f THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,! ^ Princeton, N. J. BV 1475 .B8 1839 c.2 Brownlee, W. C. 1784-1860. The Christian youth's book i^^^^i /;y^ 'fW^^M.T^--':..m^: "Xcek:. pint WlIItlLIAM SoIBmi}:WMILIE] THE CHRISTIAN YOUTH'S BOOK; AND MANUAL FOR YOUNG COMMUNICANTS, IN TWO BOOKS. BY WILLIAM CRAIG BROWNLEE, D. D. AUTHOR OP " LETTERS ON ROMANISM," " POPERY AN ENEMY TO CIVIL AND RELI- GIOUS LIBERTY," " LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE," '' THE CHRISTIAN FATHER AT HOME," &C. &C. " God of my fathers ! Holy, just, and good ! My God ! My Father I My unfailing Hope ! Jehovah ! Let the incense of my praise Accepted, burn before thy mercy-seat. And in thy presence burn, both day and night. Maker ! Preserver I My Redeemer '. God ! Whom have I in the heavens, but thee alone ! On earth, but thee, whom should I praise, whom love?" POLLOK. N E W - Y R K : ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL STREET. 1839. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1839, by Robert Carter, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New- York. New -Yore: Printed by Scatcherd and Adams, No. 38 Gold Street DEDICATION TO THE YOUTH. My Dear Young Friends :— These pages I dedicate to yoUj who are Christian Youth; and to you, who ought to be Chris- tian Youth. I dedicate them to you, who are communicants; and, also, to you all, dear youth, who ought to be communicants. In Book I., I present to you a brief system of the doctrines of the gospel, arranged in their natural order ; with Questions on each Chapter, designed to revive the memory of them, after you have read them: with Meditations, and Prayers, suited to each subject; with a view to cherish a devotional frame of mind in the reader. In Book II., I present to you a Manual on the Lord's Supper ; as brief, and as comprehensive as justice to the subject would permit. It consists of two Parts. In the First, you will find a short system of Doctrinal Instructions on the Lord's Supper. In the Second, I offer you Devotional Instructions, to guide your young minds to the Table of the Lord.— They may, per- haps, prove useful also to Christians of riper years. Accept this, dear Youth, the fruit of the labour of many anxious hours, and prayers, on your behalf. And, in return, I beg an interest in your fervent prayers on my own behalf, and that of all God's faithful ministers, in all the Reformed Churches of our common Lord, throughout our land. I am. Dear Youth, your servant for Jesus' sake. W. C. B. Neui-Y(yrTi, June, 1839. CONTENTS BOOK I. PAGE. Dedication — To the Youth - - _ . 3 Introduction — Design and plan of the work — A brief discussion of doctrines systematically proposed in Book 1. 21 Chap. I. — The end and aim of the Christian's life - 27 God sole proprietor of all — thence we ascertain the great end of our being — Our happiness combined with his glory — This world the school of our training for oar eternal home in the skies — impiety and rudeness of the man oppos- es religion — The world our enemy — GIuestions — Medi- tation — Prayer; Chap. II. — Of the Holy Scriptures, the rule of Faith 34 Necessity of studying the Bible — its various names — Evidence of divine revelation — The necessity of it — its ge- nuineness — authenticity — credibility — Proof of these — The EXTERNAL evidence — Miracles— How these prove it — Prophecy — sketch of the prophecies — Internal evidence — The harmony of the Holy Scriptures —their purity and spirituality — sublimity — efficacy — GIuestions — Medita- tion — Prayer. Chap. III. — Of God, the Living and True God - 60 I. Of God's existence— The God of nature the God of the Bible — px'oof of his existence from theory of mind, mat- ter, and motion — In these proofs of his being, we perceive that he is a terrible Being, as well as a good Being — the 1* CONTENTS. quoted — Contrast between Calvinism and Arminianism — Tiie superiority of the former over the latter gloomy and dreary system in several particulars — President Edward's proof of Its tendency to Atheism — Another evidence of the superiority of Calvinism over Arminianism — The former opens up the most joyous prospect of certain salvation of vastly the majority of mankind — The latter does not se- cure with certainty the salvation of even one soul — The lat- ter inverts the divine order in a material point — Appeal. to youth against this discouraging and gloomy system — The attributes of this decree of selection — GIuestions — Medita- tion — Prater. Chap. XII. — Of the necessity of the xitonement - 198 Salvation by a substitute only — he behoved to give the full atonement — This was absolutely necessary — Expla- nations — Proof of it — From the unchangeable character of God — From the threatened and incurred penalty— Scrip- ture clear and full on this — the appalling consequences that would follow from not requiring an atonement — GluESTioNs — Meditation— Prater. Chap. XIII. — Our substitute, what must he be, and what must he do, for us, as our surety - - 207 Guided by divine Scripture, we inquire what our substi- tute must be— He must be, 1st. our near kinsman — He must be absolutely sinless— He must be more than a creature ; he must have power over his own life — He must be able to give back to man his spotless nature— Proof and explanation — He must give an obedience, active Bind jMSsive, most per- fect before infinite purity — He must be one who can not only give back to man his holy nature — but guarantee his perfect obedience to his God, begun here— complete in hea- ven — He must be one who can conquer Satan — the world — sin — death — GIuestions — Meditation — Prater. Chap. XIV. — Christ our only substitute, fully meet- ing all that was required of him as surety - - 216 He is son of God, and son of man — He presented to God the Father as Judge, a holy human nature — Proof of this — He pledged his divine honour to put every one of the ransomed in possession of a holy naturer-Proof — He gave a perfect obedience to God's laws — Proof — He gave his di- vine pledge that every soul of the ransomed should in due time give a perfect obedience to God in all things — Proof from Scripture and experience — He gave full satisfaction in his sacrifice of himselfto divine justice — Proof — from the Old Testament and the New Testament — Enumeration of the names by which this work of Christ is expressed— Proof of its perfection, and its acceptance — The usui'ped power CONTENTS. PAGE. of Satan, the world and sin, how destroyed.— CIuestions — Meditation— Prayer. Chap. XV. Of Regeneration 235 This naturally precedes our inquiry into Justification — The necessity of this renovation of the heart — Nature of it — Author of it — All life is from God — full illustrations of this — Testimony of Scripture on this — Spiritual life some- thing as real in the soul as animal life is in the body — Note — Anecdote — God conveys it to the soul by his own ap- pointed means — The result of this life in the soul— We have power and disposition to do our duty — But these are not lodged in us — They are in the fulness of Christ — and thence conveyed in free grace amply to us — Analogy here between our natural, and spiritual lives — View of the graces thence put into active operation — knowledge — faith — Evangelical penitence — GIuestions — Meditations — / Prayer. Chap. XVI. Of Saving Faith. - - - - 247 Description of this christian grace — It is the free gift of God — Proof-- We ascertain its true and proper exercise by keeping in view the nature of the gospel offer — true idea of the offer of Christ to us all — It is a particular and per- sonal offer — Illustration — Proof— Faith is that mental exer- cise which exactly ntieets this gracious offer — Hence the personal and appropriating act in faith — Illustration — Proof— Of the assurance in this faith — nature of it— Dis- tinction — Proof— The assurance of sense different. — Ques- tions — Meditation — Prayer. Chap. XVII. Of Justification 267 This the first fruit of faith — Definition of it — Descrip- tion of it — The meritorious cause — what is meant by im- puted righteousness — strict theological meaning of the word imputed — Christ's righteousness being made actually and really ours, it is thence imputed to us — Hence the pardon of our sins — Hence the acceptance of our persons — Hence peace and joy — And the various other blessings of the covenant. — (Questions — Meditation — Prayer. Chap. XVIII. Of Evangelical Repentance. - - 268 There is a counterfeit repentance — One " unto death" — True Repentance issues in life everlasting, as it proceeds from life spiritual in the soul — Definition — Description of its nature and elements — its relation to true faith — It fol- lows faith in the order of its operation — Proof— It begins in the mind, or intellect— It, thence, pervades the heart, producing a radical change there— It is displayed in a sin- cere confession of the lips, on the model of the fifty-first psalm— The characteristics of this — It issues in a univer- sal and thoi'ough reformation of life. — GIuestions — Medi- tation — Prayer. 10 CONTENTS. PAGE. Chap. XIX.— Of Sanctification - - - - 277 This is the result of our Lord's atonement — Definition — Its difference from justification — The divine author of it — It is a progressive work — Viewed in a twofold light — I. As a work of divine grace — Explanation, and illustration of these — God begins and carries it on by his own means — Analogy between his work in nature, and providence, and this —Illustration — Proof— Of the manner in which the Holy Ghost cleanses us — Illustration — 2. It is a work of duty on our part — Explanations — Illustration — Proof — The means by which we " work out our salvation " — An important maxim, never to be lost sight of^ — The manner in which we perform this duty of promoting our sanctifi- cation— How prevailing sins are gradually desti'oyed by cherishing the opposite graces — Result of this in the re- moval of shame and confusion — We draw nearer to God, and he nearer to us — Another grand result — Deliverance from the slavery of Satan — How this is done, by God's grace, and in the way of duty on our part — Questions — Meditation — Three Prayers adapted to different classes of young Christians. Chap. XX. — Of the state and benefits of believers at their death - - - - - - - 301 Various opinions on this topic — Of the early sentiments — The opinion which, by its extravagance, drove the mo- dern doctors into an opposite extreme — the theory of Dr. Law — The intermediate state and place — Statement of all , the creeds of all the Reformed Churches — First : The soul is made perfect in holiness at death — Proof — Creeds of the Churches — Bishop Bull quoted in our favour — Texts of Holy Scripture — The serious dilemma in which they place themselves, who deny that the soul departs in holiness — This leads to the fiction of Purgatory, and prayers for the dead — Second : The souls of believers do immediately pass into eternal glory — Examination of the words used in the Old and New Testament to express a future state — Sheol — Hades — Ouranos — Gehenna — Our sentiment fully stated — Proof — The unanimous consent of all the Reformed Churches — Cluotations — Reformed Dutch Church — Presbyterian — Episcopal — Proof from the Holy Scriptures — Old Testament — New Testament — Examina- tion of the texts which speak of the saints departing to the bosom of Abraham — Criticism on the meaning of Para- dise — Examination of ovir opponents' theory that Paradise is " distinct " and " apart from heaven " — A scripture de- monstration that Paradise and Heaven are precisely the same place — Review, and refutation of their exposition of certain texts pressed in to prove an intermediate place — Q.UESTION s — Meditations — Prayer. CONTENTS. 11 PAGE. Chap. XXI. — Of our Resurrection from the dead ; and the benefits following it 320 The body will sleep a long sleep in the grave — When Christ will descend to judgment — Day not revealed — God alone can raise the dead — He will do it — Proofs of it — Enoch's translation in body — Job's testimony — Isaiah's — Daniel's — Our Lord's express and full testimony — Texts — Specimen of doctrinal arguments — Paul's complete argu- ment in 1 Cor, xv. — Argument from Christ's divine pur- chase of our bodies — from divine justice — Contrast be- tween the resun-ection of the righteous and the wicked — and the consequences of it to each of them — The identity of the body raised, and the body laid in the grave — Proof — Questions — Meditation — Prayer. Chap. XXII. — Of the Judgment to come, and their eternal results 333 Two judgments awaiting every one of us — The parti- cular judgment atdeath — The general judgment — Defini- tions — Explanations — What great events must take place before the Church may look for the general judgment — Our Lord will be the Judge in that day — Explanation — Proof — How the saints are said to judge the world— Our Lord's descent from heaven with the saints, and angels— Its grandeur — its power, and glory — His voice heard by the dust of every sleeping human being — Its results — The voice of the trumpet — Whaf? and the purpose — Order of rising — All the quick and dead caught up in the clouds — General conflagration — The division of the sheep from the goats — Judgment — Sentence on each personally — Exe- cution of that sentence instantaneous — immutable — Eter- nal— Proof of this — Self-perpetuating power of sin — Man makes and compels his own hell to be eternal — Proof— GluESTiONs — Meditations — Prayers. CONTENTS. BOOK II. PART I. DOCTRINAL INSTRUCTION ON THE NATURE, USES, AND END OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. PAGE. Chap. I. The Introduction 347 Christ the only King and Head of the Church — The Holy Spirit to be recognized as the prime minister of the kingdom, in his official character — The ministration of angels — Sketch of the different ordinances of God — Go- vernment and discipline of his Church — Reading of the Holy Scriptures — Singing the praise of God — Prayer — Preaching of the gospel — Baptism. Chap. n. Of the Lord's Supper - - - - 362 General remarks — Brief history of this ordinance — Of the different names thereof — It is called the Lord's Supper — The communion — The feast — The eucharist — The sa- crament. Chap. III. Of the nature, and use of the Lord's Sup- per 369 God has been pleased to reveal himself to us in tico modes — By doctrinal instruction — By symbolical teaching — Specimens of these — The natural mistake into which an undisciplined mintfwould fall on this last mode — namely, mistaking the symbol for the thing, or ideas, which it is CONTENTS. 13 PAGE. intended to represent — This error actually exists — Exami- nation of this — Another error to be guarded against — Su- perstitious formality — Three errors of an opposite extreme to be carefully avoided — First : That the Table of the Lord is surrounded by the awful terrors of Mount Sinai — A deep line of distinction between the terrors of the law, and the solemnities of the gospel ordinances — Thence we draw consolations, and comfort to feeble Christians — Se- cond: That there is safety in persisting to neglect this most holy ordinance — The excuse usually resorted to, ex- amined — Alarm to those who are sleeping under this easy and fatal belief — Distinction between those who plead their non-preparation, and rest contented therein, without an ef- fort, or even anxiety to be prepared ; and those who are bowed down under a sense of their unworthiness, and non-preparation, but are, nevertheless, struggling to get rid of every obstacle in the way of duty — Third ; The error of those who mistake the nature, the design, and mode of evangelical preparation. Chap. IV. — The nature and use of the Lord's Supper — continued 377 First : — It is a monumental commemoration of a public and most impressive nature — Recapitulation of the things com- memorated — View of the ancient monumental commemo- rations — Passover — Heaps of stones at Jordan — The sab- bath — Moral and religious use of these — How these con- veyed the truth of the facts commemorated down to poste- rity, while they carried the evidence of demonstration to men's minds and removed all doubts — So, in the case of the Lord's Supper — The Church, as a body, stands before the world as witnesses for God, and holds up this grand and impressive monument in commemoration and proof against all the world, of Christ's mission, incarnation, obe- dience to the law, death, resurrection, ascension, and per- fect atonement — Illustration of this, and the bearing of this againt the infidel world. Chap. V. — The nature and use of the Lord's Supper — continued - 387 Second : It is a spiritual commemoration, to be thankfully kept up by all true Christians — The events and things which we do commemorate, laid down in seven particu- lars — our corresponding duty in this matter. Chap. VL — The nature and use of the Lord's Supper — continued - - - - - - -391 Third : it is a feast upon a sacrifice— View of the ancient symbolical sacrifices in the old church — It required a va- riety of types and sacrifices, to make a complete exhibi- 2 14 CONTENTS. tion of Christ by symbolical instruction — One remarkable fact prominently kept up in these sacrifices — In one class of them, the fire had its irresistible, and fullest sway — it consumed the victim to ashes. — In another class, the vic- tim was roasted in the fire, but not consumed to ashes : — it was prepared to be meat for the worshippers — And they who offered up the sacrifice sat down, not at the altar, but at their sacra^menlal table, and feasted on the sacrifice ; and every one who partook of the meat, was considered before the Lord, as having actually oifered it up for him- self — And so he was typically pardoned of that which was laid to his charge — And if he did eat in faiih, of this flesh, the type of Christ, faithfully relying on Messiah, about to come, he was truly pardoned before God. — This brought to illustrate the nature and use of the Lord's Sup- per — It is a true feast upon the true sacrifice — The pi- ous Jew looked to the same Redeemer, in his feast upon the passover, to whom we look — Their faith looked for- ward to the coming Messiah — We look back to him on the cross — The meat oi their feast was to ^/jem what the bread and wine of our feast are to us — Proof— Illustration. Chap. VII. — The nature and use of the Lord's Supper — continued 396 Fourth: This festival contains an extraordinary exhibition of Christ through symbols divinely set apart for the purpose — Feasts on a sacrifice were eaten in celebrating a covenant of unity and peace, entered into by the offended and offending parties. — So in this holy festival, do we commemorate the everlasting covenant of peace entered into between the Fa- ther, and the Son — The condition of this covenant on the part of Christ fulfilled — The Father fulfils his promises, and bestows his blessings — Hence the parties come toge- ther at the table of the festival, to celebrate this reconcilia- tion — God, on the one hand, meets us who are viewed as united to Christ, and are one body with him — This coven- ant of peace confirmed to us by the'sacramental use of sym- bols, bread and wine — Proof — Illustration — This use of the ordinance designed to enlarge our knowledge of Christ — and confirm our faith in Christ, and our confidence in our God. Chap. VIII. — Various other uses of this divine or- dinance - 402 First : — Hereby do we keep alive an affectionate remem- brance of what Christ is — and what he has done for us — His Godhead and divine person — He is Man — the eternal Son of God — the son of man — We keep up the remem- brance of his incarnation — his deep humiliation — obedience — sufferings — agonies — death — resurrection — ascension — intercession at the right hand of God, — and the fact of his CONTENTS. 15 PAGE. assurance that he will come again — Second : We make herein, a public and most solemn confession of Christ — before God, Angels, and men — Third: We stand for- ward in the face of all foes and reproaches, as witnesses for God in his ways, his truths, and holy cause upon earth. Chap. IX. — Farther uses of the Lord's Supper - 406 There is a mutual conimunicalion in it, and by it — View of the sacramental action — The minister, in Christ's name, makes over to us the assurances of the promises, and bles- sings of God, while he puts the sacred symbols into our hands — God conveys his blessings to our believing minds in this sacramental action — We humbly receive these in faith, while our souls flow out to him, and v/e make an unreserved surrender of ourselves wholly to him — God thus exhibits the pledge — we accept it. Chap. X. — The nature and use of the Lord's Sup- per — continued - - - - - -410 It is A SEAL of the covenant of grace — The use of the seal in covenants of old — How the covenant of grace is sealed — importance of the proof of this — It indicates that the condition required of our surety, has been fully complied with — This seal appended to the New Testament, is the confirming token to our faith, that Christ has fully met all the claims against us, and secured all the promised bless- ings to us — In the sacramental action, as we take the holy symbols, we do put our hand to the seal, and hold it up, in a formal public confession of Christ's atonement, as our sure and infallible hope — And by God's grace, we feel the assured faith of this, sealed and confirmed on our, hearts, in a renewed joyful experience — For this is the will of God — It is designed by him to be a seal of con- firmation to us ; and it is actually so to every true Chris- tian. Chap. XI. — Another important use of the Lord's Sup- per -------- Hereby " do we show forth the death of Christ" — How this is done — We show it forth to our God upon his throne — We show it forth before Satan and his angels — be- fore the world, in the face of all its opposition and reproach- es — We show it forth to our own consciences, when stung 414 by reproaches, and remorse — We hold it forth before our own souls in the overwhelming troubles of life — and at the spirit-trying hour of the approach of the last enemy. Chap. XII. — The design, and end of the Lord's Sup- per — continued. - - - - --41 9 In this ordinance, God formally owns us as his people in 16 CONTENTS. the everlasting covenant, ratified by the blood of Christ — We own him publicly; and with grateful hearts we accept the tokens of his love, and mercy — AVe ratify the covenant transactions between him and our snuls — Specimen of the devotional exercises of the humble and affectionate believer on this occasion. PAGE. PART II. DEVOTIONAL INSTRUCTION, TO GUIDE THE YOUNG COMMUNICANT TO THE LORD'S TABLE. Chap. I. — A general view of the obligations bind- ing us to attend to the solemn duty of showing forth the death of Christ, in this ordinance - 421 1. The command of our Lord is plain, express, and peremptory — It cannot be misunderstood. — 2. It cannot be set aside — 3. Some satisfy themselves with unrea- sonable excuses in this matter — Specimen of these — Cau- tion against two opposite extremes : — First, that want of grace and due preparedness is an ample excuse for the neg- lect of this divine ordinance — Examination of this general and plausible excuse — 4. This is equalled only by the Se- cond error, — namely, that every command of God laid on us, as we are, implies that we have actually full power to perform aright the duty required — View of the true state of matters on this point. — 5. God's command to duty always includes in it a peremptory call to instant obedience — Ivi- mediate compliance is included in the very essence of the duty — Some entertain irrational views on this matter, if not atheistical — This doctrine o^ instant obedience implies, however, a previous duty to be forthwith performed — you must go, this instant, to the Lord Jesus, that through the Holy Ghost you may obtain the necessary preparation — 6. Then seize the earliest opportunity of obeying your Lord, in meeting him at his Table — Reason — remon- strance. Chap. II. - — An earnest appeal to those who have been received to the communion of the church, but have declined from the path of duty « _ _ 427 1. Attempt to awaken their consciences — 2, Review of their different excuses, whereby they strive to keep their consciences asleep — Do you venture to entertain any doubts of the obligations binding your soul to this ob- servance ? 3, Reply — Remedy proposed — Your past vows, CONTENTS. 17 PAGE. have they no binding obligation on you? — 4. Reply to those who indulge such delusive dreams of security — Remedy proposed for this evil — 5. Have you doubts as to the duty of frequent communion — This no excuse for the total neglect of the ordinance — Reply to this — Appeal to the heart on behalf of Christ's love, which we are constrained frequently to celebrate. — 6. Has your declension in duty arisen, and been cherished into total neglect, by sloth and aversion to the labour and heart-searching duty of self-ex- amineitionl — Reply — Remedy suggested — 7. Has your deplorable guiltiness arisen from lukewarmness, and avei'- sion to the binding of yourself so strictly to duty, and against all sin 1 Review — Reply — Remedy — 8. Has this negligence arisen from some family difficulty, or a quarrel with some brother, or sister in the church ? — Review of this — ^Reply — Remedy — 9. Has your total neglect of this solemn duty been originated by the resistance of your guilty and accusing conscience? — Reply — Appeal to the terrors of the law, and your guilty soul — Remedy propos- ed — 10. Perhaps thy delinquency is caused by a final and fatal apostacy — Perhaps thou hast been a Judas in Christ's family — Review of the causes which produced this horrible result — Remonstrance — entreaty — appeal. Chap. III. — Invitation to those who have not yet been to the Holy Communion - _ . 434 1. Address to the children of the Church — 2. Christ's ear- nest and loving call — Devotional frame of a young person hesitating between fears, and hopes, and wishes, in view of the holy communion ; and is about to come forward — A meditation, and prayer, suitable to this case — 3. A farther appeal to the tender-hearted — Remonstrance, and invita- tion — 4. A caution and direction against incorrect views of this ordinance — 5. Explanation of the words, "Eat and drink damnation" — 6. Satan and the world attempt to ter- rify youth, and drive them from duty — The necessity of resisting such temptations — The pleasures of communion with God — 7. The urgency of Christ's constraining love — 8. The sin and danger of delay in this duty— 9. The so- lemn obligations of your baptismal vows — Sometrifle with these, because their parents assumed them without their consent — Reply to this plausible, but heaven-daring objec- tion — 10. A meditation and prayer suited to a young mind distressed and agitated, in view of these obligations, and this duty. Chap. IV. — Invitation to God's distressed children, who are in darkness, and halting in duty - - 443 1. "You are deterred," yoii say, "from coming to the Lord's Table, through the terror of the penalty of unwor- 18 CONTENTS. PAGE. thy communicating " — Instruction and counsel on this point — 2. We must not allow ourselves to mistake the act and grace of faith, for the assurance of sense — We must not make the possession of sensible assurance, a condition of our complying withGod's command — A mistake on this point induces some misguided professors to refrain from present duty, until they reach the evidence and assurance of sense, — or, until faith triumphs in their experience, over all doubts — 3. Examination of this too common delusion — Remonstrance against this practice of regulating the dis- charge of duty by our present feelings — 4. Case of those who repose their hopes on certain inward frames — They happen to lose their once happy frame of mind, and thence neglect their present duty — Remonstrance against this criminal practice of determining obligations to duty, by our inward frames — Recover your holy frame of mind by immediate recourse to the Holy Spirit, and disperse darkness by going in humble penitence, to the Holy Table; and seek your once holy frame there : and not by flying, like Jonah, from the divine presence — 5. Case of the weak and trembling professor, whose troubled soul surrounds the Table of the Lord with all the fearful terrors of Mount Si- nai — 6. Remonstrance, and appeal on behalf of our Lord and his blessed ordinance of love — Instruction on the mode of self-examination to be pursued by such a distressed disci- ples — Gluestions to be put by them to their conscience — 7. Directions and encouragements given, by distinguishing between weak, yet real faith, and strong faith — We must be jealous over ourselves; but we must recognize, and be thankful for, the day of small things — 8. The usual ob- jections which such weak Christians bring against their attendance on present duty shown to be irrational — 9. The case of the disconsolate, overwhelmed with a sense ot their un worthiness — Distinction between the unworthiness of those who " eat and drink damnation to themselves," and that of those who " eat and drink judgments" of correc- tion from their heavenly Father — 10. Instruction, and ex- hortation to such, to come forward in huml>le, but sincere reliance on Christ, and to seek riddance of their weakness, and doubts, and fears, by a hearty meal at the Table of the Lord — 11. Duty of their immediate compliance ur^ed again, on them — No objection can be urged against this m- mediate compliance with the call to present yourselves at the Table of the Lord, which may not be urged with as much propriety against compliance with the whole circle of the divine commandments — 12, Self-examination urged. Chap. V. — Directions to communicants, about to ap- proach the Holy Table 464 1. This duty not rashly to be engaged in — We make our approach to it after perseverance in the important duties of self-examination, meditation, and prayer — 2. Specimens CONTENTS. 19 PAGE. of the forms of meditation, self-examination, and prayer, conducted, at once, by a young Christian, who has prostrat- ed himself at the foot of the throne of grace. Chap. YI. — Directions for our exercise, while at the Lord's Table 463 Specimens of the form of meditation, and devotion, dur- ing that deeply solemn hour. Chap. VII. — Directions to regulate the exercise of the young Christian during the sacramental action 468 1. The sacramental action of the minister invoking the divine blessing — Breaking the bread, and delivering it with the appropriate words — the action of the pious communicant corresponding thereto — 2. The pastor's sacramental action in lifting, and giving the wine — The pious communicant's action, and exercise thereto corresponding — 3. Specimen of the form of meditation, and prayer, suitable to this so- lemnity — And a meditation and prayer to occupy the mind, while the sacred symbols are being passed round to the other communicants — 4. Pleading lor those who are dear to us. Chap. VIII. — Directions to regulate the pious exer- cise of the young communicant as he retires from the holy Table. - 471 Specimen of the form of a divine meditation, and prayer, suitable to that moment. Chap. IX. — On the self-examination to be pursued by the communicant, after he has left the house of God, and retired to his closet _ . - 474 Specimen of this exercise given in ten questions to be put to their conscience before God, and to be answered with scrupulous honesty and care. Chap. X. — Of the duties required of the devout com- municant in future life . - - - . 477 We take leave of the young communicant in the words of Moses — Directions given in six particulars, to regulate his future life. INTRODUCTION. I HAVE long felt the want of a manual on the Lord's Supper adapted to the habits and circumstances of our times. We have, it is true, a goodly number of works on the subject. Besides the able treatises given in the different systems of theology, — among which that of President D wight deserves to be ranked among the best, — we have the works of Mathew Henry, of Willison, of Bickersteth, of Hobart ; and the Sacramental Selections by Dr. Wilson, late of Philadelphia. These have, each, their appropriate excellence. The first tivo, in particular, are valuable. They possess a richness of thought, a deep insight into divine things, and a knowledge of the complicated exercises of the gracious heart ; and withal, an unction of piety and devotion pervading the whole, — rarely met with in later times. But, there is a call for more works on this subject. For, on the one hand, there are some points which are too slight- ly passed over by some of these writers, while they are scarcely touched at all, by the rest. On the other hand, there are other topics on which they dwell, and dilate to such a measure of excess, that they become tedious, dull, and fatiguing. We need something devotional, brief, yet full ; and adapted, in particular, to the different classes of young Christians. 3 22 ITs^TRODUCTION. In the Lord's Supper there are certain great facts, and doctrines, held up to our view, by its sacred symbols, which are to be devoutly commemorated by us. Of these, it is necessary that we should possess clear spiritual perceptions, in order to our worthy communicating. We must be the children of the light, in order to walk in the light. By this means, through the Holy Ghost, will the distressing gloom of darkness, and slavish fear be expelled from the troubled soul. Then is it made the temple of the Holy Ghost ; and the dwelling-place of love, peace, and heaven- ly joy. And then will our communion seasons be our most delightful seasons. And this saving knowledge whereby we discern the Lord's Body, never exists alone ; nor must we be contented with it alone. We must have a lively faith. We must re- ceive Christ Jesus the Lord, as our Saviour. W^e must accept, and bring home to our hearts, all the blessings and benefits of his atonement, which are impressively held forth in this ordinance. Nor is this all : we must add to our knowledge and our faith, love unfeigned. We must open our hearts to the wonderful love of our Father in heaven ; and to the overpowering tenderness of our Blessed Redeem- er's mercy and grace ; and to the ravishing communion, and soul-refreshing joys of the Holy Ghost. This is a service reasonable and just. We must love him with an ardent love, who first loved us. W^e must bring to the Table of the Lord, hearts possessed and filled with this divine affec- tion. We must present our living sacrifices, holy and ac- ceptable unto God ; and with the pure fire kindled from heaven. And as the fire burns within us, must we give utterance with the tongue ; and pour out our hearts before his throne, at the communion table. It will thence be manifest that, in order to pure and ac- ceptable communion, we must have knowledge to discern what is meant by the body and blood of the Lord : we INTRODUCTION. 23 must have a true and lively faith in order to participate of the feast upon the sacrifice of Christ ; an ardent love, kin- dled by the love of our covenant God ; and pure devotion, in which our souls are melted down, and poured out before the Lord, in the well-sustained exercise of the graces of the Holy Ghost. It will, moreover, be manifest that the saving knowledge of God's precious truths, especially of those which are so very prominently held forth in this divine ordinance, does form the basis of all those other graces, so necessary to our worthy communicating. Hence the testimony of Scrip- ture ; — " They that know thy name, will put their trust in thee." — Psalm ix. 10. " This is life eternal, that they might know thee, &c." — John xvii. 3. For, just in proportion as we are taught of God, and grow in this saving know- ledge, shall we feel ourselves reigning with him by faith ; and abounding with him in the peace of God ; and rejoicing with him in the hope of his glory ; and triumphing with him in love, and in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. And just in proportion as these graces ripen into the matu- rity of the life of God in our souls, shall we be found stead- fastly resisting the enemies which impede us in our Chris- tian duties ; and maintaining our conversation in the world, in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God ; and following the Lord with well- pleasing, in the habits and exercises of new obedience. Hence it is very necessary that the young Christian be carefully instructed in these great and prominent doctrines held up in the Lord's Supper, in order that his mind may be occupied with the saving knowledge of them. And, in order the more effectually to attain this object, we need a manual on the Lord's Supper, which shall pre- sent these all-important doctrines, not only in a systematic form, but also apart, and by themselves ; so that the young inexperienced mind may not be distracted by the contem- 24 INTRODUCTION. plation of them, mixed up, and confounded as they usually have been, with the discussions on the Lord's Supper, its nature, and uses. With this view, therefore, I have thrown together this form of instruction on these principal doc- trines, that they may be studied by themselves. This I have done in Book I. And as the mode of teaching, by placing before the mind of the pupil, a series of questions on what he has read, has been attended with the happiest success in all branches of study, I have appended to each discussion a brief series of questions, the answers to which the learner is to search out by reviewing what he has studied. In doing this, he will soon acquire a distinct view of each branch of doctrine. It has also occurred to me, that evangelical instruction makes its divine and most effectual impression on the heart, when man, by a well-timed application, feels that he is sin- gled out by the sword of the Spirit ; and when his soul and conscience are laid bare ; and when the stroke is made to fall, as it were, on the naked nerve ; and when it pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow ; and when it becomes, before the man's awa- kened eye, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. In attaining this application, I have subjoined forms of meditations on each doctrine discussed, together with forms of prayer : all of which the young Christian should aim at repeating from his heart, and conscience, with great reverence before the Searcher of hearts. The young Christian having been thus instructed in the facts, and doctrines of the Gospel, which are impressively held up in the Holy Supper, he will be prepared to enter with us, on the consideration of its nature, uses, and etids ; and, lastly, on the solemn duties required of him, in this holy service. To aid him in this investigation, is our de- sign in Book II. And now, oh ! heavenly Father, from whom cometh down INTRODUCTION. 25 every good gift, and every perfect gift, grant us, I beseech thee, the Unction of the Holy One, and we shall know all things ! And do thou. Blessed Son of God, who hast, as the fruits of thy atonement and intercession, sent down the Holy Ghost to thy people, send him in his light, and life, into this soul ! And oh ! thou most Holy Spirit, who inspirest into thy servants all good purposes, and holy re- solutions, — thou Comforter and Guide, — oh ! come and glorify Jesus Christ, by taking the things which are his, and revealing them to us ! And oh ! guide me, great source of wisdom and compas- sioD, in these efforts to minister to thy children ; especially the young and feeble ones of thy family. While I attempt to place myself in their stead, to conceive their difficulties, and their wants, and desires, in their approach to the Lord's Supper, — Oh ! Lord, shed thy light into my mind, that out of thy Holy Scriptures I may discern, and draw forth a word, in season, to their souls. To every mind to whom this message may come, let thy word, O Lord, be made living and powerful. May thy good Spirit be given to the person who is now reading these pages. Vouchsafe to him, Lord, true faith, a firm hope, and ardent love to thee. May he, by holy perseverance in new obedience, work out the evidence of his regeneration by the Holy Ghost. And may he delight himself in thy ordinances, as fountains of the water of life, ever pure, and delicious, and refreshing to his soul. And if I may venture, like Abraham, to plead with thee, my gracious Master, let this book live, and be spread abroad to be the means, through thy divine grace, of guarding and directing thy poor tempted and distracted children to thy Holy Table : and in comforting them in their Christian pilgrimage, — long after I shall be in the congregation of the dead ! And whatever pleasure and power to edification thy grace may vouchsafe to my own soul while writing it, 3* 26 INTRODUCTION. and to thy dear children while reading it, — we %vill grate- fully place the crown of glory, thereof, on thy head, Lord, on whose head are many crowns ! And in the bright day of universal convocation, when the members of God's ransomed family shall be all at home in glory, we shall mingle mutual gratulations in our unceasing song of adoration. Worthy is the Lamb, that icas slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing ! Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that siiteih upon the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever, and ever, Jlmen» CHAPTER I. THE END AND AIM OF THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. " Attempt how monstrous, and how surely vain ! With things of earthly sort, with aught but God, To satisfy, and fill the immortal soul ! Attempt, vain inconceivably ! attempt To satisfy the ocean with a drop ; To marry immortality to death ; And with the unsubstantial shade of time, To fill the embrace of ail eternity!" POLLOK. The Almighty Creator is the sole proprietor of all beings and things. For his glory we are, and were created. Hence we are not our own. We belong to Almighty God. As creatures, we are under the strongest obligations to own him, and glorify him as our Creator. As his creatures sus- tained by him, we can never be set free from divine obli- gations to own him every hour, and honour him as our Preserver. As rational and accountable creatures, nothing can excuse us from the duty of keeping our eye continually on his throne, to adore him who will, before long, be our impartial Judge. As ransomed creatures, purchased by the blood of Christ, we are under eternal obligations to love, adore, and serve him faithfully. The end of our being, therefore, is to glorify God, and enjoy him for ever. And not only should a sense of these 28 THE END AND AIM OF relations in which we stand toward Him, but also a con- sciousness of His most compassionate interference in our behalf, constrain us to glorify him. Can we ever cease to feel the amazing love of God, in so constituting his government over us, that, notwithstanding all the treasons and crimes committed by us against him, he has combined our immortal happiness with his divine glory ! And in proportion as we evince the sincerity of our love to him, by reaching forward in the growth of holiness, and the attain- ment of higher capacities to glorify him, do we enjoy higher and higher degrees of happiness. And having, at length, reached " the perfect manhood, the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ ;" we shall enter on the fulness of joys, and everlasting glory in heaven. It must, then, be very manifest, that if we forsake God, we forsake our own mercies : and if we hate his ways, we love death. If we seek happiness in any form, or way foreign to God's glory, we come short of the grand end of our being. If we prefer our own joys to His honour, we are guilty of denying Him. To prefer human pleasures to his glory, is inexcusable selfishness. To set up our own judgment in opposition to his revealed will, is folly and madness. To introduce human inventions into his service, is fatal superstition. To yield the devotion of our heart and life to any created thing, is gross idolatry. To prefer our own will to his supreme will, is heaven-daring rebellion. To yield obedience to the god of this world, and linger among the fascinating pleasures of earth, instead of urging on in our course to heaven, is nothing short of atheism ! Man, viewed as a mortal being, has a temporal career set before him, which he must run. But there is an infinitely higher destiny awaiting him. As an immortal being, he has an eternal career before him. In this world, he pursues the former, as a good citizen, and a good man. In the future and eternal world, he has the never-closing career to THE christian's LIFE. 29 pursue in the presence of God and the Lamb ; and in the high and lofty fellowship of the angels, and all the host of heaven. By an appropriate education, are we prepared for our tem- poral career. In our seminaries is this necessary prepa- ration consummated, and from these, are our youth sent forth with cultivated and virtuous minds, to enter on the enterprises of life. In like manner, God has graciously provided us with the means of a spiritual training for our high and eternal des- tinies. This training we enjoy in the bosom of his Church, on our sabbaths, and in private, by the ministry, ordained for this purpose, and under divine ordinances, and the special grace of God. Hence, vital godliness and pure religion, the rich gifts of God, cherished in the heart, professed and practised by usj under the discipline of the Holy Ghost, bear precisely the same relation to our immortal career, and our eternal enjoyments in heaven, which a good education and proper mental discipline do to a good citizen's best interests, and usefulness in this world. But surely a man's condition and destinies in this tran^ sitory world, can never bear to be even named in compa- rison with his eternal destiny, and glory in heaven. Hence the possession and practice of pure religion are as infinitely superior to the most perfect education which human inge- nuity can convey to the mind, as heaven and eternity are to earth and time ! The man who, through ignorance and rudeness, ventures to oppose popular education, and the progress of science, is unceremoniously pronounced a Goth and a barbarian ; and he is shunned as an enemy to man's happiness, and the glory of his country. But, by what terms shall the wise and the good designate the man who puts himself in opposition to the purest and most elevating of ajl education ; and that 30 * THE END AND AIM OF sublime and holy mental training which prepares immortal beings for the assembly of the saints, and the presence of God, for evermore ? But the world cannot appreciate this. Hence, it is the enemy of our Divine Master, and of our best interests. This hostility, however, shall not drive us from our duty to him. Nay, it should quicken our ardour in studying his word ; and constrain us to a more scrupulous attention to every christian duty. The opinions of the men of the world weigh lighter than chaff, with all who are accustomed to appeal "to the law, and the testimony." Our God has spoken the w^ord. To him do we devoutly listen. " Whe- ther ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. X. 31. " This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John xvii. 3. " Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach to thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." Ps. Ixv. 4. " No one of us liveth unto himself, and no one dieth to himself. "WTiether we live, we live unto the Lord ; or whether we die, we cTie unto the Lord : whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." Rom. xiv. 7, 8. " Thou wilt show me the path of life : in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are })leasures for evermore." Ps. xvi. n. "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours ; and their works do follow them." Rev. xiv. 13. aUESTIONS. Can any one allege that he is his own ? Why not 1 To whom do we belong ? By what ties are we bound to God ? How prove you this, out of God's word? W^hat is the chief THE christian's LIFE. 31 end of our being, and preservation 1 How prove you this 1 What do Scripture and reason say? Wherein then lies man's chief and eternal happiness"? What is the belief of men of the world on this? How do you refute them ? By reason ? By Scripture ? What says each of these ? What is the relative value of education, for the world ; and religion, for eternity ? Confirm this by texts out of the Scriptures. Do you faithfully and sincerely keep in view this great end of your being ? MEDITATION. Hast thou, my soul, said unto the Lord, thou art my God ? Am I truly sensible that I am not my own, but that I belong to my most faithful Creator? This body, and all these limbs he formed out of the dust : and he gave them to me by an act of power and sovereignty. Thee, my soul, v>^ith its wonderful faculties, did he create immediately out of nothing. This being of mine, so wonderful and so delightful, I enjoy from God's bounteous goodness. I am no less indebted to him for this prolonged existence. This body, and this soul he sustains in being ; and in bodily, and mental, and moral activity. I have no con- troul over time, or my being. God measures out to me, each moment, my existence. Over this life and these limbs, and mental faculties, I possess no sovereignty. Did I arro- gate the proud claim of dominion, and self-controul, one word from him, one touch of his hand, would lay my body in dust, and summon my soul to the dread bar of justice ! In him I live, in him I move, in him I have my being. Should I then devote my soul, and its faculties, or this body and its members, to the service of sin and the world, I should be guilty of robbery. And whom should I rob ? No less than my Creator, my Preserver, my Redeemer, and my Judge ! Oh ! my God ! deliver me from this heinous crime. May the time past suffice to have wrought the will of the flesh 32 THE END AND AIM OF Henceforth to thee, my God, let me be truly devoted in heart and in life. And oh ! delightful thought, while to innumerable beings, thou hast given existence in the seas, in the air, and on the earth, which thou revokest for ever, and they cease to be : to me hast thou given an ever- enduring existence. The time shall never come up in the ever-revolving ages of eternity, when I shall cease to be. I shall bloom in immortal youth, in this soul and this body, as long as God's eternal throne shall exist ! What a motive to rouse up my soul, and all that is in me, to devote my being to my God here ; that I may serve and enjoy him in eternity ! Can I for a moment think of burying such a being in the beggarly elements of this transitory world? No, never. May I, then, never cease to press eagerly for- ward to the great end of my being ! prayer: O Lord, thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. My Creator, and my faithful Preserver, by thy power I awoke into being. And here I am, the monument of thy ever- watchful care, holy God of Providence. I trust I feel I am thine. To thee this heart overflows in love. To thee, my God, would I humbly devote my being. "What can be more reasonable, O Lord? Love and gratitude constrain me, and bind me closely to thee. Could these ties which do bind me to thee, my God, be dissolved ; I would seek, with unquench- able love, to have them speedily renewed — never to be dis- solved. Accept then, my God, the homage of my soul, the affection and faith of this heart, the submission of all my faculties, the obedience of my life. And may the delight- ful sacrifice, and service be always offered up to thee through my blessed Redeemer, and the fire of the Holy Ghost. And when my pilgrimage of duty and discipline is finish- ed, grant, my most faithful Creator and Redeemer, a THE christian's LIFE. 33 joyful entrance into the kingdom of thy glory. And this poor body, — this heap of dust, — having slept in the grave through the long dark night of death, — until the bright morn- ing of the day of eternity, — let it rise according to thy will, my heavenly Father, and thy rich grace, my most gracious Redeemer, and thy glorious power, faithful Holy Spirit, a pure, and a powerful, and a spiritual, and an immortal body, fashioned according to Christ's body. And let me, as one of thy ransomed servants, my gracious God, enter, soul and body, — " a perfect man in Jesus Christ," into thy kingdom above ; having, through the infinite riches of thy grace, at last, attained to the great and sole end of my being ; which I have longed for, and panted after, that I might enjoy it in full measure with my Saviour Jesus Christ ; in whose name we pray, — " Our Father who art heaven," &c. Amen. CHAPTER II. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. " This book, this holy book, on every line Marked with the seal of high Divinity, On every leaf bedewed with drops of love Divine, and with the eternal heraldry, And signature of God Almighty stamped, — This, Mercy took, and in the night of time Stood, casting on the dark, her gracious look ; And evermore beseeching man, with tears And earnest sighs, to read, believe, and live. POLLOK. There are three reasons why the young Christian should be thoroughly acquainted with the Holy Bible. He owes it to his own personal comfort, in the Christian course ; he will, thence, be thoroughly furnished for the good work of edifying those around him, in the associations of life ; and he will be equipped for the defence of divine truth against its natural enemies. It is called The Bible, that is, TheJBooh, by way of emi- nence. No other writing can be named in comparison with it. To all other books it is as superior, as are God's stupendous works over the whole field of creation, to man's puny works. Its sublime and pure doctrines are as superior t:> the loftiest conceptions of man, as the immortal soul is OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 35 to sordid dust : and as the glories of eternity are to the fast fading vanities of time. The Bible is the last Will and Testament of God our Sa- viour. This will isj strictly speaking, one. It is called the Old Testament, and the New, simply in reference to the outward form of its twofold dispensations. The Old Tes- tament contains the exhibition of this will under the Jewish economy. The will and its truths are eternal. The mode of administration only was old, and, like that which is old, it has vanished away. The New Testament containing the complete disclosures of the gospel, has a form of ordi- nances that is always new. It will never vanish away to give place to another. Its freshness and glory will endure until Christ's second coming. In this WILL, our dying Lord bequeathed us all the pur- chased blessings of the everlasting covenant. Herein they are fully detailed, and may be summed up in two words, — grace and glory. And no enemy can hinder us from pre- senting ourselves with filial boldness, to receive them from our Heavenly Father's hand. For our Lord's words are full of divine assurance and consolation. "I appoint," — allow me to give its literal translation, — " I bestow, by covenant, a kingdom upon you ; even as my father hath, by covenant, bestowed a kingdom upon me." Luke xxii. 29. Now, will the heir of an earthly inheritance allow himself to remain ignorant of his possessions and rights? And can a Christian man allow himself to remain ignorant of his Lord's Will and Testament, and indifferent about it? Besides, the Christian lives not for himself alone. He has it in charge to instruct and guide the young : to reprove the gainsayer : to bring back the wanderer : to reclaim the prodigal : to edify the church : and to spread around him the hallowed, and hallowing influence of a holy life. All this he will be enabled to do, just in proportion as he is skilful in spiritual things, and mighty in the Scriptures. 36 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. And let us not forget that we live in " the last times." The signal given us by our Lord has appeared. The "scoffer," and "mocker" of God's word, have come. They appear in the community as an organized body of conspirators. Hence the young Christian is bound by the ties of honour and gratitude, to be always " ready to give an answer to every man who asketh him a reason of the hope that is in him, with meekness and fear." And he must be as ready, by sound doctrine, to convince the gainsayers, and to stop the mouths of unruly and vain talkers, and de- ceivers. Were the young Christian not bound to do all this, and were he allowed to seek the life of a recluse, he might with impunity, perhaps, remain unqualified to do these important services to God and man. But, as his own faith requires strong nourishment from God's word ; and as matters stand with the enemies, and the friends of Christ in these last times ; when no Christian, old or young, can remain neutral, each one must gird on his armour ; and help the feeblest in the host of Israel to gird on his. We begin with the simplest propositions. A revelation from God is possible. He who knows all things, and who created the soul of man, can communicate his mind, and will to us, so as to make it perfectly intelligible. This needs no proof. Since, then, God cmi communicate his mind to us, what ought to be legitimately inferred, on this matter, from the fact of his infinite goodness ? Can any man refuse to admit that God designs to pity, and save his sinful, suffering chil- dren, of our species ? If so, then, how can any one reconcile with the truth of his paternal goodness, the monstrous sup- position that he has not given, — that he will not give, a re- velation of salvation to his poor erring and perishing crea- tures 1 What ! Does our Creator, in his mercy, intend to save us ; and yet has he never uttered one word to us on the OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 37 matter ] What ! Does God intend to save us, and yet has he never told us how to seek him ; and how we are to wor- ship him, and obtain peace and hope ? What ! does God intend to save us from fear, and pain, and death ] And, yet, does he tantalize us, and vex us, and slay us by despair, in keeping us in perpetual suspense, and doubt, and vexa- ation, and sorrow, over the whole field of human existence 1 I envy neither the head nor the heart of that man, who can imagine such a theory. He trifles with the happiness of his fellow-creatures ; and venturously brings an impeach- ment against the goodness and mercy of the Almighty ! A revelation of God is necessary, I need only repeat, at present, the truth which every reflecting man will admit ; namely, that God alone can open, and declare his MIND and will to MAN. Eveu the thoughts of a man can no man discover, if he chooses to give no utterance to them. Infinitely less can any of the sons of men discover the thoughts, and the will of the incomprehensible God ! Now, unless I know God's mind, how can I know how to please him ] Unless I know his holy will, how can I possibly obey him ? Unless I know him, how can I love him ? If I am left ignorant of his glory, how can I cherish an exalted devotion to him ? Am I left to rear an altar to the unknown god ? Am I to be taught that ignorance is the mother of devotion ] If I must conjecture by reason, I shall be in perpetual doubt. If I venture to mark out my own course, and worship God in my own way, and do what my will inclines me to do ; then is my religion wholly an act of human will-worship ! And I shall lie under the fearful guilt of dictating to the Almighty what I judge he ought to accept from guilty man ! Hence, a revelation from God is essentially necessary to beget, and cherish true worship and pure religion. That is, it is essentially necessary on the assumption tliat our Creator intends to save us, and 4* 3S OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. make us happy. If God intends no mercy to us, then may we look for no Gospel revelation ! The Holy Bible contains this divine revelation beyond all reasonable doubt. — This we now proceed to show. First : The Bible is genuine ; that is, all the books of which it consists, were written by the persons whose names they respectively bear. Second : It is authentic ; that is, it relates matters of fact as they did happen ; and it contains, truly, the mind and will of God. Third : It is credible ; that is, these books were written by men, who neither were deceived, nor did deceive others. The facts and doctrines which they taught were proclaimed to hundreds of thousands of men, who, being their cotem- poraries, had every opportunity of exposing what was not true, to their own certain knowledge. Fourth : It is given by divine inspiration, through holy men of God, who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. He conveyed his mind, and will to them ; suggest- ed to them the words to be used by them, in Hebrew and Greek ; and commanded them to write them out in these specific words. l.Pet. i. 21, Rom. xvi. 26. In reference to the genuineness and authenticity of the Holy Bible, I observe, in general, that the proof thereof is exactly of the same character as that by which we prove any ancient, or modern document to be genuine, and authen- tic. The young Christian can make the experiment. He can prove the Holy Bible to be genuine and authentic, precisely by the same form of argument by which he proves the writ- ings of Homer, Virgil, and our Declaration of Inde- pendence, to be genuine and authentic. Suppose you say to the sceptic, I adopt your process of doubting, and I deny the writings of Homer, of Virgil, Voltaire, and the docu- ment of our own national Independence, to be either au- OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 39 the7itic, or genuine, or credible. Mark the nature and course of his argument in reply, which he will with accuracy, adopt to establish the genuineness of these ancient, and modern documents. And when he has finished his argument, you need only beg him to transfer it to the proof of the Holy Bible. I shall now present a condensed argument, on the gen- uineness, authenticity, and insjnration of the Holy Scriptures. First : The external evidence. This amounts to a demonstration. I shall begin with the evidence of miracles. And as I propose merely a specimen of this, here,* I shall confine myself to the examination of the New Testament writings as established by the evidence of miracles. And, here, let me repeat the Rules laid down by Les- lie, in his " Short Method with Deists." First : The miracles wrought in evidence of the divine commission of the inspired writers, must have been palpa- ble to the senses. Second : They must have been publicly done. Third : Public monuments, and actions must have been instituted to commemorate the sayings, and miracu- lous doings of Christ. Fourth : These monuments, and actions must have been instituted at the time of these mi- raculous events. Now, apply these rules. The miracles, the death of Christ, and his appearance alive after his death, in the midst of hundreds of witnesses, wereentirely such as came within the palpable evidence of the senses. There are no mira- cles of Mohammed, nor in the pagan world, that can be adduced as parallel to these. No one of them was, like these of our Lord, palpably evident to the senses. Now mark the point of this argument. The Apostles came be- * See " Lights und Shadows of Christian Life." Article first, " The General." 40 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. fore the rulers, and people in Jerusalem — not in a distant and foreign land ; and only a few days after Christ's de- cease — not a long time after the memory of him, and his works, was wearing out of mind. They told the people and rulers that he was alive ; that they had seen him, and con- versed with him ; that he had been seen by five hundred per- sons at one time, " of whom," they said, " the greater number were alive," and among them ; that Christ had wrought mira- cles before their own eyes ; that they had seen him, and the people had seen him, cure the blind, heal the maimed, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Moreover, they did, themselves, work miracles before the people. They healed diseases, and raised the dead to life. By these miracles, which could be wrought only by the power of God upon them, they authenticated their tes- timony, which was borne by them to the Lord Jesus Christ ; and their own divine mission from God, as his apostles. By these miracles was there an evidence furnished to the outward senses, and to the reason, and judgment of men, utterly overpowering. Their mission and authority from God, being then satis- factorily settled, they delivered their divine doctrines, laws, and ordinances, in the assemblies of the people. Their writings, dictated by divine inspiration, were deposited pub- licly with the church. These autographs were preserved with extraordinary care, in the archives of the churches, until copies of them were multiplied over the vvorld. Next, consider the method taken to keep up the vivid re- membrance of Christ's miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. Public monuments were instituted in the days of Christ, and his apostles, at the time when these extraordinary events happened publicly, in order to com- memorate them. One of these monuments was the change of the Sabbath to the first day of the week, or the Christian Sabbath : another is baptism : another, the Lord's Supper : OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 41 another, the gospel ministry : and the entire and beautiful order of the holy sanctuary of God. These doctrines, laws, and divine institutions could not possibly have been fabricated by impostors, in the days of Jesus Christ, or his apostles, and the Jews then living. No combination of the most successful impostors could have persuaded the multitudes of Jews, converted to Christianity, at Jerusalem, to keep the Sabbath on the first day of the week ; or to celebrate the Lord's Supper in solemn com- memoration of a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour, if that Saviour had never been heard of by them, and had never been crucified, and had never risen from the dead, and had never ascended into heaven. Within a few days after our Lord's ascension, there were many thousand Christians in Jerusalem. Each of these stood up as a public witness of the facts and events of our Lord's mira- cles, death, and resurrection. Each of these was a living eye-witness of these things ; and each of these handed down these things to their children ; and these, again, to theirs. Hence, it is utterly inconceivable that the gospel and its sacred institutions could have been invented, as a fiction in the days of Christ, and the apostles, and of Pilate, and the Jews. It is equally inconceivable that they could have been fa- bricated after the death of that generation. For if the following generation had not actually received the New Testament, and its sacred institutions from the cotempora- ries of Christ and his apostles, — then it would follow, that certain impostors had actually, though falsely, persuaded millions of the best and most enlightened men of all na- tions, that the New Testament, just now made known to them for the first time, had been actually handed down to them from their forefathers ! For so it is stated on its first pages. 42 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. The impostors, on this supposition of infidels, must have persuaded millions of the shrewdest, and best men of all nations, that they, and their fathers from time immemo- rial, were baptized, — and that they, and their fathers, did continually celebrate the LorcVs Supper, in commemoration of events which they had never heard of, and never had believed. — A thing inconceivably absurd ! The truth is : — Just as certainly as our national history, and our national commemoration of independence on the 4th of July, do afford an expression of the nation's belief in the public fact of our national Independence : — even so, the public institutions of Baptism, and the Lord's Sup- per ; and the Christian Sabbath ; and the perpetual Mi- nistry of the gospel, do stand forth as grand public monu- ments, kept up throughout the whole Christian world, to exhi- bit the unshaken faith of reasonable men, in the facts, and doctrines of the New Testament ! Second : — Strong as is the evidence of miracles, that of PROPHECY is, perhaps, still stronger. It possesses the force of a miracle ; and of one, moreover, lengthened out from age to age, before the eyes of many generations. We have only to read the prophecy ; fix the remote age of the past in which it was uttered ; then turn our eyes on the passing events, givin g a literal fulfilment, and, as it were, a living reality, to the thing foretold by the man of God ; and we are ourselves possessed of the evidence of the truth and di- vinity of the Bible, strong as is any evidence which a ra- tional being can require, not even excepting the evidence of the senses. For instance, 1 open the holy Book, and oflier you briefly a specimen, Gen. xvi. 12. Of Ishmael it is written, that he will he a wild man ; that his hand will he against every man, and every man against him ; and that, nevertheless, he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Study this, now, in the light which history sheds over the national cha- OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 43 racter and fortunes of the children of Ishmael, the Arabs of the desert ; and you will perceive the literal fulfilment of this ancient prophecy carried over the field of 4000 years ! What is said of them in prophecy, and in history, can be said of no other nation under heaven. Next, study, in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, the de- nunciations against the Hebrew nation ; examine the minute detail of the terrible calamities which were to befall them on their apostacy from God. These were foretold, and recorded by Moses nearly 3300 years ago. Then read the history of the sufferings of that wonderful people, and their jiresent condition in the four quarters of the world. All these evils they were to endure, while they should be scattered into all nations under heaven. And all the while they were to re- main a distinct people, 'not counted among the nations^ as an integral part of any of them ! Here are the predic- tions. Behold the terrible fulfilment up to the very letter ! It presents, from age to age, all the novelty, and all the force of a standing miracle, before the nations of the earth. But the most prominent of all, perhaps, are those predic- tions relative to Messiah, our Lord. They marked out the spot, and named it, which he was to immortalize by his birth ; they named his family whence he was to spring ; they spoke of his virgin mother ; they fix the precise date of his decease. See Daniel ix, 24 — 27. Moreover, they detail his manner of life, his doctrines, his sorrows, his agonies, the selling of him for thirty shekels, the piercing of his hands and feet. These records were in public circulation throughout the Hebrew nation ma?ii/ ceniwries before He appeared ; and history, sacred and profane, has faithfully recorded their en- tire fulfilment ! And time would fail me to rehearse the predictions re- specting Tyre, and Babylon, and Egypt ; and moreover, the destruction of Jerusalem, the dispersion of the Jews, the 44 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. rapid progress of Christianity, its check by the kingdom of darkness for 1260 years, the rise of the Eastern, and the Papal, and the Infidel Antichrists. These are all the sub- jects of prophecy. And the evidence of their accomplish- ment is just as manifest, so far as it has been evolved by Providence, as is the evidence of their having been deliver- ed, some of them eighteen centuries, and others of them twenty-five centuries ago !" Third : — The Historical Argument for the authen- ticity and genuineness of the Holy Bible is irresistible. — Here is a specimen of it : — From the present, back to the 4th century — with the exception of a few eccentric writers, who sought the immortality of doing mischief, like him who fired the temple of Ephesus, — therehas been an unbroken and con- tinuous chain of testimony, and evidence of the most satis- factory nature. In the 4th century, we have the testimony of the churches in Egypt, in Greece, in Rome, and over Europe ; and of such illustrious writers as Athanasius, Augustine, Jerome, Eusebius, the Cyrils, and Gregory. In the 3d century, the following writers, in union with all the church, testify to the authenticity, and genuineness of the Holy Bible ; — viz. Arnobius, Lactantius, Origen, Cy- prian, and the famous German Victorinus, who quotes near- ly all the books of the New Testament. In the 2d century, we have the testimony of Tertullian, of Clemens of Alexandria, Iraeneus, who quotes every book of the New Testament ; and gives his solemn testimony to "i/ie code of the JVeiv Testament, as icell as the Old." " These codes," says he, " are the oracles of God, and are dictated by the Holy Ghost." We have also in this century, Justin Martyr ; and the Epistle of the persecuted Christian Gauls to their dear brethren of Asia, in A. D. 170. And we have Tatian, who composed a harmony of the four gos- pels in A. D. 172. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 45 In the 1st century, we have the testimony of the Jive apostolic Fathers, — Barnabas, the fellow-laborer of Paul ; Clemens, mentioned also by Paul ; Hermas, who wrote " The Pastor ,•" Ignatius ; and Polycarp, the disciple of St. John. Thus we have an unbroken chain of writers, and witnesses, from the apostles to our day. But we have also the testimony of the bitter enemies of the Holy Scriptures. The Jews admit the facts, events, and miracles of Christ's life, but ascribe his miracles to ma- gic. Cerinthus, the Ebionites, and Marcion also, admit these facts and miracles. The heathen philosophers, who opposed Christianity, did all of them admit the authenticity and genuineness of the jVew Testament. I allude to Celsus, the antagonist of Ori- gen ; and to Porphery, and Julian the Apostate ; aiid Mo- hammed in the 6th century.* All these candidly admitted the Script'jres to be genuine ; and as containing real facts, and miracles of Christ. Thus, we have the decisive testimony of ancient unbe- lievers, against the recklessness of modern infidels ; who live at so remote a period from the early Christians, that they cannot be supposed to have any knowledge in the matter, equal to that of their predecessors. Second : Let me now direct you to the internal evi- dence of the Holy Scriptures. 1 st : We perceive a divine testimony in the perfect har- mony of all its facts, and doctrines. 1. This holy volume, you see, is made up of several dis- tinct tracts, written by men of the most various tastes, habits, and stations of life ; and from their condition, and the distant periods of time in which they respectively lived, it was im- possible that many of them could ever see, or converse with each other. Yet, here is a book from these different per- ♦ See Home's {ntrod. I. p. 95. 6 46 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. sons, who lived unknown to each other, and scattered over the period of about fifteen hundred years, in which they all utter the same doctrines relative to the Deity and to man ; to time and eternity. And there is hot a contradiction, or even a dissension in sentiment among them, over the whole extent of their pages ! 2. The purity and spirituality breathed forth in them, demonstrate that they could have their origin from the Fountain of purity, and holiness alone. I entreat you, my young friend, to turn your mind to their exhibitions of the unity of God, of the person of the Father, and of tlie Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; of the pure perfections of God, particularly divine justice, and divine holiness, ever set before you on the foreground of all their exhibitions of infi- nite majesty ; and of the character of Jesus Christ — a divine model of the moral, beautiful, and sublime ; and of the most charming loveliness of religion, as composed of a perfect combination of all the virtues, and all the graces that can adorn man, and beautify an angel ; their uncompromising reproofs of vice, and their war of extermination against crime and folly, even to the smallest delinquency. Let your minds be possessed with clear ideas on these points ; then tell me what mortal could, without communications from the Deity, ever indite, or even conceive, such things ! 3. There is a characteristic sublimity on the pages of the Bible, to which no unassisted genius ever could ascend. I allude to the conception and description of the Deity ; the angels ; the creation ; the Deity's kingdom of nature, of Providence, and of Redemption. To these I add the con- ception of the heavenly state, called the kingdom of glory ; the region of despair, or hell ; and, finally, the character of our Lord and Saviour. In point of perfect sublimity in conception, there is nothing on the pages of ancient or modern sages even to be named in the comparison with OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 47 these ; and even their description leaves all human com- posers at an immeasurable distance. Take a specimen. " God said, Let there be light, and there ivas light. God removeth the mountains, and they hnoiv not : he overturneth them in his anger. He shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. He measures the waters of the ocean in the hollow of his hand. He weighs the moun- tains in scales, and the hills in a balance.^'' " / saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, be- fore whose face the heavens and the earth fled away, and there was found no place for them. Ayid I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God /" 4. The invincible efficacy which attended the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is a clear demonstration of its divine origin. Consider the simple and unassuming character of the apostles, and primitive ministers of religion, utterly without patron- age and power. Remember the burden of their messages, the universal corruption, and depravity of all men, and salva- tion by a crucified Saviour. Take into view also the cha- racter, and prejudices of their opponents, such as the pagan priesthood, and philosophers ; and, in fine, the nature and perseverance of the violence resorted to, in order to stop the progress of Christianity. Kings, princes, orators, phi- losophers, all human eloquence, and all civil, and military powers, were combined in deadly hatred against them. What could human means, and agency do to repel all this, — far less to make triumphant headway, and conquer na- tions, and kingdoms to Christ ? Yet, without civil power, without human patronage, and in the face of ferocious persecution, in spite of tyranny and superstition, they triumphed. The disciples who crowded around the holy cross, renounced the bloody rites and reli- gion of their fathers ; they abandoned their vices and abo- minations ; they became virtuous and holy men. And these disciples were not all from paganism ; nor were they 48 OP THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. all of mean birth or humble rank. In Jerusalem, within a ^ew days after our Lord's ascension, many of the chief priests, and multitudes of all ranks, embraced Christianity. Within perhaps twelve days, first three thousand, then five thousand, then many " myriads," that is, " ten thousands," crowded around the cross, and bowed in worship to our Lord. And, among the nations, philosophers, and orators, and governors, and generals, and multitudes which could not be numbered, bowed there in pure devotion. And cast your eyes over the nations, and behold the fields of its triumph, especially since the Reformation, and especially in our happy days of missionary enterprise ! To believe that the preaching of the doctrines of the cross merely — which pronounce human wisdom, folly, and its highest pursuits puerility, and its favoured, indulgences, vices — could attract so many of the learned as well as the unlettered, and effect these marvellous conversions, and changes which are exhi- bited in the moral and spiritual character of the Christian — and effect them, moreover, without the special power of God — is a thing utterly above all human credence. The man who can believe this, believes in a miracle without admit- ting any evidence to sustain it : it is the admission of the mightiest effects — the subjects of historical record — while no adequate cause is assigned to produce them ! And yet the infidel believes all this ! So true is it, as Home observes, that deists are much more credulous than what even they themselves represent Christians to be ! 5. I hasten to a close : yet there is one evidence which I cannot omit — internal, I may call it. It is this : A man's reason may yield to the force of argument, and yet he may not be convinced in his heart. There is instruction in the Holy Bible infinitely touch- ing and divine. And, oh I were not the heart barricaded behind vice and prejudice, how forcibly it would feel this ! My dear reader, set before thy heart the august majesty of OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 49 the Deity. View, in the light of eternity, the untold worth of thy soul, and the comparative worthlessness of all sub- lunary objects. Keep ever in the foreground of thy medi- tations, death, judgment, and eternity ; and let all this men- tal effort and discipline be sanctified by prayer. Then read the Holy Bible ; read it with the meek and docile spirit of a child sitting at its Heavenly Father's feet. In that holy page thou wilt see the justice and holiness of God standing forward, pre-eminently conspicuous. But, then, they are most sweetly tempered by the presence of divine goodness and love. There pity finds its way to the wretched bosom ; grace to the undeserving ; mercy to the perishing ! And then, there is the Divine Mediator, ready to save — oh, my dear young reader, ready to save thee also I And there is a suitableness, and perfection of grace in this Holy One to meet all thy wants, and to cure all the mise- ries of thy mind ! A penetrating and delightful constraint overpowers the whole soul. A healing efficacy is exerted over the troubled conscience. A sweetly persuasive force takes captive the whole heart, and sends its divine and transforming energies over the entire man. We are won over by the overpowering beauty of God. We see in him a kind, reconciling. Heavenly Father : we see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Son of man, who first loved us, and gave himself for us. We rest not in cold speculation, while we read the sacred page. We yield him more than the coldness of respect and admiration. The hardness of the heart breaks, and is sweetly dissolved into tenderness and affection. We fall down before him, and yield him the homage of our hearts, and our lives. We yield ourselves willing captives to the divine power of his word. We hiotu it to be from God. We feel it to be di- vine, and we cannot be shaken from our faith and our hopes by the barren speculations of ungodly men. We have a demonstration within the core of our hearts, wLich 6* 50 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. earth and hell cannot shake — that God has spoken to us, and touched our hearts. les! the impiety of the infidel's books and tracts may- excite my grief, and my disgust. Herbert and Bolingbroke may utter their reproaches against the Holy Bible, as, iu revolting hypocrisy, they bepraise it the while. Hume, and his disciples of the maniac philosophism, may affect deep investigation and disinterestedness in the search of what they call truth, while they betray their ill-concealed malice against the Lord Jesus Christ. Was the loyalty of a child's heart ever persuaded to leave a kind father's arms, to follow a hateful stranger, whose cold repulsive sophistry strikes dead, even the hope of peace, and of heaven 1 Were the whole influence of deism to pour the enchantment of its eloquence on the ear of a child ; or were it, with the vehe- mence of Rabshakeh, to open on him the floodgates of blas- phemy, could it drive him from his filial duty, or shake his faith in his Heavenly Father? No, no ! It might excite a pang of regret, and a tear of sympathy over men rushing madly into an undone eternity. But, oh ! never could it se- duce him from his allegiance ! Listen to me, young men — my children, listen to me. This feeble voice shall bear this on your ears, were it its last, and dying testimony. In- fidels would take away from you the sun, and offer you the glimmerings of the dying lamp. They beckon you from a palace, to lie down with them in a dungeon. They seek to seduce you from associations with beings in whose charac- ter all that is beautiful, and holy, and divine, is combined ; to mingle in dens of wickedness, with men without devotion — without religion — without God — without hope ! They would demonstrate that to be true which we hioio and feel to be false. They try to woo us over to their folly by the mockery of Him who is dearer to our hearts than life itself. They tempt us to the barter of supreme felicity, by offering us perishing dust. They tempt us from the side of the OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 51 Lord Jesus Christ, to mingle with them in the horrid dance of the demons of death. They tempt us a^yay from the expanding gates of immortal glory, to crowd with them into the gulf of perdition. Oh, my dear youth, " madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead /" Eccl. ix. 3. Can you be so weak — I will not say, so depraved — as to yield your faith to such a system 1 Can the morality of these men entice your hearts, or win your confidence? Can the prospects they set before you, entice you from the hopes of the Gospel 1 Can the beings with whom they invite you to associate, seduce you from the Lord Jesus Christ 1 aUESTIONS. Give the names of the Holy Scriptures ? Explain these. Why should we diligently study the Scriptures ? What are the points on which the Christian is at issue with the unbe- liever, in this matter i Prove that a revelation from God is necessary. What is meant by the Scriptures being geri- nine ? By their being authentic 1 By their being credible ? By their being inspired 1 How do you prove any ancient author's book genuine, and aiitheritic ? Apply this form of argument to the Holy Scriptures. How is the evidence of divine revelation divided 1 What is the Externa/ Evidence ? Recite the first of this class of evidence. Define a miracle. — It is an extraordinary act of God's power, suspending the laws of nature ; or operating contrary to, or above their or- dinary course, in order to bear testimony of the highest order, to his truths. Repeat the four Rules of Leslie, by which we test the evidence by miracles. Apply these in the case of our Lord's miracles, and those of his apostles. When the apostles, and prophets had once established their 62 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. divine mission by miracles, did not the church thenceforth receive the messages as infallibly inspired 1 What are the monumental evidences of these miracles, and of this divine inspiration of the Bible? What is the second branch of External evidence ? Ex- plain this evidence : give specimens of prophecy. The third class of external evidence is the historical argument. Explain : give specimens of it. What is the second division of the evidence of the Bible ? What is the first instance of internal evidence ? What is the second ] The third ] The fourth ? The fifth ? There is a peculiar form of evidence that is lodged, and cherished in the Christian's heart. What is that ] Have you, my dear youth, felt in your soul, and heart, this internal demonstration, — this witnessing of the spirit of truth in you ? A MEDITATION. How deplorable had been our condition, had God in his just retribution, left us without a revelation of his mind, and will ! From the condition of pagan lands, and those countries, where the people have permitted their tyrants to banish the Holy Bible, can we imagine what our condition had been, if God had never visited us with the gospel. Bless the Lord, O my soul ! for the precious word of his truth and mercy. And blessed be our Heavenly Father's love, for the kind and merciful manner in which he has conferred these gifts of his will. He pours on our minds the light of External Evidence. He stretched forth his arm of power in miracles, wrought in the presence of foes, and friends. By these, was the divine mission of our Lord, and his commissioned ser- vants, confirmed before the church. And, thence, was the divine inspiration of their messages, and writings, confirm- ed in the amplest and most satisfactory manner before all. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 63 In his superahounding goodness, has he added, for our establishment in the faith, and spiritual comfort, another class of evidence, a series of standing miracles, — the PROPHECIES. By his inspiration, his prophets recorded the coming of certain events of mighty importance to the church, and to the nations of the earth. " If our messages from heaven to a lost world be true," said they, — " these events will certainly come to pass." They did come to pass. Many of them were unfolded, centuries after they were predicted : and history has faithfully recorded their ful- filment. This is an evidence ever growing ; and shining brighter, and brighter. Some of these prophecies are now being fulfilled : and some of them, during the coming ge- nerations, will yet continue to shed the light of their de- monstration over the book of God. To all this evidence he has added that of history. And he who rejects this kind of evidence, must reject every item of ancient and modern history. It is the law of my nature to receive the evidence of testimony, as confidently as the evidence of my senses. A jury decides on matters of the last moment — even life and death, from the evidence of testimony. It is pre- cisely according to the law of Almighty God, impressed upon our nature. If I refuse this testimony, I do actually put myself in opposition to Almighty God ! I am rebelling against the laws which he has imprinted on my soul, and conscience, indelibly ! In that case am I an infidel against the God of nature ! Of course, I must receive the Holy Bible on the evidence presented to me, complete and irre- sistible as it is : or, as the only alternative, I must degrade myself by acting contrary to the law, and nature of a ration- al being ! Even this is not all. In addition to this overpowering evidence, we have the irresistible testimony of internal evidence. For instance,I look at the perfect harmony in the 64 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. divine pages. There is nothing to equal this, in all the inci- dents of history, or science. The writers of the inspired books, were fishermen, herdsmen, shepherds, philosophers, princes, and kings. They were separated from each other, not by rank only, but by time. They lived over a space of fifteen hundred years. Yet, they all think exactly alike, all teach the same pure heavenly doctrines : all concur pre- cisely in the same facts, and in the same opinions on the same facts. There is not an instance of diversity in senti- ment, in feeling, in wishes. They express the same faith ; they avow the same hopes ; they worship the same God ; they advocate the same Redeemer, the same worship, and form of religion. In short, these diversified characters, who never saw each other, who lived remotely from each other, over a space of fifteen centuries, exhibit one uniform, unerring, inimitable, and perfect harmony in every senti- ment, and expression ! No combination of human wisdom, knowledge, and sagacity could have achieved this. The boundless and endless variations and contradictions of hu- man books exhibit an unanswerable proof of this. The only solution is this. These holy men all spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But, the progress of science discloses a new harmony here. I mean the exact harmony of Divine revelation with all the genuine disclosures of science in nature, and provi- dence. Every discovery of historical researches, and geo- logy throws a new light, and lends a fresh evidence to the Book of God. And the wisest of our philosophers now take the Bible as their unerring guide, even in the novel points of science. The God of nature, and providence is the God of our salvation. Food is not more adapted by his goodness to the hungry ; nor light to the eyes ; nor sound to the ears; than are the good news and glad tidings of his gospel to guilty and dying man ! In addition to all this, there is the combination of divine OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 55 and fascinating beauties. What moral loveliness on the page of divine revelation ! What purity ! What sublimity in natural imagery, and mental conceptions ! What a di- vine, and invincible efficacy attends them ! By them are we renewed, reformed, and sanctified. Then, there is the overwhelming appeal to our certain ex- perience, as rational beings and Christians. The Bible describes the knowledge of God. I feel that I do know him, as there described. The Bible describes the love of God. I feel that I love him, as there described. The Bible sets before me the only Saviour, and the mode of ac- cepting him. I trust I feel that I have that faith in him which it describes, and that I cleave to him by that love which it commands. The Bible alone details the process of regeneration, and sets forth the duties, and happiness of penitence, and a holy life. I humbly believe that I feel in me, that new nature, — that passing from death to life ; that " mournful joy, and pleasing pain," attending true repent- ance, and holiness in the Christian life. There is a sober reality in this. A child can discern infallibly his father's voice in the dark night of his wander- ings. And can any one persuade me that I cannot discern the voice of my Heavenly Father, speaking to me in his word, and in my heart 1 Can I feel, without deception, that my heart loves my kind parents? And can any one per- suade me that I do not know that I love my God, and Sa- viour 1 This is the sober knowledge of fact, and mental experience. And it corresponds, of course, with the dic- tates of infallible authority. I open the holy book, and thus read: — "If any man will do God's will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. "John vii. 17. " Hereby we do know, that we know God, if we keep his com- mandments." 1 John ii. 3. I humbly trust I feel by God's grace, that I will do God's will. And, thence, I know, that these doctrines are of 66 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. God. I know when, by his grace, I keep God's com- mands ; and, hence, I have the assurance that I know my God and Saviour. As no human power can persuade me against the evidence of my external senses : even so, no Satanic power shall be able to persuade me against the evi- dence of my internal senses. I have arrived at the conclusion that there is as genuine philosophy in the evidence of the Bible, and of practical religion ; as there is in any branch whatever^ of judicial, or scientific evidence. Precious Bible ! What a rich treasure have I found in this book 1 Every thing do I find here necessary for me to know, as it respects grace, and glory ; time and eterni- ty ! my God, help me to render to thee my humble and hearty thanks for it, and all the blessings which it an- nounces to us ! A PRAYER. Almighty God, and merciful Father, I would humbly ap- proach thee in the light which thy love has shed on us, by thy Holy Word. In this light alone can I see thee, and know thee, my God, in Jesus Christ. Blessed be thou, Lord, for the choice gift of thy Holy Scriptures, conveyed to us by thy prophets, and apostles. The mystery of thy will, and good pleasure, was kept secret since the world began ; and none of all the sous of men could penetrate it. But now, it is made manifest ; and, by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to thy command, O everlasting God, is it made known to all nations, for the obedience of faith. To thee, my God, do I give hearty thanks, and praise, for this precious gift of thy mind, and will, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. And these Holy Scriptures hast thou, moreover, graciously given to us, in a language which we understand. Thou hast ill great mercy, set us free from the tyranny of thy foes, OP THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 57 and our foes, who lock up the holy Bible, and declare it a prohibited book. Glory be to thy kind providence, which gave me my being in a land of Bibles, and the glorious gos- pel light. For this rich boon of thy love, will I adore thee for ever ! These Holy Scriptures hast thou ordained to be a light to my feet, and a lamp to my path. Without them, I know, O Lord, that it is not in man that walketh, to direct his steps. Without them, could I never find my way over the dark mountains, to the throne of thy glory. To my weary soul, thy Word is the refreshing cloud by day ; and the shining of the pillar of fire by night, throughout my pilgrim- age in this wilderness. Oh ! lead me, and guide me, dear Shepherd, through all this wearisome journey. And tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest at morn, and eve, and where thou causest thy flock to rest in the burning hour of noon ; and let me never turn aside after the flocks of thy companions. Thee will I follow whither- soever thou leadest. And thy steps, beaming with the hea- venly light of thy word, will conduct me over Jordan into Canaan, thy glorious resting-place. Let me feel more and more, that mercy which has enjoin- ed on me the duty of searching thy Scriptures. For they testify of thee ; and in them we know that we have eternal life. Thou bestowest blessings on the man who delights in the law of God, and who therein meditates day and night. Open mine eyes, Lord, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Then shall thy testimonies be more and more my delight, and my counsellors. Thy law, O Lord, is perfect, converting the soul ; it is living and powerful ; it is sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. Here, my God, on this heart of mine, let thy divine grace prove the blessedness of its perfection, and its converting pow- er. Thy testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Let 6 68 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. my longing soul, Lord, enjoy this testimony of thine. It is sure ; it contains the unalterable doctrines, and pro- mises of thy love. It discloses the never-failing mercy of the well-ordered, and everlasting covenant. It sends home to my disconsolate heart, in the hour of sorrow, the reviv- ing assurances of thy unfailing presence, and unchanging love. — It makes the simple wise. I confess to thee, O Lord, that I am simple and foolish. I am constantly exposed to be the prey of sin ; and am apt to be tossed to and fro by every vain thing of time, and sense. Oh ! grant me the entrance of thy word, to send its wisdom and illumination into the inner man, that I may be wise to seek my salvation, and glory in the cross of Christ alone. All thy statutes are right ; rejoicing the heart. I have been a helpless wanderer from thee, Lord, the shepherd and bishop of my soul. Oh ! bring me back from all places into which I have wandered in the cloudy and dark day. Feed me with thy rod, among the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel, as in the days of old! Every command of thy word, Lord, is pure. From the fountain of infinite purity they issued. And to the purity of perfection in glory, do they lead us. Shed forth, I humbly beseech thee, my God, their purity into my heart, and life : that, being beautified with thy holiness, I may reflect back the fair image of its purity, to glorify my Father who is in heaven. — The fear of the Lord is clean ; it endureth for ever. Oh ! for this fear of the Lord, which is produced, and cherished in the soul by thy word and spirit ; this cleansing fear, which fills the heart with a godly jealousy, and watchful care, and holy anxiety to drive from the heart all that is defiling ; which purifies the soul for heaven ; and which endureth for ever in its imperish- able beauty in that land of the holy ! Through this word of thine, Lord, grant me sweet com- munion with thee, in aii my trials, and in all my earthly joys. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 69 More precious to me than gold, yea, than much fine gold ; and sweeter than honey, and the honeycomb, is the com- munion of the soul with thee, my Heavenly Father ; and with thee, my Blessed Redeemer ; and with thee, O Holy Spirit ! And oh ! my God, whatever thou mayest deny me, in this world, or see fit to take fi-om me, — may I ever enjoy the love of my Heavenly Father ; and the grace of my blessed Redeemer, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. And glory shall be thine, in Christ for ever. " Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, &c. Amen. CHAPTER III. OUR GOD, THE ONE, LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. " This is life eternal to know thee, the only true God." I. God's Existence. — The God of nature is the God of the Bible, the God of Adam, his posterity, and the church. This point is settled in the book of Genesis ; and uniformly recognized over all the pages of holy writ. " That which may be known of God is manifest to man ; for God hath showed it to 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 man is without excuse." Rom. i. 19, 20. " Day utters speech to-day, and night to-night, Tells knowledge. Silence has a tongue ; the grave, The darkness, and the lonely waste, has each, A tongue that ever says, — Man, think of God ! Think of thyself! Think of eternity ! Fear God, the thunders say ; fear God, the waves ; Fear God, the lightning of the storm replies. Fear God, deep loudly answered back to deep !" POLLOK. The existence of mind, matter, and motion, do most conclusively prove that there is a God. Could that globe OUR GOD, ETC. 61 Standing before you, make itself; or spring up into being without the hand of the artist ? Could this vast earth, and these globes rolling around in the blue vault of heaven, create themselves ; or spring into being, by, chance ? What power short of omnipotence could put these worlds into motion ? What wisdom short of infinite wisdom, could plan the heavens and the earth; adapt each part to the whole ; arrange each globe in its own proper place ; and roll them on without defect, or confusion, each in its own orbit ? What but an infinite mind and spirit, could create so many diverse minds ; and give to each its own faculties and attributes ; and preserve them in mental operation ] The devout mind sees the presence of God in every thing. We see God operating in grandeur and power, in the minutest things, and greatest things ; in the wonders of the grain of sand; in the wonders of the stupendous hills ; in the wonders of the great deep. We trace his footsteps by the microscope, in the minute world, of ani- mate and inanimate things, removed far below the reach of the naked eye. By the telescope we trace his wonderful outgoings, in the vast regions of the heavens, far beyond the reach of the unassisted eye. We see his beauty and goodness in spring : in the splendours of summer : in the profusions of autumn : and his glory in the rolling clouds, and roaring tempests of winter. " My father made them all !" We hear him in the murmuring stream ; in the whispering breeze ; in the loud moaning of the winds. His voice is uttered in the roaring wave, and the peal of thunder. We see his terrible glory in the flash of his lightning ; and the gleaming thunderbolt ! His name is written on every plant, on every flower, on every tree ; from the humble shrub to the stateliest oak of the forest. His being and perfections are uttered aloud overall the kingdoms of nature, and providence. In these disclosures am I taught distinctly that there is an Almighty Creator of all things. And I see, — I know, 6* 62 OUR GOD, THE ONE, — I feel, that he is a just, and a terrible Being, as well as a GOOD Being. I look on the innumerable displays of his goodness on the earth, in the air, in the waters ; and I would fondly love him. I look on his terrible judgments ; I see him "marching through the land in indignation ;" I see him in the awful justice of his nature, " threshing the heathen in his anger ;" and I tremble before him, and throw myself down in despair. I see his messengers of justice, war, famine, pestilence, diseases, death, sweeping away our species, gene- ration after generation. I am filled with horror, and all my bones quake, before him. I am conscious of guilt. I am conscious of his inflexible holiness. Can such a Being love me? Can he pity me? Can he have mercy? No creature can answer this. All nature is dumb. Human wisdom says, it is not in me to answer. The Bible alone can answer this ; and it has fully an- swered it. It has drawn the hitherto impenetrable veil thrown over the Deity. It points our eyes to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. And it sends this cheering voice from the excellent glory — God is a just God, and A Saviour! II. The Unity of the Godhead. — The true God can have none above him, or independent of him. And there can be no god equal to him. — While there are three divine persons in the Godhead ; there is only one essence, one omnipotence, one will, one God. But, suppose there were two Gods of equal and dis- tinct essence ; they would have equal power, and be equally independent of each other. Yet, this being the case, nei- ther of them could create, or rule without the full consent of the other. If one of them did so, it would bring one Almighty being into collision with another Almighty being. Since, then, neither could act without the full consent of the other, it follows that each of them is dependent on LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 63 the other. But a dependent being is not God. Reason, then, decides, that there must be one God, or no God. But reason and the* existence of mind, matter, and motion demonstrate that there is a God. Hence there is only one LIVING AND TRUE GoD. The Bible sets the doctrine of God's unity in the clear- est light. " Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." Deut. vi. 4. " I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your king." Isa. xliii. 15. " I am the first, I am the last; and besides me there is no God." "Is there a God beside me 1 Yea there is no God ; I know not any." Isa. xliv. 6, 8. " There are gods many, and lords many ; but to us there is one God." 1 Cor. viii. 5. III. The Perfections of God. — Our God is eternal. — In his divine essence God is infinite ; and as certainly as he is infinite in essence, so is he eternal. " The mode of existence always follows the mode of essence. Because existence adds nothing to essence, but actuality : neither is it indeed distinct from essence. Now, duration is no- thing else but continued existence. Hence, it follows that if God's essence be infinite, his existence and duration must also be infinite."* That is, God is eternal. Angels and men are eternal by the will of God. But of HIM only is it said, — " He only hath immortality." He only has an eternity without succession of time. He only has an eternity before we existed. He only has an eternity, over all our duration. And this eternity is abso- lute and necessary, it is derived from none : it is dependent on none. " Art thou not from everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One?" Hab. i. 12. Our God is infinite. — His essence we cannot com- * Gale's Court of the Gentiles, B. ii. 4. Sect. 3. 64 OUR GODj THE ONE, prehend. It has no bounds of time or space. He is without limit in every perfection. God is infinite : no one was before him : no being is superior to him : no being is equal to him. His being and essence are as far superior to the being and essence of man, as infinity is to what is finite. God is infinite : no one sphere of his activity is limited ; no aid of any cause needs he in acting. Whatever he wills to do, that he can do ; and that he does infallibly.* Our God is unchangeable. — This follows necessarily from the fact of his essence being infinite. He cannot change, for he cannot descend from the infiniteness of his perfections. He will not change ; and his will is the will of omnipotence. He cannot be charged by any agent, or cause. He is infinitely over all, and above all. " If he were to change, it must be to what is infinitely better ; or to what is infinitely the reverse."| But each of this is im- possible. There are two impressive evidences of this set before us. The 1st is in the Holy Bible. " I am Jehovah ; I change not." Mai. iii. 6. " With the Father of lights there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning." James i. 17. 2d. In the work of Redemption. God's immutability is the very basis on which rests this entire plan of mercy through Christ. Had the throne of his government not been un- changeable ; had his infinite justice and holiness admitted of a change in any degree in his law, and honour : in a word, could the Holy One have receded from the high claims of infinite purity, justice, and law, he would have spared his own Son ; and sacrificed law, and justice. But he spared not his own Dear Son. Therefore he is immutable in every perfection. And he who is immutably just to his own law and go- * Turretine. t Plato, De Republ. LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 65 verument, is equally just to Christ, and his ransomed peo- ple. He who would not permit sin to go unpunished, will not permit one to perish for whom Christ did bear the full punishment of sin. Hence he will infallibly destroy the works of the devil, the world, the flesh, and death. Our God is omnipresent, and immense. — The first of these is a modification of the last. When we speak of his omnipresence, we mean the presence of his essence, his per- fections, and operations, wherever there is mind, and matter, and motion. He is in all, and with all, and over all beings and things. But God's essence and presence are not bounded by the limits of creation. He is equally present where no creature exists. And were he pleased to give birth to as many more worlds, and as many more creatures, he would be equally present with them, as with us. This we call God's immensity. The heathen had their gods of the hills, and their gods of the vallies. But our God is everywhere present. " Where is your God ?" We answer, — he is near us at all times : even nearer to us than our souls are to our bo- dies. He is in the assemblies of heaven's vast populations. He is present with the doomed in the regions of wo. He is in the busy haunts of the city ; and in the retired spots of every land. His presence pervades the gulfs of ocean ; and the most dreary solitudes of the wilderness. He is present with every particle of air and light, ana sand, and dust, and water. He regulates the movements, and posi- tions of each of these ; as well as those of men, and angels, and empires, and all the worlds above ! And his essence is not spread like air or light, over space. He is a perfect God, in his entire essence, in every spot at once. He has no relation to space, as he has no relation to time. " Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off*? Can any hide himself in secret places, that 66 OUR GOD, THE ONE, I should not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven, and earth, saith the Lord." Jer. xxiii. 23. " Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ; or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If 1 ascend up into heaven, thou art there : if I make my bed in the lowest deeps of hades, thou art there !" Ps. cxxxix. Our God is omniscient. — This follows from his per- vading all, and operating by his perfections in all space. He must necessarily know all things. Besides, he has a perfect and most exact knowledge of his own infinite being, mind, and will. Hence, he must have an exact knowledge of all finite things. " He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? He that formed the eye, shall he not see ? — The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man." Ps. xciv. 9, 10. "He telleth the number of the stars ; he calleth them all by their names." Ps. cxlvii. 4, 5. Our God has infinite wisdom. — This attribute con- sists in his perfect comprehension of the nature of all things ; the relations which these bear to each other : their harmony and opposition : their fitness and unfitness as means to produce certain effects. It is displayed through all nature, all his providence ; and in the kingdom of grace. In a special manner is it glorified in selecting Christ; appointing him to be mediator ; preparing him a body, and soul, to be the real and proper matter of a sacrifice. Hence our Lord is called the Wisdom of God. The goodness of our God. — The divine goodness is that perfection of God's nature, by which he is moved to do us good. It is the cause of our being, and our preserva- tion ; it is the source of our hopes, and the foundation of our happiness. For, by his infinite goodness, was his om- nipotence moved to put forth its glory in the creation of all LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 67 things out of nothing. Nothing from without his divine mind could move the Deity to bring into existence all ina- nimate nature, and all the unnumbered classes of living beings which exist. Neither necessity, nor want could have moved him. The self-existent God could not be under a necessity from any thing. And since he has all perfection in himself, he could never be in want of any created thing. This display of power could, therefore, proceed only from infinite goodness ; of which it is a glorious effect to give being, and happiness to so many creatures. This perfection is strikingly exhibited in preserving all creatures and things, in existence, and in their proper spheres, and movements. Infinite goodness alone moves the arm of Omnipotence in exerting itself in these acts, the doing of which requires the same almighty power which brought all things into«existence. But above all, is divine goodness displayed in the work of redemption. Here it puts forth itself in all its richest variety, and glory. For what is the grace of God, but just the freeness of the divine goodness to those who never me- rited a favour? What is the mercy of God, but just the divine goodness to those who are in misery. What is the patience, and forbearance of God, but just the goodness of God toward the guilty in deferring their punishment, to give them time to repent? What is the love of God, but just the divine goodness pouring out the tenderness of his affec- tions on us, reclaiming us, and sanctifying us, and bringing us all home to his glory ? And how great is God's goodness ! We may perceive something of its grandeur in its outgoings to us. By it, our Heavenly Father was moved to stoop from his throne to pity us. By it, our Blessed Saviour was moved to leave the throne of his glory, and to bend his mysterious steps into our rebellious world ; and to humble himself, and be- come obedient Uiito death, even the death of the cross, that 68 OUR GOD, THE ONE, he might ransom us from sin, death, and hell. By it, the Holy Spirit raised us to the adoption of God's children, and the rich, and eternal inheritance of heaven ! The justice of our God. — Viewed absolutely, it is the unbending rectitude of his nature, by which all the acts of his divine perfections are regulated unceasingly. View- ed relatively, it signifies the rectitude of all the divine acts and proceedings toward his rational creatures ; as their ru- ler, benefactor, and judge. God's justice is glorified in the following ways in his moral government : — 1st. He prescribes to man his laws, just, and in all re- spects suited to us. The truth of this is evident. God only is the judge of their justness and suitableness. And he has actually enjoined them on us, as altogether befitting his own honour and our happiness. These laws are of tivo classes. — They are either moral, that is, just and right in the nature of things. For instance, we must love God, and obey him : we must not kill, nor steal. Or, they are positive laws ; that is, they derive their obligation purely, and alone from the will of God enjoin- ing them. For instance, we must keep the Sabbath day holy ; we must celebrate Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. From the first of these originate our moral duties ; which are binding on all men from their very nature, as well as the will of God. From the second, originate our positive duties, binding on us, not from the nature of the case, but simply from the positive will of our God, fixing in his right- ful sovereignty, a test, and law of our love and obedience. " If you love me, keep my commandments." " Do this in remembrance of Me." In these, we have a divine specimen of both of these laws. 2d. The justice of our God sustains these laws by due rewards, and penalties. These are essential to good laws. Take them away, and the law dwindles down to a mere LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 69 petition and request. It is in justice to himself, as well as to his moral subjects, therefore, that God enforces his laws by these. It is no less in justice to God's government, and to man, that the rewards promised to the faithful, should be superior to all possible losses and pains on earth ; and that the punishment of disobedience, should be greater than all possible gains, and pleasures which man can promise to himself in breaking these laws. Hence, when the law is in all respects good, as God's law is, it follows that the good- ness and justice of God are displayed, just in proportion to the greatness of the reward, and the severity of the penalty. For if the rewards and penalty were inadequate, there would be a temptation held out to break the law. Now, God's law being infinitely good, the reward held out to the faithful can- not be too great ; nor can the penalty be too severe. And, accordingly, divine justice has fixed heaven, and its eternal felicity as the reward by his grace ; and the eternal and in- tolerable miseries of hell, as the penalty of unbelief, and fi- nal impenitence. 3d. God's justice is exhibited in its strict and impar- tial retribution. It bestows the reward ; and it inflicts the tremendous penalty, according to the letter of law, and gospel. God cannot promise, and declare one thing, and do another. He cannot deny himself. The promised re- ward comes as certainly as he maintains the infinite recti- tude of his nature, and his government ; whether that reward comes through the claims of holy obedience ; as in the case of the angels of heaven : or, through the claims of our Redeemer's merits and intercession, to the believer, as the reward of grace. — And the penalty must, for the same reason, be inflicted in its full extent, without fail, or com- promise. It must fall, for God hath declared it. And it so fell on the heads of the fallen angels, in its immeasura- ble vengeance. And it so fell on the head of our Lord Jesus Christ, the voluntary and accepted substitute of God's 7 70 OUR GOD, THE ONE, Church. And never was there such another exhibition of divine justice, in all its ineffable loveliness, and all its unbending rectitude. The oMNiroTENCB of our God. — The almighty power of God is always set prominently out in the pages of Re- velation. An important object is to be gained by this. The leading aim of Bible truth is to bring man to the true object of worship ; the true religion ; and the true worship ; idolatry is to be abolished ; and wickedness checked, and destroyed ; and the redeemed brought home. Hence the only true God must be The Almighty One. But the God of Adam, and of the Church is the true God ; for by the declarations of the first book of the Bible, he created the heavens and the earth. And he is set forth in his glorious majesty in a most instructive contrast with idols : — the dumb, and deaf, and blind, and impotent gods of the nations. And all are required to worship him alone. — " All the gods of the nations are idols : but Jehovah made the heavens. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ! worship him in the beauty of holiness ; fear before him, all the earth." Ps. xcvi. And to quicken our adoration of the only true God, con- template the vastness of his power. By his word he spake, and it was done ! He created the matter of all worlds, out of nothing. By his word he brought this, and all other worlds into being and beautiful order, out of the chaos and confusion of matter. He created the light be- fore he made the sun. He fixed the light in each of the great suns of their respective systems. He formed each star, and globe ; and each system that exists, and moves in space, around his throne. He gave each globe its place, and orbit ; he gave each of them by a word, their vast rapidity of motion: he sustains them in that undimi- Dished motion, and fixed law of their orbit, from age to age, LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 71 without a visible degree of variation. " He has stretched out the north over the empty place ; and he hangs the earth upon nothing." He has given to each world its own pe- culiar inhabitants. He has formed all matter, animate and inanimate : all animals, all the human, and the angelic families. He keeps up, on the earth, the unvaried succes- sion of each genus, and species, of living thing. '* In him we live, and move, and have our being." Now, let us see how nature and revelation respond mu- tually in proclaiming this power of Almighty God. The globes in the starry regions still move on, as they have done, for ages without change, or confusion. The mighty power of God is there put forth. The ocean still heaves his terri- ble waves ; but there is still a hand that fixes their bounds, and stays the proud waves. " God touches the mountains ; and they smoke." Every volcanic mountain raises its smoking summit, and from age to age mutters in its terrific thunders the powers of a present God. " He lifteth up his voice to the clouds, and abundance of rain covereth man." Behold the unceasing process of his power. The waters cease not to ascend in vapours into the clouds ; and return in copious showers ; or, " he giveth snow like wool ; and scattereth the hoar frost like ashes." '*' He sendeth light- nings, that they may go : and they say unto Him, — here we are !" We see, accordingly, his lightnings playing in the clouds, and when his potent arm wields the gleaming thunderbolt, — " we see where he stands by the flash of his eye !" — '' He removeth the mountains," — " he shaketh the earth, and the pillars thereof tremble!" The terrible earth- quake fulfils this to the letter, among the horror-stricken cities of the east, and the south. " All flesh is as grass :" " All the nations are before him, as vanity, — as less than nothing !" What was the Spanish Armada before his winds, and waves ! What was the mighty host of the Assyrian king before his angel moving on in the death-bearing sirocco of the desert ! 72 OUR GOD, THE ONE, What were the proudly equipt hosts of Napoleon before his deadly frosts of the North ! What are all the human family before his Almighty arm, sweeping them away, generation after generation, by the angel of Death ! And there is a connecting link of evidence here, which brings these things, in power, and assurance, home to the heart. While we look at nature thus responding in exact accordance with revelation, — God makes us feel, each of us, his power, in our own personal experience. In every breath I draw, in every pulse that beats, in every act of my sen- ses, I feel a present God, in his power. My members move ; my faculties are kept in exercise ! God's power is here. I feel a new spiritual life in me. I am a new crea- ture in Christ Jesus : I know, believe, love, and repent. That God, who is Almighty in nature, is my Almighty Redeemer. That God, who exercises such vast power in nature, puts forth the same power with his love, on my be- half, to ransom me, to protect me, to guide me, and to bring me home to glory. " Oh ! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How un- searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. — For of him, and through him, and to him are all things ; to whom be glory, for ever ; Amen." ClUESTIONS. What is God ? Is the God of nature the same as the God of the Bible ? Prove it. Can God's being be proved from nature's works ? Is this sufficient ] 4. What do the Scriptures say 1 What does the Bible reveal, which nature and reason cannot? God is one ? prove this from reason and Scripture. His eternity, what? prove it in the same manner. God is infinite : define it ; prove it. LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 73 His immutability : define it ; two evidences of it ; what ? His omnipotence, what? His immensity, what? His omniscience, what ? Proof. His wisdom, what ? Proof His goodness : define it : how displayed by him ? Name the varieties in which his goodness shows itself. His justice : define it : its three displays, what ? His omnipotence ; define it : give specimens of it. 0oes the voice of nature respond to Revelation on this matter ? The proof in our personal experience, what ? How feel you, my dear youth, in your soul and heart, in reference to the proof of God's being, and his glorious per- fections ? Lovest thou God, as the only living and true God ? Lay, now, thy hand on thy heart, and say, — " God ! thou knowest that I love thee." What ! darest thou live, and move on God's earth, and yet art thou unprepared to put, and answer this question, — <' O Lord, do I love thee with all my soul and heart ?" MEDITATION. Bless the Lord, my soul. Thou wast not abandoned of God, and left without hope. O, had this been my lot under him who is "severe" in his justice, as well as " good" in grace, 1 should, on account of my guilt, have been like the heathen. I should, like them, have been guilty of neglecting " the things that are clearly seen," and " under- stood" by God's glorious works. I should, like them, have been without excuse. I should, like them, have been a worshipper of the host of heaven ; or, yielding to my own passions, I should have been an adorer of the ferocious idols of the North ; or of the licentious idols of the balmy climate of the East and South. When I meditate on Almighty God, and his perfections, my soul is overwhelmed, and melted down within me. He 7* 74 OUR GOD, THE ONE, is God, the great and terrible God. I tremble before him. But he bids me draw near. He proclaims himself, " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious ; forgiving ini- quity, transgression, and sin." Oh! he is my God in Christ ; my own God, and Father. My soul draws near to him. I revere him. I adore him. I love him ! Whom have I in the heavens, but thee ? And there is none on the earth that I desire besides thee. Thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever ! Our God is one. Besides him there is not, there cannot be any other. I know no other. I own no other. With him there is no rival in the heavens, or on the earth. Oh ! the atheism of man who goeth after strange gods ! I charge thee, O my soul, let there be no idol within thee ; none on the throne of thy heart. And to guard against mental idola- try, and the idolatry of the world, let my soul be filled and possessed with the knowledge of God. Let him be wel- comed, and received, and adored in my heart. Oh ! for a true faith, an ardent love, a profound penitence, holy affec- tions, and sanctified desires ! Then shall I render him a pure worship, and a uniform self-surrender, and a truly Christian obedience in life. ANOTHER MEDITATION. I meditate on the Eternity of God. My soul is lost in the boundless conception. The Eternal God! Oh! what are ye all, ye creatures of time ! Oh ! breadth, and length, and height, and depth of God's eternity ! He had no beginning. He had no cause of his existence. None were before him. There is no succession of time with him ; and no end with him ! Infinite duration adds nothing to his age. The subtraction of eternity from him would make him no younger ! Thou, God, alone canst say, — I AM ! In thy august presence I am a worm, and nothing. I am LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 76 less than nothing ! Yet, O my soul, glorify God, for thou art made immortal ! Yes, I am an immortal being. Oh ! delightful, and most transporting thought ! Thou art immor- tal ! Wonderful glory and honour ! The decree has gone forth ; and is irrevocable. I shall live for ever ! Yes, for ever and ever ! Yes. Oh ! transporting thought, I shall live as long as the throne of the eternal God shall exist ! Think on this, my soul, and renounce the world, with its beg- garly honours, and pleasures And let it be thy great con- cern to be ready to meet thy God in thy eternal home. ANOTHER MEDITATION. I meditate on God's immutability. Thou little world, and all ye little things which do, nevertheless, engross the sole attention and devotion of worldly men ; all ye fast fading objects and pleasures, depart from me. To an immortal spirit nothing changeable can be glory or happiness. The immutable God alone is my portion. I meditate on God's omnipresence. He is everywhere ! He is always with me. He sees my most secret thoughts, and actions. Oh ! my soul, bear this in thy constant re- membrance. Thou, God, seest me ! Watch, O my soul, over all thy thoughts, over all thy secret desires, affections, appetites, and all thy besetting sins ! Thou, God, seest me ! And shall I dare sin against my God ? Will any conside- ration, O my soul, of profit or pleasure, move thee to dare sin against thy God ! No, no, my God. I am thy temple. O take possession of me, and walk thou in thy own temple, in the joyful triumphs of thy grace and holiness ! And while God's goodness ceases not to heap favours on me ; and his justice secures to me every blessing of the everlasting covenant ; and his omnipotence conquers every enemy, and conducts me to his throne of glory, — cease not, my soul, to devote thyself to thy Heavenly Father, in life, and in death. Amen. 76 OUR GOD, THE ONE, A PRAYER. Most Holy One ! I adore thee, the only true God. The gods of the nations are idols. But thou art God, for thou hast made the heavens and the earth. I will glorify thee, Lord, for thou hast done wonderful works. Thy coun- sels of old are faithfulness and truth. Thou art our God, we have waited for thee ; we will be glad, and rejoice in thy salvation. — And, grant, I beseech thee, Lord, that while 1 abhor the idols of the heathen, and of the Man of Sin, I may be delivered from all idolatry, and superstition. Drive away from my soul, and heart every vanity and idol. Cleanse me from all spiritual idol worship. And reign thou, my Heavenly Father, without a rival in my heart unceasingly. Thou art the Eternal One : I adore thy eternity, and bless thee that the Eternal One is my Father in heaven. Prepare me, thy poor humble servant, for thy presence and glory in the everlasting abodes prepared by thy love for us, in eternity. Thou art the unchangeable One : and I adore thee, my faithful covenant keeping God. Grant that by thy grace, I may be steadfast, and immoveable in my devotions, and duty to thee : ever clinging to thee amid the world's evils, and sorrows. For thou, O Lord, wilt never leave me, nor for- sake me, for ever. In all my wants, — and they are innumerable, — bring me, O Lord, to the inexhaustible fountain of thy goodness. When oppressed with sin, help me to fly to thy grace. When trembling under a sense of my unworthiness, lead me to the throne of mercy, in Christ. When driven almost to de- spair, oh ! let my poor soul feel a reviving sense of thy love, and patience, and forbearance. When bowed down, and crushed to the dust, under a terrible conviction of my guilt, my God, help me to fly to the cleansing blood of Jesus. Clothe me in his righteousness, then shall I stand LIVING, AND TRUE GOD. 77 up in the face of thy justice ; and I will love and adore its infinite purity, and exact requirements. — And, my gracious Father, while, by thy good pleasure, I pursue my pilgrimage through life, let thy omnipotence be my sure defence. Let thy power be honoured in my weakness, while I overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. And seal thou, Lord, on my soul, the sweet and soothing assurance, that thou wilt receive me, at last, in thy love and power, to thy man- sions ; and that this poor clay tabernacle, which will rest in hope, with the clods of the valley, shall, by thy omnipotence, be raised ; and summoned to join thee ; and to receive back its long absent soul. And so, Lord God Almighty, I shall ever be with thee. Glory for ever be to thee. " Our Father who art," &c. Amen. CHAPTER IV. OF OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. " There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." 1 John v. 7. O God, thou art my God, I will praise thee ! In the unity of the Godhead, there is a plurality of per- sons. This is a doctrine purely of revelation, but it is not contrary to reason ; for we do not say that God is one and three, in the same sense. But God is one in one sense, and he is three in another sense ; in divine essence God is one : in tliis one essence there are more persons than one. Thus, I can say without violating reason, that I am one in one sense, and three in another. I am one human be- ing : yet in me, there are three distinct things, namely, a soul, a body, and a spirit. And, here, let me remind my young reader, that while God requires us to sit in judgment on the testimony and evidence of divine revelation ; we must never entertain the idea of sitting in judgment on God himself, his being, or the doctrines he is pleased to reveal. Let this be noted with piety and care. The question of the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures being settled, by that most perfect evidence which OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 79 God has given us, the only question that remains relative to the doctrines, and facts of the Bible, is simply this, — Is the doctrine, or the fact, under discussion, set forth in the Bi- ble ? If it be shown that it is therein contained, then it is manifest that God has spoken it. And we must receive it by faith, and yield to it our most cordial faith, and submission. It may be a profound mystery, or it may be a simple truth : our minds may be weak ; others may be strong. It may be dark and mysterious ; or very luminous. These enter not into its credibility. We believe simply on the ground of evidence. This is the basis of faith in the physical and moral, as well as spiritual world. Ten thousand things in physics, and nature, do I believe ; while I cannot com- prehend them. So in theology ; I do not stop to inquire, does my feeble reason comprehend this, or not ? This course would be absolutely irrational. I inquire simply, is this doctrine uttered by God? Has he recorded it in the Holy Bible ? First : — The Scriptures teach us distinctly that there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead. Elohim, the proper name of God, is in the plural ; yet is it used with a singular verb in the simple language of holy Writ. I fully agree with Dr. Pye Smith that no sufficient reason has ever yet been advanced to set aside the force of the argument that this word Elohim is studiously used to indicate a plurality of persons in the Godhead. This receives strength from the consideration that the Jews were set apart from all other nations, as the worshippers of the One true God. On the supposition that there is no plurality in the Godhead, it must be admitted that the use of a plural word to express God can "with difficulty be defended from the charge of perni- cious example, and very dangerous tendency." This receives additional strength from the Bible use of phrases implying plurality. " Come, let us make man in 80 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. OUR image." " Behold the man, he " was" as one of us."* " Remember thy Creators in the days of thy youth." " Thy Makers is thy husband." And, finally, these divine persons are named : " I and the Father are One." "There are three that bear record in heaven ; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are One.|" See Hoioe Solitarice : Owen ; Kidd on the Trinity : Wardlaw : Stuart : and Hall. I. The Father is the true God. This no one denies. But it is of importance to attend carefully to the proof of this. 1st. Names, and titles are be- stowed on him which the Holy Scriptures never apply to any created being. For instance, he is Jehovah ; the One who is, and who was, and who is to come : he is Jah ; the I am ; the Most High God. 2d. He is uniformly honoured by attri- butes never bestowed on a creature. He is the self-existent one ; infinite; eternal ; immutable ; and Almighty God. 3d. He is glorified as doing the works which no created power can do. He is Creator of all : the Preserver of man and beast : sovereign Ruler over all in heaven, and on earth : the God of salvation ; the Judge of all men, and of angels, and devils. 4th. He is the object of supreme and exclusive wor- ship by all in heaven, and all on earth. This God is our God. II. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and the true God. First. He is the Son of God, and Son of Man. — We ♦ This is the true rendering of Genesis iii. 22. t Bisliop Burgess, in two volumes on this text, is considered by Bound scholars to have settled the authenticity of this text. He pro- duces quotations of it from the Greek Fathers, and thus meets the challenge of Prof. Porson. OUR GODj THE TRIUNE GOD. 81 must bear in mind that our Redeemer is presented to our faith in his two distinct sonships. He is the Son of God ; and the Son of Man. These two we must never confound ; nor mistake in their distinctive characters. As Son of God, he sits enthroned in his natural, unborrowed, and im- mutable divinity. As Son of Man, he stands forth in his assumed character. As Son of Man and mediator, he stands forward in his official character. This we must carefully distinguish from his natural and immutable character. Had man never existed, he would have been the Son of God, as much as the first person is the Father, or the third is the Holy Spirit. Had men never been, or had they not fallen, nor needed redemption, he never would have been the Son of Man. As Son of Man, he took on him the form of a servant. In this assumed character he is less than the Father. For, says he, " The Father is greater than I." But he who in his wonderful grace and mercy, is a servant, a victim and substitute by his own voluntary act, is the Eternal Son of God. And, as such, he is equal in power and glory with the Father. For he expressly says, — " I and the Fa- ther are one." " And whatsoever things the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." " As the Father raiseth the dead, and quickeneth them ; even so the Son quickeneth whom he wilL^^ ''He that hath seen the Father, hath seen the Son ; the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father." John v. 19, 21, xiv. 9. 10. Hence he did not become the Son of God by his miracu- lous birth. Look at the testimony of the word ; how read- est thou ? " That holy thing, the Son of Mary, was called," and ever shall be called, — not made but " called the Son of God." For he who took this human sonship, is the Son of God, and he was called in heaven from all eternity the Son of God, and will to all eternity be adored as Son of God. 8 82 OUR GODj THE TRIUNE GOD. He was not made the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead. Look into thy Bible. How readestthoul "He was declared to be the Son of God, with power." That is, he was by the irresistible power of God's own demon- stration proved to be the Son of God, by the unanswerable evidence of his resurrection from the dead, by his own power. He is the Son of God, not as Adam, and as angels were ; or as believers are. The first two are the sons of God by his immediate act of creation ; the last, by adoption. But Christ, infinitely diverse from them all, is " God's own pecu- liar Son : God's only begotten Son : God's eternal Son." The nature of this filiation of Christ is, of course, not comprehensible by finite minds. It is one of those things in the world of mind and matter, which is purely the sub- ject of divine revelation ; and is received on the ground of divine testimony alone. I believe it simply on the testi- mony of Almighty God. Let us apply our minds to this tes- timony. Psalm ii. 7. " I will declare the decree." But allow me to translate it literally, — "I will declare according to the de- cree : the Lord hath said to me, thou, my Son, this day have I begotten thee." It is impossible to mistake this. The Father plainly declares that the ground on which Christ is his Son, is not that of his being mediator : but on that of his being begotten by him from " the day," which with God, with whom there is no past nor future, must mean the day of eternity ; that is, from all eternity. He is not his Son, by virtue of his official mission into the world. He was the Son of God in the days of David. For that inspired saint exhorted the Jews to worship the Son of God, "lest he be angry with them." Ps. ii. 12. Hence, as Son of God, he was the object of worship ; and was, therefore, equal in glory, then, with the Father, long before his incarnation. OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 83 It is also very evident that our Lord's eternal filiation is the foundation of the decree declared by the Son. For, un- less Christ had this existence as God's own peculiar Son, from all eternity, he could not have been set up, and con- stituted our Mediator by this everlasting decree, in which he received the transfer of the heathen to him, as his inherit- ance. He who received this transfer from all eternity, must have had a previous existence to that transfer. But two things are here manifest. As Son of God he received this transfer of the heathen to him for his inheritance ; and this transfer was made to him in eternity. Hence he is the Son of God from all eternity. And hence he was Son of God previous to his assuming his official character, as Son of Man, and as Mediator. Prov. viii. 24, 25. "When there were no depths, I was brought forth," &c. He of whom this is spoken, is the WISDOM of God, who performs official and divine acts. See Prov. ix. and 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. He is, therefore, a person, possessing divine power, and honours ; and is the Son of God. He is "set up," and is "by him who made all things," as "one brought up with him ; rejoicing always before him, and had his delights with the sons of men." And this infinite and glorious equal of the Father, was " brought forth," as his Son, " while as yet God had not made the earth," nor any of its inhabitants. It is manifest, then, that our Lord is the Son of God by eternal filiation ; and not by any official relation. John i. 14. " We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father." Let us carefully mark this exclusive expression. Christ is God's " only begotten Son." This sets him apart from every thing created and made. His sonship stands alone unparalleled by anything in the world of created things. He is the Father's own proper and peculiar Son ; and as certainly as the Father is 84 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. not a person by any office, or creation, so neither is the Son, his Son, by any office and creation. If the Son has merely an official, and assumed sonship : then must the Eternal Father have an official and created paternity. He who hold this, denies the Most Holy Trinity, and is an athe- ist. For what, I pray you, is the real difference between him who denies the existence of the true God, and him who denies the true and only existence of God ? Christ is God's "only begotten Son." He cannot be the Son of God by creation, therefore, for in that case, this "only begotten Son" would have a sonship in common with angels, and Adam. He is the Son of God not by adoption. If so, then this " only begotten Son" would hold his sonship in common with all saints. He is the Son of God not by office, and call to the medi- atorship. If he were, then can he in no sense be the "only begotten Son." For if a call to an office, be it ever so high, or ever so low, do make a person the Son of God, then are magistrates the " only sons of God ;" then was Aaron "the only begotten son of God." But Christ is "the only begotten Son ;" he has no equals, no rivals. Hence he is the Son of God not by any official relation. There is another point which I must not omit. If Christ be the Son of God by any created relation, then he could not be the object of worship as the Son of God. No official relation, be it ever so high, and no act of adoption, can elevate one to the rank of divine honours. To worship one in a created relationship ; or on a created throne, is an act of positive idolatry. If Christ, then, be the Son of God merely by official, and created relation, then to worship him is absolute idolatry on our part. But our Blessed Lord as Son of God, demands and re- ceives divine honours and religious worship. No one point is more manifest than this. We are to " honour the Sou OUR GOD, THE TR.IUNE GOD. 85 even as we honour the Father." " When God bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, — Let all the an- gels of God worship him." " And unto the Son he saith, thy throne, God, is for ever and ever." Hence, Christ is the Son of God in that sense, and in that sense alone, in which he is God the Father's equal, in power, and glory. On the other hand, if any man does believe that Christ is the Son of God by office, or adoption, or by extraordinary birth, or by his resurrection, then is Christ not the object of divine homage and worship to that person. He can no more worship this created object of worship, without being an idolator, than the Papist who worships his new-made god ! Hence if we give up the eternal filiation of Christ, as God's equal ; and admit him to our belief, as the Son of God only by office, then must we, under the awful penalty of idolatry and damnation, cease to adore and worship him. Hence we must surrender his Godhead ; and all trust, and hope in him as our God, and Redeemer. For no created official character, who is not the Father's equal, can save us. " Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm ; and whose heart departeth from the Lord," Jer. xvii. 5. We are reduced, then, to this awful dilemma. We must either surrender Christ, and all our hopes ; and with the eternal Son, surrender the Eternal Father, and all that de- pends on the divinity of the Father, and the divinity of the Son ; or we must admit the necessary and eternal filiation of the Son of God. That is, we must admit the eternal generation of Christ, or yield up the Eternal Father, and the doctrine of Trinity : and with that, yield up the only object of divine worship in the Church. Second: Christ is the true God. This, my dear young friends, is the radical doctrine of 8* 86 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. the gospel, and second to none in the whole field of divine revelation. Take away this doctrine of the supreme Deity of our Lord, and the glory is departed ! If our Redeemer is not the true and living God, in the same sense in which the Father is the true God, then is every Christian a gross idolator. If our Redeemer be not the true God, then is there no Saviour, no atonement, no throne of grace, no mercy, no hope for us, in time or eternity! Now, we laid down an outline of the proof of the Fa- ther's deity. By the same process do we establish tlie fact of our Lord's deity. I. He is presented to our faith, and divine worship, under those names which are, in no instance, conferred on any creature. He is God. We are taught by the spirit of in- spiration in Heb. ch. i. that in Psalm xlv. we are to recognize the deity of Christ. " Unto the Son the Father saith, thy throne, God, is for ever and ever." " In tlie beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God ; and the Word was God." — Here, you cannot but perceive how distinctly the spirit o^ inspiration sets forth his eternal sonship; "the Word was ^uith God ;" and at the same time his supreme Deity ; — " The Word was God." John i. 1. This is not all. The Spirit, foreseeing that the enemy would invest him with a created godship, or with the com- plimentary title, as magistrates, who are called gods, — has taken care that the demonstration be complete, that he is God supreme. In Col. i. 15, speaking of him who is "the image of the invisible God," as the Son of God ; and " the first-born of every creature" as Son of Man ; the Spirit expressly declai-es that Christ created all things in heaven, and in earth." Jehovah, the incommunicable name of Deity, belongs to him of right. In Isaiah vi. there is a vision of the glory of Jehovah of Hosts worshipped by angelic hosts ; this Jehovah utters his message to the prophet : verse OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 87 10. — Now, turn to John, ch. xii. 40, 41. There the apostle quotes the message of Jehovah to Isaiah, as the message of Jesus, and adds, — '' These things, said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." When John the Baptist came and prepared the way of Christ, it was testified of him by divine inspiration, that he was fulfilling the prediction of Isaiah : namely — " The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness ; prepare ye the way of Jehovah." Is. xl. 3. Luke iii. 4. Nothing is more evident, then, than this, that the ivay of Jesus Christ is the way of Jeaovah. That is, Jesus Christ is Jehovah our God. Let me direct your devout attention to Isaiah xlvii. 4 : " As for our Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts is his name." How do I know that this is applicable to Christ ? Let me translate it literally, and we shall see the force of the de- monstration of his Deity. " As for our Goel, Jehovah of Hosts is his name. Now, the Goel was the near kinsman^ who, by the Hebrew law could redeem the mortgaged inhe- ritance. I again, then, render the verse still more literally this, — " Our Goel, our Redeemer of nearest kin, — our kinsman Redeemer, is Jehovah of Hosts." To be our kinsman, he behoved to be of our flesh and blood. Hence he is called " God manifest in the flesh." 1 Tim. iii. 16. Under this head I arrange a class of proofs of great force. I offer a twofold specimen of them. 1st: — Christ w£LS made under the law. Now, all moral creatures are, by virtue of their creation, under God's law. But here is an extraordinary Being, who was made, that is, legally consti' tuted under the law by the Judge of all. Hence he is not a creature : hence he is the Creator, God over all ! Again : " Christ took on him the form of a servant." Phil. ii. 7. Now, every created being, by virtue of its creation, is a servant of God. But here is a Being, who by his own voluntary act, " took on himself the form of a servant." 88 OUR GOT), THE TRIUNE GOD. Hence he is no creature : hence he is the Creator, God over all ! 2nd : — You can glean a number of fine specimens of this form of proof, on the pages of the four gospels. How often did the rays of divine glory break through the vail of his humanity, and pour their heavenly effulgence on the eyes of the beholders. The humble guest at Cana, as the Great God, turned water into wine. " The conscious wa- ter saw its God, and blushed !" The man of sorrows was asleep in the ship : at the prayer of his disciples he arose, and as God, rebuked the winds and waves into a calm ! As the despised and rejected of men, he was expelled by the un- grateful Gadarenes from their coasts. As the Great God, he expelled the evil spirits from the tormented demoniacs ! As a servant under the law, he was tempted by the devil in the wilderness : as the Great God of heaven and hell, he cast out legions of devils ! He hungers and thirsts as a man, and begs a cup of water from the Samaritan : as the Great God, he multiplied the bread and fish to feed many thousands ! As the Son of Man, he weeps at the grave of Lazarus : as the Lord of life and of deathjhe raises him from the dead by his own unborrowed power ! As the man of sorrows, he bears all the ills of life : as the Great God, he utters his solemn word and pardons sin ! He is in his last agonies on his cross ; as the Great God, he utters the word, as God over all, and receives the dying peni- tent with him into heaven ! Behold his pitiable remains in the grave : behold him as the Great God, raising himself from the dead. " I have power to lay down my life," said he ; " and I have power to take it up again." H. He is invested with all the attributes of Deity. He is Almighty ; Revel, i. 8. And we have just seen that he did the works of the Almighty. He is omnipresent : John iii. 13. As man he was on earth, as God he filled heaven. And his presence in the church is guaranteed by OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 89 this attribute of his. " Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Matt, xviii. 20. " Lo ! I am with you always, even to the end of the world." Had he been a creature, he would not have used this phrase : he would have said, " I will be with you." As the Great God he alone can say, " I am ;" and " I am with you in all tlie world, and over all time." Our Lord knows all things. This follows from the fact of his being everywhere. I offer only one text, " Jesus knew all men ; and he needed not that any should testify of man ; for he knew what was in man." John ii. 25. Our Lord is the Creator of all things. " What things soever the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." " All things were created by him, the Word ; and without him, was not any thing made." John i. 3. Colos. i. 16. He exercises supreme power, and absolute dominion. "All power in heaven and on earth is given unto him." This transfer of power is made to him as Mediator. But, it is self-evident, that if he were not God over all, as the Son, he could not possess all power in heaven and in earth. A created God is as absurd, in terms, as a deified creature ! in. He will, at the last day, raise the dead of all ages, by his word. John v. 21. 1 Thess. iv. 16. And he will judge the quick and the dead. 2 Cor. v. 10. Now, God only has a right to judge, and doom the subjects of his moral govern- ment. The right and power to judge all men, can no more be transferred to a creature, than can the ineffable perfections and glory of Deity! IV. He is the object of divine worship, and is adored with supreme homage, by every true Christian, and angel in heaven. The latter were summoned by their Creator to lead the way, and set the example to man. "When He bringeth his first begotten into the world, he saith, Let all the angels of God worship him." Heb. i. 6. And, surely nothing can be more manifest than this, — that we should 90 OUR GOD THE TRIUNE GOD. honour the Father with supreme divine honour and worship. Well, this same high and solemn worship must we render to the Son. God has expressly declared this : " that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Fa- ther." And he who denies this divine worship to the Son, is charged with the damning sin of not rendering it to the Father. John v. 21. In a word, all the Church adores him in the solemn ordi- nance of Baptism ; and in the solemn parting blessing at the close of public services. And all angels and saints in heaven adore him unceasingly there. Revel, ch. v. III. Of the Holy Ghost. How the Holy Spirit subsists in the Most Blessed Trini- ty, as a distinct person, is, like the existence of God, and the mysteries of his nature, utterly incomprehensible. Yet we do not reject the faith of this, or his existence, because we cannot understand it. I can never sufficiently impress on the young mind, the maxim, that we believe on the ground of testimony, in all branches of natural, moral, and religious knowledge. The Holy Ghost " proceeds" from the Father and the Son. Here is the evidence : "the Spirit of truth proceed- eth from the Father." And he is also "the Spirit of the Son." Hence we conclude with all the orthodox, that he proceeds from the Son also. Now, as the filiation of the Sou does not imply a re- ceiving of the divine essence from the Father ; for the di- vine essence, and the unity of Deity could not be conveyed. It is held in common by each person. So the procession of the Spirit does not imply the conveying of the divine essence, inasmuch as it is held in common by each of the Divine Three. These phrases, therefore, indicate the nature, and reality of their 'personal relation to the Fa- OUR GOD THE TRIUNE GOD. 91 ther, and to each other; When God deigns to speak to us of Himself, he uses human language, in compassion to our feeble intellects. Did he speak of himself, as he speaks in heaven to the perfect, we could not comprehend his re- vealings. But, no one can suppose that these words, which he employs in their new application to him, are to be taken in their vulgar application. When applied to God, we must attach a loftiness, and a holy mystery of idea to them, befitting him of whom they are uttered. The Holy Ghost is a distinct and divine person, not a virtue, or attribute merely. Thus, as a person, he has a dis- tinct understanding and mind. "He searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." "The things of God know- eth no man, but the Spirit of God." 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. He has, as a person, a sovereign and infinite will also. " All these worketh the self-same Spirit, dividing unto each man severally as He will. 1 Cor. xii. 11. As a distinct person, he is sent down from heaven ; and he comes as the Comforter. His mighty acts are those of a distinct divine person. He creates us anew in Christ : he gives us the new heart : he abides with us for ever. He issues forth his sovereign and divine commands in the Church. Here is an instance: — "As the apostles minis- tered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, — Sepa- rate me Barnabas, and Saul for the work, whereunto I have called them." Acts xiii. 2. This distinct and divine person is the true God. The proof of this is precisely of the same form with that of the Father, and of the Sou. I. He is presented to our faith by the names, titles, and attributes which belong to God incommunicably. For in- stance, He is Jehovah as well as the Son. Thus, in Isaiah vi. 8 — 10, the prophet says, — "I heard the voice of Jehovah, saying, whom shall I send ?" In the Acts, ch. xxviii. 25, the inspired writer quotes this message from Isaiah, and 92 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. thus ushers it in, — " Well spake the Holy Ghost by the prophet Isaiali." Therefore the Holy Spirit is Jehovah. — I offer another specimen. In Exodus xvii. 7, it is declared that the children of Israel tempted Jehovah in the wilder- ness. Turn now to Heb. iii. 7, 9, and you find these words : — " As the Holy Ghost saith, to-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of temp- tation, when your fathers tempted me, and proved me." He is God. "Ye are the temples of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." 1 Cor. iii. 16. And there is a notable testimony in Acts V. 3,4. "To lie to the Holy Ghost," is " to lie to God." II. He possesses the incommunicable attributes of the Deity. He is "The Eternal Spirit :" and as Jehovah, he is from everlasting to everlasting. " He is everywhere, at all times." " Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, whither shall I flee from thy presence?" Psalm cxxxix. He is the Almighty, and the Creator of all things. " The Spirit of God hath made me ; the breath (Spirit) of the Almighty hath given me Life." "By His Spirit, He gar- nished," that is, decked out, and perfected the beauty of " the heavens." Job xxvi. 13. "All the host of heaven were made by the breath," — the Ruach, the Spirit of his mouth. He is the God of providence, who revives nature after the dreary death of winter. " Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created ; and thou renewest the face of the earth." Psalm civ. 30. He is the sovereign author of spiritual life, which is the supreme glory of man. " The Spirit quickeneth." We are " created by him" in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. To him are we indebted for the books of inspiration, which lead us into all truth. " Holy men of God, spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." — And as he raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, so he will quicken, and raise us from the grave at the last day. Rom. viii. 11. And thus the same divine works OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 93 are ascribed equally to Him, and to the Son, and to the Fa- ther. III. He has been, in all ages, the object of supreme worship and adoration. We yield him this homage, as a Church. In baptism his divine honour is celebrated by us. And we close our public solemnities by a most solemn act of worship to Him, and to the Son, and to the Father. IV. In his official displays of mercy, in beginning and finishing the new creation, there is a sin, which may be, and still is, committed against the Holy Ghost, which has no pardon in this world, nor in the world to come. This is a wilful and malicious rejection of him, and his official operations. It never can be committed by mistake, or sur- prise. It is a wilful, deliberate, and malicious rebellion against Him. Now, can any rational being doubt the su- preme Deity of this most Holy and most August One, the Holy Ghost, against whom such a sin may be committed ! aUESTIONS. How many persons are there in the Godhead ? Is God one and three in the same sense? No, How then? Is the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity, purely of di- vine revelation? Are we allowed to sit in judgment on the evidence of the Bible ? Can we, in like manner, sit in judgment on the doctrines, mind, and will of Almighty God ? With what spirit, and disposition of mind should we re- ceive God's doctrines ? What is the basis and ground of our faith ? Is it the act of a rational being, to reject a well-certified doctrine, because it is a mystery beyond human comprehen- sion ? 9 94 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. Does not this position hold good in the laws of nature, and all sciences, as well as in Bible doctrines ? Do the Scriptures teach a plurality of persons in the God- head? Give the first proof. Another. Name the divine per- sons. The Supreme Deity of the Father. What is said of the supreme Deity of the Father? Give the leading proof of this essential doctrine. The Sonships of Christ. What are the different sonships of our Lord ? What say you of his eternal sonship? What, of his human sonship ? As Son of God, is he not equal in power, and glory with the Father ? In what character is he the Father's servant, and less than the Father 1 Did he become the Son of God by his miraculous birth ? Did he become the Son of God by his resurrection ? Is he the Son of God in the same sense as Adam, and angels are? Can any created intellect comprehend the mode of Christ's filiation ? Give the proof of Christ's eternal sonship, as explained. The next proof of it. The next. Can any being be elevated by office to be the object of divine worship ? If Christ be the Son of God by official relation, could he be the object of divine worship as Son of God ? Does not our Lord demand divine worship, and accept it OS the S'^on of God ? OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 95 If you believe Christ to be the Son of God by virtue of an office, can you without sin, worship him as the Son of God? What say you of those who believe him to be the Son of God officially, and yet do profess to worship him ? What is the dilemma to which those are reduced here 1 The Supreme Deity of Christ. What is the next great and radical doctrine of the gospel ? Is our Lord's Deity proved in the same manner as that of the Father ? Recite the I. argument in proof of Christ's Deity. What are the names indicating our Lord's supreme Deity? Creatures are called gods, how do you distinguish our Lord's supreme Deity by this name ? What is the next divine name of Christ ? Specimens. There are two peculiar classes of proof under this head : what is the ^rsi? Give specimens. What is the second ? Give specimens. The 11. argument for our Lord's Deity ? Specify his attributes : the first: the second : the third: the fourth : the fifth. The III. argument : will he raise all the dead, and judge them at the last day? The IV. and last: the grand evidence of Christ's Deity? Give other specimens of this divine homage. The Supreme Deity of the Holy Ghost. Can we comprehend the mode of the Spirit's subsistence? Is it reasonable to disbelieve, because we cannot compre- hend it ? 96 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. What relation does the Holy Spirit bear to the Father and the Son? Quote the Bible evidence of this. Is not this relation different from Christ's filiation 1 How prove you that the Holy Ghost is a distinct person ? Do the same proofs also show that he is a divine person 1 How prove you the supreme Deity of the Holy Spirit? His names ? Is he Jehovah ? Is he called God ? His attributes ? Name them : the proof? Has he not been the object of supreme worship? Is there any peculiar, and awful sin against Him ? A MEDITATION. I behold thee, Triune God, in thy manifold works. I look up to the Trinity not as abstract beings, nor removed far above caring for his own worlds, and their government. I discern thee, Triune God, in thy ceaseless agency ; and I adore thee in the bright uncreated glory of thy active and sovereign attributes. Of thee, and through thee, and to thee are all things ; whether they be of creation, of providence, or of redemption. I look forth on thy fair and stupendous creation. All these things are of Thee, Eternal Father. All nature, ani- mate and inanimate, rational and irrational, temporal and immortal, — all are op Thee. Thou art the fountain and origin of the works of the most adorable Trinity, and thou didst plan them all, in thy wisdom. To Thee, Eternal Son, belongs equally the glory of cre- ating all these ; for Thou art equal in power, and of one essence, and of one will, with the Father and Spirit. All things were made by Thee, and without Thee was not any thing made that is made. Also of Thee, Eternal Spirit, are all things in the na- tural world. The Spirit of God hath made me ; the Spirit of the Almighty has given me life. To Thee belongs the glory of perfecting, and beautifying the works of the Tri- OUR GOD THE TRIUNE GOD. 97 nity. Thou movedst on the face of the chaos. Thou hast garnished, and decked the heavens. This distinct work of each person is yet one and in- separable, as are the will and omnipotence of the Triune God. Each operated instantaneously. The Father de- vising and creating ; the Son creating and establishing; the Holy Spirit creating and adorning all things. And I ren- der equal and undivided glory to each of the divine three ! Of Thee, Triune God, are all things in the maguiii- cent work of redemption. When I contemplate this as an internal act of Trinity, I view it with deep veneration as a mutual and instantaneous agreement of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I view it also as an external act. And here, I recognize, with gratitude and wonder, the inter- vention of each of the persons, displaying the riches of the glory of divine grace. — The love of God in the person of the Father, I adore as the originating cause of our sal- vation. To Him, with the consenting love of the Son and the Spirit, do I ascribe the device of the stupendous plan. The grace of the Eternal Son, I adore as the meri- torious cause of our salvation. He gave himself in the council of peace, as our mediator : and in due time he presented himself on this earth, to satisfy the claims of law and justice. And to the love and sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, as the efficient cause, are we indebted for the effectual application of Christ's grace to our souls, in finish- ing and beautifying the new creation. Throngh Thee, O Triune God, are all things in divine providence, and grace. Each of the most holy Three works in his own glorious way for man's good, and the divine glory. We cannot originate, or execute any of the won- derful works of Providence. No : He works, and none can let. Kingdoms, and churches, and states rise, and flour- ish and fade away. God rules over all by his Son ; through the all-pervading influences of the Spirit. 9* 98 OUR GOD THE TRIUNE GOD. And TO Thee, Triune God, are all things. Whatever is OF Thee, and through Thee, must infallibly tend to the best end. And next to thy being, the bright display of thy perfections over the field of creation, is the most im- portant. This is thy glory ; which is just the bright shining forth of thy divine excellence. " Thou, Lord, art wor- thy to receive glory, and honour, for thou hast created all things ; and for thy pleasure, they are, and were created." And, above all, is thy glory manifested in the new cre- ation. Never was there such another display of all the divine perfections, as that given by the Triune God, in the consummation of our redemption. Behold, my soul, and wonder and adore. I behold the stern, yet most holy de- mands of divine justice : the tremendous, yet most just inflictions of punishment for sin, on the Just One, dying for the unjust ; and all this is in harmony with mercy, and love ! Truth met with mercy ; righteousness and peace em- braced each other ! To Thee, Triune God, belong the victory ; and the majesty ; and the glory ; for ever. Amen. A PRAYER TO THE FATHER. My Father in heaven, I adore thee, the origin of all the councils, and works of Trinity. Nothing from without moved thy divine mind in thy decrees, and stupendous works ; for thou art God. the depth of the riches of thy goodness ! From thee, Father, I received this soul, and body. Thy parental care has kept me alive ; and these fa- culties, in their active exercise. To thy grace I owe the life, and salvation of my soul ; and the pledged boon of the emancipation of my body from the grave in due time. 0, then, accept thine own. Accept the pledged vow, and ser- vice of this soul, and this body. And let me have a sweet assurance sealed on my heart that I am thy child. When prostrate in the dust, didst thou raise me up : and justify me by thy parental sentence, as I stood before thee, my Father, OUR GOD THE TRIUNE GOD. 99 covered in my Redeemer's righteousness ? Was I not par- doned the guilt of my sin, and accepted in the Beloved ? Was I not reconciled to thee by the slaying of the enmity of my heart ? But for this I could never have enjoyed peace of mind. And, blessed be thy name, thy patience and boundless grace allow me to call thee my Father and my God ! And, now will I praise thee for ever, and ever ! When I am poor and sorrowful, I will think of thee ; and pant after the riches of thy grace. When forsaken of the world ; I will think of thee, who wilt never forsake me. When my father and mother leave me, thou, heavenly Father, wilt take me up. When sick, and languishing, I will lift my soul to thee, the refreshing fountain of life. Thou healest my diseases, and stillest the throbbings of my heart. When called to arduous duties, I will fly to him in whom it pleased thee, Father, that all fulness should dwell. When labouring under sore bereavements, to thee will I betake myself in the assured hope of the rich inherit- ance of thy love. When leaving this world, I will cherish the pleasing satisfaction, in the aiidst of my mortal sor- rows, that thou, my heavenly Father, arrangest all the cir- cumstances of my dying bed ; and singlest out the mes- senger ; and determinest the place, and time, and manner of my death! And when the last, and parting hour comes, I will breathe out my soul into thy hands, my dear and heavenly Father : and soothed to rest by thy love, I shall fall gently asleep on thy bosom. My disembodied spirit will spring up in the strong powers of life everlasting, and receive thy parental welcome in the fulness of glory. My poor body, the while, shall sleep in dust. But it will rest in the keeping of thy power, and unchangeable love, awaiting the joyful dawn of the resurrection day ! Now, my Father, accept these my humble vows, and poor broken supplications : and mercifully deign to add ano- ther fresh favour to thy blessings already bestowed, by ac- 100 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. cepting my unworthy person, and services. For all I ask is only for the sake of thy dear Son, my blessed Redeem- er, in whose name I pray, Our Father who art in heaven, &c. Amen. A MEDITATION, AND PRAYER TO THE SON OF GOD. Eternal Son of God ! I will adore thee, with my whole heart, for ever. By thy power, and goodness I received this existence. By thee was I made capable of religion, and am destined to immortality. But, my God, what were life, without thy mercy and love 1 What were my existence, without thy saving grace ? Without thy grace and love, my immortality would prove an ever-enduring curse. O Son of God, my Redeemer, thy sovereign grace moved thee to pity me, from eternity. Thou sawest me cast out, and perishing in my blood. Thoil deignedst from thy throne to notice me, to pity, and redeem me. I love to repeat the language of thy love, O eternal Son of God, in the everlasting councils of peace, — "Lo! I come ; I delight to do thy will, my Father." — For this coming thou preparedst the world by thy providence, and the church, by the Mosaic dispensation. The eyes of the world were on thee, the desire of all nations ! At the time appointed for fulfilling, thou didst come. height, and depth ; length, and breadth, of the love of the Son of God. He took our nature upon him. He became the Son of Man. The immortal became mortal, without a change in his divine person. The Father of eternity be- came a child born, without change in his divinity. The King of Glory took on him the form of a servant ! Be as- tonished, my soul, and wonder, and adore ! Son of Man ! and Son of God I I throw myself at thy feet. thou Son of Man ! I love thee, and cleave to thee, as my pattern, and example of holiness, and perfection. Son of Man, thou wast the true and proper materiel of the sacri- OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 101 fice ; and the glorious instrument by which the eternal Son of God finished transgressions, and made an end of sin. Accept, then, dear and eternal Son of God, the divine homage of my heart, ever due to Thee for all that thou hast done for me as my Redeemer. With wonder, amazement, and adoration, I follow thee, Lord, in thy career of mer- cy, and condescension, over the field of thy humiliation. I look with indescribable emotions on the sorrowing, wounded, bleeding, and dying Son of Man ! And I lift my eyes to thy eternal Deity, blessed Son of God, and I see the glory of an infinite worth, and value, thrown over all thy obedience, and all thy sufferings, and thy vicarious death. Thou hast bought us with thine own blood. I am thine, and thou art mine, in ties indissoluble. Lead on, then, dear Shepherd. I will follow thee, whithersoever thou leadest. Shed light on the path of duty. Lord, I will follow thee in it, through good report, and evil report. Lead me into the green fields of thy divine pastures, and feed me by the still waters of thy refreshing ordinances. And, deliver me from the noise of archers in the place of the drawing of waters. For, to thy care, my divine prophet, I commit myself for divine guidance through all my journey. To thee, my High Priest, I shall daily resort for cleansing by the blood of thy atonement, and to be accepted through thy merits and intercession. And to thee, my sovereign king, I will bow, in daily submission to thy laws, thy ordinances, and the expressions of thy will. And when thy voice summons me to thy presence, I shall mount up at thy command, to be for ever with thee. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and for ever. Amen. A MEDITATION, AND A PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. Holy Spirit, living and true God ! help me to approach 102 OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. thy presence with profound devotion. I fear thee : I love thee : I adore thee. I tremble before thee, when I look at myself; and think of thy infinite purity and awful majes- ty. But, thou art the spirit of faith, and of holiness, to each of thy dear children. Thou comest not to destroy us, poor sinners ; but to prepare us for heaven ! This fills me with the boldness of hope when I come before thee. eternal Spirit ! I adore thee, my Creator. These limbs of mine were made, and fashioned by thee ; and thou didst breathe into me the breath of life ; and I became a living soul. And every silent moment, I feel the power of thy sustaining influences. In thee I live, and move, and have my being. Thou hast given me an understanding ; SLXfd those other faculties which crown the beauty of my immortal soul. And to thee, blessed Spirit, am I indebted for the de- lightful exercise of these sustained powers of mind. To thee I owe the pleasures of reason, the pleasures of intel- lect, and of the heart. Wert thou, in thy awful sovereignty, to withdraw from me thy sustaining power, all my faculties would be instantly deranged ; and I should become a terror to myself, and all around me. To thee, God, I devote these powers. But, oh ! what were all temporal gifts, — precious as they are, — without thy divine graces. Holy Ghost ! I adore thee as the sovereign of the new creation. Thou sayest. Let there be spiritual life in man ; and there is life. Thou sayest. Let there be light in his soul ; and there is light. And he is a new creature. At thy word, and by thy ap- pointed means, there spring up in us, all the graces which adorn the Christian. Under thy power, and thy smiles, do faith, love, and hope spring into being ; and mount up in thy praise, and glory. By thee is the rock smitten ; and the waters of genuine contrition flow amain. By thee, ho- liness buds into being, and ripens into heavenly perfection. OUR GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD. 103 I thank thee, O holy and eternal Spirit, for those offices which thou deignest to exercise towards us, in the church. Thou art our guide. Oh ! lead me into all truth. Glorify thou Jesus Christ, by taking the things which are his, and revealing them, in their saving power, to us. Thou art our SANCTiFiER. Oh, quickeu my soul in all the exercises of the spiritual life ; that I may, with a pure conscience, run the way of all thy commands. Thou sealest thy people to the day of redemption. Oh ! seal me, my God, with the seal of heaven ; that I may bear the image of God's dear children. Put me under the seal of thy powerful, and per- manent protection, till I safely reach Immanuel's presence. And, oh ! be to my drooping spirit, the pledge of heaven's glory, by vouchsafing to me some of the first ripe fruits of Canaan ; some of the grapes of Eshcol, tasted on this side of Jordan. And, thou dear and most blessed Inter- cessor, make thou intercession ivithin me, in this cold, and languishing, and agitated bosom, — with groanings which cannot be uttered. And, blessed Comforter, let the consolations of thy presence ever be with me. Breathe in love, on my poor frail body, and comfort me with fresh health, and strength. Breathe on my feeble soul, and comfort me with the full play of a vigorous intellect, and heart. Breathe on my graces ; and comfort me with abounding joys, and overflowing pleasures, in the whole of the inner man. At the hour of dissolution, let thy comforts especially abound ; that I may depart in the full exercise of all the graces ; leaving thy church, and my relatives in the joyful exultation of a triumphant death. And, at the last day, set the crowning glory of beauty on my resurrection body ; and present me perfect in Christ Jesus ; the crown- ing glory of a Father's love, of a Redeemer's grace, and the beautifying power of the Holy Ghost. Glory be to the Fa- ther, &c. Amen. CHAPTER V. OF THE DIVINE DECREES. " Keep silence, all created things ; And wait your Maker's nod, My soul stands trembling, as she sings The honours of my God. Life, death, and hell, and worlds unknown, Hang on his firm decree ; He sits on no precarious throne; Nor borrows leave — to be ! Chained to his throne a volume lies, With all the fates of men ; With every angel's form, and size, Drawn by the Eternal's pen ! His providence unfolds the book. And makes his counsels shine : Each opening leaf, and every stroke, Fulfils some deep design. Not Gabriel asks the reason why, Nor God the reason gives. Nor dares the fav'rite angel pry Between the folded leaves. In thy fair Book of Life, and grace, O ! may I find my name Recorded, in some humble place, Beneath my Lord, the lamb !" There are no difficulties attending the belief of the di- vine decrees, greater or more insuperable, than those at- OF THE DIVINE DECREES. 106 tending the utterance of the prayer prescribed by our Lord, — " Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven." Those who can utter this prayer, in sincerity and truth, do admit God's holy and everlasting decrees, in their true meaning, and full extent. To the pious mind, the doctrine of the divine decrees affords the most legitimate gratification, and delight. He is, thence, led to realize a present over-ruling and merciful Father in all the conditions, and events of life. While not one objection can be framed against them, which may not, with propriety, be urged against the prayer, — " Thy will, God, be done !" By the decrees of God, we mean the purposes of God, in reference to all future events, beings, and things. They are his purpose. They constitute one grand whole : they were formed instantaneously, and complete, at once, in his divine mind. The infinite One needed not to con- sult a creature ; nor to reason ; nor make experiments, after the manner of man. He formed the perfect model of his purposes instantaneously. They need no alteration ; no amendment. And on this purpose of his mind, as the basis, Jehovah knows all things by one intuitive act of his mind. Acts XV. 18. The existence of these decrees is manifest from the ac- tual operation of divine power before our eyes ; and from the testimony of the Holy Scriptures. The existence of mind, and matter, and motion, fully prove this. If a watch, or a globe could not give existence and motion to itself, infinitely less could our globe, and the systems of worlds above us, give themselves being, and mo- tion. If matter cannot originate motion, and put itself into operation under fixed and immutable laws, how could this globe on which we live, and these unnumbered worlds in the vault of heaven, put themselves into their prodigious ra- pidity of motion ; and continue that motion for countless 10 106 OF THE DIVINE DECREES. ages, without a moment's variation I Tliere must be a wise, and regulating Divine Cause. Seeing, then, the Almighty thus manifestly overrules, moves, and creates all things ; it follows that he does this according to a fixed purpose, and plan of his divine mind. If not, then the Almighty acts without any fixed purpose, or plan. Then you deny him the common share of wisdom and intelligence which man is allowed to possess. You, thence, deny him to be a wise and intelligent being ! Not even the fal- len angels have yet arrived at such atheism. See James ii. 19, The testimony of the Scriptures is decisive on this. They speak of these divine decrees in terms as explicit as those in which they speak of God's being and perfections. " He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven ; and among the inhabitants of the earth :" " According to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself." " According to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." " Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that he did in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places."* These decrees have for their ultimate object, the highest and best end. That is, the exaltation of the divine glory, and the happiness, and glory of all innocent and faithful beings. Whatever may be the subordinate eflTects, trials, and appa- rent difficulties, they all result in these. And they are ends worthy of divine wisdom, acting in concert with divine goodness, and omnipotence. These divine decrees, and their execution, extend to every being, and thing, in the universe. They reach the humblest and the most exalted. They extend to the smallest grain of sand, and the greatest of worlds in all space. They are con- versant about the minutest event, and the humblest of invi- sible insects ; as well as the fate of empires, and worlds, ♦ Dan. iv. 35. Eph. i. 9, 11. Psalm cxxxv. 6. OF THE DIVINE DECREES. 107 and the universe ; and the noblest and most exalted of all angels, and all the host of heaven ! They include the cer- tainty of every act, and every work of God over the im- mense field of divine providence, in its universal and par- ticular operations. They include every purpose, and the certain execution of every purpose, in relation to all beings and things. They extend to all their actions on earth, and in heaven ; be they free, or necessary, or, what in reference to us, are contingent. They extend to all events in time, in the natural, political, moral, and spiritual worlds. They regulate all, with unerring wisdom, and power, from the fall of a grain of dust, to the fall of an empire, a republic, a world, a universe : from the death of an invisible insect, up through all the gradation of being, to the immortal life of angels, and the hosts in glory. They extend, finally, over the whole kingdoms of grace and glory. They include the purpose of mercy ; the accom- plishment of our redemption by the Son of God ; the mis- sion of the Holy Ghost ; the various means of grace adapt- ed to the end ; the complicated trials, temptations, sorrows, death, and triumph of each of God's children ; over the whole field of this world, and all time, until they meet in the com- plete family of God in heaven, in body and soul! There, the glory, and the happiness, and pursuits of the ransomed, and of the angels, will reveal the fre^h evolutions of the di- vine purposes through all eternity ! These decrees do not violate the freedom of action in free agents. We admit that all men have a rational freedom of will. He acts without any consciousness of compulsion. And, inasmuch as God's decrees are an impenetrable se- cret to man, how can they possibly subject his soul to any compulsion ? God works his will by us, and in us. But this he does without violating our natural liberty of will. It has been said, "If God has foreordained all that comes 108 OF THE DIVINE DECREES. to pass, then is He the author of sin, and crimes, and hu- man misery." 1st. We deny the alleged consequence, as illegitimate. Besides, this charge is brought unblushingly, in the very face of the Holy Spirit, who says, — " God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Eph. i. 11. Let him who ventures to bring such a charge, look well to it. He must settle his controversy, not with man, but with his Creator. 2d. While we teach that God has ordained all things which come to pass, we also teach that he brings them to pass by leaving man to act according to the rational freedom of his own will, and the propensity of his heart. They act most freely, while they go on, unconsciously, in fulfilling what is permitted to them, and decreed as the final result. Nothing can be more satisfactory than the illustration of this, in the case of the Jews who murdered the Lord of glory. That most atrocious deed was decreed by an immu- table purpose of God from all eternity. Hence, it could not but take place. And, yet every agent concerned in that atrocious murder, acted voluntarily. There was no com- pulsion. These Jews were urged on simply, by their own wicked hearts. Here is the testimony of the Holy Ghost on this matter. " Him being delivered by the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."* It is manifest that this awful crime was not merely fore- seen by God : it is distinctly stated to have been " deter- mined by the counsel of God." And this determinate counsel was the basis of God's foreknowledge thereof. For God knows all things, solely because he has decreed, and determined their existence infallibly. But how this is done, we cannot fully explain. We are too weak to comprehend the ways of the Almighty. But, it is quite evident to the humblest capacity, that, inasmuch as these Jews who com- * Acts ii. 23. OF THE DIVINE DECREES. 109 mitted the murder, knew nothing of the fact of the secret mind, and decree of Jehovah, in this matter, it is utterly impossible that they could be impelled thereby. How can I be moved, or compelled to an action, by a purpose, or a decree, of whose aim, and contents I know nothing? No ; the Jews acted freely, according to the full bent, and wishes of their hearts. And hence, the apostle charged on them the guilt of a free and voluntary crime. " Him have ye taken, and by wicked hands, have ye crucified, and slam." The decrees of God, therefore, violate no rational freedom of man. The Decrees of God are from everlasting. The infinite mind of Jehovah can have nothing new springing up in it. We must, therefore, admit that every purpose, and plan now in his mind, was there from all eternity. If we make any exception here, it will go to deny the infinito perfection of his nature. Hence the Scriptures speak of his purposes being from eternity. "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting." That is, the purpose of his mercy goes as far back into eternity for its origin, as the du- ration of its fruits will extend onward into eternity. " The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." " God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world."* These divine Decrees are sovereign and uncontrollable. Infinite wisdom can admit of no counsel from a created being. And if the counsels of Jehovah could be kept in suspense, either in their formation, or in their execution, by the will of man, or of angels, then would omnipotence and divine sovereignty be dependent on man's will, or his con- tingent acts I No sober man will venture to advance such atheistic principles. We may sooner bear to hear it alleg- ed that the existence, and movement of the worlds career- * Psalm ciii. 17. Jer. xxxi. 3. Eph. i. 4. 10* 110 OF THE DIVINE DECREES. ing onward in space, depend on man's will, and his puny arm. This insanity would refute itself. But, who can bear even the insinuation, that God's infinite will, and the omni- potence of his arm, which executes his decrees, can be sus- pended on man's will ; and be kept in a state of suspense, and held paralyzed in action, until the contingency be de- cided by the ultimate action of man ! " Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or, being his counsellor, has taught him ] With whom took he counsel : and who instructed him, and taught him the path of judgment?'* These Decrees, and the execution of them, are covered with the glory of divine wisdom. Whatever may be the apparent disorders in nature and providence, or in our own personal lot, they will all, ultimately, appear in the glory of perfect beauty, and harmony. Infinite wisdom presided over their arrangements, and every minute part of their ex- ecution. And it could not allow any purpose, or any work of God to be otherwise than holy, wise, just, and good. And what we see now, is unfinished work. Look to the end of all things. Wait until the grand consummation. Then will the dazzling glory of his wise purpose, and pro- vidence appear in its full splendour. And every soul will repeat the loud plaudit of adoration. "0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom, and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !" The divine Decrees are unconditional and absolute. They are all befitting the honour of the divine sovereign- ty ; and they are all executed in a manner equally befitting Him. To deny this, is to suspend the action of the divine mind, and the divine hand, on what is called human con- tingency. That is, man's puny will, with its " self-dntermin- ing power," mounts the throne ! And infinite wisdom * Isai. ±1 13, 14. OF THE DIVINE DECREES. Ill and omnipotence waits its movements ! Of all the concep- tions of an extravagant fancy, what can be conceived more absurd and impious than this 1 The eternal Jehovah, waiting in suspense from all eternity; and watching the will of his own rebellious creatures — in perfect suspense — incapable of decreeing, or acting, until he shall see the action of their wills ; and discover which way human plans and events will happen to fall out ; and how this princely will shall move, and act ! The old doctrine of the sun revolving round the earth ; or a universe of worlds rolling round an invisible grain of sand, has nothing in point of absurdity equal to this ! Besides, the impiety and atheism of it fill us with horror ! The Creator waiting in sus- pense on the creature ! Infinite justice, in suspense at the door of the degraded rebel ! Omnipotence watching for the deciding movement of imbecile man ! Omniscience waiting at the door of ignorance! Infinite wisdom render- ed incapable of acting until the folly of man's will shall bestir itself! And rebellious dust and ashes regulating the awful sovereignty of the Creator! The Holy Scripture also lends its condemning testimony against this doctrine of Arminius. " I am God, and there is none else : I am God, and there is none like me : de- claring the end from the beginning ; and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done ; saying. My counsel shall stand ; and I will do all my pleasure." " God doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, what doest thou ?"* Finally ; God has ordained, in connection with the end, all the means, and agency of instruments, to accomplish the end, throughout nature, providence, and grace. This is the lofty office of divine wisdom. It devises the best end and * Isai. xlvi. 9, 10. Dan. iv. 35. 112 OP THE DIVINE DECREES. happiest results ; and it selects, and puts into operation, the best possible means to attain those ends, with infallible certainty, and in the best manner. aUESTIONS. Is there any insuperable difficulty in the doctrine of the divine decrees? Do they not afford substantial comfort, and delight to the pious ? What do you understand by the Divine Decrees ? What are the two sources of proof of the Divine Decrees? W' hat is the first ? Does God act without a purpose ? W'hat is the second ? Name the proofs from Holy writ. What is the ultimate end, and design of these Decrees ? Do they extend to every portion of God's vast work and kingdoms ? Name the three kingdoms of Jehovah to which they ex- tend. Can these decrees be supposed to violate the freedom of man's will ? Do these decrees make God the author of sin ? Explain. What is the first proof that they do not? The second? State the striking illustration of this in the case of the Jews. Did not these murderers of our Lord act most freely in this decreed event? WTiat is the first attribute of these decrees ? The se- cond ? The third ? The fourth ? State the monstrous absurdity, and impiety of the Ar- minian theory on this point, in various particulars What say the Holy Scriptures on this matter? Quote them. Has God ordained all the means, and the agency of the proper instruments, as well as the final results ? OF THE DIVINE DECREES. 113 What are your own conscientious views of these divine decrees, and of God's awful sovereignty ? MEDITATION. " Father Eternal ! Thine is to decree; Mine both in heaven and- earth, to do thy will Supreme!" Milton. I am comforted, and delighted with this sublime doctrine. It places the sceptre of universal empire in the right hands. It humbles the rebel, man ; and yet it does him justice. It places the Supreme Ruler on his own throne, in the fulness of his glory, and unlimited sovereignty. It exalts all the divine perfections. It throws a halo of pure glory around his omniscience, his wisdom, his goodness, his omnipo- tence. It allows no stain to fall on his sovereign will, and sovereign power. It exhibits his sovereign will, and pur- pose, in exact conformity with his acts, and doings in the kingdoms of nature, providence, and grace. It leaves no- thing to chance ; nothing to human contingency ; nothing to the will, and power of the enemy. It presents to us our God in his paternal, and most loving character, clothed with all that sovereign authority with which filial love delights to see him invested. He is present with all, acting out his purposes with severe justice, and boundless love. His watchful eyes are over all, with a father's love. He sus- tains us all under his powerful and permanent protection. He over-rules all events in wisdom, and uncontrollable power. No being, nor thing is too insignificant for his care. Nothing is too minute for him in our cares, and sorrows. Without his permission «' there shall not a hair of our heads perish." Diseases and afflictions are his messengers. He says to one, "go ; and it goeth ; to ano- ther, come ; and it cometh." He determines the bounds 114 OF THE DIVINE DECREES. of our habitation : and fixes the measure of our days. " Whatever is, is right," under his controlling power, and unceasing goodness. If I did not believe in the divine decrees, I could not believe in God's special providence. For his holy provi- dence is nothing else than his omnipotence, and wisdom carrying out the fixed purposes of his sovereign will, injus- tice, and mercy. If I do belong to God's house, and family, I cannot but rejoice that my Heavenly Father's will should be done in all things, — and not my will. Why is it that men should exalt their will against the will of God ? Why are they so very anxious to exalt the freedom of their will, at the ex- pense of the freedom of God Almighty's will ? Will they profess that man has a self-determining power in his free will ; and that God Almighty has ?io self-determining power in his infinite will ? I am inclined to think that, on due consideration, this unphilosophical and rival power in man, will be found to be swallowed up, or annihilated by the in- finite self-determining power of the Almighty. Dagon cannot stand before the ark of God ! The rod of Moses swallows up the rods of the magicians ! Can any child of God be afraid lest God's will should be done ? Is he not our Heavenly Father ? Will our Father's will not do us ample justice? Is he not daily loading us with his benefits ? Does he not save us by his own Son ? Does he not comfort us, and give us all good things, by his Spirit? Does he not reprove our waywardness, and reclaim us from our wanderings ? Let me ever remem- ber what God is, — and what I am, — and what my Father does to me. And, then, I shall be submissive to his di- vine decrees ; which are but another name for his most holy will. And may the good Lord deliver me from will-worship : and bring me, like the fair angel choir, into an humble and OF THE DIVINE DECREES. 115 loving subjection to Him, who alone has a self-determining, and infinitely holy will. " The heavenly audience loud Sung Hallelujah, as the sound of seas, Through multitude that sung: • Just are thy ways, Righteous are thy decrees on all thy works ; Who can extenuate TheeV " Milton. A PRAYER. Incomprehensible Jehovah ! thou drawest back the face of thy throne ; and coverest it with light ineffable, which to us, mortals, is utter darkness. All thy works proclaim thy unceasing agency. And this agency is rich in thy divine wisdom. And this wisdom proclaims the existence, and the stability of thy eternal decrees. With thee, Lord, it was a matter of the freest choice whether thou would create all these beings that exist ; and all these worlds that contain them. With thy awful mind it rested what they all should, each of them, be, if created. With thy will, Lord, it rested whether man should be, or never be : whether he should be mortal, or immortal : whe- ther, as a fallen creature, he should be ransomed, or passed by, as the fallen angels were : and whether all should be saved, or only some : and whether the majority, or the mi- nority should be ransomed. Thou alone hast the right to do as thou pleasest. Even so hast thou purposed, and acted in the most gracious and beneficent manner toward us. Thy will, O God, purposed, and planned, and originated all things. None can sit in counsel with thee, triune God ! No creature existed where thy eternal counsels were held. No creature, therefore, could anticipate thy pleasure ; or lead thy infinite mind to its sovereign resolves. Be- hold ! thou puttest no trust in thy servants in the hallowed 116 OF TUE DIVINE DECREES. circle of heaven : and thine angels thou chargest with folly ! What, then, Lord, is man ! Can he — a rebel — a polluted sinner, sit in judgment on thy awful will, and thy unsearch- able decrees ! Cm the child of the dust — the creature of a day, who knows nothing, anticipate the purposes, or control the mind, of the Almighty ! Thou doest according to thy will, in the armies of heaven. And shall the degraded and corrupt children of this earth regulate the counsels of hea- ven, to which all the hosts in glory, bow in lowly submis- sion ! Can thy eternal decrees be suspended in their awful and irresistible determinations by " the free will" of rebel man ! Can the proud claims of " free will," demand pre- cedence in the court of heaven, and the councils of the most wise God ! Oh ! my God, the heart of man is de- ceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Here, at thy feet, in dust and ashes, I would relinquish my pride, and stubbornness. " So foolish am I, and ignorant ; I am as a beast before thee," holy and sovereign Jehovah ! Oh ! Lord, in thy tender mercy, be pleased to root up, and de- stroy this pride — this atheism of my depraved heart. Work in me, God, both to will, and to do of thy good plea- sure. Then, in subdued feelings, and the deepest lowliness of soul, my heart being purged from its innate depravity, shall cordially yield to thy will the unbounded supremacy of dominion. And being bound to thee, Lord, by in- dissoluble ties, and obligations, I shall press forward in love, and in duty, to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus. And having, according to the will of God, at length reached the mount of God, I shall joy- fully strike my harp to the ceaseless song of the ransomed ; and sing for ever, the praises of electing, and redeeming love ! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost ; as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be through all duration ! Amen. CHAPTER YI. OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; AND THE FALL OF MAN. " Of every tree, that in the garden grows, Eat freely, with glad heart ; fear here no dearth: But, of the tree whose operation brings Knowledge of good, and ill, which I have set The pledge of thy obedience, and thy faith, Amid the garden, by the tree of life, Remember what 1 warn thee ; shun to taste ; And shun the bitter consequence. For, know, The day thou eatest thereof, my sole command Transgressed, inevitably thou shalt die — Thou, and thine offspring !" Milton. Man, the last and noblest of the works of God, was made in the image of God ; and was prepared for the high and glorious end of his being. From the earliest hour of his existence, man, like every other moral agent, was under a law of obedience. He could not exist in any other relation to God. — But it would have been a pure act of goodness on the part of God, to enter into a covenant with Adam. It would have been a pure act of sovereignty to constitute him the federal, as well as the natural representative of all his posterity. And it would have been an unparalleled act of sovereign authority to give him the opportunity of working out for himself, and 11 118 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; for each one of all his countless children, a splendid and eternal reward, by his own personal obedience ! No one can deny that the Most High had a perfect right to do all this. It was evidently advantageous to man, who possessed in perfection, the image of God. " Firm he might have stood." And he must have been infinitely better qualified to be our representative, than any mortal that has ever lived, or will live on earth, to be now his own surety, or representative. Now, this is actually the course which our Creator has adopted toward Adam, and his whole posterity. " There are the two covenants ;" says St. Paul, in Gal. iv. 24. "The one is from Mount Sinai:" that is, it was republished from Mount Sinai. And this was done for a grand specific purpose, of universal importance. It was this, — to pour upon the hearts of the Hebrews, and of all men, in all coming generations, the overpowering con- viction of their guilt, their impotence, and the utter impos- sibility of their obtaining salvation by the deeds of the law. And thus, " it shut them up to the faith" in the blood of the atonement, exhibited in the most luminous manner to the Hebrew, under the Old Testament, in every one of all his sacrifices : and to the Christian, under the New Testa- ment. The other covenant is "the everlasting covenant," spoken of by David, " ordered in all things and sure." Of these we shall speak in order. I. The covenant of Works was the first covenant re- vealed to man, in the order of God's dispensations to us. This solemn transaction was entered into, by God with Adam, Gen. ii. 16, 17. " And the Lord God commanded the man, saying. Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it : for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." In this brief narrative are detailed the constituent parts of this federal transaction. AND THE FALL OF MAN. 119 Here we discover, first, the two contracting parties : namely, the Creator, and our common father, Adam. Se- cond : the co7idition prescribed, and accepted. Third : the penalty distinctly enacted. Fourth : the promise stipu- lated, namely, life. — Thus, though the word covenant is not mentioned in the whole transaction, we have what is still more, the necessary constituents of a covenant, fully set before us. Let us examine these more closely. First : — We find the contracting parties. On the one hand, our Maker is one party. And we know not which to admire, and adore most, — the riches of his goodness, or his astonishing condescension. He might have merely placed us under a law : he might have entered into no covenant with us. He might have admitted us to no opportunity, and no pro- mise of obtaining a splendid reward of life and eternal glory, by our obedience. But, in condescending goodness, he entered into a covenant with Adam. He promised him eternal life, and glory, on the delightful condition of loving God, and obeying his will. And herein is the divine goodness manifest. By this covenant our Creator acquired no new potver over us : no new service from us, to which He was not entitled fully, now, and for ever from us, as our adorable Creator. It was exclusively for man's benefit, and felicity, that God thus stooped in love, " to make himself a debtor to man," on his obedience to him ; and thence to crown his obedience with immortal glory. The other contracting party was Adam. And it is not difficult to perceive that there could be no greater prospect of perfect success, on man's part, in this covenant, than that which was then set before him. His Maker had la- vished on him the fruits of his wisdom, and bounty. " Come, let us make man in our image, after our like- ness." Such was the wonderful council of Trinity on man's creation. " So God made man in his own image : 120 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; in the image of God created He him." And this image included every gift, and grace that could qualify him to obey God, and enjoy him. He was, therefore, a most perfect model of a representative ; such as God would choose, and appoint at the head of a covenant. And, accordingly, he did select him, and appoint him to be our federal head. And Adam's consent to the covenant, and its terms, was never demanded. It was not necessary; It was fully im* plied. The moment that God's will is made known to a perfectly holy moral agent, such as Adam was, he presents himself promptly for the required obedience, without the formality of a consent asked and given. The existence of God's image in him, and his entire dependence on his Maker, expressed, in silence, his fullest, and most perfect consent. And, my young friends, had each individual of the fa- mily of Adam been there, by the side of Adam, on that occasion, when he entered into covenant for himself, and for us, our consent would not have been asked. The per- fection of our innocence, had we been there, as Adam was, would have been our silent yet perfect, and most explicit consent to the terms of the covenant. In all covenant transactions between God, and his subjects, this is invaria- bly the case. Hence He says, — " God has enjoined on you this covenant." See Heb. ix. 20. And herein these transactions differ from all human covenants. In these, man meets man on a footing of equality ; and their mutual consent is indispensable in the transaction. Now, there are tivo points which we think will be readi- ly conceded here. 1st. Our sovereign Creator had the right exclusively to appoint Adam, our common father, to be our representative. And, let it not be forgotten, that in his transactions with man, God has adopted the principle of representation, both in the covenant of works, and in the AND THE FALL OP MAN. 121 covenant of grace. " In Adam all die : in Christ shall all be made alive." 2d. The most selfish of the species cannot refuse his as- sent to the truth that, on the supposition that Adam was our common representative, he could not have had one better qualified to do the office. Surely no one of us will venture to suppose that we could have been better qualified, or more likely to stand the test. If any one has a scruple, or diffi- culty here, let him only compare his own guilt, and utter incapacity, with the holiness, and perfectness of Adam. Will any one, after such a comparison, venture to say that he would rather have been his own representative ? What ! Thou, a guilty, condemned, and impotent man, a better re- presentative, and more likely to succeed, than a man formed in perfection after God's own image ! Second : — Let us examine the condition of this cove- nant. In addition to his lavishing on man, the gift of his own image, our Maker made the terms of the covenant simple and easy. He required him to do that which man, as a holy being, loved to do, and was quite able to do. And as the sacramental test of his obedience and love, he required of man to abstain from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. What could be more reasonable, or just ? Gen. ii. 16, 17. Third: — Consider the penalty of the covenant. A co- venant, and a law, imply a penalty to enforce them. And the penalty, in order to be a sufficient one, must be such as to inflict on the delinquent a positive evil, and one greater than the benefit can be, which man promises to himself by breaking the covenant. For it is evident, that if man de- rives a greater benefit by breaking God's covenant, than by keeping it, the penalty is not only not sufficient ; but it holds out a temptation to crime. It will follow, then, that in proportion to the severity of the penalty, man will be more likely to keep a rigid watch over his own heart, and 11* 122 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; nis allegiance, and obedience to God. Hence, the severer the penalty, the greater the display of divine goodness to man, the contracting party. But, the penalty included the loss of life, and the disso- lution of the body into dust : the loss of spiritual life ; and the loss of eternal life in heaven. That is, the penalty, if incurred, brought the infliction of natural death, — spiritual death, and eternal death, in hell ! And this threatened penalty, by necessity, implies the promise of Almighty God, that man's obedience should be graciously rewarded with natural life, and the absolute ex- emption from all pains of mind and all diseases of body ; with spiritual life on earth, and eternal life in heaven. With this fearful penalty and responsibility before his eyes, man proved traitor to his God. Being left to the freedom of his own will, as every moral agent is, when in a state of innocence and probation, Adam and Eve fell from their first estate, by a fatal act of rebellion and apostacy. II. The covenant of works was made with all mankind, in Adam, as our common head, and representative. Hence we sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgres- sion. With him, in the rest of his sins, w^e have no parti- cipation. This I press on the attention of my young readers as one of the most important and essential doctrines of Christiani- ty. And as no doctrine is more important, so no one is more clearly and impressively taught in the holy Bible. There are two great public characters held up to our view in the holy Scriptures, — the first Adam, and the second Adam. Paul calls them the first man, and the second man : 1 Cor. XV. 47. This can be spoken of them, only as public cha- racters, standing forward at the head of their respective co- venants, each representing his own particular family. This expression removes every doubt on the matter ; — " In Adam all die ; in Christ shall all be made alive." AND THE FALL OF MAN. 123 Rom. V. 12. "By one man sin entered into the world," &c. Here it is not said sms, but sin entered into the world, by one man. If there was no representation by Adam ; but, on the contrary, if every man stood for himself, with no kind of truth, could it be said, — " by one man sin," — not sins, but "sin" in general, "entered into the world?" Besides, it is manifest that the serpent, and also Eve, did positively sin before him. Yet it is said here, — " by one man sin entered into the world." Hence the deed was not consummated by Eve ; it was consummated only when Adam sinned. Therefore it is evident, that Adam stood in a public character as otir representative, and the head of the covenant. The close of this verse is con- clusive. "So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Now, let me render this obscure version literally. It runs thus : — " So death passed upon all men through him, in whom all have sinned."* Verse 13. " For unto the law, sin was in the world : but sin is not imputed where there is no law." That is, unto the time of the law, given to Moses at Mount Sinai, sin and its penalty, death, were in the world, raging over all men. Hence, previous to the law of Sinai, there was a law universally binding on all men ; and also broken by all men universally ; otherwise all men would not have died, even infants. But, there was no other law, nor cove- nant, binding on all men, but the covenant of works ; nor sinned against by all men, but the covenant in Adam. And therefore, it is clear that Adam was our covenant head, and in him we all sinned, and fell. Verse 14. " Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." * So the Greek preposition en-t is rendered in Mark ii. 4. " The bed in which, 'c^ w, the palsied man was laid. 124 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; That all men died from Adam to Moses, is admitted. And the reason is assigned, — " for all have sinned." But, here is the point of the Apostle's argument. Death reigned not only over adults, who had sinned actually ; but also over those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, — that is, over infants, who had not, after the similitude of Adam's transgression, sinned personally, and in deed. But sin, with its consequences, is not imputed to infants where there is no law. Hence, it follows, that there is a law binding upon infants ; and that law, moreover, must have been broken by infants, else they could not have incurred the penalty of death. But every one will admit that this penalty could not have been incurred by infants by their own personal deeds. The little infant never com- mitted an actual sin. Hence, they sinned in Adam, their representative. This must be admitted, or it must be af- firmed that God's spotless justice punishes pure, innocent, and sinless infants with the curse of death. For, "the wages of sin is death." Moreover, Adam is here styled "the figure," or type of Christ, who " was to come." But Christ was the head of the covenant of grace, and the substitute, or representative of his people. Isaiah xlii. 6. "I will give thee for a cove- nant to the people:" "he is the mediator of abetter cove- nant :" and hence "he was a sin offering for us ;" and ransomed us by dying in our stead. Isaiah liii. This is the only conceivable point in which Adam can be a type of Christ. Therefore Adam must have been the head of the covenant of works, and the representative of all his chil- dren by ordinary generation. As certainly, therefore, as we are made savingly alive by Christ, were we involved in death by Adam. Hence, Adam did as certainly represent all his family in his covenant, as Christ did all his family in his covenant of grace. Ver. 15. " Through the offence of one, many are dead." AND THE FALL OF MAN. 125 Now, as death comes only by sin ; and as " many" died through the offence of the one man Adam, it is quite mani- fest that the many who died in Adam must have sinned in him. Hence, the covenant was made with him in the name of ^Hhe many" who make up his family. And, to leave no obscurity on this point, the Apostle repeats and accumulates the evidence until the proof is absolute demonstration. " The judgment was by one to condemnation." " By one man's offence death reigned by one." In what language could the truth be more infallibly before us than this, — that death reigned, that is, pervaded all men by its dominion and sway : and this not by the offence of each one; but by one man^s offence ; even by this one man did it reign. And it deserves notice that Paul used a word that settles the point at once. " By one man's disobedience many were made sinners." That is, they were legally constituted, sinners : by law and equity they were declared and made sinners. But they must have been legally in Adam, and must have sinned against law in him : otherwise they could, by no act of law, or justice, have been legally made and declared to be sinners, by the one man's disobedience. Let me urge on your attention that impressive passage in 1 Cor. XV. 22. "In Adam all die :" that is, by Adam all die," for so is the word rendered in Luke iv. 1. Christ was led by the Spirit. Even so, all die by Adam as the cause. Now, I recur to the principle, that " death is the wages of sin :" and where no sin is, there can be no death : and wherever death is, there is sin. But all of us die in Adam ; it is most manifest then we all sinned in Adam. And if we all sinned in him, of course we must have been duly represented by him as our common father, and federal head in the covenant. Hence, there is an irresistible force in the argument ta- ken from the death of infants. Let me direct your atten- tion to this affecting appeal to our hearts on this important 126 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; doctrine. You must have seen a sweet smiling babe on its mother's bosom. In a certain sense, it is " an innocent,'*^ It has never committed a sin actually, in deed, in word, or in thought. It has never trespassed by voluntary action; Now, if there were no other sin than that which consists in voluntary action ; then, reason, philosophy, and the Bible proclaim, that it is a thing as impossible that that infant could suffer, or die, as it is a thing impossible that God can act unjustly I For justice can never allow the innocent to suffer, in any case. But, here are facts that overturn spe- cious theories. See that little one, "innocent," as it re- gards voluntary actual sin, now suffering excruciating pain. It moans, it weeps, it is in an agony of convulsion. Can an angel weep ? Can a pure and spotless being deserve to suffer such pain and agony ? This is not all, it dies in the midst of its severest pains. Again, I recur to first princi- ples. Sorrows, pains, and death are the wages of sin. They are not blessings. They never can be called bless- ings. God may, and does snatch the sufferer out of them, and bring the agonized babe home to heaven. But still, disease, and agonies, and death are in themselves purely curses, and that, too, of the severest kind. Now, the justice of God will never permit the purely innocent to suffer, or die. It is absolutely impossible, inasmuch as God cannot deny himself. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Of course, the soul that never sinned can never die. Now, bring these two points into contact : — " the wages of sin is death :" and, the infant actually suffers agonizing pains, and death. Either, then, there is another kind of sin of which infants are guilty, — besides actual and voluntary deed ; or else, God, in infinite justice, inflicts the most dreadful pu- nishment on infants who are pure and spotless. But, this is impossible. Hence, infants are guilty of some kind of sin. But there is no other than that of our sin in Adam ; that is, original sin. Hence the certainty of the fact of ori- AND THE FALL OF MAN. 127 ginal sin, is just as strong, and as conclusive as is the fact of the death of infants. If we deny original sin, we leave unaccounted for, one of the most striking and painful moral phenomena in the existing history of our species. But our exposition accounts for it on the justest, and most rational principles. It is, in fact, founded on the universally recognized prin- ciples of human intercourse, and mercantile transactions. An example or two will explain this. A merchant has his accredited agent in a foreign city. This is his federal representative. He sells the shipment of goods to great advantage. Now, whose are the profits ? They belong to him, as one of the firm, and all his asso- ciates whom he represented in the transaction. On what principles do the profits belong to them mutually ? Just in those solid, and well-known principles, by which Adam was our agent or representative ; and which we all should have reaped the glorious reward of his obedience had he been faithful, as he might have been. But, reverse the case. The agent happens to come to a bad market; he loses not only the whole amount with which he was entrusted ; but he incurs a ruinous debt. Now, whose is that loss 1 Whose is that ruinous debt ? It is that of the agent, a partner in the firm, and also that of each one of his numerous partners in the concern. On what principles ? Just on those by which we are involved in Adam's guilt, and consequent loss. So plainly and ob- viously is this great principle of the tivo covenants, and the two Adams', recognized in the every day transactions of civil society. Upon the same, great principle does the signature of a father to a deed and a mortgage, bind, without consent asked or given, his children, and children's children to a thousand generations : while his profligacy involves them in bodily disease, shame, and poverty, throughout all their 128 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; generations. Here is a historical illustration afforded us in divine providence. Is this just 1 Is it fair ? Upon what principles ? Just upon the same universal principle on which Adam's hand-writing, and his faithlessness, in- volved us all in disease, death, shame and poverty ! There is not an objection brought against this, which, if brought against these transactions in human life, would not throw every portion of society into irrecoverable con- fusion. For instance : one objects, " I never gave my consent to Adam's representing me." — We have shown that Adam was not asked to give his consent. And hadst thou been present by his side, in the equality of his holiness, and per- fection, thy consent never would have been asked. The perfection of man's primitive nature promptly yielded the tacit and unasked consent. " I never gave my consent to Adam's sin : how could I sin in him without my consent?" Let me transfer this to the case of one of the descendants in the case above al- luded to. Suppose a child, or remote descendant of the father alluded to, should come into court, and say — " All sin lies in voluntary action ; the sin of my father cannot be imputed to me, when I was yet unborn. I never gave my consent to my father's profligacy : I never gave him my consent to sign that deed, and those mortgages, whereby I am diseased from his diseased body ; and made poor by his squandering away his rich estates. Inasmuch, then, as I never gave my signature nor consent, I demand back those valuable inheritances lost by him, my sinning father ! Now, I leave you to conceive the answer of the court and jury. They would tenderly request the proper oflicer to remove the unhappy young maniac to his friends, and a proper asylum. And for what earthly reason are the ob- jections here treated less tenderly 1 Is it because theolo- AND THE FALL OF MAN. 129 gical mania is less absurd and less mischievous than civil mania ? You say — " All sin lies in voluntary action : no man will be called, or held to account for any, but his own sin." To this I reply, — if so, on what principle of equity, law, or justice, is the little babe doomed to pains, and agony, and death ? Solve this before you glory in the resurrection of the often refuted Pelagius, from the dead ! " All sin lies in voluntary action." This is a curious truism. All sin of a certain kind, lies in voluntary ac- tion. That is, all voluntary sin is voluntary ; all actual sin, is actual sin. But, what do you call that of the infant ? "In Adam all die." What do you call that sin, which causes infants' death in Adam? Either we die without sin : or the helpless infant, incapable of action, is guilty of voluntary sinful action ; or, there is a sin incurred in our natural and federal head, which is distinct from that of voluntary action. Suppose an infant were to present the plea, that " all sin lies in voluntary action ;" now, I never was guilty of voluntary sin. Hence, I demand of divine justice, that I shall not die. If all sin lie only in voluntary action, then do infants suffer, and die without a sin, without a cause, without a reason : and therefore they die most unjustly ! I pray you stand up before your just Judge, and meet the facts of infants' death, by your bold theory ! "All sin lies in voluntary acts ;" says the merchant, whose agent has unfortunately lost all his goods, and has, moreover, incurred, officially, a ruinous debt, in Lon- don. " Now, this debt," continues he, " I will not pay. For all sin lies in voluntary action : all debt lies in per- sonal contracting ; and I neither contracted this debt person- ally : nor give my consent to it personally." Let our ob- jector follow him into a civil court, and hear whether the merchant is not made liable for his accredited agent's debts. 12 130 OP THE COVENANT OP WORKS ; Then let him learn whether he has reason, and common sense on his side, to sustain the resuscitations of Pelagius' extravagances. Yet, after all, it is not true that man does not give his consent to Adam's first sin. He does actually give his full and overflowing consent to it, at the earliest dawnings of reason, and mind. The early ebullitions of depravity, which drown reason, and the early dawn of the mental fa- culties, proclaim this actual consent to Adam's sin. And this only completes the evidence that thou gavest thy legal consent, in a legal way in thy representative Adam. Finally : I have only to beg the person who objects to the doctrine of Adam's representation, and the consequences of his sin falling upon us, to consider very seriously the fatal results of his theory. The apostle establishes in Rom. v. 12 — 18, the doctrine of our Redeemer's representation in the covenant of grace, as distinctly, and certainly, as that of Adam in the old covenant. Now, if you deny the fact, and the correctness of the principle in the case of Adam, you must maintain the same opposition in the case of our Redeemer, in the new covenant. If it were wrong in prin- ciple, that Adam should represent you in his covenant ; it is equally wrong in principle, that our Lord Jesus Christ should be your surety, in the new covenant. If it be wrong in principle, that you should be involved in Adam's sin, without your consent ; it must be equally wrong in princi- ple, that you should reap any benefit of our Redeemer's atonement, without your consent, given to it, at the time when he died. If it be wrong in principle, that the sin of Adam be charged on you, when it took place before you were born ; it is equally wrong in principle, that Christ's righteousness should be charged, or imputed to you, when it was wrought out before you were born. If it be wrong in principle, that any of the fruits, or consequences of Adam's sin fall on you, when, as you say, you never did, AND THE FALL OF MAN. 131 nor could give your consent to it, at the time ; it is equal- ly wrong in principle, that any one benefit, or smallest boon of Christ's suretyship should fall to your lot, when you never did, nor ever could give your consent to it, at the time. For, if you did not die in Adam, it is certain you cannot be made alive in Christ. If you share not in the doom of the one representative, you cannot on any honest princi- ple, share in the grace and restoration of the other repre- sentative. If you reject Adam, and his covenant, you must, for the same reason, reject our Lord Jesus Christ, and the covenant of grace. If Adam was not your federal head ; then was not Christ your federal head and surety. If we do not inherit sin, and death in Adam, then do we not inhe- rit gi-ace, and eternal life in Christ ! Take these things into serious consideration. In spite of all the speculations of men, a practical decision on these points involves your everlasting destinies ! I shall here present my young reader with the following luminous exhibition of this doctrine by one of the greatest legal characters of any age ; and a most singularly learned and pious Christian. I mean Sir Mathew Hale, Lord Chief Justice of England. " God made man righteous, at first, and gave him a righteous law. And inasmuch as man owed an infinite subjection to the Author of his being, he owed an exact obedience to the law of his Maker. " Yet God was pleased to give him this law, not only as the rule of his obedience, but as a covenant of life, and of death ; wherein, 1st. Man made a stipulation for himself, and his posterity. And this was just ; for he had in him, the race of all mankind. All succeeding generations are but pieces of Adam, who had not, and could not, have their being but from him. And so it was reasonable, and just for him to contract for all his posterity. And as it was just in respect of the person contracting, it was also just in 132 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; the manner of the contract. The law, which was his cove- nant, is a just and righteous law ; a law suitable to the en- dowments, and powers of his nature. " Again, the blessedness which, by his obedience, he was to hold, was not of his own creating, or obtaining. It was the free gift of God. And it was reasonable that the Lord of this gift, might give it, in what manner he pleased. And it could not be unjust that the Lord who gave him this blessedness, should give it to him, under what condi- tions he pleased. But, he gave it to him under the most reasonable, and just condition ; namely, — an obedience to a most just, and most reasonable law, which suited with the ability, and perfection of his nature. " And, therefore, when, upon the breach of the covenant by man, he withdrew the blessedness from him, and his pos- terity, he did no more than what was most just for him to do. And, thus, we stand guilty of that sin, which our first father committed : and we are deprived of that blessedness and life, which our first father once had, and forfeited. And the privation of that blessedness and immortdity is death." aUESTIONS. In what state was man originally made ? Wherein does a law differ from a covenant ? \^ as man placed originally under a covenant ? TVTiat was that covenant called 1 Describe it. Detail its parties. Was justice rendered to man, as a party in it 1 Rehearse the two points illustrating this. Describe the condition of the covenant of works. Detail the penalty thereof. Was this covenant made with all mankind in Adana 1 Give some of the proofs of this. AND THE FALL OF MAN. 133 What proof on this matter draw you from the death of infants ? Is this covenant based on novel principles, or on such as are universally received in civil society ? What illustration draw you from the practice of agency and representation in the mercantile world? Is not the same principle in operation in every family ? " I never consented to Adam's sin," — how answer you this? " All sin lies in voluntary action," — how answer you this? Does not man, after all, give his full consent in a hoof old way, to this sin in Adam ? What fatal consequences follow from the denial of Adam's representation, and original sin ? What was the opinion of Chief Justice Hale on this doc- trine ? What are your own personal views, and belief on these important doctrines ? — Express them fully. MEDITATION. I bless God for the clear light shed on the covenant of works with Adam. Herein I see my Blessed Creator's glory manifested. Unsearchable sovereignty is blended with the most unmerited goodness in this transaction. Every thing here, was manifestly in man's favour. He was made perfect, and fully capable of doing all that was re- quired of him : and had an opportunity, on the most rea- sonable condition, of gaining a splendid and eternal re- ward, for himself, and every one of his numerous offspring. Good IS the Lord, in all his ways. But, alas ! Man being in honour abode not : he became as the beasts that perish. I will sing of judgments as well as mercies, my God. I dare not open my lips to justify man, or impugn thy pur- poses, Lord ! And I would mourn over man's froward- 12* 134 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS; ness and his reckless doings. Had Adam stood fast in his integrity, — as he might have done, — and procured the pro- mised reward, not one son, or daughter of Adam would have manifested any scruple about accepting the reward, and crown for Adam's obedience. But, inasmuch as it happens, that we are involved in guilt and misery, man dares murmur at God's dispensations. Man dai^es blame God's sovereignty, while we overlook his boundless goodness, and our own inexcusable apostacy ! Now, man blushes not to entertain the thought that, had he been his own representative, he would have been more suc- cessful than the innocent and perfect Adam. — I charge my soul, and all within me, to be humbled deeply in the dust before my august and adorable Creator. Thou, Lord, didst all things well. I will not sit in judgment on thee. I dare not sit in judgment on thee, my God ! Let every thought, and every emotion of my soul, be schooled down by thy blessed word. Oh, Lord ! what am I in thy pre- sence ! Dare I elevate my mind, or plans, or wishes above thy law ? Dare I set up my will in opposition to thy su- preme and awful will ! Purify my soul, and heart, Lord, for the reception of thy truths. Let my inquiry simply be, what says thy law ? What says thy word on this ? And finding it in thy holy book, help me to bow down, and pos- sess no other feeling than that of unfeigned and profound submission ! Adam I distinctly recognize as my covenant head, and most suitable representative. I could not have had a better. May I be delivered from selfishness, ignorance, and pre- sumption in this matter. My consent was legally given in my true and federal head. My practical consent to Adam's apostacy, I am mortified to say, is one of the earliest and most stubborn, and persevered in exercises of my young mind. I am guilty before my Creator. I confess it, and deplore it. The sin of my nature is ever rising up in me, AND THE FALL OF MAN. 135 and before my eyes. The fountain of pollution ceases not to pour out its streams of defilement, and death ! But, my soul, what can I render to my God for his ineffable love, and mercy ! By Adam I fall, but by Christ I am raised into life, and hope, and glory. Bless the Lord, O my soul, for the dispensation of grace by our glorious se- cond Adam. — For the intervention of Christ, the head of the new covenant, I will praise and bless thee, my Heaven- ly Father, for ever and ever ! A PRAYER. Lord, I adore thy divine goodness, which gave us thy primitive law, so adapted to our innocent nature, and full ability. The fulfilling of that law consisted in love to thee, O glorious Creator ; and in obedience to thee, to whom our souls were devoted in veneration and affection. But, I am lost in wonder, and admiration, as often as I think of thy amazing goodness, deigning to place man under a cove- nant. What wonderful love, and goodness, surpassing all thought ! What a divine promise ! Life everlasting, glory eternal, felicity uninterrupted, and boundless as thy own presence ! And all these secured to us, on this one befit- ting condition — that of loving thee, and obeying thee, Lord God ! A task most easy, and delightful to our souls ! Oh ! what could man have wished for more, from their bountiful Creator's willing hands 1 But, oh ! what shall we say ; what ca7i we plead before thee, God ! Man, being in honour, abode not ; he has become as the beasts that perish. Oh injured Lord ! Oh ! insulted sovereign, how can we lift up our faces before thee ; or oflTer to extenuate our crime ? We have, each one of us, turned to our own sinful way. We have utterly destroyed ourselves. We have each one of us, " like Adam, trans- gressed the covenant ; all of us have dealt treacherously 136 OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS ; against thee, Lord."* We are all estranged from the womb : we are all conceived in sin ; and brought forth in iniquity. We confess, and deplore it before thee. Not one of the human family has escaped. Had man been put by thee, Lord, on his own personal responsibility, as the angels were by thee, some of our species had been found faithful, amid the faithless. But the universal ravages of sin, and death have proved us all involved without excep- tion, in the one sin, and one common ruin ! Lord, we see the undeniable — the confounding evidence of this uni- versal apostacy, everywhere. It has torn the love of thee from every heart ; and filled us with hatred against thee. It has turned whole families against thee, oh, most sovereign Lord ! It has turned cities against thee. — Nay, the whole human family throughout the world, exhibits one undivided mass of hateful and desperate rebels, against thee. All are guilty with Adam. Every mouth must be shut ; — every face covered with confusion ; and all the world become guilty and subject to thy judgments, God! But, Lord, blessed be thy name, thou openest a door of hope for us in the valley of trouble. There is a covenant of grace, as well as a broken covenant, with the re-echoed curse. There is a second Adam, to stand up in our name, as our head, and representative. Give me grace, Lord, to be wise for myself, and thy glory. Instead of "cover- ing my sin, like Adam," let me fly to my dear Redeemer, Jesus, with all the burden of my sin, and sorrows ! Instead of finding fault with thy most sovereign appointment in the constitution of the old covenant, and its results, — Oh ! let me haste to obtain reparation, and a glorious deliverance by the new covenant. Instead of fretting, and repining under the fall of Adam, and blaming man, and blaming God, help me, Lord, to fly forthwith to the second Adam, my ♦ Hosea vi. 7. AND THE FALL OF MAN. 137 head and representative, and Redeemer, in the gracious co- venant. If Adam fell ; my Redeemer can never fail me ! If all is gloomy and desperate by the fall of man in Adam ; all is joy, and hope, and glory through our liOrd Jesus Christ. " Our Father who art in heaven," &c. Amen. CHAPTER VII. THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR FALL IN ADAM. I deserved it, and would bear, My own deservings ; but this will not serve: All that I eat, or drink, or shall beget, Is propagated curse ! O voice once heard Delightfully, increase and multiply. Now Death to hear ! For what can I increase Or multiply, but curses on my head ! "Who of all ages to succeed, but, feeling The evil on him brought by me, will curse My head 1 111 fare our ancestor impure. For this we may thank Adam ! But his thanks Shall be the execration ! So, besides Mine own, that bide upon me, all from me Shall with a fierce reflux, on me rebound, On me, as on their natural centre, light Heavy, though in their place ! O fleeting joys Of paradise, dear bought with lasting pains !" Adam's Lament in Milton. These consequences we are not left to conjecture. Uni- versal experience, illumined by the light of divine truth, presses them on us with irresistible demonstration. First. All mankind are involved in the guilt of Adam's first sin. This we present to you, dear youth, as the ne- cessary conclusion from what has just been proved. I THE CONSEQUENCES, ETC. 139 need only add, that it is guilt, not the pollution of Adam's sin, that is imputed, or charged to us, in consequence of our sin in our substitute. And guilt means the obligation to suffer punishment of specifically the same kind, as that of Adam. That is to say — the party bound with the prin- cipal, is as strictly obligated to pay the debt incurred, as is tlie principal. The surety, or endorser, must suffer with the principal, who becomes a delinquent debtor. The children of Adam must suffer with their natural and federal head. The spirit of God has expressly declared this : — ** In Adam all die." " By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin : so death passed upon all men ; for in him all have sinned." ''By the one man's offence death reigned by one." "By one man's disobedience many were made, that is, legally constituted, sinners." Second. All mankind sustained the forfeiture, and loss of the divine image. That is to say, we forfeited and lost our perfect knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and immor- tality. God had given us the first three of these traits of his image, in order that we might achieve the reward of the the last, namely, eternal life, enhanced with every blessing of the divine bounty heaped upon us, on earth, and finally in heaven. Our apostacy was high treason against the Supreme Ruler of the universe. God is necessarily just. Hence followed the utter loss of as much as his sovereign- ty chose to exact of all that we had forfeited. He might have exacted our natural faculties, and have made us a terror to all around us. He might have exacted our for- feited being ; and annihilated the whole species, genera- tion after generation. But he reserved us for a new course of discipline, under a gracious dispensation. He recalled from us the forfeited image of God. And, now, in giving being to each child of Adam, God sustains at once the cha- racter of Judge and Creator. As Creator, he gives us our existence ; as Judge, he creates us under an absence of the 140 THE CONSEQUENCES OF forfeited image. He does not create us sinners ; he gives us all our bodily and mental powers. But his strict justice de- nies us the image of God which we treacherously cast from us. The voice of Scripture unites its testimony to that of universal experience, in certifying this painful truth. "Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." Hence we do no longer bear the image of God. " We bear the image of the earthy." 1 Cor. xv. 49. " The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint ; from the sole of the foot, even to the head, there is no soundness in it." Isai. i. 5. " The natural man re- ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. ii. 14. Hence " man is wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked." In one word, " we are dead in trespasses, and in sins." And this has been the deplorable condition of man, since the hour of his apostacy from God. He is far from God ; and God is far from him. " Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart has been evil ; and only evil ; and that continually." Gen. vi. 5. Third, The depravity of man is total, and universal. — It is total : for no one faculty of the soul, nor member of the body, has escaped the contamination, and moral death. It is universal : for no individual of the whole species, has ever been discovered, in the most distant isles, or most se- cluded spots, far from the haunts of guilt, and pollution, who has ever been free from the universal sin and stain ! " The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside ; they are altogether be- come filthy ; there is none that doeth good, no not one !" Ps. xiv. 2, 3. Fourth, Man is involved in the guilt of innumerable actual sins. We need only open the Scriptures, to see the OUR FALL IN ADAM. 141 appalling description of man, therein given : — " There is none righteous ; no, not one. Their inward part is very wickedness. God is not in all their thoughts. They con- temn God : they say in their heart God will not require an account of them. There is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their throat is an open sepulchre : with their tongues they have used deceit : the poison of asps is under their lips : their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness : their feet are swift to shed blood : destruction and misery are in their ways!" Rom. iii. 10 — 19. And, shocking as this description is, we need only study the history of our own hearts, and lives : and the history of those around us, and the history of the kingdoms of this world, to verify the dreadful truth. Universal history is just one con- tinuous chain of testimony to these appalling facts in our moral condition. Cast your eyes even over the nations, considered the most civilized. What frauds, and treachery, and injustice ! What crimes against God,and man, perpetrated in cold blood ! What scenes of robbery, and theft, and revolting pollutions ! What scenes of murder, disgracing families, and neighbour- hoods ! What bloody and revolting wars, spreading wild desolation over whole provinces, and kingdoms ! Look into the legislative assemblies. Is the fear of God there ? Has his blessed word any place there ? Look into our courts of justice. What revolting crimes are daily reveal- ed 1 What chicanery, what injustice ! Our cities are con- verted into so many Sodoms, and Gomorrahs ! Look into our quietest villages, and hamlets, and cottages. With what enormities is their history stained ! Now, since every sin deserves God's wrath, and heavy visitation, what must the whole amount of each man's sins deserve at the hand of divine retribution ? Fifth. E very man is, in his natural state, actually under sentence of death. He is a condemned criminal, await- ing the opening of the prison door, to be led forth to exe- 13 142 THE CONSEQUENCES OP cution. This necessarily follows from the relations which guilty man holds to divine justice. All his sins lie open to the eyes of infinite purity. The God of spotless purity cannot be indifferent to it ; and he cannot, surely, approve of it. If so, then he cannot but condemn it, and visit its terrific punishment on the guilty. Hence every unconvert- ed man is actually under the sentence of death, — a con- demned criminal ! What a mortifying and appalling con- sideration to the reflecting mind. And the strength of its evidence lends a terrific force to the overwhelming truth. " Thou, mighty God, art of purer eyes than to behold evil ; and thou canst not look on iniquity." " The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power ; and he will not at all, acquit the wicked." And the Judge of the quick and the dead, has added this testimony : — " He that believeth on the Son of God is not condemned : but he that believeth not, IS CONDEMNED ALREADY." John ill. 18. And this is the first thing which the awakened conscience feels : he is condemned by law and justice. Sixth. Every child of Adam, in his fallen state, is under the dominion, and tyranny of Satan. This is another mor- tifying truth of the gospel : and hence it is received by the world, with scorn, and disgust. To such an alarming extent has the too successful delusion of Satan been carried, that man has been induced to deny even the existence, and operations of the god of this world, — his own master ! 2 Cor. iv. 4. Now, this contradicts no principle of reason, or sound philosophy. It is manifest from the word of God that there are good spirits, and evil spirits, in constant in- tercourse with us, in their mysterious operations. These, it must be allowed, can operate as readily on each other, and on us, as do our souls on our bodies, and on the souls of others. And what these spirits, both angels and de- mons, can do, they are willing to do. Experience and facts confirm this. Thus far can reason and philosophy grope their OUR FALL IN ADAM. 143 way, in this mysterious and interesting subject. But the Bible throws the fullest light of demonstration on it. I quote, at present, only what has a reference to the dominion and powers of Satan. " Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Pet. V. 8. " The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Eph. ii. 2. " The great dragon, the old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, deceiveth the whole world." Rev. xii. 9. " We wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. vi. 12. From these remarkable hints, it is evident that Satan, at the head of his kingdom, operates by an organized body, against Christ's kingdom ; that he claims unconverted men as his subjects ; that he icorks in them as his victims ; that he operates as a serpent, with deep and malignant cun- ning, seducing men to their final undoing ; and as a roar- ing lion, with fury and power, restrainable only by our Lord Jesus Christ. How dreadful the condition of all men, who are wholly under this dominion, and tyranny of Satan, and his hosts of demons ! And yet, what a small degree of alarm does it excite among the sons of men ! Seventh. Man stands exposed to all the miseries conse- quent on these conditions. " God is angry with the wicked every day." His anger is nothing else than the holy dis- plays of his purity, and justice, wielded by Almighty power against sinners. And hence, by the law of God's nature, his justice does as necessarily consume the sinner, as the raging flame does necessarily devour the dry stubble. The sweeping of the dry stubble into the roaring flames, doea not more necessarily result in its being entirely consumed, than does the approach of the finally impenitent sinner to the bar of divine justice, issue in his everlasting burnings inhell ! ! how deplorable is the condition of fallen man ! 144 THE CONSEQUENCES OF He is exposed to all the complicated miseries of this life ; to death itself ; and to the pains of hell for ever ! Finally : — Man is utterly helpless. He has, in his natu- ral state, neither the will, nor the power to extricate himself from this deplorable condition. He has, it is true, all the physical and mental powers he ever had. But these are paralyzed by spiritual death. " He is dead in trespasses, and in sins." The man that is dead, cannot do the small- est action of life. The soul that is dead, cannot do the smallest actions of holy life, until he is born again, and made alive in Jesus. His physical powers, it is true, can do physical actions. His moral powers can do moral actions, deranged, and weakened by sin though they are. But to do spiritual functions, and render holy acts of obedience to God. we ]^]2U2t hiY? riew life, and sniritnal dls^CsiticHS 5,11 d capacities. To tell me that I can, by my natural powers, as an unconverted sinner, do spiritual and holy actions, is as unphilosophical, and as absurd, as it would be to persuade me that by my natural eyes, I can see spirits ; or by my hands, I can lay hold upon angels! That fallen man has not the will to extricate himself, is manifest from what our Lord says, — "Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life." And, again ; since God assures us that " He works in us to will," it is quite evident that we do not ourselves possess the will. And that man, in his fallen state, possesses not the powek, is equally evident from our Lord's words : — " No man can come to me, except the Father who sent me, draw him." John vi. 44. And it is equally manifest from the passage quoted, that, inasmuch as God does work in us both to do, and to will, we are by nature as destitute of the ability to act, as we are of the will to come unto God. And let no man deceive you, my dear youth, in this mat- ter. I urge this point very earnestly on your consciences. The doctrine that man, while dead in sin, does possess the OUR FALL IN ADAM. 145 will, or the ability in himself, is as fatal, as it is unscriptu- ral. I would shut you up under the deep conviction of your utter incapacity ; and absolute helplessness. For, just in proportion as you feel this, you will be constrained, and urged on to the use of all appointed means, to seek life, and will, and capacity from him who is the resurrection, and the life. On the contrary, did I take upon me to persuade you that you have power, and ability in yourself to turn to God, and to change your own heart, in true regeneration ; then should I be guilty of throwing you back on your own ima- ginary resources ; and thence impiously turning you away from your only hope, and help, — Christ Jesus ; and away from the Holy Ghost, who alone can quicken you ; and away from your Heavenly Father, who alone can "work in you both to will, and to do." In thus holding up flattering delusions, I should have the blood of souls resting on my conscience ; and I could not help hearing the cry of souls perishing under my false guidance ! aUESTIONS. From what sources gather we the evidence of the fatal effects of Adam's first sin upon us all? What is the first fatal consequence of our fall in Adam 1 What is imputed to us ? How prove you this t What is the second consequence 1 Wherein consisted the image of God which we lost? How prove you this loss ? When God creates us, does he make us sinners ? What is the third fatal effect of our fall ? What is human depravity ? Why call you it total ? Why universal ? How prove you this ? What is the fourth consequence ? Give the proof of this from Scripture ? Can you prove it from history, and human experience ? 13* 146 THE CONSEQUENCES OF What does every sin deserve ? What is the Jifih consequence ? What are the tivo sources of the proof of this ? What is the sixth fatal effect of the fall 1 Give the proof of this. How does Satan exert his malice, and power on man 1 What is the seventh fatal effect of man's fall ? Can man extricate himself from all these miseries ? Give the proof of this. What, say you, are the practical results of the belief that man has the will, or the ability in himself to remedy these evils ? What are the practical results of the belief that man is utterly helpless in himself? How feel you, dear youth, under all these dreadful mise- ries? What is your own conviction, and experience as to your ability, or inability, to relieve yourself from these appalling evils ? MEDITATION. — ■- — " Man disobeying, Disloyal, breaks his fealty, and sins Against the high supremacy of Heaven ; Affecting Godhead, and, so losing all, To expiate his treason, hath nought left, But, to destruction sacred, and devote. He with his whole posterity — must die: — Die he, or Justice must ! Unless for him Some other able, and as willing, pay The rigid satisfaction— death for death !" Milton, I may yield a cold assent to these things, as to some mere theory in science. But this is not enough. I must feel them. My conscience must be bowed down under them ; OUR FALL IN ADAM. 147 and overwhelmed by them. The guilty mind, by the very law of its depravity, labours to stave off the evidence of its guilt. But, its efforts are to no purpose. Beyond contro- versy, all of us are guilty with Adam, in his first sin. my soul, thou canst not conceal it. I cannot persuade my- self to the contrary. Should I attempt to justify myself, my whole soul, conscience, and heart, and the word of God, would rise up as witnesses against me, to condemn me. Were I not guilty of this first sin, I should not, in early infancy, and childhood, have been without the image of God. I should have been joyful in perfect innocence ; and ex- empted from every pain of mind, and body. For, the guilt- less cannot suffer. — But, my soul, how painfully have I felt the reverse of this ! Instead of exemption from pain, what sorrows, and afflictions have fallen to my lot, in this vale of tears ! Instead of innocence, and perfection, vani- ty has occupied my mind : my whole soul has been aliena- ted from God, in wicked devices, and works. — Did I ever, in my fallen state, feel a law of holiness in me, naturally and sweetly constraining me away from vanity, to the living God ; and raising in me holy aspirations, and overpowering affections to thee, My God ? Oh ! no, no. Cast out from thy presence ; fallen, wounded, and slain, I have found my soul grovelling in the beggarly things of earth, and feeding on ashes. Have I been delighted, and charmed by God's blessed word ; and have I panted after communion with thee, God ? No, no : from my earliest years have I pre- ferred the idle imagination, and vain productions of worldly men, to the divine revelations of the Holy One. Have I steadily set the Lord before me 1 Have I, with unwaver- ing love, sought his presence in every created object ? Have I looked for his power, and goodness in the varied works of his creation, and providence ? Have I traced his beauty and glory, with a holy enthusiasm, over the fields of his dis- plays in his word, and in his works 1 No, no : I am mor- 148 THE CONSEQUENCES OF tified at my vanity, and folly, and degradation. Dust and ashes have I preferred to the pure and ravishing pleasures of his presence ; and the beggarly elements of time, and of sense, to the intellectual joys, and imperishable glory of paradise ! Need I farther proof? Look, my soul, into thy uniform habits, and daily acts. What mortifying proofs are here? This feeble intellect ; this wavering judgment ; this unset- tled heart, panting in the race of ambition ; and seeking after every thing, — ^but God only ; this polluted and deceit- ful conscience ; this vain and trifling imagination ; this froward will ; these roving desires ; these extravagant and unruly passions ; these sensual appetites, setting at defiance all order, law, and purity : — all proclaim my helpless and most deplorable condition ! O my God, I am ashamed and confounded before Thee. Here I throw myself in the dust at thy feet. I relinquish my pride. I accept of the punish- ment of mine iniquities. I feel my guilt ; and the cruel yoke of Satan's bondage crushing me. There is no help in man. I am utterly powerless. Oh ! my God, unless I am ransomed and extricated, by a. substitute of thy own choice, even by One mighty to save, I shall perish for ever and ever ! Lord, save me ; or, I perish ! A PRAYER. God, have mercy upon me, according to thy loving- kindness ; according to the abundance of thy tender mer- cies blot out all my transgressions. At the foot of thy throne, I throw me down. I cast myself over on thy mer- cy. I humbly confess unto thee, O Lord, that I have no merit, no sacrifice, no offering to bring before thee, by way of recompense, or satisfaction. Tears and penitential sorrows cannot atone even to human justice for sins against human laws. How can they avail to blot out the infinite claims of God's eternal justice ! — I confess mine iniquities ; OUR FALL IN ADAM. 149 and my sins are ever before me. Which way soever I be- take myself, they stare me in the face, and cry out for jus- tice against me. And I can frame no excuse for them. I can conceive no apology for the least of them, which can satisfy my own conscience. How can I then devise an ex- cuse for them, Lord, ISefore thy all-seeing and most pure eyes ! I have, like Adam, transgressed the covenant ; there have I dealt treacherously with thee. But, my God, I will not cover my transgressions as Adam did. Nor will I hide mine iniquity in my bosom. I would acknowledge freely my guilt, in my wilful, and wicked apostacy, from thee. I will not add treachery to guilt, by seeking to ex- cuse, or even to extenuate my crimes, by offering to roll the blame over on Adam, as he did on Eve, and as she did on ths 5Cr"£llt. JN^Or m^ God. can I venture to insinuate that thou, my Creator, art the cause of my guiltiness, by giving me these passions, and desires. I acknowledge these powers, and faculties of mine to be thy rich and so- vereign gifts. But, Lord, it is my sin, — the fruits, — the bitter, and deadly fruits of my own wicked apostacy from thee, that these passions and desires have become *^ wild and strong." And when I listen to their " bewitching voice," and err grievously against thee, it is the fatal fruit of the guilt of my own evil doings ! Thou, O Lord, hast made man upright, but he has sought out many inventions. I humbly confess it, and bewail it. Behold, I was shapen in sin ; and in iniquity did my mother conceive me. I brought a corrupt nature into the world with me ; I had, from the earliest dawn of my being, the seeds of all sin in my corrupt soul ; and the snares of all sin in my flesh ; and the deep and unwashed stain of all sin in both soul, and body. I bewail the loss of the divine image, — the fruit of my apostacy. I lament the total depravity of my nature. I am vile in thy sight. Mine iniquities have taken such a 150 THE CONSEQUENCES, ETC. hold of me, that I cannot look up. For, to all my original guilt, I have added innumerable actual sins ; and there is no soundness in me ! Lord, enter not into judgment with me ; for in thy sight, no flesh living can be justified by human wisdom, or merit. Guilty, condemned, and a slave to Satan, as I am, I lift up my weeping eyes unto thee, O Lord. With thee there is forgiveness, that thou mayest be feared. Have mercy upon me, O Lord ; for thy name's sake, pardon my iniquity, for it is very great. God be merciful to me a sin- ner. Help, Lord, or I perish. Out of the deeps do I cry unto thee, Lord. Lord, hear my voice ; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. I wait for thee, O God ; my soul doth wait. In thy word do I hope ; for, with thee there is mercy, and plenteous redemption ; and thou wilt redeem me, my God, from all my iniquities. For, Christ Jesus came into our world, to seek and to save such poor and helpless sinners, as I am. For his sake hear me, O Lord. And let not this broken and contrite heart be despised before thee ; and glory shall be thine in Christ, for ever, and ever. " Our Father, who art in hea-. yen ; hallowed be thy name," &c. Amen. CHAPTER Vm. OF DIVINE GRACE. " O love divine ! O mercy infinite ! O love, all height above, all depth below, Surpassing far all knowledge, all desire, All thought ! The Holy One for sinners dies t The Lord of life for guilty rebels bleeds, duenches eternal fire with blood divine ! Abundant mercy ! Overflowing grace ! POLLOK. In view of this helpless and deplorable condition of man, two propositions are submitted to the attention, and faith of our young inquirers. First : Any intervention on the part of God, on our be- half, must be wholly of free grace. Should he pluck the brand out of the devouring fire, it must be the gratuitous act of his mercy alone. Without violating his honour,he may- do it : or he may not do it. Again, for the same reason, he may do it, in the case of some ; and he may not do it, in the case of others. Surely the Almighty is not bound by any attribute of his nature, far less by any necessity, to spare guilty rebels ; or receive sinners into his favour. But his throne is established in justice, and judgment. Every attribute of his nature requires that he be holy, just, and faithful in all his ways. The Scriptures are explicit on 162 OF DIVINE GRACE. this. " The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness, and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands ; forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and who will by no means, clear the guilty." Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. " I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." And there are hvo extraordinary points in the history of his unsearchable ways, which set to rest all doubts on this matter ; namely, his terrible, and unmitigated justice toward Satan, and his guilty associates ; and the harmony of his justice, and mercy in man's salvation. Who can, by search- ing find out the cause of the difference of his proceedings towards these two equally guilty classes of rebels ? " Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight," to do the one, and the other. No other solution can be found, than in the divine sovereignty. To attempt any other solution, is to rise up in arms against the sovereignty of Almighty God. Second : — If ever we be saved, it must be by a substi- tute. God has " driven the man out of paradise ; and he has placed cherubim, and a flaming sword, which turned every way," to keep the rebel from regaining paradise. Unless a new and living Avay be opened up to it, by one MIGHTY TO SAVE, he ncvcr can enter heaven. Three per- fections guard the gate of heaven against man, exiled as he is, from paradise. Divine justice stands there ; and turns his flaming sword against him for ever, unless he render sa- tisfaction " to the uttermost" for his guilt. Divine holi- ness stands there, and demands of him the restoration of a perfect holy human nature, before it will open the new way unto him. An unconverted man bears a hell in his own bosom. And heaven would be no heaven to him, unless he was rid of this by a renovated nature. Divine faithful- ness stands there, to redeem God's pledge, that every threatening shall be fulfilled on the sinner, and the eternal law of his government sustained in all its stainless lustre. OF DIVINE GRACE. 153 Now, of all the delusions which beguile the sons of men, the most common, and most fatal are those which are cherished respecting God's justice. One class of men gravely imagine that " God is like themselves, and approves their sins." Another deems all sins venial, in his forbear- ance. And by far the most numerous class conceives him to be altogether mercy, without any rigid justice. But, it is easy to see that were this character of their God trans- ferred to a magistrate, he would actually be deemed a mon- ster. Yes, a magistrate all mercy, without justice would be a monster! And it is easy to see that "a God all mercy is a God unjust." And as there is no finite thing in God, if he be unjust, he must be infinitely unjust ; and therefore worse than the leader of the fallen angels ! Yet this hor- rid delusion of man is cherished by countless thousands of the species I Connected with this, is the delusion of those who build what slender hopes they have of heaven, on the merit of their prayers, and tears, and repentance, and agonies of suffer- ing. Yet even common sense tells us that these avail no- thing in staving off the righteous exactions of even human justice, in the day when it demands the public officer to render up the criminal to the gibbet ! Do the prayers, and tears, and deepest penitence, and unheard-of sufferings, in the least, mitigate human justice, or satisfy the claims of human laws ! No, no ! And how can these appease infi- nite justice, or satisfy the most holy laws of God's govern- ment? There is a spirit of unutterable frowardness in man, which prompts him to rely on human " men7," and " good works.^' In the 1st place, it is denied that thou hast in any degree, human merit, or any " good works" to offer to thy God. That thou hast many good works toward thy fellow men, and in the circle of thy family, I will readily admit. But, 14 154 OF DIVINE GRACE. before the infinitely pure and holy God, who cannot look upon sin, and who sees thy best deeds polluted with more guilt than merit, thou hast not one single good work ; nor any human merit which thou canst offer to Him, without confusion and despair ! In the 2d place ; Let us suppose that thou couldst by thy merit and ^^ good ivorks" find thy way into heaven ; without faith in the Redeemer's atonement : let us suppose that thou couldst be purified by the flames of a purifying torment, or by any other way, — what would be the consequences ? Couldst thou join in the song of the ransomed, who entered heaven by the blood of Jesus ? Couldst thou celebrate the Father's love 1 Couldst thou crown Jesus, Lord of all, as the loud chorus re-echoed from every lip, "Worthy is the Lamb to receive glory and honour, who has redeemed us by his own blood !" No ; if tliou speakest truth in heaven, thou would tell God that thou art 7iot indebted to his love ; and that of the Redeemer ; that thou hast reached glory in heaven, without his atonement, or intercession ! What would be the consequence? Why, none of the ransomed would come near thee. None of the angels would cast a look of love on thee. They would visit thee with wither- ing looks of indignation. Nay, either thou, — or the Lord Jesus Christ behoved to leave the glorious assembly of heaven ! Thou canst not dwell where he sheds forth the glory of his redeeming love! But, were man gravely to set himself to work out his own heaven, after the manner in which some indulge their slender hopes of it, he behoved to accomplish the following absolute impossibilities : — 1st. He must commence the impossible work of repara- tion to God, by presenting himself before his Maker, in a perfectly holy human nature, such as that was, which man wantonly threw away, when he fell. You will admit that this mu