of complacency; and all men with a love of benevolence ? Ah, says one, I love religious men mighty well if they belong to the presbyterian church. Says another, I love them dearly if they have been immersed and wor- ship in the baptist church only. Now, my friends, what sacred writer has made it a criterion of true religion to love presbyterians, or methodists, or baptists as such? But the apostle John has made it an evidence of true religion to love the brethren ; but I do not find that it was as presbyterians, me- thodists or baptists. 2. Let us exercise that christian affectioji on the present occasion whose great object is the kiitg- dom of holiness. We are just about to proclaim, in the most solemn manner of which we are capa- ble, our love to this kingdom of holiness. We are about to take a solemn oath of allegiance over the symbols of the saviour's body and blood, let us be sincere and fervent in our love to this kingdom in all its various parts, and never mock cur God. 3. Let us learn from this subject, that those who have no such love to the glorious kingdom of holi- ness, ought not to sit down at this consecrated ta- ble. This is a feast for friends, not for enemies. Kcither do I think it belongs to very doubtful characters. The apostolical d/irection is that "a m man shall examine himself, and so eat of that bread and drink of that cup ;" I Cor. xi, 28. 4. Let all who have not such a love knovi^ that whatever be their profession or their endeavors, they have no true religion and are liable to ever- lasting ruin. For without love to God no religious duty can ever be acceptable; or to speak more correctly, no religious duty is ever performed. Let us all know that love to God is the great thing. And may the Lord grant this holy affection to all for Jesus' sake.. ..Amen. ■@:imn©if ^a^ia^ THE AWAKEKED SINNER CRYING MIG^flLT T4 GOD FOR MERCY. " And they came to hinif and awoke hhn, saying' Master, Master, ice j^^K^sh ! Thcr. he arose and rebuked the wind, and the raging of tht ivater, and they ceasedy and there was plication. 2o4 I. The soul when enlightened by the spirit of God to see his guilt and danger, discovers that he is extremely exposed. How thoughtless and care*' less soever sinners may be while unimpressed with divine things, it is a solemn fact, that when the spirit of God arrests them, and impresses on their minds a deep-heart fell sense of their spiritual state, thev sec themselves exposed to exrteme danger, and are most awfully alarmed on account of trans ; gression. Witness St. Paul's experience ; Rom. vii, 9; '^For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came sin revived and I died." The sinner, in this enlightened situa- tion, sees himself exposed justly to the wrath and vengeance of an angry God, and tliat it would bo strictly just in Almighty God to send him to hell ; that havmg violated God's just and righteous laws, he is exposed to his everlasting displeasure ; that it is mere undeserved mercy alone which prevents him from falling into hell; for if he were dealt with according to his desert, he w ould be sunk forthwith to everlasting ruin. He knows not how soon God's patience may grow v^ eary of liira, and abandon him to his doom. That all cre- ated power can do him no real service. He is sensible he has provoked God in a most dreadful manner, to give him up to everlasting ruin and Jlbandon him to his fate. That Belzebub is wait- ing for his ruin and ready to indulge a malignant joy in his eternal destruction. That he cannot recover himself from that everlasting destruction to which he stands so justly exposed. That if God, in his mere and undeserved mercy, does no* mo dxtend him salvation, his soul is forever undone, because he has sunk himself, by his sin and folly, into a pit iVom which he cannot extricate himself. In this awful situation he begins to cast about him for mercy, which brings me to my II. Proposition, that the sinner seeing himself thus cxpobcd, begins to cry mightily to God for relief Tie disciples of our blessed Lord, seeing them- selves ready to be overwhelmed ill the waves of the sea, cried to their divine master, "Save us! we perish !'' So cries the poor convinced sinner who sees him.self exposed ju-lly to divine indigna tion ; Psalm cxvi, 1 — 4; "I love the Lord, be- cause hL hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, there, fore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrow^s of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me ; I found trouble and solTow^ . Then called I upon the name of the Lord ; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.'' He feels he is eter- nally undone without the divine aid. He believes God can help ; he often fears he will not, because he has sinned so much and so long. He reads that many other sinners have cast themselves on the divine clemency and found salvation. He feels that the creatures and the world ca«not afford him happiness, and therefore he cries to the Lord. He reads that GorPs tender mercies are over all the works of his almighty hands, and therefore/he is encouraged to cry to him for relief He v(^ill not despair. He reads, "that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoevCF believeth on him should not perish, but have eveit- lasting hfe ;" John iii, 16. He reads that "all the laboring and heavy laden are invited to Christ for rest;'' Mat. xi, 28. He is therefore encouraged to cast himself upon him and cry for mercy. He reads the divine promise ; "That whosoever comes unto him shall in no wise be cast out ;" John vi, 37. And therefore he is encouraged to come. When mankind see themselves in imminent danger and from which they know no human arm can deliver, they are wont to cry mightily to the Lord for deliverance. I do not say they al- ways pray the prayer of faith. Oftentimes through divine aid they do, but they are wont to cry for relief. III. When the poor, sin distressed soul thus cries to God in the earnestness and simplicity of his heart, the Lord hears him and answers him in loving kindness and peace, rebukes his tumults and fears, and they cease. To this point the sa- cred scriptures are fall and plain ; to this point the favored experience of a million happy souls, bears a loud and decided testimony ; Psalm xxxiv, 6 ; '* This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles ;" Psalm I, 14, 15; "Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most high ; and call upon me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver thee and thou ishalt glorify me ; II Samuel xxii, 7 ; " In my di-^tress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my Gj 1, and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears ;" Psalm xxii, 4fy 5 ; "Our fathers trusted in thee -, they trusted 33r ^:*: and thou didst deliver them ; they cried unte thee and were delivered ; they trusted in thee and were not confounded ;" Psalm cxlv, 18 ; " The Lord is nigh unto all tuem that call upon him, unto all thein that call upon him in truth.'* Tiiese passages certainly go clearly to show that all who call upon God out of a p.re and sincere heart, are heard and answered in loving kindness and peace. And how many of the children of Grod are there who have been in the utmost distress, aiid ready indeed to sink under the billows of despair ; and who in their extremity have cried unto the Lord and oi)tained the most ample relief and deliver- ance ? Did not the Lord, vvitii the most sovereiga majesty, rebuke the winds of temptation and tiic billows of distress, and did they not cease ? What says your favored experience my christian friend ? This the almighty Lord does, by his good spirit accompanying his word, and attording them a clear discovery of the scheme of salvation in Christ, and a sweet sense of pardoned sin* Whenever the good Lord opens up the blessed scheme of salvation througli Ciinst, and sweetly applies the precious promises of the gospel, the raging of the soul's spiritual fears, despairing thougtits, and painful anxieties ceases. And this is the way in which the good Lord does it, by his blessed spirit in his holy operations accompany- ing the reading as the preaching of the divine word. And, sirs, is there any thing unreasonable or enthusiastical in supposing the divine spirit in his sanctifying and saving operations ehouW 23S accompany the preaching of the divine word ? Nay, does not the very commission which our blessed Lord gave his disciples plainly imply that the inHuences of the Holy Ghost should accompa- ny the administration of the divine word. The words of that sacred commission are the following^ •* Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, an 1 of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and lo ! I am with }'0u alway even to the end of the world. '^ IV. The soul having his fears and tumults thus allayed, becomes the subject of a secret sereiuty and peace. O how sweet the sense of pardoned sin ! How passing sweet the voice of gospel con- solation ! Af.er a dark, tempestuous night of wind and rain, and storm and thunder, how cheerfully does the sun arise on the bewildered traveller whea the thunders are hushed, the clouds dispersed, and the storms have ceased to blow. Just so it is with the poor tempest tossed soul, who has beeM hard pressed at the foot of Mt. Sinai, w ith the thunders of the divine law, the winds of violent- temptations, and the deep waters of spiritual dis- tress ; when the sun of righteousness arises on him with healing under his wings and dispels the gloomy clouds of darkness that so long enveloped his weary soul. A glorious calm succeeds ; ^ calm effected by the mighty God of grace. This new believer's mind is now tranquil and serene. He sees the sword of justice lately furbished for Jktb blood; now passing him by innoxious. .ITbtfi ^9 affords him peace and joy ineffable. He see« God's holy law now magnified and made honora-* ble by the death and sufterings of Jesus Chrisfc and this fills his new born soul with a holy de- light. God's law is dear to him now, as it is a transcript of the perfections of that God whom he so ardently loves. He sees the eternal father pleased with the blessed son's obedience and ac- cepting believing sinners for his sake. This tran^ quillises him ; he sees he has escaped the pains of hell, the groans of despair, and the society of devils forever. This tranquillises him. He now realises that heaven, the society of angels, and the enjoyment of the ever blessed God forever, shall be his happy portion. This furnishes calmness and serenity. He sees and realises now, that re- ligion is quite another and a different thing than he took It to be in his unenlightened days. He then thought it calculated to destroy the pleasures of life and make men wretched and unhappy^ But he now sees it is the very thing to promote his high and true felicity. This furnishes him joy and peace. Now, instead of finding fault with the reign and government of the great Jehovah, he rejoices cheerfully in that reign ; and the reflection that almighty God is doing all things well is divinely pleasing. I presume, sirs, it is no reasonable objection to the doctrine here stated, tliat this calm is not en- tirely uninterrupted whilst believers navigate the trotibled ocean of the present life. As it is in the natural world, so is it hi the spiritual. The dis- ciples of our Lord now enjoyed a perfect calm at ^40 the all powerful command of their divrne mas- ter; "He arose and rebuked the winds, and the raging of the waters, and they ceased, and there was a calm/' But had those disciples navi- gated the sea of Gullilee much longer, no doubt they would have met with other storms and tem- pests. So will it fare with the believer while in this world He may, through the grace of his cHvine tnastor, enjoy a calm for the present ; but this is no sure piesage that he shall not hereafter experience the tempest. It appears a part of the divine plan that G(Ki's people themselves shall have their tri- als ajid tribulations while in the present tiirVid state; John xvi, 33; "These things have I spo- ken unto you, that in me ye might have peace ; in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overc(. me the world.'' Nor will this be without its beneficial effect in the course of the divine administration. It will render heaven doubly w elcome and doubly sw eet to the spiritual mariner. True it is, I have never had any ex- perience of seafaring life, and of course know ex- perimentally nothing of its hazards and dangers; yet I would reasonably suppose, that welcome as tlie haven of safety is to the weather-beaten sailor ^t all times, it is doubly so after a dozen hair- breadth escapes. And presently the spiritual voy- ager w ill make good the port of eternal rest, where storms will never come, nor winds fierce and furi- ous blow ; but where his hitherto tempest-driven bark shall be safi^ in port forever. And O how sweet will heavenly rest be to the spiritual mariner who hafl had so many narrow escapes for hrs 241 spiritual life. Now, having made the long desired haven of eternal rest through divine grace, he smiles at the storm, and triumphantly defies all its impotent rage. Now he enjoys his Jesus and his God and the peace speaking accents of his own blood besprinkled conscience forever. Nothing now shall interrupt his holy peace and enjoyments to all eternity. O with what delight and inetfable satisfaction shidl he now look back on the thousand snares and dangers which once bctided him, and which through divine grace he so narrowly escap- ed ; and 0,h.nv shall heaven's high arches ring with the animated songs of praise which lie shall eternally address to that divine pilot who brought him safely through ? 1. Learii from this subject that they who do not call earnestly on God for mercy and salvation are not in earnest to obtain salvation. Prayerless Souls are not in earnest about mercy and salvation. Heaven and all its glories weigh but lightly in their account. Men may boast of setting as high an estimate as they please on God's service and the salvation proposed in the gospel ; but if they never have the matter so much at heart as to call earnestly on God, this all passes for nothing in the divine account. When the winds raged and the sea was tethpestuous while the blessed Jesus slept in the ship, his disciples came to him and awoke him, saying " Master, master, we perish.^ Thus I presume, it is wi:h all sinners awakened to a due sense of their guilt and danger, in a spiritual view. And the result is, they cry earneslly to God for mercv. And those who do not thu^ ery Vol., IT, ' U. to him it is fairly to be presumed are Dot muc Goncerned about this sacred object. 2. Learn the encouragement convinced souls have to pray and cry to the Lord. He is ready to hear, to pardon and to bless. When the dis- XMples awoke their divme muster, saying " Master^ master, we perish," what part did this divine saviour act ? Did he turn a deaf ear to the im- portunacy of their cry ? Did he unfeelingly abandon them to their fears ? Did he as a care* less and unconcerned spectator suffer them to sus- tain a wreck or go down to the bottom of the deep ? O no, disconsolate sinner, hear it to your ineffable consolation ! yea, hear it with rapture, ^^ He imsnediately arose and rebuked the wind# and the raging of the waters, and they ceased, end there was a calm." And permit me to ask^ sin-sick sinner, is not the blessed Jesus as com* passionate to hear and as strong to save this day as he was when he navigated the sea of Gallilee ? " His heart," in the language of the poet, " i» made of tenderness, his bowels melt with love.'^ But on this subject of the saviour's compassioa hear more than a poet ; hear a sacred writer, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking tiax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment? unto victory ;" Mat. xii, 20. 3. Learn that true religion is exceedingly de- sirable and ought to be cordially embraced by all. It is capable of affording that tranquillity of mind which is not to be found in any thing else. What else, permit me to ask, is capable of satisfying the boundless desires of the immortal soul ? Nothing d4d with which we are acquainted. How great a desideratum then is this holy, this dignified thing'? Let us all embrace it, and cry mightily to this di-, vine, this compassionate saviour. May the good Lord add his blessing to his word, fer Je^tts' sake. Amek. ^^mM<^IT K^^lSl* JERUSALEM PREFERRED BY THE PIOUS MAN ABOVE HIS CHIEF JOY. •PREACHED IN THE CITY OF NASHVILLE, BE- i FORE THE SYNOD, TENNESSEE, IN OCT 1816, ^' If I forget th(^e, O Jerusalem, let my light hand' ■: forget her cunning ; if I do not rememhop ^ thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my j mouth ; if I prefer not Jerusalem above mij I chief joy:' \ THESE words, my friends, express very strongly the attachment of the captive Jews at Bab- I ylon to the worship of the true God, and their j great sorrow and distress in being deprived of i the temple service at Jerusalem. They were ' now in the land of their captivity, carried far frora their native country and had not the opportunity of waiting on their God as they had done afore- ^ time. The great congregation could no longer ; assemble, as they had done formerly, in the sanctu- ,; aryof God, and mingle their prayers a}id their j praises more frequent, than the smoke of slaugh- tered hecatombs. By the rivers of Babylon they ■: sat down and wept when they remembered Zi >n. i In'kdging that melancholy tincture of mind which we are all so apt to feel, whej^i deprived in the providence of God, of our choicest blessings,; they hung their harps on the willows, and attempt- ed not the songs of Zion. They felt too deep or gloom of mind now, to mdulge to that nistrument which had so often gladdened their hearts in the service of God. Those who led them into captl; Tity, and now had them at w ill, required of then> a song, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. Their hearts were too heavy to comply with thiis request. Their melancholy ran too high, when they recollected the temple service at Jerusalem and the Zion of their God, to chant its songs in their present situation. They appeared to view, it as a kind of violation of their regard for Zion to sing its sacred songs in that strange and foreign land ; "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning ; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy ;^- ^'How, say they, shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land ?" "If I forget thee," &c. Here those pious J^ws appear to swear in the most solemn manner, a voluntary allegiance to the cause of their God. Determined never to forget Zion and Jerusalem, but to prefer in their affections, the service of their God and the welfare of his church to every other- consideration; "If I forget thee O Jerusalem, lef -sny right hand forget her cunning," &c. These words plainly suggest to our minds the following tiuth jr proposition ; that the good man the true christian feels most anxious for the wel: fitre of God's Zion and the flourishing state x?f 248 f,eligion. What I design in treating this propo^> tion on the present occasion is the following ; I. I shall attempt to confirm the truth of it by showing from the conduct of the saints in all ages., that they prefer the ilourishing of God's cause to c»very temporal or worldly consideration whatever^ or in the language of my text, that they prefer Je- rusalem above their chief joy. II. What it is which so much recommends the cause of God and religion to the good man, that he prefers them above his chief joy. And then some inferences and an application will close the dis- course. We resume the order and attempt to show from tlie conduct and exercises of the saints in all ages, that ttiey have been exceedingly attiiched to the cau§e of God, and have preferred Jerusalem above their chief joy. Witness the attachment of kin^ David to the cause of God and his temple service ; Psalm ixxxiv throughout; ''Hovv amiable are th}^ taberna'des, O Lord of hosts ? My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord ; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living Grod." He .appears to envy the very sparrows their happy portion ; verse 3; "Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God." He goes on frona this to verse 9 inclusive, to speak of the blessed- ness of those who dwell in the house of God, parti- cularly on the account of the abundant opportuni- ty aiforded them of still praising the Lord. In verse 10, he expresses with great earnestness }^p cTkceeding attachment to the temple service at Jdv rusalem.; "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door keeper in the» house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness;" Verse 11 ; "For the Lord God i& a sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold trom them who walk uprightly;" Verse 12; "O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusteth in thee." Witness also the words of my text; "It I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning ; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; if I prefer not Je* rusalem to my chief joy." Witness the case of the Hebrew youths when threatened with the burning fiery furnace, unless they denied their God and worshipped the king. So greatly did they prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy, that they suiiered themselves to be cast into the burning fiery fur- nace, rather than dishonor their God. Witness St. Paul's zeal for the flourishing of God's cause in the salvation of the Jew^s ; Rom. ix»3; "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ tor my brethren, my kinsmen according to the iiesh.*^ Did not this pious man, then, prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy ? Witness the conduct of oujp Lord's disciples in forsaking all, and going forth to preach the everlasting gospel in the face oi per^. secution, fire and sword as jilso most of the first preachers of Christianity. Witness the conduct o^ the saints in every age and country, in forming re^ ligious societies, their exertions, their liberal c©n-. tributions. To them under a gracious God, w^e' MS v#we our public religious institutions in every pap<; ef the country. Not content with being religious' themselves, they wish to see the cause of God flourish. Witness the benevolent exertions which ^xist both in Europe and America at this hour. Witness the numerous missionary societies which exist both in Europe and America for the glori- ous purpose of spreading the gospel of divine grace amongst those benighted nations, who have hither* to sat in the region of darkness, and shadow of death> Which shall we admire most as the brightest evidence of good men's anxiety for the flourishing ©f God's cause and the welfare of his Zion ? The conduct of those who poured their silver and gold into the treasury of the Lord to such an immense amount, or those humble, generous and self denied men who willingly ofiered themselves to leave their country and friends and all the conveniencie^ of civilized life, to encounter the dangers of the mighty ocean , go to a country sixteen thousand miles' from home, and there take up their abode amongst a people of rude and savage manners, entire stran- gers to civilization, purely for the sake of God and the salvation of men. Surely, sirs, if a proposition Gun be proved these things prove, that at least some men prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy. II. I am to show what it is which endears the ^use of God and religion so much to the good mian, that he prefers Jerusalem above his chief joy ; because it so much glorifies God. It is the flourishing of religion in the world that most glorifies God. When religion flourishes, souls ard ^orn to God and believers live soberly, righteousjy: 249 » 1y, and godly ; for these are the very things iit which the tlonrishing of rehgioii consists, and when they take place God is glorified; but the glory of God lies nearer the believer's heart than any thing else in the world ; therefore he preier-s Jerusalem above his chief joy. 2. Because he knows that thereby many precious souls will be saved. It is when God's cause fiourislies that souls are converted and built up. Now the good man Vvishes every body to be *aved ; his philanthropy is great ; he has a heart of benevolence which embraces in love and affec- tion all tl;ie human race ; therefore he prefers Je- rusalem above his chief joy. 3. Tiie good man wishes the prosperity of Zion because his own happiness depends very much thereon. When the cause of God is in a languish- ing and declining state the man of true piety feefe uniiappy, and with the captive Jews is ready to hang his harp on the willows, but when the cause of God flourishes it is to him like life from the dead. 4. The good man wishes to see the cause of God flourish, and his Jerusalem budt up, because of its beneficial cifccts in human society here, as- well as fitting men ft)r that better world to come. True religion is not only beneficial in preparing men for that better world, but is also of eminent benefit here ; it makes men wise and good ; it makes good husbands, and good wives, good par- ents, and good children, kind and indulgent mas- ters, and honest and faithful servants. Now, as every pious man is truly benevolent, and wished' 250 jaot only the eternal welfare, but also the tempoj ral happiness of his fellow men ; he wishes God'« oause to flourish, and as he know s there can be but little religion in an ordinary way, without a' Ghurch and the benefits of public worship, there?- fore he prefers Jerusalem above his chief joy. 1. Learn from this subject how careful all those ought to be to live as becomes the gospel, who. have made a public profession of religion. The credit of religion and the flourishing of God's' holy cause depend very much on their con duett When those who profess religion walk carelessly^ they greatly dishonor God; because the thoughtless- world are in the habit of judging of religion by tiie conduct of its professors, rather than by its? own intrinsic merit. It is conceded this is not' fair ; but so it is ; thus they will judge. Let- christian professors then " Walk circumspectly^ not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, be- cause the days are evil ;" Ephes. v, 15, 16. 2. Learn from this subject that all who are real christians will walk circumspectly and tenderly; they prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy ; they are wont to be guarded in their lives and conducti, and to let their light shine round them, that others seeing their good works may be induced to glorifj)' God. 3. Learn that those, who do not prefer Jerusai lem above their chief joy have no true religion; because this is the exercise of true religion ; and every sincere christian can say *' If I forget thee- O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cun- ning^'' &c, And O my brethren^ how many dees 251 this observation, if correct, leave in a state of sin '^ Surely the prayerless do not prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy. Men who do not worship God certainly cannot with any degree of proprie- ty be said to prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy ! Prayer to almighty God is a duty so natur-*. ally resulting from the relation we sustain to God as his dependent and needy creatures, that we can- not see how any pious man should live without it. Pi'ayer is as it were the very breath of the new born soul ; by which he aspires to God. Surely the neglectors of public worship do not prefer Jv^rusalem above their chief joy. Could there b& the least propriety in a man lying indolently at home on th3 hallowed sa >bath of the Lord, with-, in convenient distance of a house of public wor- ship, and crying out " If I forget thee, O Jerusa- lem, let my right hand forget her cunning ; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.'* Would not this strike every body of the smallest reflection as inconsistent and improper ? O ye neglectors of the public worship of G.jd, ye do not prefer Jerusalem to your chief joy. Surely those who do nothmg for the encour- agement of society do not. If a man will be at n© pains, no expense, in any respect, to support the public worship of God, can he be said to prefer Jerusal. m above his chief joy ? Are not houses to be built for the commodious worship of the Almighty ? Can this be done without expense ? The man who is not willing to bear his proportion ©f this expense cannot be said^ with a particle of fc 252 ciFfnmon sense to prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy. Are not ministers of the sunctuary to be sup- ported ? Ctin this be done without expense ? Ought not ail to be vviUing to bear their jus^ proportion of this expense ? Perfectly am I aware of the foolish and unreasonable popular chimor, raised by the miserly and tight-listed against supporting the clergy. And they pass with me for just what they are worth. But, sirs* are the outcries of a set of miserly, mistaken men, who love their money better than their souls, or the dictates of the sacred word, to rule here ? If the latter, let us hear with reverence its dictates ; I Cor. ix, 3, and downward ; " Mine answer to them who do examine me is this : Have we not power to eat and drink ? Have we not power fe) lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas ? Or I, only, and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear w^orking? Who gore th a warfare any time at his own charges? Who plantcth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? Say I these things as a man ? or ,With not the law the same also? For it is writ- ten in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth O )d take care for oxen ? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written ; that he that ploweth should plow in hope ; and y seducing (>uv lirst parents in the form of a serpent, an.) ruining them and their unborn posterity. And vhruugh- oat the whole of the old testament wiiiings, he i«i) represented as acting in the most direct and point- ed opposition to. the mr,j;thigh God. In tliecvan- gdicai history he makes (|uitc a conspicuous figure 2§7 in the temptation of Jesus Christ in thcwildcnicss.; Mat. iv, 1 — 10^ as well as a variety of other pas- sages. And he is quite plainly spoken of in the language of my text, as taking away the word out of the hearts of those who hear ; "Those by the way side are they that hear, tliencomcth the devil and takethaway the w^ord out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved." Tliese are the words of Jesus Christ himself, and are part of an explanation which he gave his disciples of a cer- tain parable which he had spoken in the audience of the multitude. See the parable from the 4th to the 8th verse ; "And when much people w^re gathered together and were come to him out of every city he spake a parable, A sower went out to sow his seed ; and as he sowed some fell by the way- side and it was trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it w^as sprung up it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choaked it. And other fell on good ground and sprang up and bare fruit an hundred fold." When the multitude were withdrawn the disciples wished to know -oi* their divine master what the parable might mean. For it appears to have been a mystery to them as well as others, till the blessed saviour explained it. He accordingly informed them ; "The seed was W^c divme word preached, those by the wayside were they that hear," &c. The doctrine plainly taught us by our blessed saviour in these words is this, that whenever the divine word is preached, the devil is present for 258 the express purpose of counteracting its divine influence on the human heart, lest men shoald be- lieve and be saved. In treating this subject I design to show, I. What \vc arc to understand by the heart hei'e spoken of, II. The native tendency which the word of God dispensed faithfully and luminously, has to impress the hearts of them that hear, unless counterfiCted. III. What methods this foul and wicked spirit uses to take away the word out of hearers' hearts and destroy its influence there. IV. What it is to believe the word, and the inimencc such belief will, have on the salvation of the soul, and then conclude with some inferences and application. I. I am to show what we arc to understand by the heart here spoken of. By the heart in the sacred writings is sometimes meant the conscience, as appears from Job xxvii, 6 ; " My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go ; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live ;"' ilere, I presume, the heart means conscience, as it is the conscience which usually reproaches man- kind. See, also, I Samuel xxiv, 5 ; " And it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote liim, because he had cutoff Saul's skirt ;" I John iii, '20 ; '* For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all thmgs.^' It sometimes^ tliough so far as I recollect at present, very rarely means, the understanding, as in Jeremiah xxiv, 7 ; ^' And I will give them a h'cart to know rne, that I am the Lord.-^ Bat most 259 gcncralLy inthci sacred writings, the heart iiieaps ihe moral power of the human mind, the vvili and the a'lfcctions ; Ezekiel xi, 19 ; And I will give them one heart, an.ll will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their llesh, and I will give them a heart of ficsh.'' This, I presume, does not in fair construction, mean cither the conscience or the understanding ; but the will and affections, or in other words, that power of the mind of which moral good and moral evil arc predicable; Ezekiel xxxvi, 26; ^^ A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit vv^ill I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh ;*' Mat. vi,21f "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also ;" Mat. xii, 34 ; "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh ;" Acts xi, 23; "He exhort- ed them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord." Now, I conceive, the word heart, in my text, may, with much propriety, be understood in all these seitscs, the conscience, the undei'standing and the will ; seeing the divine word preached, has a tendency to influence each of these, and seeing the devil attempts to destroy its influence with respect to each of these. II. I am to show the natural tendency which the word preached has to impress the hearts of those who hear, to atlect them to advantage. ^ The word preached, if luminously and clearlj^ dispensed, as it always ought to 1 e, certainly has a , direct tendency to illuminate the understanding 26# ill the knowledge of Ood and divine trutli, and. never fails to effect this m some good dcgvcc, un- less the devil takes it away by turning off the attention, or soiric oilier of his numerous de- vices. This word is intended and exactly ealcu- lated to inform the mind respecting God and di- vine truth. It informs him of the origin of all created things, and particularly of the strange and wonderful creature man, respecting whom he feels most concerned to know, the state in which God created him; his lapse in consequence of the temptation presented by the wicked fiend siitan, through the serpent; the promise of the Messiah to restore poor sinners from- the ruin of the fall ; God's dealings with his ancient people ; the impatience and utter helplessness, as well ag guilt of the creature man ; John vi, 41- ; *' No man can come to me, except the father, who hath sont me, draw him y' John xv, 5 ; *' For without me ye can do nothing ;" God's inlinite benevolence to human kind in sending a saviour to lay down his life for their sins ; John iii, 16 ; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life ; the necessity and efficacy of the blessed saviour's atonement ; John iii, 14, 15; "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up, that w hosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life ;" Mark xvi, 16 ; " He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be daiDned ;" the necessity and efficacy of the holy #1 2ei . spirit to operate on the human heart ; Johnxvi. 7 — 11 ; '• Ncvei-thcless I toil vou the truth ; it is expedient for you tiiat I gaauay, for ii' I go not away tiic comforter will not cume, but if I depart I will send him ; anil when he ^s come, he will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment ; of sin because they l^elieve not on me; of righteuusness, because I go to my father and yc se;^ me no more ; of judgment, because the prince of this worKi is judged ;" a heaven of happiness where Christ's friends shalh-be with him forever ; Joiin, xiv, 1 — 3^' Let not your heart be troubled; yc believe in God, beheve also in me. In my father's house are many mansions ; if it were not so I would have told you. Behold I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to my- self, that where I am, there ye may he also ;" ^ a hell of misery and anguish, where the wicked shall be punished forever ; Psalm ix, 17 ; ^' Tiie wi^-.k.cd shall be tu ned into iiciij, and all the nations tliat forget God ;" Psalm xi, 6 ; " Upon the wicked ht; shall rain snares, hre and brimstone and a horrii:le tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup " N "W, the great design df a preached gosj3el, is to Illustrate, coniirm, and enlarge upon sucli sub- jects as' these, and consequently to enlig-itcn the understanding, unless the devil counteracts the "^"v'^ir 1, aiid in the language of my text takes it vvay out of ihe heart; compare P^^alm xix, 7, 8; '/ T!>e law oi* the Lord is perfect, convertiiig i'he •f-riifi ; (nn fr*st'.|vv^^i->».- of ihc Lord is bxif^. liiaking wise the simple, the statutes oi the hotd are right, rejoicing the heart ; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Again, the tendency of the divme word when- ever faithfully dispensed, is to move the affections and determine the will, to seeking God and obey- ing his commandments. Are not the terrors of the Lord, a judgment bar, and a future solemn reckoning, proper subjects whence to persuade men? II Cor. v, 10, 11; *^ For we must all ap- pear before the judgment seat of Christ ; that every one may receive the things done in his body ftccording to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord "we persuade men ; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also, are made manifest in your consciences." Are not heaven and hell pro- per motives to act upon the moral powxr of the human mind, and to determine our choice in the pursuit of virtue, and shunning vice ? Whilst the awful majesty of tlie great God, his divine ter- rors, his indignation against sinners, and his flaming vengeance, are solemnly held tip to view^ how is it possible the wicked and ungcdly could avoid shuddering at the dire prospect before them, and attempting to escape from the wrath to come, were it not ti)at the devil taketh away the word out of tlieir hearts, finds seme means or other to turn off tlieir attention, and restore their seem ity, when they begin to be sensibly affected by these things. Again, when the tender mercies of a God are unfolded, his loving kindness to sinners exhibited, and the Compassions of a dying saviour suitably displayed ; his voluntary undertaking for man ; his free love ; his agonies and blood ; his tortures and his cross ; the insults of th^ mob, the ruffian's spear, the preternatural darkness, and the ven- geance of his father ; must not these tender things move our sympathy, and affect our hearts unfeel- ing as they are, unless the devil takes away the word ? When the exceeding sinfulness of sin is repre- sented, that cursed thing which procured the suf. ferings and death of an innocent and immaculate redeemer, must it not impress the mind with a dreadful sense of its obliquity, unless the devil finds means to take away the power of 'the word ? Thus, then, we see the preaching of the word is di- i*ectly calculated to move the affections and the heart. Again, the preaching of the word has a direct tendency to influence the conscience of sinners to do its office. If the word be faithfully dispens- ed, the exceeding broadness of the divine law is held up to the sinner's view, it is reaching the thoughts and intents of the heart ; Psalm cxix^ 96 ; "I have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy commandment is exceeding broad. '^ The sinner's guilt is to be charged home upon him in the preaching of this sacred word ; it is to be pointed out to him, wherein he has violated God's righteous law. The most pointed appeals are to be made to his conscience. I do not like that preaching which deals altogether in generals. So did not Christ preach. As a sufficient sample of 264 3iis manner, see the S3rd chapter of MattUevv^ from beginning to end ; here we find woe nj^on woe, like reiterated claps of thunder tailing frtm this great teaeher's lips ; the most pointed method of address adopted, and t\\e sinner's sins set before him, without the semblance of disguise, and he warned faithfully of their dire consequences. Ought christian ministers or ought they no|tousc the same freedom of speech, wiien there is the same caU to it, and the same aggravated guilt to d^-mand and justify it? When this is dene must not the siimer's conscience smite him, must not the divine word [)enetrate his heart and have its effect there, if not counteracted and taken away by the enemy of souls ? III. I am now to show what methods the devil adopts to take away the word out of hearer's hearts and destroy its influence there. Here let me ob- serve, before I go farther, he does not do it by violence and absolutely against the sinners will. This is not his method of operation. And farther, permit me to observe, he does not manifest him- self to the hearer, out of whose heart he is about to take the word, nor announce his intended opera- tion. But on the other hand, V:eeps himself br hind the curtain as much as possible lest the soul should take the alarm and be on his guard. He does it altosrether by his artful wiles and devices. 1. One method he employs to take the word out of the sinner's heart is, presenting doubts to his mind respecting fhe christian revelation, and the divine r^ility of religion. And thus has he tak<:n away the word out of many hearts. Scmctinics 26i> he suggests to the hearer such thoughts and doubts as the following. The great, the wise and the learn- ed, such as one would naturally suppose are in a sit- uation to know most about these things from their superior learning and information, do not profess to believe the gospel at all, nor to act under the inlluenceof its principles, and may not I, with equal propriety, call these things into question too; "Thus has he taken away the word out of many hearts, and thus had he very nearly succeeded with the psalmist;'' Psalm Ixxi, 1. ^. Another method employed by this arch ene» my of souls is, an abuse of the christian doctrines ; for example, the impotence of sinners. He per- suades them, when the word has penetrated theiir hearts a little, and they have become uneasy about the situation of their souls, that they need not be at any pains to serve God, "for the sinner can do nothing ;'' John xv, 5 ; for this adversary of God and man can quote scripture when it answers his end, as readily as any of us. Now, the scripture quoted is true and contains the saviour's doctrine on the subject of moral impotence. But this arch enemy presents an entirely wrong view of it to the mind, and thus takes away the word, out of his heart. The passage quoted does not mean natural inability, which, if it existed, would furnish the sinner a good excuse ; but moral inability, which consists in the sinner's opposition of heart to his duty, and is the very essence of his blame, instead of furnishing any excuse. 3. Very often, when he finds the word taking place in the heart and the sinner becoming thv- Vol. II. W. 266 bubject of some conviction and alarm, he con~ trives some mean to divert his attention from it for the present. Perad venture, something that is tak- ing place in the assembly or about it, engages his attention, and diverts it from the concerns of his soul, lest he should believe and be saved. 4. Another way in which he often takes away the word out of people's hearts is this. He per- suades them it is time enough to be religious yet. In this case he suggests nothing to the disadvan- tage of religion, but rather the contrary ; but he presses this idea very closely that it is time enough yet. This is a device he is very apt to employ, and alas, often too successfully with young people. 5. To some, when the word begins to pe'netrate their hearts, he presents religion in extremely gloomy colors, persuading them it will make them melancholy, that it is a morose sour thing, destruc- tive of the gaieties and pleasures of life, and that mankind ought to enjoy themselves. Thus he takes away the word out of their hearts. 6. Some, on whose hearts the word had taken considerable hold, and who have gone home seri- ous and thoughtful, and with resolutions of amend- ment, he invites to a ball or dance, persuading them there is no harm in a little civil mirth. Thus has he prevailed with them to make the experi- ment, and the end of this experiment often has been, that their impressions were lost, the word taken away out of their hearts, and their precious souls eternally undone. 7. Others on whose hearts the word had taken some serious impression, he has found means to 26y engage in controversy and debates about the tenets and doctrines of religion, and firing them with a clamorous, noisy, false zeal, has kept them thus engaged until the serious impressions made on. their minds were lost. And in their embittered contentions about doctrines, rites and forms, the spirit and reality have been utterly neglected. 8. He often takes away the word out of the hearts of others by engaging them too eagerly in the pursuit of the world. Here he suggests the great necessity of attending to the world and its concerns, and presses it by a quotation of scrip- ture ; '^He that provideth not for his own, and especially those of his own house, has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel ;'' I Tim. . v, 8. Thus does he engage them so eagerly in the world that the spirit of religion is neglected, and the word taken away out of their hearts. IV. I am to show what it is to believe, and the influence such faith has on the salvation of the soul. Our text says, *^lest they should believe and be saved. '^ This belief is saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not mere speculation. A specu- lative faith must be supposed to exist before we will receive the divine word into our hearts. For^ ^^He that would come to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;'' Heb. xi, 6. That belief which is accompanied with salvation^ as suggested in my text, is true, saving faith. This consists essential- ly in a cordial reception of Jesus Christ, and a hearty rehance on him for salvation. See the answer of the Westminster divines to the question 26a •" What is faith in Jesus Christ ? Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation as he is offered in the gospel;'^ see also much higher authority, John's gospel, i, 12 ; " But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." The influence faith has on salvation, is by unit- ing the soul indissolubly to Jesus Christ, and thereby interesting us in his atonement and right- eousness, whereby we become really justified and entitled to eternal salvation. Our text is not the only passage in the new testament, in which salva.- tion is represented as connected inseparably with faith. This is the uniform tenor of the whole new testament writings ; see Mark xvi, 16 ; " He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned ;" John iii 14 — 18 ; '^ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth ©n him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent notrhis son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, be- cause he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten son of God.'^ Now, sirs, I pre- sume the reason of these representations is not because faith has anv more merit or cfiicacy in itself .269 to justity and save a soul than love, repentance, or any other grace ; but becaasc it lays hold of, and receives that, which is the real meritorious cause of a believer's justification, the atoning righteousness of Jesus Christ. This it is alone, and exclusively, that justifies and saves the soul : Rom. iii, 24^ 25 ; '^ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Je- sus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteous ness, for the remission of sins that are past, througli the forbearance of God ; Ephes. i, 7 ; ^' In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgive ness of sins according to the riches of his grace ;*" Col. i, 14 ; " In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace ;*' I Peter i . 18 ; " Forasmuch as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation^ received by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb slain, without blemish, and without spot.^' To show that this is equally the doctrine of the old as well as the new testa- ment, see Isaiah, liii, 4, 5 ; " Surely he hath born^ our griefs and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and af- flicted. But he was wounded for our transgres- sions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chas- tisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed ;^ Isaiah xlii, 21 . '' Thi^ Lord is well pleased for his righteousne>;s sake, he shall magnify the law una mai; ■ ^t > ^ • ' W2. 9!t0 Learn from this subject, 1. What an invaluable blessing the divine word is to guilty men, and of consequence, how thanks fully it ought to be received, and how wisely im- proved. Does this sacred word inform us of those things, which of all others in the world, we are most concerned to know ? Does it reveal God and his holy will to man ? Does it point out with precision the road to heaven and glory ? Does it set before us the most exalted motives to piety and moral goodness ? Then let us bind this in- valuable treasure to our hearts, and conform con scientiously to its sacred requisitions. '' Should all the forms that men devise Assault my faith with treacherous art, I'd call them vanity and lies, And bind the gospel to my heart. "....Watts, 2. Learn the wisdom as well as the goodness of God in giving to mankind a preached gospel. It is calculated to display the divine glory and reach sinners^ hearts. 3. Learn the great necessity there is for hearers to watch against the wiles of the devil. How artful, how cunning, and subtle an enemy is he who is opposed to our happiness and salvationf Let us be strictly on our guard that this great ad- versary may not work our overthrow ; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 4. Learri from this subject the extreme danger of that scheme in theology, which sets aside the free grace plan, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the atonement he has made for sin. This is the grand pillar of the free grace 271 >clieme;, and the only ground of safety for lost and guilty sinners. The gospel knows no other ; '• But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you thaii that w^e have preach - ed let him be accursed." May the Lord bless his precious gospel to our souls, and make it a lamp to our feet^ and a light to otir way, for the redeem er'ssake. Amen. ®ffl©m ^XXT* THE INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGKTY AND THE UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE OF GOD. '''For of him, and through Mm, and to hhUy art , all things. To whom he glory forever. Amen.^^ ST. PAUL, my friends, asserts very strongly in this epistle, the sovereignty of divine grace, and of the adorable God its author, and the right of the Almighty and independent God to dispose of man- kind according to his sovereign and unlimited pleasure. This doctrine of the divine sovereignty is very fully stated in the 9th chapter of this epistle from the 10th to the 23d verse inclusive ; *^ And not only this ; but when Rebecca also had conceivetl by one, even by our father Isaac ; for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth ; it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion, on whom I will have compas- sion. So then, it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaah, for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power on thee,, and that my name should be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. You will say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault ? for who hath re- sisted his will ? Nay, but who art thou, O man, that repliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus ? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor ? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known^ endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction > and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.'' He has also stated quite perspicuously, in this chapter of which our text is a part, especially from verse 32 to the end; ^'For God hath concluded them all in -anbeiief that he might have mercy up- on all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? Or who hath been his counsellor ? Or who hath first given to iiim. and it shall be recompensed unto him again : . ~ 274 The apostle here, m order to impress more deeply on the mind of those who might be disposed to call into question the divine sovereignty, enquires who had given any thing to the Lord, so as to lay him under any kind of obligation, or who had counsel- led him in any of his plans, or what was in exis- tence to stir up a doubt respectmg his complete in- dependency and sovereignty ? And in this connec- tion addresses them in the language of my text ; "For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To whom be glory forever. Amen.'^ In these few strong, well chosen and significant words, the apostle states three several distinct pro- positions, and which contain completely the doc- trine of the divine sovereignty; the following, I. That God created all things that be, himself only excepted. It. That God sustains and supports all things. III. That God's great and leading object in all he has done, and is still doing is his own glory: For of him are all things ; he made them. Through him are all things, he sustains and up- holds them ; and to him are all things, he created them for himself, or in other words, for his own glory. In the farther discussion of this subject I shall endeavor a little to elucidate and confirm each of these propositions, and that in the order in which they lie in my text, and then conclude with some inferences and application. I. Our first proposition is that the absolute and sovereign Lord God is the sole and independent creator of all things that be. $W5 Here permit me to observe that what I mean by creation is, makmg something out of nothing or without materials. And when I speak of God creating all things, I mean that God either made the thing just in the mode and form in which we see it exist ; or that he made the matter out of which some second agent has made it to exist in its present form. For example, God made me as I am ; but he did not make the table on which I write in its present form ; he made the materials of which it is made, a large well grown walnut tree; but the sawyer and the cabinet-maker transformed a part of this walnut tree into a con- venient table. Thus, second causes may have transformed a great many things ; but God made the materials of them all. 2. We observe that the holy scriptures uniform- ly ascribe the creation of all things to God ; Gen. i, 1 ; " In the beginnmg God created the heaven and the earth ;'^ 7th verse of the same chapter ; "' And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so;" verse 16; "And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night ; he made the stars also ;" verse 21; *^ And God created great whales and every living creature which moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind ; and God saw that it was good ;" verse 25 ; " And God made the beast after his kind, and cat- tle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth ^Upon the earth after his kind ; and God saw that *^i- 276 it was good;" verse 27; " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them ;" Isaiah xlv, 7 ; " I form the light and create darkness ; I make peace and create evil ; I the Lord do all these things ;" Col. i, 16 ; '^ For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and . invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and for him." Thu? wc see the scriptures plainly and abundantly as- cribe all things in their creation to God. 3. We observe that right reason and true and strict philosophy ascribe the creation of all things %6 God no less than the sacred scriptures do. All things must be created by " Job ix, 4. No imposition can be practised on this supreme and almighty judge for want of evidence. He is not like the judges on our earthly tribunals ; he will not need to depend on thetestimony of others, to come at the knowledge of crimes ; he himself is the immediate witness of all our actions. God's holiness will induce him to punish us for sin, and we shall not escape ; seeing sin is the great object of the divine detestation. His almighty power will, enable him to execute all his pkasure on the wicked and ungodly, and they shall not escape, for " the wicked shall be . turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God ;" Psalm, ix, 17 ; and '^ though hand join in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished ;" Prov. xi, 21 ; " Tophet is or- dained of old ; yea, for the king it is prepared ; he hath made it deep and large ; the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord iike a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it ;" Isa- iah 3^xx, 33. Well, then, may the poor sinnor X2. 282 fear and tremble, who hath this almighty God fof his enemy. 2. Learn the safety, protection and happiness of God's people, who have this mighty God of Jacob as their everlasting friend, Infinite wisdom chooses their lot, infinite power protects and de- fends them ; and infinite goodness and mercy wait continually upon them ; their cup abounds with blessings ; their safety is secure, for " who shall harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?'^ I Pet. iii, 13. Not one, " For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi- palities, nor powers, northings present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the law of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord ;'^ Hom. viii, 38, 39. Let the people of the Lord be faithful, and assiduous in the cause of their di- vine master, and '^ forgetting the things that are behind, and reacliing forth unto those things which are before ; let them press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The testimonies of a good conscience belong to the people of God only and exclusively ; *^ Great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them;'^ Psalm cxix, 165; " Peace 1 leave with you, my peace I give unto you ; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid ;'' John xiv, 27. 3. Learn that whatever machinations of earth and hell, may be formed against the church of God, they will all prove abortive, because the 283 church is founded on a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it ; " And upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it ;'^ Mat. xvi, 18. In vain, then, will be all the attempts of earth and hell, see- ing this glorious rock is no other than Christ Jesus himself, the rock of eternal ages ; " He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock, and estab- lished my goings ;" Psalm xl, 2. When the church of God at sundry times and in different ages has been under the cloud of darkness, her enemies have triumphed, as though she had fallen to rise no more, but strong is the Lord God who supports her ; and anon, supported by this God of infinite power, she arose and put on her beauti- ful garments, and triumphed over all het enemies ; and so in the name, and under the banners of the Lord of hosts, will she still do, until all her ene- mies are put under her feet. Poor Thomas Paine was but a bad prophet. About thirty years ago that vain and impious man uttered a prediction in a dungeon in France, that in fifty years from the then present time, there would be no such thing as the christian religion on earth He predicted that, in that short period it would die the death. Its props, as he contemptuously calls them were, and shortly would be taken away, and so soon as they were gone it could stand no longer. These props were gone in the United States, and in France, and would soon be gone every where else in the great and swelling tide of political revolutions^ and then the sacred thing must fal! 2Si and languisli, and die. As a friend to genuine Christianity and the holy cause of God, I rejoice in these props being taken away, by which Mr. Paine means religious establishments. We wish no such props. The genuine and evangelical christian, equally with Mr. Paine, disapproves of these props. If our divine religion, supported as it is, by its sacred author, cannot stand on its own feet without such aids as establishments, let it fall. The government that undertakes to sup- port this sacred thing by the aid of establishments shows itself to be utterly ignorant of the nature and merits of genuine Christianity ; establishments have always gone, and whenever resorted to, al- ways VI ill go to the great injury of this holy thing ; it solicits not, neither does it need, any such offi- cious, and inefficient aid ; the blessed redeemer has long since informed us that his " kingdom is not of this world ;'*' Johnxviii, 36. Any man of tolerable information, can easily say what the pro- bability is, of the fulfilment of this prophecy ; ve- ry shortly after this prediction the ship Duff was fitted out by the pieity and benevolence of the London Missionary society for the South Sea Is- lands, and sent there for the sole and express pur. pose of evangelising the pagan inhabitants. Man- ifestly under the auspices of heaven's king, this consecrated vessel, in a run of sixteen thousand miles, was blessed with such success and pros- perity as nautical men never saw before. Were Mr, Paine here I should take the liberty of asking him whether or not this was done by establish ments and the strong hand of government, *^r 285 whether it was by virtue of a civil prop, that this heaven favored vessel rode the proud waves so prosperously to Otaheite, the place of her destina- tion that not one of her crew ever said " I am sick/^ nor even was heard to complain of the scurvy, so common amongst sea faring people. And even that sneering infidel, who has only grinned and laughed where his more rational brethren Voltaire, Hume and B )lingbroke, have attempted to reason, would be constrained to answer, no. No money from the coffers of government was expended m procuring and fitting out the ship Duff. This hal- lowed floating tabernacle was procured and fur- nished by that consecrried gold and silver which the hand of christian charity poured so liberally into the treasury of the Lord. Since the immodest infidel uttered his prediction of the death of Chris- tianity in fifty years, there has been a spread of that divine religion, over a far greater extent of the globe than religion ever spread over before in the same short space of time, even the little space of twenty-five or thirty years. A few days ago I was politely favored by a gentleman of my ac- quamtance with tl* Veading of a letter written him by his brother, from the island of Ceylon ; which I find on examining a globe, to be just half round the world, from where I write ; the author, one of those self denied men, who have gone half round the world and become our anti- podes, that they might publish the gospel to those who have hitherto sat in the region of darkness, and shadow of death. O my divine religion ! emanating from my Qod and maker, thou shalt 28G Jive and flourish and bless mankind by thy be- nign influence, when such poor, snarling, sneering, bickering things shall be dead and lost, and their memories forgotten ; whilst their cavils and their sneers, and their writings, shall affect thee, and thy great interests about as much as " Barking- animals affright the moon sublime, when riding on her midnight way." 4. Learn from this subject God's absolute and undoubted right, to do with all things according to his righteous pleasure* He made and upholds all things that be, by the word of his almighty power. And seemg they are his, he has an undoubted right to govern and dispose of them according to his righteous and sovereign pleasure. Nor is there the least ground for uneasiness, on the part of his intelligent creatures, seeing all his decisions will be regulated by infallible rectitude. The virtuous and hol}^, wfll be rewarded with everlasting hap- piness and glory; and the wicked and ungodly, will be punished according to the demerit of their ungodly deeds. The great judge of all the earth will do infallibly right. 5. Learn that to seek God^s glory, is the first and immediate duty of every moral agent. We learn from this subject, that this is the greatest object in the universe, and the primary object of God's own pursuit ; and we ought to be workers together with him. 6. Learn that absolute and unconditional sub- mission to the divine will, is the indispensible duty of every reasonable creature. God has an un- doubted right to dispose of events ; seeing there is 2S7 none so wise, so just and good as he is, and there- fore, every intelligent creature ought to be duly submissive. Duty is ours, events are God's. Let us press forward with ifeal and diligence, in the discharge of the duties he requires, and leave events in his hand, who will dispose of them in the best manner. Let the great object of our solicitude be, to do what God requires; not to order what be- longs to God to order. 7. Learn the indispensible necessity, and strict propriety, of sinners speedily makmg their peace with God. Here, there is safety and protection. Whoever is in covenant with Gt>d, shall escape the wrath to come; while such as are not thus m co- venant with him, are exposed to his vengeance and indignation, and must eventually drink the cup of his wrath. Let as many then, as are yet m the gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity, escape from the wrath to come, and lay hold on the hope set before them in the Gospel, which, may the Lord of his infinite mercy enable them to do^ for the Re dfeemer's sake. Amex. ©smii<©ir ^^^itt^ THE FINAL PERSEVERANCE OF TRUE* SAINTS ATTEMPTED TO BE PROVED. ^' When a righteous man tuvneth aivay frmnhh righteousness, and committeth iniquity^ atul dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done, shall he die.^' IT appears from the preceding parts of this chap- ter, that the Jews found very great fault with the dispensations of divine providence, and accused the works of the Almighty as being unequal ; saying, ^'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the chil- dren's teeth are set on edge;'' that their forefa- thers had sinned, and they were called to suffer for their transgressions ; than which, no charge ever was more absolutely false and unfounded. The Lord, in the 3d verse and downward, swears by his own existence, they should no longer have oc- casion to use this proverb ; " As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall no longer have occasion to use this proverb in Israel. Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: The soul that sinneth, it shall die ;" verses 3 and 4. See the passage at large to the l^h verse ; which^ with the following verses to my text, reads thus; " Yet say ye, why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son : the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins, which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall sure- ly live, he shall not die. All his transgressions which he hath committed, they shall not be menti- oned unto him: in his righteousness that he hatli done, he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his ways and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations the wicked -man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness, which he hath done, shall not be mentioned; in his trespass, that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel, is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turn- eth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done, shall he die.'' '\0L. II Y, ^90 I presume^ sirs,- the righteous man here menti- oned, does not mean the really pious and godly man, whose heart has been the subject of a divine change; nor does the righteousness here spoken of, mean that* righteousness which results from a heart changed by grace. But the righteousness here spoken of, is no other than that kind of righteous- ness wh^ch may be performed by a man whose heart has never been changed, and from which the man may turn utterly and entirely away; and he is called in my text a righteous man, because he had conformed in his conduct to the require- ments of the divine law. And this is using lan- guage according to common sense, and common acceptation. I know at this moment, as righteous and strictly just men in all then- dealings, and commercial matters, as I know in the world, who are not professors of religion at all, and who have never experienced a -saving change. These peo- ple, not having the grace of God in their hearts, may turn away from their just and righteous con- duct, and become dishonest, unjust and rapacious. And these men are assured, that if they turn away from all their righteousness, and commit iniquity, and die under the influence of unholy principles, they shall be lost. And I humbly presume this is all the passage contemplates. This text, on which I have been very respect- fully requested by an anonymous note, to preach, will lead me to investigate the doctrine of the saints final perseverance. And that I should do so, was manifestly the design of the writer of the note. 291 And as I believe the application to be made by a person, who wishes satisfaction on the subject in her own mind, which has hitherto wavered, I the more cheerfully comply with the request. I believe it is well known that I have an aversion to theo - logical controversy, and am not in the habit of leading my hearers into its thorny mazes. Nor shall I consider myself at all, as acting in the least degree contrary to my general principles, on the present occasion. I shall not say one solitary word for the sake of controversy, or with a view to tri- umphant victory. I solemnly forbid those unhal- lowed principles to obtrude themselves on my mind. I shall offer my views to the public with candor and tenderness towards those who may differ from me in their views of this subject, and with no design to give them offence or hurt their feelings. And all my aversion to useless and ill- tempered controversy, shall not prevent mc from trying to satisfy a candid and humble enquirer aboutany of the doctrines of our divine and holy religion, concerning which I have any decided opinions. On the doctrine this subject plainly brings into view, my opinion is decided, and to myself, satisfactory. This opinion, and the grounds on which it rests, will now be plainly and humbly- submitted to the public, in the following discourse^ and that without any alienation of affection from those who may differ. The writer of the n^te mak- ing the request, observes, that in submitting my views of this subject, I would not only gratify the writer, but also a number of others. Iti treating this subject, I design 2^ I. /ro prove as clearly as I can, by direct and positive texts of scripture, the final and infallible perseverance of all true saints. II. I will state with clearness and precision, my views of various passages of sacred writ, which I have always understood to be the strong-hold of those, who deny this doctrine ; and endeavor to show that they do not teach a final apostacy from a state of grace. IJI. That the doctrine of the saint's final perse- verance, is favorable to holy practice, and promotes the comfort of evangelical christians. I. I am to prove the final perseverance and eternal salvation, of all real saints. This, to be satisfactory to a candid enquirer, must be done from scripture alone. And here I confess freely, and with candor, that were there no other passage in holy writ that touched this subject but my text, I should admit the doctrine of final apostacy ; but when I compare this, w^ith a hundred other passa- ges of holy writ, and compare the general teaching of the whole, I cannot admit this doctrine; and of course, must assign to the w^ords of ray text some other meaning. In order, then, to show with the greatest certainty possible, the final perseverance of the saints, and that no one soul ever once in cov- enant with God, will finally be lost, we commence with the teachings of the Saviour ; John vi, 40, '^ And tljis IS the will of him that sent me, that eve- ry one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." Now, the Saviour here states plainly, that it is the will of God that every one 293 who seeth the Son, and believeth on hhn, should have everlasting life, and then pledges himself to execute that will. Now, if God does will and choose the eternal salvation of the believer, and if the Saviour pledges himself to execute that v»'il], then your humble speaker cannot see how the be- lieving soul is to be lost. Reflect well on this mat- ter, my friends. Verse 44, last clause, ^^and I will raise him up at the last day." Here the Sa- viour's solemn pledge is repeated. Reflect well on this. John X, ^7—30, " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." I presume, sirs, this passage needs no comment ; nay, it scarce admits it. The express assertion is, that Christ's sheep know his voice and follow him, and that they shall never perish. What more do we w^ant to lay this debate to rest ? We next present you with St. Paul's testimony on this interesting point. Rom. viii, 38, to the end. " For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor Itfe^ nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present^ nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to se- parate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." No affected or sickly commen- tary is offered here ; the passage admits it not^ the language is altogether as plain as it can be. Heave it as I found it, in its peerless simplicity. Let us hear St. Peter next; 1 Peter, i, S—B; ^^ Blessed be the God and Father of our liord Y2.- 294 -'^' Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again, unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and thatfadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are keptby the power of God, through faith unto sal- vation, ready to be revealed in the last time." No commentary attempted. II. I am to state my views of a few passages of sacred writ, adduced by those who oppose this doctrine of the saints final perseverance, and which I have always understood to be their strong-hold. Here I shall simply state what satisfies my own miftd on the subject, and pass on without any far- ther observations. 1. I believe the words of my text is a subject on which the opposers of the saints final and infallible perseverance, found their views as much as any other. On this portion of scripture I have deliv- ered my sentiments in my introduction, and which I presume are correct. The next scripture adduc- ed against this doctrine is, Heb. vi, 4 — 6, "For it is impossible for those, who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." For the better understanding this long contested passage, be it recollected, the apostle wrote in an age of miracles, and to the Hebrews too, amongst whom the holy spirit was first poured out in his 295 miraculous operations ; that the persons spoken of, had been enlightened, and had obtained that measure of knowledge necessary to church mem- bership. They had tasted the heavenly gift, and had been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, m his miraculous operations, such as speaking with tongues, discoursing on divine subjects with super- natural fluency. So that their own experience was, or should have been, to them, a proof of the truth of the gospel. And thus it is, we presume, they were enlightened and made partakers of the Holy Ghost. That there existed such miraculous gifts in that age is plain enough from the writings of the apostles ; 1 Cor. xiv, 1 — 5, ^' Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophecy. For he that speaketh in an un- known tongue, speaketh not unto men but God : for no man understandeth him ; howbeit, in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophe- sieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and exhor- tation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an un- known tongue, edifieth himself, but he that pro - phesieth, edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied ; for greater, is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying;^' Verse 22; *^ Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not : but pro- phesying serveth not, for them that believe not, but'for them which believe." Now all this might exist without any sanctifying mfluence ; "They Itad moreover tasted of the good word of God." 296 And their convictions, impressions, and transienit affections, convinced them that it w as a good word ? And, sirs, all this is no more than may be, and often is felt by many people, not yet in a state of regeneracy. Witness the stony ground hearers; Mat. xiii, 20—22 ; " But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth, because of tiie word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the cares of this world, and the de- eeitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he be- cometh unfruitful." They had tasted the powers of the world to come; and so they might, under their temporary realizing apprehension of a future state and of happiness or misery. All these things take place, except miraculous powers, in people who still remain unregenerate. They have know- ledge, fear, convictions, joys, and seasons of appa- rent earnestness ; yet their hearts are not really changed and humbled. Another text on which much stress is laid is, that which speaks of Judas Iscariot. It • is alleged this man fell from grace. But permit me to ask, sirs, where there is one solitary particle of evidence, that Judas ever was a pious man? I presume there is none at all. Did not the mild and gentle Savi- our call him a devil long before he betrayed him, and while he was a member of his family? John, %a, TO; "Jesus answered, have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil r" Is not testimony 297 borne of him that he was a thief, and that, too, at a time when he had made a display of something more like piety than usual ; John, xii, 4 — 6, "Then said one of his disciples, Simon's son who should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor ; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.'' Now, let the candid judge, whether a man, who was both a thief and devil, were likely to be a good christian. It is conceded that appearances exist in society very much like falling from grace. But the apostle John accounts for all these, without admitting the doctrine of final apostacy ; I John, ii, 19 ; " They went out from us, but they were not of us : for if they had been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be made manifest, that they were not all of us." These people had for a time attached themselves to the christian church; they professed religion, and for a time looked as christian -like as others; but presently apostatized. Now, how was it that they fell away? And did they fall from grace, or for want of grace? The latter, manifestly. And so with a thousand others, they fall for want of grace; not from grace. III. The doctrine of the saints final persever- ance is favorable to holy living, and comfortable to the saints. We teach perseverance. What is this persever- ance ? Going right on our way I answer ; and neither stopping nor turning aside to the right 298 ^and, nor the left. Is this calculated to make a man sit down^ or become stationary or retro- grade ? Does not the doctrine we often hear preached on this subject go to exhibit the christian as fol- lowing Christ for little else than the loaves ? Does not the real christian serve God more from love than fear ? Ought not all to do the same ? But if the true believer discovers such an excellence in the divine character, that he is charmed there- with, and if he follows Christ from love, is there any danger, that assuring him, that whom the saviour loves he loves unto the end ; John xiii, 1 ; will make him love his saviour less or cause him to relax his endeavors to please God ? I pre- sume, sirs, every true believer discovers such a divine charm in the service of God, and in true religion, as is more operative on his mind than all the fear in the world. And is net that a most comfortable doctrine to the christian, which pre- sents to his mind future happiness as certain and infallible ? APPLICATION. Whatever difference of sentiment may exist amongst us, with respect to the saints final perseverance, I presume we are all agreed in this point, that they ought to persevere. Here we have no contest ; Calvinists and Arminians are agreed here. Let us provoke one another to love and good works. Let us indulge no alienation of affection on account of some difference of senti- ment on this subject. Let us encourage each other to the strictest diligence in running all the lengthof the celestial road. Let love be without ] dissimulation. Let us abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good ; Rom. xii, 9. * Let us indulge in no bitterness of temper toward each other; but ever bear in mind that the wrath ^ of man worketh not the righteousness of God. ' smmi^ir xs^Tas% YOUNG MEN CAREFULLY WARNED AGAINST THE DANGER OP BAD COMPANY, AND EAR- NESTLY DISSUADED FROM SUCH COMPANY. 1819, IN PRESENCE OF ABOUT FIVE THOU- SAND HEARERS, WHILE A YOUNG MAN SAT WNDER THE GALLOWS, AWAITING AN IGNa* MINIOUS EXECUTION, ACCORDING TO A SEN- TENCE OP THE CIRCUIT COURT, PRONOUNC- ED ON HIM BY THE HONORABLE JUDGE ISAACS. THIS DISCOURSE WAS DELIVERED ON THAT MELANCHOLY OCCASION, AT THE PARTICULAR REaUEST OF COL. M. MC'CLAN- AHAN, SHERIFF OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY. Txoye.Tc'bs, IV, 14, 15. ^^ Enter not into the path of the wicked , and go not in the way of evil men, avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, pass aivay.^' IF there is any regard to be paid to the opinion of king Solomon, the wisest of men, and guided by the unerring spirit of God ; then bad company is a very bad thing, and extremely ensnaring to the souls of men. And numerous are the sons of men, who have received from this mischievous 301 and dangerous thing their utter overthrow, and that, too, with respect to both worlds. And as it is pernicious to all who expose themselves to it, so it is singularly ensnaring and ruinous to youth. The author of our text, that great judge of men and manners, when addressing his son on the benefits of wisdom and knowledge, mentions it as one of them, that they would preserve the per- son possessed of them, from evil company ; Prov. ii, 10 — 20 ; " When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul ; «liscretion shall preserve thee ; understanding shall keep thee ; to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things ; who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk ia the ways of darkness ; who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked ; whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths ; to deliver thee from the strange woman^ even from the stranger which flattereth with her words ; which forsaketh the guide of her youth^ and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For !ier house inclineth unto death, and her paths un- to the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep Ihe paths of the righteous." This same sacred writer gives us a most dread- ful description of evil female company, and the destruction and ruin which attend it, and very for. cibly exhorts unwary youth to avoid them most cautiously ; chap, v, 1—14 ; " My son attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to mv V0L. IT Z i^oderstanding ; that thou mayest regard discre- tion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil ; but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword; her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell ; lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life ; her ways are moveable that thou canst not know them. Hear me now. therefore^ O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth ; remove thy way far from her, and come not near the door of her house ; lest thoii give thine honor unto others, and thy years unto the cruel ; lest strangers be filled with thy wealth and thy labours be in the house of a stranger ; and thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed ; and say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor in- clmed mine ear unto them that instructed me i I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congrega- tion and assembly.^' Another representation nearly similar we have in chap, vi, 20—29; "My son keep thy father's commandments, and forsake not the law of thy mother ; bind them contmually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou'goest it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest it shall keep thee ; and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light ; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life ; to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a , strange 303 woman ; last not after her beauty in thy hearty neither let her take thee with her eye lids ; for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread ; and the adulteress will hunt for the innocent life. Can a man take lire in his bo- som, and his clothes not be burnt ? Can a man go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt ? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife ; whoso- ever toucheth her shall noZ be innocent." And in the words of my text we are dissuade i^ frtrm the company of bad men ; " Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men, avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. In treating this subject a little more at large I shall show; i I. What we are to understand by the evil com- pany against which we are warned in my text, and how far we are to avoid it, or in what sense. II. I shall propose some dissuasives against evil company, then conclude with some inferences and application. I. I am to show you what that evil compa- ny is against which we are and ought to be Warned in my text, and in what sense, and hov/ ,|ar we are to avoid it. ,^ By these wicked men we may understand, in "jthe general, all who have not the fear of God before their eyes, and are not conscientiously endeavor- ing to serve the most high. There are certainly ^various and very great degrees of wickedness, '. ^some going to much greater lengths of enormity and profligacy than others, but none can be called ^Ji 304 good and profitable company to a believer or well meaning man, who are not endeavoring to act conscientiously in the fear of the Lord ; and as there are various degrees of wickedness, our care ^0, shun the company of ungodly men should always be proportioned to the degree of their enormity and guilt. And no doubt there are some wicked men, whose company is much more imdesirable than others, and whose example is much woiTjc than some others. I think we may rank at the head of those wicked and evil men into whose path we are not to enter, unbelievers in, and scoffers at, the holy religion of Jesus Christ. Many of those men of unbelief and opposition to the Saviour, may have certain quali- ties, notwithstanding their infidelity, which may be pleasing and agreeable. But how pleasing soever their qualities may be, or however fine their address, they are certainly unprofitable and dangerous companions. And by how much the more smooth and insinuating they are in their man- ners, by so much the more dangerous they are likely to prove as companions, because the young and un\^ ary are the more likely to be taken in with them, and to conform to their sentiments as well as their manners. Beware cf this description of wicked men, my young and unsuspecting friends. There is certainly much truth and force in the fol- lowing laconic aphorism of doctor Young; "A foe to God was ne'er true friend to man." And whatever pretences these men may make of regard to Almighty God, and to the great and valuable rules of strict and pure morality, yet are they not to 303 he trusted, if we may believe the apostle John. He ha^ spent his opinion with entire frankness ; 1 John ii, 23; Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father/' Are men who deny the Lord who bought them, to be trusted safely? Are they entitled to the confidence of society, equally with o- ther men ? Suppose you elect a man of such princi - pies to the first office in your free and happy go vern-i' ment, and administer the oath of office ; you swear him on the holy evangelists of Almighty God, that he will well and truly, and with good faith, administer the government. Is there any sense in what you have done ? Will not an enlightened, well informed boy of ten years old, smile at it as a per- fect farce, and that of the most empty description? He swears on the holy evangelists to do his duty, and then turns round and tells you, that the evan- gelists are a mere fable of the worst contrived, and most bungling kind. Now, in all fairness and good conscience, might you not just as well have sworn him on iEsop's fables, or last year's almanac. He will not feel his conscience bound any more by the one than the other. The profane in their language, compose ano- ther large and shameful class of ungodly men, who ought to be shunned by all who wish to retain their character, their conscience, and their peace. No- body in his senses can presume to say, that profane swearers are not ill company, and that those who associate with such men, are in no danger of con- tracting this ungodly, shameful habit. Young- people who associate with such men, are in utmost danger of contracting this useless, tills wicked and 303 most unreasonable habit. But do you ask whate* vil will ensue in consequece of swearing? Nobody h put in jail or hanged for swearing. If the officers of justice do their duty, swearers are fined, and their money taken for this wicked practice. But. sirs, should those whos« duty requires them to en. force their country's laws, neglect their duty through backwardness to punish a vice, of which them- selves are as guilty as any body else ; still infi- nitely the greatest evil incurred by profanity, awaits them; and this they certainly shall notes- cape. This evil is eternal punishment in a future world ; "For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain;" Exodus xx, 7\ "Would any parent in this assembly feel willing that his son should grow up, and come forward into life, in the habits of the vilest profanity? If not, ought he to suffer him, with his knowledge and consent, to associate free, and without restraint, with the vilest men ? Or ought he by his own act and deed, to place his son in a situation, where he must know he will necessarily have to associate with the most vile and wicked men? These questi- ons are designed for the reflection of parents ; and more especially, professing parents. ; The angry, the quarrelsome and enraged, who are always disturbing the peace of society, are ano- ther class of wicked men, who ought to be shun- ned by all who wish to maintain their peace and their purity. Angry and quarrelsome men are bad companions for any body ; but more especially for unwary youth, whose principles are not yet well established. Seethe scripture direction cm -^b subject ; '^ Make no friendship with an angry ina-n; ^ and with a furious man tliou shalt not go: lest ,': thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul;'' Prov. xxii, 24, 25; "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgres -^ sion;" Prov. xxix, 22. ^ The drunkards, the tiplers, the grog drinkers , ; compose another large class against whom I w^ould \ solicitously warn all who as yet retain their mno- cence and virtue. By these men, I do not mean the greatest drunkards only, such as fall and wallow ' in the mire of the streets ; but likewise all such as Jfe are strong, and prone to mingle strong drink; all ^ such as go on drinking matches, when they haveno '^. other business. If it be too much to assert that no strong drink ought to be used, it is certainly not | gomg too far to say that men ought never to leave then- business and go after it, and spend a consi- ] derable portion of their time inlying about drink- > Hig houses; while their children are crying, pitc- '■ ously crying for bread, and none to^ give them; and their wives' hearts almost broken by the con- I duct of husbands who fail any longer to nourish and cherish them, as they voluntarily and deliberately promised to do at the altar of God. All company of the above description, then, is bad company, and ^ ought to be shunned by all who wish to maintain } their characters and good standing in society. The immodest, the licentious and debauched^ i compose another large class of wicked men, who ' ought to be most carefully shunned, and especially by all modest young men, who wish to maintain tharfpeace and •their honor TohearasetofthC^e ^ polluted, abandoned debauchees, vieing witl^ea6'fi' other m detailing the exploits of their impiety and vilenessjis almost enough to put to the blush the hardiest devil in tophet. O my dear youths, flee from such company, if you feel the least disposition to keep your garments clean, and unspotted from the flesh ; " Enter not into the vile polluted path of these wicked and ungodly men; avoidit, pass not by it, turn from it and pass avvay.^' Gamblers, sirs, your men of play, compose ano- ther large class of the wicked, who ought to be con- scientiously shunned by all who would support any well founded claims to moral honesty. What is this but a safer description of stealing or robbery? The thief wishes his neighbors property, without any value given for it ; the gambler does the same. The thief actually takes his neighbors property, without rendering any value for it ; the gambler does the same. And the chief difference I am able to discover betwixt the actual thief and the gam- bler, consists chiefly in ropes, stripes, branding- irons, pillories and penitentiaries, and not in moral principle at all. And I must seriously think it is a matter of much regret, that the laws of the state do not attach the same pains and penalties to the two crimes, seeing they are so easily shown to be the same in point of principle ; "Enter not then into the path of the wicked," &c. Gamblers, then, are wicked and evil men, whose path ought to be shunned. Dnder this head, we are to show also, how far we are to shun such company as has been sug- gested, I presume we are so far to avoid it, as 309 never to be in it unnecessarily. Neither ought wc ever to make it the company of our choice. We are not required so to avoid it, as never to be in it at all, on any occasion whatever ; " For then must W(^ needs go out of the world;" I Cor. v, 10. Our necessary and lawful business we may, and ought to transact, with all men. We are not so to shun it, as never to be in it. for the purpose of administer- ing reproof. So did not Jesus Christ avoid it. We find he, associated with publicans and sinners. But for what purpose was the blessed Jesus at any time in such company? Notindeed that he delight- ed in it ; not to copy a bad example ; not to give his countenance, and the weight of his character to wrong doing; but that he might counsel and ad- vise those wicked men, and do them good. We may herein very safely, and in perfect consistency with our duty, copy the example of our divine Sa- viour. We may with propriety be in their com- pany for the same exalted purposes. We may copy with entire safety, the bright example of our bless- ed Lord. II. I am to propose to your consideration some dissuasives against evil company. These I think may all be comprised with great propriety, under t)ie two following things; 1. The evils to which you will thereby be expos- ed ; and 2. The rational enjoyments and pleasures whicji you will thereby forego. The evils to which you svill thereby be exposed, will be such as the fol lowing : X Jt will haye a great tendency to blunt all tlic 310 serious fervor of your minds, if you have ever been the subject of • any such thing. Is any thing more directly calculated to deaden the fervors of devotion than irreligious company, and this, when. the pious man exposes himself much to the compa- ny of those, who have no taste for serious religion^ even suppose they are not the very worst of cha- racters? Not more certainly is a fire-brand quench- ed by being thrown into the snow or rain, than the fervor of a man of piety suffers by frequenting the company of those, who have no relish at all for serious godliness. ^. 2. Another evil resulting from the company of wicked men is, that you will be exposed t\) a mul- titude of temptations. Yea, you will stand on the very ground of danger. Mankind are extremely imitative, and very apt to resemble the company they frequent ; and if so, then how likely shall we be, by keeping bad company, to fall into bad prac- tices too? " Can a man take fire in his bosom, and not be burnt, can a man go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt ?" Prov. vi, 27, 28. Oftentimes when young people expose their virtue and their principles in such company, very little are they aware of the danger to which they are exposing themselves, or what the end of these things will be. There are many persons in the w^orld, who once would have shuddered at the idea of the guil- ty practices in which they are now indulging, al> most without remorse. They did not go into these base and exceptionable practices, all at one step. No, sirs, they w^ent into them by grades almost imperceptible to themselves. One step in sii^^ul Sll indulgence made way for another, till the consci- ence became seared and callous ; and the poor mi- serable backslider at length sinned without control. I have often thought that a course of vice might well be compared to a man running down hill. With regard to the man running down hill, every step increases the velocity of the following; and thus the man runs with increasing pace till he arrives at the bottom. Just so every step taken in the way of vice, increases the violence of the succeedmg; till the heart becomes hardened, and the conscience seared ; till at length he passes the Rubicon, and his eternal destruction becomes sealed. Sinner, beware how you indulge m vice ; christian profes- sor, be thou doubly aware. 3. You will hereby be thrown very much out of the way of repentance and reformation. It has a tendency to harden your hearts in sin, to sear your consciences as with a hot iron, and of consequence, to put you out of the way of repentance and refor- mation. In proportion as evil company is fre- i:][uented, good company must be neglected ; and oftentimes even the stated hours of God's most ho- ly worship are neglected. Now, how much the one or the other of these might have been blessed to the man's repentance and reformation, the wisest cannot tell, but it is all lost, however, by evil company. The good company that the sin- ner has neglected, might have been blessed in several ways to his repentance and reformation. The sober, rational conversation of good conjpany might have been greatly blessed to his edification, and have been the mean of his conversion. The 312 pious, guarded and edifying example, might have been highly beneficial. 4. Great temporal inconvenience often results from going in the way of evil men. This is too glaring to be denied. Such as the following are often attached to it. Great expenses^ which are often the ruin of families. Witness the many fam- ilies who are reduced to a state of starvation, or very nearly so, within our own personal acquaint- ance. Clubs of bad company are not gejierally supported without great expence, besides the consumption of time. The consequences are often serious and deplorable. The debts contracted^ the time lost from business, must soon have a lament ■ 4ibly serious consequence on the concerns of a man of very moderate property ; his family must, and in fact generally do^ suffer. Very often the man in a mere mediocrity of circumstances, or perhaps far below that ; even the poor man, in these expensive bad clubs, must bear an equal share of the expence with the rich man, which must soon reduce his af- fairs to the most desperate condition, while the ridi man may bear it. Besides all this, in these clubs? of bad men, quarrels originate, which eventually lead to expensive law suits, which reduce many to extreme indigence. Permit me to ask where most of those low and scandalous quarrels which come into our courts of justice, originate ? Do they ori- ginate with the industrious, honest man in his corn or cotton field ? O no sir^ the well cultivated farm is not only the source of plenty, and an honorable independence, but it is also the abode of peace and quietness. These quarrels are generally among 313 your tavern haunters, and those clubs of bad men, that are so often hanging about drinking houses. The confidence of the wise, the virtuous and the good, is generally forfeited by frequenting bad company, and character is lost. Health is repeat- edly impaired by frequenting bad company, and very often a premature death brought on. 5. Eternal misery in hell, with sinful compani- ons, is often the consequence of being led astray by their society here. Without repentance, this must inevitably be the case ; " Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished ;" Prov. xi, 21. Let sinners reflect seriously on this dread- ful subject, that as they join in sinning here, so they shall be punished together hereafter, and there shall be no relief. II. Take into view the rational pleasures and en- joyments you will forego, by frequenting bad com- pany. 1. You will forego a great deal of pleasure which might be enjoyed in sober reflection on Crod^s glo- ry, nature, attributes and governmep^^- The Psal- mist says, " Great peace have tiiey that love thy law, and nothing shall offend chem." This peace, we presume, is not enjojed much by those who frequent the company ot the ungodly. Thus, then, this sacred source ^f enjoyment, this tranquil and quiet pleasure;, is utterly and forever lost. Ano- ther rationdJ enjoyment lost by those who frequent the company of the wicked, is communion and spi- ritual fellowship with the righteous. That there does subsist a sweet communion and fellowship amongst the righteous, and with one another, is Vol. II. Aa. 3U plain from scripture ; I John, i, 3 ; " That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also might have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." To this sacred fellowship they are strangers who frequent the company of the wicked and ungodly. The enjoyments of the wicked and irreligious, are all tarnished, " and are but like the crackling of thorns under a pot;'' Eccles. vii, 6. You will reap no advantages from the company of the wicked and ungodly, which will counter- balance the disadvantages which you sustain from associating with them. The wicked, generally speaking, are people in whom no confidence is to be reposed. They cannot be depended on. They are very often found to be unfaithful, unfeeling, hard hearted , cruel and unjust. The most they will do in general, is to afford you a dinner, a drink, and a noisy burst of laughter. But come into real dis- tress, and they will seldopi assist you much to get out ; they wiU very ofteri pass you by as heedless as the priest anvl Levite did the man who fell amongst the thieves. Though, perhaps, they hug- ged you in their drink, in. the day of your prospe- rity, and called you brother. Learn, 1. If so many evils and dangers attend wicked company, then how careful ought parents, and other guardians of young people to be, to keep their children and youth out of the way of evil and seducing men, and guard them against the snares and dangers that await them. How criminally negligent are some parents on this subject, who 315 are otherwise people of good character? Witness the case of Eli and his sons ; I Samuel, iii, 11 — 14; " And the Lord said to Samuel, behold I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spo- ken concerning his house ; When I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the miquity which he knoweth: Because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And tlierefore, have I sworn to the hous€ of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice, nor offering forever/' Some parents are so tender of their children's feelings, that they will suffer them to go to almost any lengths of wickedness, rather than check or control them. This is all false tender- ness, and beneath the dignity of a parent. And so long as children remain in their fathers houses, they ought to be subject to their authority. And that authority the parent ought to exercise. 2. How careful ought young people to be in the 'choice of a companion for life, who have that choice yet to make. Very serious are the conse- quences to a believer, of being connected for life to an unbeliever, and so thousands have found it, and keen has been the smart they have felt for their rashness and temerity in forming such a connection. 3. How much reason have you to be thankful, my friends, if God has shewn you the snares, and delivered you from the danger, of evil company? Has he brought you to prefer that which is good ? 316 '' See, then, that 5'e walkcircumspcctlyj not as fools. but as wise;" Ephcsians, v, 15. ^amii^w s^ss^iii' SELF APPROBATION THE GREAT GROUND O^ RATIONAL AND SUBSTANTIAL ENJOYMENT. Galatians,^!, 4?. *• But let every man prove his own ivork, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.'' ALL mankind are engaged in pursuit of hap- piness, and but a very small proportion of them find any high degree of this sacred thing. Nor is this much to be wondered at, when wc consider that they do not seek it in the right place, nor in the right way. The multitude are seeking this sa- cred thing in the violation of God's command- ments, which is certainly not the right way ; and they are going abroad in pursuit of it ; which is not the right place; for they ought to seek it at home. Whenever our happiness depends on things extra- neous to ourselves, it is very precarious and uncer- tain. When its sources are in ourselves, then I presume it is more certain and satisfactory; and this appears to have been the opinion of the great apostle of the Gentiles in the words of my text; •vBut let every man prove his own work, and then Aa2. SIS shall he have rejoicing in himself alone^ and not in another." The apostle in our preceding context exhorts those who were spiritual, to restore a brother over- taken in a fault, in the spirit of meekness, and not to be too confident or self-sufficient ; and also to bear one another's burdens, and fulfil the law of Christ. He sets before those Galatians, also, the glaring danger of self-conceit and vain glory; verse 3; "For if a man think himself to be some- thing, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.'^ In the words of our text, he directs them to let every man prove his own work, and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another ; as if he had said, some men rejoice in their part}-, some in the applauses and encomiums of their fel- low men ; but these are not quite sufficient to satisfy a wise and reflecting man. The right way is for every man to prove his own work; to see und be happily assured, that he is in the favor of God, and in the road to happiness and heaven, and 1 hen he shall have the noblest sources of enjoy- ment in himself, independent of public opinion. I propose to show, I. Who have a rigbL to rejoicing in themselves. II. Point out some of their sources of joy who fiave rejoicing in themselves. III. Show why their ground of rejoicing is in- finitely preferable to that of mere worldly men. Vnd then conclude \vith some inferences and ap- plication. .1 I am to show who have a right to rejoicing '11 thcms.elv^'5 1 presume, sirs, none have a right to rejoicing in themselves but true and genuine christians. When the apostle directs every man to prove his own vt^ork, I would suppose, he means no less than to prove, and render it entirely certain to the satisfaction of his own mind, that his works are wrought in God, that he is a true christian My reason for so thinking is, that the scriptures elsewhere represent true believers as the only peo- ple that have a true and substantial rrght to rejoice; II Chron. vi, 11; "Let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation^ and let thy saints rejoice in thee ; Psalm v, 11 ; " But let all those who put their trust in thee rejoice ; let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them ; let them also who love thy name be joyful in thee ;" Psalm Ixviii, 3; " But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God ; yea, let them exceed- ingly rejoice ;" Psalm cv, 3 ; " Let the heart of them rejoice tliat seek the Lord ;" Isaiah Ixv, 13; " Therefore thus saiththe Lord God, behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry ; behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty ; behold my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed ;" Luke vi, 23 ; " Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy ;'' John xiv, 28 ; "If ye loved me ye would rejoice ;" Phil, iii, 3 ; " For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.^' Now let us compare what God says to the wicked with re- gard to this matter ; Joel i, 5 ; " Awake ye drunk- ards, and weep and howl all ye drinkers of wine ;-' 320 James v, 1 — 6 ; " Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your gar- ments are moth-eaten; your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth ; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter ; ye have condemned and killed the just, and he dothnot resist you." Then, sirs, I presume only those, whose works are wrought in God, or, in other words, true christians, have a right to rejoicing in themselvess; while wicked men have cause of weeping, lamen- tation and woe. But a very important question here presents itself to view, and demands an answer. Who are these true christians, and what is their char- acter? This serious question I answer in the lan- guage of God's word ; '^ If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature, old things have passed away, and behold all things have become new ;" II Cor. V, 17. He is a new creature^ he is born of God. The new creation or birth is a moral change, or a change from enmity to love. The scriptures bear direct testimony, that the car- nal mind is in a state of hatred and opposition to God ; Rom. viii, 7 ; ^^Because the carnal mind is 321 enmity against God, because it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be " Now, thia new creation spoken of, consists in eradicating this dreadful principle of enmity, and implantmg the love of God in that heart, where this enmity formerly reigned. So that the same individual who formerly hated God and his government now loves them. This new created soul now delights in the law of God after the inward man ; and finds^ liis most exalted pleasure in the divine service. This law always produces frequent and affection, ate thoughts of the beloved object ; Psalm, cix^ 17,18; "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God ! How great is the sum of them ! if I should count them they are more in number than the sand, when I wake I am still with thee.*^ This, I presume, is the nature of love in all cases; it leads the soul to reflect frequently and with much satisfaction on the beloved object. Witness the affectionate wife ,^ when the busmess of her hus- band calls him long from home, how repeatedly, how J^ectionately, does she think of him ? How often is the image of the man she loves, present to the view of her mind during his absence. This love leads the soul, who in real>ty possesses it, ta delight in communion and intercourse with God ; Solomon's song viii^ 1 — 4 ; '^ O that thou wert as my brother, who sucked the breasts of my mo- ther, when I would find thee without I should kiss thee, yea, I should not be despised ; I would lead thee and bring thee into my mother's house, rWho would instruct me ; I would cau§e thee to a22 drink of my spiced wine, of the juice of my pome- granate ; his left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love till he please." In order to enjoy this precious communion, those who love God will be particular in waiting on Him in the sacred ordinances which his infinite wisdom has appointed. The pious man can make the language of the psalmist his own ; " For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness;" Psalm Ixxxiv, 10. Tliis love renders the soul restless and uneasy, if he is, at any time denied that sweet access to God which he has hitherto enjoyed ; Job xxiii, 3^ 4; " O that I knew where I might find himi that I might come even. to his seat! I would or- der my cause before him, I would fill my mouth with arguments ;" Job xxix, 2, 3 ; " O that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined on my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness." With regard to those who are new ci-eatures in Christ Jesus, those who are sincere christians, " Old things are passed away, and all things are become new ;" old enmity has passed away; old selfishness; old unbelief; old impeni- tence ; old prayerlessness ; old inattention ; old profanity ; old neglect of the sabbath ; old malevo- lence ; old impurity; old intem) prance ; old in- justice, and their contraries, have taken place and are regent in the heart. 323 % To the question " Who are christians ?' I answer, they who have the spirit of Christ, and are led thereby ; Rom. viii, 14 ; " For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God ;" compare the 9th verse of the same chapter ; " But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his." Those who are christians have the spirit of Christ in another sense ; they have his meek and self-denied and lowly temper ; they are humbly submissive to their heavenly Father's will ; they are forbearing and forgiving to their fellow men . they are prayerful and devout. II. I am to point out some of their sources of joy who have ground of rejoicing in themselves. One source of their joy it>, that they feel a sweet sense of pardoned sin. Certainly to feel that our sins are pardoned, and that we never shall come into condemnation, is calculated to inspire the soul with substantial joy. ' When we realise that we have passed from death to life, under the sa- cred influence of the Holy Ghost, and that we shall never come into condemnation, how does this reflection tranquillise and spread through the soul a sacred joy and delight 2. Another very great source of joy to those who know the Lord is, peace of conscience ; this is the happy portion of the saints ; Psalm cxix, 165 ; " Great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them ;'' John xiv, 27 ; " My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.'' This is certainly a rational source of joy 324 in oui'selves ; something for which we are not de- jpendent on the smiles and flatteries of the world ; it is something which the world cannot bestow^ and it is as certain it cannot take it away. 3. The pious man is not afraid to meet his own heart, and converse with himself It is certainly a very great matter to the christian, to be furnish- ed with delight and joy in conversing with his own soul, even at the dark hour of midnight, and in deepest solitude, while the guilty and defiled must seek refuge from themselves, in the noise and bustle of the crowd. That man is certainly an object of compassion, who cannot meet his own heart with ease and quiet, nor spend a night by himself in a dark room without fear and alarm. 4. Another source of joy and delight to the good man is, that he can face death without dread, and receive his pointed spear; Psalm xxiil, 4; "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.^' O how divine a blessing to have death, that last ene- my, unsfung ; is he not the king of terrors to ten thousand times ten thousands of the guilty sons of men ? And is he not the terror of kings too. 5. Another source of the good man's joy is, that all things shall work together for his good; and all the dispensations of the divine providence being sanctified by grace to his soul, shall promote his eternal salvation ; Rom. viii, 28 ; " And we know that a:ll things work together for good, to them who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose;'' and that he is advancing 325 ©carer to his heavenly mansion every hour. 6. Another source of his joy and consolation is, that whatever troubles and dulness may betide him now, in this tabernacle of clay, he knows ihey will all soon beat an end, and heavenly and eternal joy succeed. This consoles him, yea more, this rejoices him^ amidst all the gloomy troubles and pressures of life. III. I am to show why the christian's ground of rejoicing, is infinitely preferable to that of the worldly man. 1. Because the believer's enjoyments being self- derived or within himself, are much more certain , And not subject to so much fluctuation and caprice, as those of the worldly man, whose enjoyments are all derived from things without himself The worldly man is, as we may say, the mere play- thing of fortune, and all his enjoyments extreme- ly uncertain. Does the worldhng rejoice in his wealth and riches ? How soon may these make themselves wings of either water or flame, and fly from his embrace, as in a moment ? How quickly have many been stripped of their sub- stance, then wretchedness and despair, and even fell suicide itself, has succeeded. Not so with the humble christian ; is he stripped of outward good things; yet, his principal sources of enjoyment remain untouched ; " For he hath rejoicing in him- self alone, and not in another." Does the worldly man rejoice in fame, in honor, and preferment, the very voice of the public, which cries, hosannah to-day may cry, crucify to-morrow, and then, hav- ing no source of enjoyment in himself, he sinks Vol. II. Bb. 326 under chagrin and disappointed ambition ; and where is his happiness now ? Fallen, gone ; but might not the public voice disappoint in like man- ner a man of piety ? Certainly. But the great difference lies here ; supported by conscious inno- cence and rectitude, he enjoys himself still, for his ground of rejoicing is in himself alone, and not in another. Here, then, his ground of rejoicing is incalculably superior. Suppose carnal plea- sures and low sensual gratification is his source of enjoyment ; how quickly do euch pleasures'pall upon the sense ? But suppose the best, that the worldling's rich- es, honors, &c. last coeval with life, yet how speedily are they gone ? What can they promise beyond the grave ! Ah ! see the gloomy end of the wicked and ungodly; he dies without God^ and without hope ; he has no consolation in the article of dissolution ; either he dies under the awful forebodings of eternal ruin, or the subject of a false peace, which will eternally destroy his soul. While the humble child of grace leaves the world with high and well founded expectations of eCernal glory ; his hope, firm and bright, his faith strong, his confidence humble, but fixed ; his soul triumphs in his God, and he is welcomed by tri- umphant millions to the favored mansions ef eter- nal rest, and the uninterrupted enjoyment of his God. 1. Learn from this subject how infinitely pre- ferable a life of virtue is to a life of vice, and what a most extraordinary and fatal mistake wicked and worldly men make, who, preferring the latter 327 to the former, abandon themselves to vicious pur- suits. O the end, the dreadful end, of their un- godly courses ; they lead down to the regions of horror and the doleful chambers of eternal death ! there the ghosts of darkness hail them ; and drag them down to a still deeper hell ; the vials of the divine wrath are poured out upon them without mixture, and even God, the ever merciful God himself, has forgotten to be gracious ; " They" in this probationary state "set at nought all the coun- sels of God, and would none of his reproofs. Now he will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh ; wheri their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon them ; then they shall call upon him, but he. will not answer ; they shall seek him early byt shall not find him ; for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would none of his counsel, they despised all his reproof^ therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." And is such the end of the wicked and ungodly ? Is this their portion, who affected to be the men of pleasure in this life ? " My soul come not thou in- to their secret, unto their assembly my honor be not thou united ;" Gen. xHx, 6 ; but even in the present life, does a course of vicious indulgence afford any ascendancy over a life of virtue, with respect to ^happiness ? Peradventure, a fair and honest appeal to matter of stubborn fact, will better decide this question to the satisfaction of allj than any reasonings of which we are capable; 328 See those two young men of the same time of life, of talents as nearly equal as are generally to be found, then- education about the same, their pros- pects in every respect as nearly equal as we can suppose ; these two are A and B; A sets out to be the man of pleasure and consequently the man of vice; he indulges in sensual gratification of every kind, women and wine not excepted ; the frolic^ the dance, the card table, the race, his places of usual resort; the company whi«*h we all know frequents those places, his companions. Perhaps for a short time he carries it with a high hand, while his patrimony, which at first was. worth no- tice, lasts. But, in such courses as these, this can- not be supposed to be long ; in the course of a few years his money fails, hrs credit sinks, his friends forsake him, and his debts are heavy ; the sheriff arrests him, he has nothing to pay, he is cast into jail, and there he lies in ignominy and disgrace, till relieved from confinement by the act of insol- Yenc3^ Now, we see him left pennyless, friend- less, and entirely without credit on a world not much disposed to favor him. This, sirs, is no high painted, fanciful, imaginary thing, which has no existence in society. A thousand such occur from day to day. Nor is this the worst that comes of vice. Let us now leave our friend A, to shift as well as he can, while we take some account of B ; B, at an early period considers his latter end ; he recollects that he is born to die, and that this world is not his permanent home, that he is only a sojourner here as his fathers were ; he recollects also, that he is sent into tlie world for important ^9 pafposes, that he has a part to act m society, and that no man lives to himself. He sets out in life determined to discharge all its duties well ; he marries a young lady of good character and good family, whose condition and habits of life are on a par with his own ; he commences his family life in the fear of the Lord, and humbly looks for the divine blessing on all his lawful undertak- ings, and is carefully assiduous to avoid every other sort ; he applies steadily to his business, and exercises strict industry, frugality and care, in his occupation, whether it be husbandry, merchandise, or mechanism ; he increases in property ; " For the hand of the diligent maketh rich ;" Prov. x, 4 ; he increases in respectability and high standing with the circle of his acquaintance ; perhaps the voice of his fellow citizens calls him to posts of profit and honor ; he passes through the world with dignity and credit, and his last end is peace. Now, sirs, of these two, must not B be incalcula- bly the happiest man ? Do you say my friends, these pictures are drawn high and are the extremes of the two cases ? Not many instances, up to these, occur in society, on either side. It is admitted they are drawn moderately high, but not beyond what occurs in real life from day to day, and therefore, not too high ; they are not drawn in the extreme ; to have done this would have requir- ed ropes and gibbets, condemnations and execu- tions ; for it is well known these are the things in which the course of vice has often terminated. Now, can any man living, possessing the o] dma- ^y powers of the human mmd, be at any loss to Bb2. 330 tell which of these two must be the happiest mam And if every virtuous and good man does not pos- sess so high a degree of felicity as B is represented as possessing, yet, does he not possess a much higher degree of happiness than A? And if every vicious man does not reduce himself to so degrad- ed a condition as A, yet does he not fall far short, generally speaking, of the happiness of B. 2. Learn how readily all ought to embrace that religion which is so well calculated to answer the necessity of our nature, and to promote human felicity. The christian religion is a matter of the utmost importance to mankind, and ought to be embraced by all forthwith, and without delay. 3. Let us improve this subject by way of self examination without delay ; "Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." May the good Lord of his infinite mercy give us all this ra - tional ground of joy, for the Redeemer's sake,- Amen. .* ^mmm^ir x^xi^* THB LAMB OF GOD TAKING AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. 3ohn, 1, 29. ^^Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh awajf the sin of the world.^' IT is the great design^ both of the Jewish and christian scriptures, to unfold the glorious schema of redeeming fallen man, through a divine Savi- our. The extraordinary advent of this glorious Redeemer, is very clearly and circumstantially predicted in the old testament scriptures, and abundantly set forth in the new testament writ- ings, as actually having taken place. The advent of Jesus Christ, to our guilty and ruined world, his life, his sufferings and death; his burial, resur- rection and final ascent to glory, are things clear- ly spoken of in the several writings of the new testament. These, sirs, are things not barely touched upon cursorily, by an individual or two ; but things insisted on largely by every new tes- tament writer. In a word, to detail these things circumstantially, and to point out the proper im- provementto be made of them, the several evan- gelical writers, under the sacred afflatus of the Holy Ghost, employed their heaven-directed pens. Even John the Baptist, who has not left us any thing immediately from his own pen, has said considerable respecting Jesus Christ, which is de- tailed to us by others. He it was, who spoke the words of my text ; " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world ;" the amount of which is given us by John the Evan- gelist. The connection ef my text is this ; the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John who he was. John told them plainly he was not that Christ, but was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. " The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.'' Here Jesus Christ is exhibited to view as the Saviour of mankind, as taking away the sin of the world. In treating this subject I shall give, I. A brief view of what we are to behold in Christ with regard to his person, nature and offices, in order to shew you clearly who and what he is, II. What is the sin of the world which he taketh away. III. In what sense he takes away the sm of ttie world, and also how he effects this. IV. What it cost him to take away the sin of the world. V. What is necessary on our part, that our sins may be taken away by this Lamb of God. I. We are to shew what we are to behold 333 in this Lamb of God, with respect to his person, natures, offices, &c. Here permit me to observe, as we have no medium of beholding this glorious object but the word of God, we have to take our views of him from what is there delivered. 1. We are to behold in him the divinity 4 *• For in him dwells the fulness of the God-head bodily." We are to view him as the Father's great co equal, and very God ; as such let us con- template him till our hearts adore and burn. Let us be duly influenced by this great and sublime mystery of our holy religion ; " For without con- troversy, great is the mystery ef godliness : God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believ- ed on in the world, received up into glory." Be- hold, then, this great and marvellous mystery; " God manifest in the flesh" until your hearts are all on flame for such benevolence! Whoever would judge the world, it behoves to be a God, that he may know the secrets of all hearts, and administer just and righteous judgment; but Jesus Christ, this Lamb of God, shall judge the world ; therefore, this Jesus Christ, or Lamb of God, is a divine person, or in other words, a God, and possessed of the divine nature. That Jesus Christ is to judge the world, is the manifest doctrine of the Redeem- er himself; John's Gospel, v, 22, 23; "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father that hath sent him." m4> % In this Lamb of God behold the essential and constituent parts of a man, a true body and a reasonable soul. Hence he is called emphatically ^Hhe Son of man. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister ;" Mat XX, 28. The whole tragical scene of Mount Cal- vary prove with overwhelming conviction, that he was man. As God he could not suffer. As man, the blessed Lamb of God was perfectly innocent ; " He was holy, harmless, and undefiled, and sepa- rate from sinners ;" Heb. vii, 26. On account of his innocence, he is called the Lamb of God in my text, and elsewhere ; Rev. v, 12 ; " Saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain," &c. . In order to effect the salvation of men and take away the sin of the world, this Lamb of God took uponhimself the offices of prophet, priest and king. A prophet to instruct us in the knowledge of God; Acts, iii, 22; "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you, like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things, that he shall say unto you." A priest, to atone for our guilt ; Heb. ii, 17; Where- fore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." A king, to subdue our enemies ; Mat. xxv, 34; "Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father," &c. II. We are to shew what the sm of the world is, which this Lamb of God taketh away. Now, when we wish to know what sin is, we are to SS5 enquire at the mouth of the sacred writers, and they will inform us with infallible certainty. The apostle John informs us that sin is a transgression of the divine law ; I John, iii, 4 ; " Whosoever committeth sin^transgresseth also the law, for sin is a transgression of the law." Now, according to this apostolic and inspired definition of sin, any thing which transgresses, or violates the law, is sin. When the apostle says, sin is a transgression of the law, we presume he means by the law, an/ thing, and every thing which is enjoined upon us by our Maker, to be performed as a duty to God, to our neighbor or ourselves. This is contained at large in the book of God, and summed up in the ten commandments given by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Now, the sum of the divine law as expounded by Jesus Christ is, to love the Lord our God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. Not to love God, then, with all the heart and soul at every moment of our existence is sin, and just so far as a man fails of loving God and his neigh- bor, he is a smner. But, sirs, so far are mankind from loving God as they ought, that while in a state of nature, they actually hate him, and that most cordially ; Rom. viii, 7 ; " For the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be." Now, sirs, here is sin, the very perfection of sin, and that very sin too, which the lamb of God came to take away. That this enmity of heart against God opei-ates in the life and conduct of mankind in a thousand different ways, is plain and undeniable 386 to every man of observation and candor. Athe- ism, which is the denial of a God^ is enmity. When a man denies the existence of that august arid almighty being who made him, it is nd't because he is convinced from fair reasoning and rational evidence, that there is no God, but because his heart wishes it to be so ; and be the more easily believes that which he so cordially wishes. Who, sirs, that possesses rationality and intelligencCj^ must not acknowledge the existence of an al- mighty, wise and intelligent agent in the creation of the universe ; when he marks the intelligence and design so plainly manifested throughout all the works of creation around him ; ^' For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead, so that they are without excuse.'' De- ism is another exercise of this enmity of heart a- gainst God. It is said of the earl ot Rochester, that on his death bed he laid his hand on the bible, and pronounced the following words, ^^ Here is the best book in the world, and all the objections that lie against it, originate from a bad heart." This declaration of the earl, I think is, generally speaking, true. It is not argument that makes infidels. An alienation of heart from Gad, a secret and strong dislike to the great doctnnes and precepts of the bible, make a hundred deists, w^here fair reason and argument make one. Pro- fanity is no other than an ebullition of the enmity of heart, which the unregenerate sinner feels against Crod. What else could induce the sinner to 337 profanity ? No good upon earth can proceed from it ; not a solitary particle. It acquires him no credit; it puts nothing in his pocket; it recom- mends him to no human creature. Nobody thinks the more of a man for his profanity. It is not to be accounted for on the principle of habit. Even the profanest man, when brought into a court of jus- tice, does not swear. To plead that he swears in a passion only, is no fair and reasonable excuse. Use him ill who may, his God is not guilty ; then, can the mal -treatment he may possibly receive from any other, ever be a sufficient reason why his God should be insulted ? Suppose A does really grossly insult you, is that a good reason why you should assault and beat B, who has given you no insult at all, but has always been your fast friend? Thus, sirs, it is plain there is no way of accounting for the language of profanity but by resolving it into the native enmity of the heart against God ; of which enmity it is certainly an ebullition. Im- purity, injustice, oppression, cruelty, defamation, are all but so many branches of this native enmity of heart against God, which is the very essence of moral evil. III. We are to show in what sense the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world, and how he effects its destruction. Sin, we have already observed, the apostle de- fines to be a violation of the law. Now, every law consists of precept and penalty. The precept pre- scribes the duty of the subject ; the penalty is the punishment he is to suffer in case of disobedience. Now, sirs, as all mankind have sinned, and that Vol. II. Cc, . 3SS bin consists essentially and radically in enmity of heart against God; and inasmuch as the penalty of the law the sinner has transgressed is eternal misery, then to take away sin in the sense of my iQxt, implies its destruction in the soul by divine operation, or which is the same thing, eradicating the enmity of the heart, and delivering the soul from that eternal condemnation to which he is ex- posed on account of transgression. And in this two-fold sense, we presume the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world. And that you may be convinced that this is agreeable to the general tenor of holy writ, consult the following passages ; Ps, ex, 3; '^ Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power; " Ezekiel, xi, 19, 20; "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spi- rit within you; and I will take the stoney heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh : That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them : and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.'' These passages go directly to show that the enmity of the heart is taken away ; to show that God's people are delivered from a state of condemnation by the Lamb of God, and that their sin, in this sense also, is taken away, see the following passages; John, iii, 1^; " He that believeth on him is not con- demned ; Rom. viii, 1; "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them that walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." These passages, as well as a variety of others easily adduced, are full to this point. Then it is plain that the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world both in its 339 reign and condemnation. It remains to show how this is done. This he effects by his spirit and his blood. By his holy spirit he renews the heart and takes away sin in its reigning power; John;* iii, 5, 6; "^ Jesus answered and said, verily, ve rily, I say unto you, except a man be born of wa ter and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingclom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is,^pirit;'' Gal. iv, 6; ^"^ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father;" Eph. v, 9; ^^ For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth." It is certainly by the sacred influence of |he divine spirit that mankind are regenerated ; John, i^ 13; "Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God." And the sa- cred scriptures uniformly, and every where that they treat of the subject at all, represent that change, whereby men became christians, being effected on the human heart by the divine spirit. Jesus Christ, by his blood and death, delivers sinners from eternal condemnation and misery; JVJat, xxvi, 2; "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remis- sion of sins;" John, vi, 54; "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day;" Ephes. i, 7; " In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" I John, i, 7, latter part; "And the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin;" Rev. i, 5, latter part; "Unto him Ihnt; 340 loved as, and washed us from our sins in his 6\\n blood." Jesus Christ, by his precious blood, has made ample atonement for transgression; by which I mean, he has removed by his sufferings and death, the obstacles which obstructed the sinner's acceptance with God, and opened the channels of mercy to man ; so that Almighty God, for his righteousness sake, freely pardons and accepts the humble, penitent, and returning sinner; Ephes. V, 2; " And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a sa- crifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour/*' IV. We are to show what it cost the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. It cost him a painful, shameful life, a,nd a cruel. Ignominious, and shameful death. How was the Redeemer treated with scorn? His name was cast out as evil. How was he reproached and vilified, as though he had been the vilest of human kind ? When he performed those extraordmary opera- tions, that no being but an Almighty God could perform, and which clearly evinced his divine mis- sion, his enemies malignantly attributed his opera- tions to a combination with the prince of the devils; Mat. ix, 34; "But the Pharisees said, he casteth out devils by the prince of the devils." Thus did these malignant and evil minded men, vilify and blaspheme the blessed and holy Redeemer; so that his life was attended with ignominy and scorn. But, O how torturing, ho^v ignominious, and painful was his death! He was numbered with tlie. transgressors ; he was crucified between tw more difficult by our own act and deed. But this conduct is most dangerous, lest, if we harden our hearts now, they never should become soft and impressible again ; "The Lord^s spirit shall not always strive with man ;" Gen. vi, 3. Do we harden our hearts at present, and put off religion until some future period? Let us recollect, that be- fore that period arrives, we may be dead and fore- ver lost; so dangerous a matter is it to procrasti- aate in matters of religion; "To-day, if ye will hear bis voice, harden not your hearts." 1. Learn from this subject the infinite kindness and condescension of Almighty God to poor din- ners; does he call them by his word, by his pro- vidence, by his mmisters? Does he give them line upon line, and precept upon precept? O what kind- nessj what condescension is here on the part of the adorable Jehovah ! Let us record it on the tablet of grateful hearts, and devote ourselves without reserve, to the service of him who has made our welfare and best interests his tender care. 2. Learn that to hear the voice of God calling us in his word and providences, is a most holy and excellent exercise, and one well pleasing to the most high and holy God ; being no less thaiT opening the heart and affections to Jesus Christ. Have we ever heard his voice thus? Do our hearts cleave to God? Do we delight in his holy law? Do We humbly confide in the merjts of the blessed Re- deemer for salvation as offered in the gospel? Let us see to it then, that we walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, since the days are evil. S Learn the dreadful and unfathomable depths 366 of human depravity. Do sinners harden iheif hearts, and that voluntarily^ against the calls of di- vine mercy? O what depravity does this argue ; how opposed to God must that heart be, that is capable of acting thus? What pointed and aston- ishing opposition to God does this argue? How de^ plorable must be the condition of sinners in this un- happy situation? Ah! poor sinners you are lost, ruined and undone, without a change ; objects of divine compassion ! subjects of the most corroding and insatiable passions; happiness can never be yours without a change ; pray God with every breath to have mercy on your souls, or you are un- done forever ! 4 Learn that whenever the soul hears Christ's voice, the great God has been at work; no soul ever hears in a truly saving manner, only where the Almighty God, by his mighty power has open- ed the ear and inclmed the heart ; John vi, M ; ^' No man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him." O my dear friends, ground the arms of your re- bellion against your God ; give up your false pleas, and devote yourselves to the service of God w ithout reserve. Do any of my hearers answer, when I urge them a little on this subject, the work is with God much more than with us ; we cannot change ■our own hearts ; we must wait until the Lord does it. How must you wait, my dear friend ? And where is the command for waiting thus ? Is it con- tained in II Cor. vi,2? " Behold! now is the ac- cepted time, behold ! now is the day of salvation.'^ Is this command for waiting, contained in Acts, ir, 38? ^^ Then Peter said unto them, repent and t)e 350 baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghosf Is this command for waiting, contained in Acts, xvi, 31 — 33? "And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes : and was baptized, he and all his, straightway." Is it Mark, i, 15? "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of heaven is at hand, repent ye, and believe the gospel." Is it Ezek. xviii, 31, 32? " Cast away from you all your trans- gressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." According to the above quoted passages^ and many others equally easily produced, there appears to be no waiting the divine operations otherwise than in the vigorous, earnest use of the means God has appointed. The present is points ed out to us as the decisive and all -important mo- ment; the holy scriptures give us no encourage- ment to calculate on what may be done to-morrow; our duty is before us, if we perform it well, we shall be accepted in the blessed Redeemer, come the assistance from where it may which enables us to do so ; if net, we shall certainly be condemn- ed, be the obstacle what it would. Lotus all, then, be up and doing while mercy calls, and make our calling and election sure before it is too late for the Kedeemer's sake. A m e >\ BKTREATING CHRISTIANS NOT TO BE CON> FORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT TO BE TRANS- FORMED BY THE RENEWING OF THEIR MINDS 'Romans, Xll, 2. '^ And he not conformed to this world ; but be ye transformed by the reviewing of your minds, that ye may jprove, what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.'' THE general spirit of the world, and that of Christianity, are very contrary to one another, and never can, and never will be, reconciled. Many attempts of this kind have been made by men of temporising minds ; not willing to give up religion on the one hand, because on this is founded all their hope of future happiness; and not willing to let go the world and its amusements, pastimes and pleasures, on the other, because on these they depend for their present happiness; they have en- deavored to hold both fast, but in no single instance have they ever succeeded, neither ever will they, while the words of the infallible Saviour remain true, and those of his inspired apostle; ^^Ye can- not serve God and Mammon;" Mat. vi, 24 "Whosoever, therefore, will be the friend of the world, is the enemy of God;" James, iv, 4. I am to demonstrate, that without a renewed heart, we never can have a true and proper know- Iiedge of the good, acceptable and perfect will pf 358 God. I do not mean by this, that an unrenewed man cannot understand the meaning of a certain proposition or form of words laid down in the ^" cred writings as well as in other writings; this he certainly may do. But the moral beauty and excellency of God's holy character and law^, and of the christian religion, no man understands well but he who is transformed by the renewing of his mind. The moral excellence of the character and law of God, is a matter of taste, and thorough- ly known and comprehended only by those w^ho feel a renewed heart; and in this sense it is pre- cisely, and in no other, I presume, that ^Hhe carnal manrcceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, they being foolishness unto him; neither can he know, because they are spiritually discerned." Thus, for example, I never can convey a correct idea of honey to a man who has never tasted it, by any lecture I can give him, however elaborate but let him apply one tea-spoonful of this luscious liquid to his palate,, and he has the correct idea at once. And thus it is, that christians discover the moral excellence of God's character, which is just as much an object of spiritual taste, as honey is of natural taste; and, sirs, in this representation, we are on fair, broad, scripture ground ; Ps. xxxiv, 8; ^^ O taste and see, that the Lord is good." Now, the thing proposed to be seen and thoroughly known, is, that the Lord is good; and the plan is to taste. 1. Learn, that although we cannot always dis- tinguish between true christians and mere pretend- ers, or mere men of the world, with such accuracy as Almighty God can; yet, where our acquaintance^ S59 b considerable with our fellow men, we may form opinions concerning them with no small de- gree of precision, and as far as is necessary for chris- tian fellowship. The spirit of the world, and the spirit of Christianity, are not so like one another as to prevent a discerning eye from discovering the difference. 2. Learn, that it is a great blessing to men of the world, who hate Christianity inveterately, that there is such a thing in the world as the christian religion, and such people as christians. Were there none otherwise minded than the men of the world, how intolerable would be the state of soci- ety? The spirit of envy, pride and injustice, uni- versally reigning, how could mankind enjoy even their civil liberties and common rights? As matters now exist, if some are unruly and disor- derly, there are always some others found disposed to check and control the disorders that exist, and by these things keep society in some kind of or- der. The plain fact is, Christianity has done more for meliorating the condition of human creatures, than any thing else, and every thing else, the world ever saw. To this sacred thing we owe all our hospitals, our Sunday schools and various charit- able societies for bettering the condition of man. 3. Learn the great reason there is to fear, that many who profess the pure, holy, and self-denied rehgionofthe gospel, have nothing of religion but the profession. Alas, how conformable are many to the world! How little of the pure, mild and ge- nuine spirit of christiaiiity, appears in the lives of many of our most loud and noisy profeesors of re- ligion! 360 4 Learn the great and indispensible necessity that exists for a change of heart, in order to inherit the kingdom of God ! If mankind are such as the subject represents them, they certainly must be changed before they can be admitted to heaven, or enjoy God ; nothing impure or unholy can obtain admittance there ; the heart must be changed, or^ 4he soul must be lost, Jesus Christ being judge; John, iii, S; ^^Except a man be born again, he cannot seethe kindom of God.*' ^. Let us take occasion from this subject to ex- amine ourselves carefully, whether or not w^e ever have been transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we might prove what is the good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. And let us seriously recollect, that not every one that saith, ^^Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God ; but he that doeth the will of our Father who is in heaven;'' Mat. vii, 21. May the Lord of his infinite mercy enable us all so to feel, so to live, and so to act, that we may be accounted worthy at last to inherit the kmgdom of eternal joy. Amen. THE END, Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 012 01157 1934