DISCOURSES

O N

THREE ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

OF THE

GOSPEL-REVELATION,

Which demonftrate its divine original.

WITH

A Caution againft Infidslity, addrefledto Youth.

AND

A Supplemental Discourse on the fupernatural Conception of Jesus Christ.

By C A L E B ^:f L E M I N G, D. D.

Make it plain uton Tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Habaickuk.

Jill Jh all knoiu me, from the leajl to the greatejl, Jehovah.

LONDON:

Printed for J. Towers, at No. in, in Fore-Street, near Cripplegate. MDCCLXXII.

(Price Two Shillings.)

A Caution againji Lifidelity : Addrejfed to the rijing Age.

YOU who are in earlier life, be pleafed to con- ficier yourfelves as peculiarly interefted in fuch Caution •, lince it is probable that the fate of Britain will much depend upon your religious or infidel complexion. And, moreover, the attempt made to throw the light of evidence, cannot be fuppofed to do much fervice to the well-informed believer in revelation; and the numerous unbe- lievers will admit of no information, fo thick is the veil over their minds, that however repeatedly their objev5tions have been fully anfwered, they re- tain fceptical cavils, and fanciful diftailes to the evidence.. Even fo confirmed are their prejudices, that they can fuppofe prophecy and miracle never had any exiftence. Their moil; admired publica- tions are written with an air of unaccountable afTurance.

But the m.ore efi^e<5lually to intrench themfelves, and colour over a fabulous fyftem of infidelity, they have been conftrained to deny a providence, and the ufefulnefs of prayer j by virtue of v/hich artifice, they fancy to have gained an acquifition of liberty to relax fome bonds of moral obliga- tion. Nay, had thefe two articles been admitted into their lyllem, rank abfurdity would have flared them in the face j and would, with grear force, have retorted upon their denial of a divine reve- lation, becaufe of the manifeft confiltency there is between them. For we thus argue ; if there be conitant exertions of an ad:ive efficacious provi- dence, a conitant acknowledgment of the divine

A 2 c^ve

4 A Caution againji Infidelity.

care and goodnefs muft be reafonable. And if there has been very fignal and remarkable inter- pofals of almighty power, in fupport of the ho- nours of God's moral government, whether in fuc- coiiring and comforting, or in retraining and re- buking mankind, in part ages, it is but reafonable to conclude, fome authentic hiftory of the plan Ihould furnifh information concerning the do6lrinal inflruction of thofe divine interpofals ; and efpe- cially if fome great and interefting events, to na- tions and people, have been foretold by m.en whom God raifed up to exhort, rebuke, and forewarn-, there can be no manner of doubt, but fome au- thentic record would be made for the divine end of Ihewing man his dependence ; exciting in him admiration, gratitude and praife, and encouraging an hope and confidence in the tender care, and unwearied goodnefs of his fupreme almighty Lord.

Allow me farther to inform you, that every mind that thinks, will be apprehenfive of a firft concern with Godi becaufe he is creator, preferver, go- vernor, and judge of all. He hence will infer, an exprefs revelation muft have been, of v/hat is his will and law concerning the behaviour of man- kind tovv'ards him, towards one another, and to- wards themfelvcs.

Some record muft have been made, and fome- where preferved, for public ufe and benefit, throughout the finilhing ages of the world — to which written record it fhould feem allufion is had, when it is faid, he has magnified his word above all his name !

Highly reafonable it is to conclude, that the adorable difplays of Deity, in paft ages, affording moft important, divine inftrudion, muft have had

fome

A Caution againfi Infidelity. ^

Ibme certain conveyance from one generation to another.

But if we admit that of all God's meflengers, the man Chrift Jei'us was the laft, even he who fhould reveal, with fuUeft evuien e, his truth and grace, as a determinate, decifive canon of the final judgment; it will follow, that a public record of tliofe teachings would be neceffiry for the guidance of m.ankind, as the great, invariable ftandard of God's moral rule and government. And this ap- pears yet more conclufive, fince thofe teachings do affirm, that that laft revealer of truth and grace, is ordained the vifible judge of all.

Notwithftanding fuch plenary evidence, there is little probability of the unbeliever's attending to the believer's argument; confequently there re- mains no other encouragement for fuch a publica- tion as this, but that only, of preventing the fpread of a peiliilential infecljon on the young, the yet innocent and undepraved mind. This you will t!ien fee to be a weD-defigned attempt, every way difinterefted, humane, and friendly; becaufe of the unwearied endeavours of the lafidel, to inculcate on unguarded, unfurniflied minds, a contempt ot the facred fcriptures.

We readily own to you, there are too many oc- cafions given the unbeliever to blafpheme, or to caft reproach on the Chriftian profeffioq, from the very abfurd and ridiculous tenets of the far greater number of piofefiTors — opinions, which infult the reafon of man, and highly difhonour the divine majedy of the New Teltament canon — to expofe which, is one defign of the following difcourics.

A 3 Neverthelefs,

6 A Caution againjl Infidelity,

■' Ncverthelefs, in thefe imaginary, thefe cobweb fubterfuges, the Infidel fhekers-, perfuading him- felf, that he cannot be lefs lecure of the divine fa- vour, than thofe of fo very deformed a com- plexion— he is thus led to pour contempt upon ail religion, and no wonder j for if that can be faid to be a reli^^ioji from God^ which countenanceth the rankeft abfurdity of idea, and the immorality both of principle and pradice in its profefibrsj it can never dcferve the veneration of men, who form an ellimate of it nature and tendency from fo ftupid and vicious a profeiTion.

The grofs ignorance, idolatry, fuperftition and vice, apparent among nominal Chrifcians, do infi- nite mifchief, both in fpreading and confirming in- fidelity. And yet we may not by any means allow, that thefe foul Ipots and blemifhes in the Chriftian profeflion, are lufficient apologies for that negle6t and contempt which is thrown upon the Gofpel by the unbeliever — for he certainly would not allow it to be a juft and fair conclufion, that becaufe there are many inhuman, many favage minds, worfe than brutalized, found in the Pagan world, that therefore the principles of natural religion are of a deformed, difgultful fpirit and complexion ! or that becaufe great numbers of Jews have forfeited all claim to human confidence, that therefore the Mo- faic fyftem of laws is depraving. — And yet, no bet- ter is the conclufion drawn by the Infidel againft Chriftianity.

Confider again, that that written Code of in- ftruftion, which hys the claim to a divine origina- tion, ought to be judged of as it lies in the facred volume itfelf, and not as mifreprefented by the temper, fpirit, and behaviour of many who profefs to receive it as their canon. The reafon of which

is

A Caution againji Infidelity. j

is fo very plain and undeniable, that no one of the lead undtrftanding can avoid feeling the weight of the argument. But notvvithftanding this is the truth of the cafe, or a fair expofure of the en- chanted ground of infidelity, many there are who have clear heads and a good underttanding in civil and political affairs, Mho yet, in the article of re- ligion, do appear egregioufly abfurd, irrational, andftupid*. It therefore would have been very difficult to account for this contempt thrown upon a revelation well fupported by prophecy and miracle, had not a folurion been abundantly given, both by our Lord and his apoftle St. Paul. The former affirms, " that every one who doeth evil hateth the " light, and cometh not to it left his deeds Ihould " be reproved -f ;" and that it is a defedl in men's dejire of doing the will of God. His words are thefe, " If any man will do his will, he fhall know " of the do6trine, whether it be of God J." — The other declares, it is becaufe of their worldlinefs. — His words are, — " But if the Gofpel be hid, it is " hid to them that are loft, in whom the God of " this world hath blinded the minds of them that " believe not, left the light of the glorious Gofpel " of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould " fhine unto them §."

All young perfons Ihould be very ftudious to ex- plore the delufive ground of infidelity, and make themfelves well acquainted with the infinite im- portance of the facred writings; for thefe writings do, above all others, regulate the heart and life: they make a man wife, and underftanding in what the will of the Lord is. Thtir ufefulnefs is found in an uniformly beneficial, efficacious influence on

A 4 the

* The great Locke made this obfervation. f Joh. iii. 20. \ Joh. vii. 17, § 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.

8 A Caution cigmnfi InfJelity.

the temper and behaviour of man. A faith in them derives all its faving benefit from that con- fillency which it gives to all the faculties, powers, and paflions of the foul. Herein youth will avcid thofe idle, abfurd, and mifchievous definitions of faith, invented by church-men and myftics-, and they will approve the judgment which they them- felves make of the revelation, when they have cnce brought that canon to the tell of reafon, truth, and God.

As an encouragement to the youth's paying a religious regard to the Gofpel canon, he will find that, in fad", it gives him daily improving; and con- firming felf-fatisfailion, a firm and fixed confi- dence and hope in God, by reafon of his fpirit, i. e. his word dwelling in him* : a principle that is both dignifying and immortalizing. For " he who " keepeth the commandments, [that is, the com- " mandments as they are explained by Jefusj God *' dwelleth in him, and he in God -j."

Such an attainment, we are afTured, is not with- in the reach of infidelity. It cannot: becaufe the man who denies that God did ever make any ex- prds revelation of his will, has no ability of judg- ing what are fome of his perfedlions-, what the Itatute-laws of his kingdom ; what the terms of man's acceptance •, what the purpofes of his grace and mercy; becaufe totally ignorant, either of any divine command, or of any divine promife. Nei- ther can he, with any certainty, determine about a future flate, or world. He is deftitute of every of thofe great ideas that enrich the mind, and which are derived wholly from an intimate ac- quaintance with a written revelation. — And yet,

alas !

Joh. vi. Gy f i Joh. iii. 24.

A Caution againjl Infidelity. ^f)

alas! fuch is the conceit of the infidel, that he fwells, and is quite bloated with his ignorance, pride, and vanity.

Did but young minds form a juft conception of the unbeliever, they would fee him to be an obje6t of piry and cornmiieration-, for truly that man's condition mutt be very deplorable, who, in the Jevity of his fpirit, refufts to admit into his own breall, the m.oft cheering, reviving, ravifliing rays of divine truth, life, and love. This prayer wocdd therefore be proper for us to put up, both for the

infidel and ourfelves " From hardnefs of heart,

*' and contempt of thy word and commandment, *' good Lord deliver us."

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE three following difconrfes were promifed when I publifhed The open addrefs of New- Tejiament evidence^ or three plain monuments^ &c. Thofe had refped to the external, thefe to the in- ternal evidence. In both I have endeavoured to flate the divine teftimony, with all the perfpicuity which my underfranding would permit, as it lies in the Gofpel-canon ; and with the freedom and faith- fulnefs of a Chriilian, who owns no human autho- rity on earth, in the province of religion.

Cf- In my former publication, through forget- fulnefs, I omitted, in the difcourfe on the Sabbath, that argument for the change of the feventh to the firft day of tlie week, taken, from the effufion of the Spirit at Pentecoft on the firft day, by Dr. Lightfoot, in his obfervations : fee his works, vol. ii. p. 642, 643. Another prefumptive argument might alfo have been adduced, from Mahomet's changing his fabbath from that both of the Jew, and of the Chriftian.

The fupplemental difcourfe upon the ftipernatural conception, which follows the three internal evi- dences, has to do with a fad very much ridiculed by the unbeliever, and difputed, if not denied, by fome who profefs to be believers in the New Tefta- ment. If I have not miflaken the fenfe of the prophecy, that difcourfe mufl be allowed to have ^ place properly given it in this publication.

DISCOURSE I.

On the Unity of Gofpel-Principks.

IN an age when vice and infidelity are In the height of profeffion, even in a chriflian pro- teftant country, a careful furvey of the internal evidence of the truth and divinity of the Gofpel fyftem cannot be unfeafonable. An attempt fhall therefore be made, in three difcourfes, on the unity of principles, on the original divine purity, and on the univerfality of the Gofpel-canon. If then it fhall be made manifeft, that the New Teftament afierts an unity of all divine principles throughout its teachings ; that there is no admixture of human invention in all its fyftem; and that the truth and grace of that new Covenant has an impartial, uni- veiTal addrefs, there will be found in it all the di- ftinguifhing, conclufive charafteriftics of a reve- lation from God.

Now it is well known, that the moft fhocking fuperftition, and the vileft impofture, have been generated by a departure from genuine Gofpel teachings. For it is certain, that Mahomet availed himfelf of that greater degree of refpe<fl which was paid to his Koran, on account of his maintaining the unity of God, in oppofition to the trinitarian herefy, which alfo gave popery its foundation; and has continued to be the great fcandal of the chri- ftian profeiTion, even yet more extenfively. — This premifed,

In the fir ft difcourfe we fliall inveftigate the unity of Gofpel principles, as they are laid down by an apoftle. See Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6, [^ There is

" one

12 On the Unity of Gofpel-Prbiciples,

" one body and one fpirit, even as ye are called

" in one hope of your calling ; — one Lord, one

" faith, one baptifm, — one God and father of all,

" who is above all, and through all, and in you

« all."

St. Paul, now a prifoner at Rome, in the year of Chrift 6r, writes to the church at Ephefus, ex- horting the Chriftians to walk worthy the vocation ■wherewith they were called, by preierving a grace- ful confillency in all their behaviour, even an ha- bitual exertion of every perfonal and focial virtue; and the more powerfully to afilft them in this divine labour, he placeth before them, in one concife view, all the fundamentals of Gofpel-teachings ; therein he fhews the unity, the harmony, or com- padnefs of this moft amiable conftitution of God's moral Government, under the adminiftration of the man Chrift Jefus. — In treating the fubject,

I. I Ihall take a diftinct furvey of the fyftem.

IT. Afcertain the weight of evidence.

III. Shew what amazing perverfions of the unity of the Gofpel plan have obtained among pro- fefllng Chriftians.

The firft article runs thus, there is cne body. A phrafe which figuratively rcprelents the Chriftian church; and therefore comprehends all thofe who fpiritually and morally ftand related to their head, as truly as members of a natural body do to theirs -, viz. all who have, or ever fhall have received and lived upon his teachings, are thus united to Jefus in every a^e of the church, and do conftiiute and complete that one body. The metaphorical term, lody^ thus underftood, will be fupported by various

pafflige^

On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 1 3

pafTagcs in the writings of this Apoftle. Such as follow, I Cor. xii. 12, 13, 14. " For as the body *' is one, and has nnany members, and all the *' members of that one body being m;.ny, are one *' body; lb alfo Chriil, i. e. the body of Chrift, *' for by one fpirit we are all baptized into one " body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond, " or free — for the body is not one member but " many." — Again^ Ch. x. 17. " For we being ma- " ny are one bread and one body." — Compare Col. iii. 15. " Let the peace of God rule in your *' hearts, to which ye are alio called in one body."

The onenefs of this fpiritual body does appear likewife from every member's deriving all its nou- rifhment and vitality from one and the fam.e head. So Col. ii. 19. " From the head all the body, by *' joints and bands having nourifhment minillred " and kp.it togetiier, increafcch with the increafe " of Gcd." — And hence it is, that in favour to the church, v/hich is Chrifl's body, God has given him to be head over all things ! Vv^hich church is thus denominated, " the fulneis of him who filleth *' all in all." Eph. i. 22, 2^. i. e. The church, confidered in this union, partakes of all the ful- nefs, both of the truth, and of the grace of God.

Jgain^ this fpiritual body, like the natural one, does confift of innumerable m.^mbers, which have their diftinfl offices and departments, each poffef- fing an equal claim to divine guidance and refrefli- ing influence; and therefore cannot admit of fupe- riority and lubordinacy among themfelves, or of an ind.^pendence one on another: for even here we metaphorically affirm, " the eye cannot fay to the " hand, I have no need of thte: neither can tiie *' foot life this language. And as to the ear, it *' cannot fay it is not of the body, becaufe it is

" not

14 On the Vnky of Gqfpcl-Principles.

*' not the eye. For God hath fct the members, " every one in the body, as it hath pleafed him, — *' and he has fo difpofed them, that there fhould be " no fchifm or divifion in the body> but the mem- *' bers fhould have the fame care one for another. " And whether one member fuifer, all the mem- *' bers fiiffer v/ith it j or one member be honoured, " all the members rejoice with that member.'* Such are the divine fympathies, which are habi- tually found in the Chriftian church, among all its genuine members.

If by the one hody\ we thus underlland the Chri- ftian church, I would humbly afk, whether it is not diftinguifiied from all civil church eftablifh- ments, or ecclefiaftical hierarchies,, that ever did, does, or ever fliall exiil ? — Is not the idea of fuch civil eftabhfliments incompatible with the nature and conilitution of his fpiritual body, which has in it no inequalities, i. e. no fuperiorities and fub- ordinacies? — None fhould take oifence at thefe queftions, when the New Tefbament reprefentation of the church of Chrift feems, fo exprefsly to forbid any prelatical or hierarchical powers *. The lufh of pre-eminence was that depraved fpirit in the apoflles, which their Lord condemned -j-. — The common rights of Chrifcians are undoubtedly of a like worth and importance, to each and to every indi- vidual; their claims are all equal, as well as with apoflles ; no legiflative, no executive authority, of a fpiritual nature, can be lodged in any member or members of this body; but every one is alike amenable to its head and Lord.

Befides

* Match. XX. 25, r6, 27. xxiii. 4, 8. Mar. ix. 35, 36.

Luk. ix. 46, 47. Joh. V. 44. Ch. xviii. 36.

f Math, xviii. 4. xxiii. ii. Mar. ix. 34, 35. Lak. ix. 46. xxii. 24.

I

On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 1 5

Befides there being but one body, there is alfo but ONE SPIRIT. — -Now this is no other than what guides, direfts, animates, and invigorates that whole body, vJz. the fpirit of truth and love. There is therefore a fimilitude in the governing temper and tafte of all true Chriftians. *' The " fame mind is in them which was in Chrill Jefus.'* Phil. ii. 5. " God has not given us the fpirit of a " flavifhfear; but of power, and of love, and of " a found mind." 2 Tim. i. 7. " He who is " joined to the Lord, is one fpirit," i Cor. vi. 17. " By which fame fpirit, all true Chriftians have " alike freedom of accefs to God, as a father.'* Eph. ii. 18.

The fpirit of benevolence which the fame Gofpel- teachings do infpire, is what guides^ governs, and diredfs, the whole aim of the Chriftian. Hence, " if there be any confolation in Chrift, if any " comfort of love, if any feilowfhip of the fpirit, " if any bowels of mercies, they are like-minded, *' having the fame love, of one accord, of one " mind," And we cannot fuppofe it Ihould be otherwife, when we confider that all Chriftians have the fame divine rule, both in doftrine, precept, and example, upon which they attemper and form their own fpiritSj fo that " by one fpirit v/e are all bap- " tized into one body, and have been made to drink '* into one fpirit." i Cor. xii. 13.

This will be yet more confpicuous, as we in- veftigate the ratio, or ground of the onenefs of body and fpirit, viz. this, " Eveji as we are called

•' IN ONE HOPE OF OUR CALLING."

Here we may obferve, that all foreign, irre- concileable principles and motives are wholly ex- cluded this heavenly divine fyftem. The Gofpel

calling.

1 6 0)1 the Unity of Gofpel-Princlples.

calling, is an high, holy, and heavenly one, as It invites men to virtue and to glory. Thus it is that St. Paul has obferved to the Theflalonians, " God " has, from the beginning, chofen men to falva- " tion, through fandlification of the fpirit, even a be- " lief of the truth." — To which he adds — " where- " unto he calieth you by the Gofpel, to the ob- " taining of the glory of the Lord Jefus ChriPc." 2 Thcff. ii. 13, 14. — In like manner fays Sr. Teter^ " the God of all grace, who hath called us " unto his eternal glory by Chrift Jefus, after that " ye have fufFered a while, make you perfeft, *' ilablifli, ftrengthen, fettle you." i Ep. v. 10. — In a word, its being an holy calling, is what makes it an heavenly one. See Hcb. viii. i. compared with 2 Tim. i. 9.

Now as but one and the fame objecl of hope is propofcd to the Chriilian, fo there can be but one reafonable ground of exercifmg that hope, which muft be the purifying effedl which it has upon us.— We are taught by St. John thus to reafon, when he fays, " he who hath this hope in him, purifieth " himfelf, even as he is pure." j Ep. iii. 3. And St. Paul affirms, that the falutary grace of God which has appeared to all men, teacheth all to live foberly, righteoufiy, and godly, who would look for the bleffed hope. Thus it is that the ground of hope is fuch as will never iiil, or difappoint the Chriftian. Heb. vi. 8. Nay, St. P^«/deilribes the Deity as the God of hope! Rom. xv. 13. From all which it appears, that there is but one hope, or one crround of hope in the Chrifiian's calling-, and that is, a being wholly fandlified by the truth of God. For an Apoftle " gives thanks to the fa- *' ther, who hath made us meet to be partakers « of the inheritance of the faints in light." Col. i. 18. Indeed this is the great end for which the

Gofpel

On the Unity of GofpeUFrtncipIes. 1 7

Gofpel revelation was given, vix. to " open blind " eyes, to turn men from darknefs to light, from " the power of fatan unto God, that they might '* receive the forgivenefs of fins, and an inheri- " tance among them that are fandified.'* Thus Chriftians are called in one hope of their calling \ in- afmuch as holinefs is fhewn to be their meetnefs or iqualification for happinefs.

So much may fuffice for giving diftind and clear ideas of the one body, and one fpirit, from the one great exciting and enlivening motive, which is, the hope of our calling.

We are to proceed to contemplate the governing head of this body, thus animated j to wit, the one Lord.

This, moll evidently, is peculiar to the Chriftian difpenfation, and oppofed to the Pagan theogony ; for St. Paul obferves, " they had had Lords many." I Cor. viii. 5. The heathen world had many me- diators between them and their fupreme deities. Thefe the Greeks were wont to call Demons. And the Jews had learnt to afcribe to demons, all extra- ordinary diftempers and uncommon evils, which \t very apparent from the Gofpel hiftory. At the fame time, I fhould humbly be of opinion, that the apoftle may have alfo oppofed the one Lord^ Under the Gofpel, to the miniltration of Angels under the Jewifh difpenfation. For he fpeaks of the word, or law delivered by Angels, Heb. ii. 2 . Alio of the law being ordained by Angels, in the hand of Mofes the mediator, Gal. iii. 19. St. Stephen likewife fays, his nation received the law, by the difpofition of Angels^ Ads vii. SZ'

B The

i8 On the Unity of Go/pel- Principles.

The learned Mr. James Pierce thus writes, *^' The Angels, before our Saviour's time, feem " plainly to have had provinces and domi- " nions allotted them, one prefiding over one " country, and another prefiding over another " country." See his note on Col. ii. i^. And, in truth, we have hints given us, in the Mew Tefta- ment, of an undue worfhip having been paid to angels; Col. ii. i8. Nay, according to y<?/^^i?//j-, *' the EiTenes, a fed among the Jews, made great " account of the names of angels, and fhould *' leem to have addrelTed them as mediators." It is alfo obferved, from fome paflages in Pbilo's writings, that he thought " angels were mefiengers " who prefent.d men's prayers to God. And like- " wife, from Tobit^ ch. xi. 14. — xii. 5. even this *' fhould appear to have been a notion which had " prevailed among the Jews*."

It fhould therefore be reafonable to conclude, that the one Lord^ under the Gofpel difpenfation, is oppofed both to the many Lords among the ido- latrous Pagans, and to the fuperftitious and undue homage paid to angels by the Jews \ and efpecially .to their having received the law by the miniltration of angels. Accordingly v/e hence fee, with what great propriety the apollle reports to the Hebrew Chriftians, that when God had brought his firit- begotten from the dead, and had advanced him to the right hand of power, he faid, let all the angels of God worjkip him. This was enough to indifpofe the mind of a converted Jew, from ever once more directing his homage to angels.

There is a fine pafTage to my purpofe, in i Cor. xii. 3. where St. Paul, having told the Corinthians

that

* See Goadby's lUuftration of the New Teftament, &c. on Col. ii. 18.

On the Xlmty of GofpeUTrlncipks. i q

that they knew they the.T.felves were Gentiles, who had been carried away to the worlhip of dumb idols — he adds, *' wherefore I give you to under- " (land, that no man fpeaking by the ipirit of God, " calleth Jefus accurfed, or anathema." i. e. none of them who were divinely informed, would rank Jefus with demons, or dead men, thofe dumb idols .whom they had been wont to worlhip. — And far- ther he fays, " that no man can fay that Jefus is " Lord, but by the Ipirit." i. e. either by the fpirit of prophecy or of miracle, or by that fpirit of holinefs which :has feparated the idea of the Lord- fhip of Jefus, from that of all other Lords.

There is yet another kind of ufurpation of power, to which the authority of the one Lord is oppofed; and that is, a dominion exercifed over the faith of men, by fpiritual wickednejfes in high places! Such a Ihocking claim of authority, in giving law to conlcience, . had ailually obtained among the Jews ! which tyranny our great prophet often cen- lures, and openly condemns. " Their teaching *' for do6liines the commandments of men,, and fo *'- unlording the commandments of God ;" — he remarks upon as capitally criminal, Matth. xv. 6, 9. He openly contradi^fts their teachings, fee Math. v. 21. to che end of that fermon, and gives the true fpirit and fenfe of every precept they had per- verted. And in ch. xxiii. he very cxprefsly for- bids that his difciples ihould, in their religious cha- fadter, a'^knowiedge any hum:.n authority whatfo- everi for..fmuch as they . have but o/?^ Lord and Mafter, and ail they are brethren. He every where afierts the fa-crcd rights of private judgment, and, chargeth with enormous wickednefs Scribes and Phanfees ; denouncing a v/oe upon them for af-. fuming a fovereignty over minds ; the prerogative, of none but God. — No other being can prefcribe

B 2 to

20* On th^ Unity of Gofpel-Frinciples,

to the faith and worlhip of man. — To inculcate this truth, was a capital defign of his miflion, Joh. viii. 36. In fa6t, both Jews and Gentiles were en- flaved under the exercife of a prieftly fpiritual ty^ ranny, till Jefus Chrift came to preach deliverance to captives, and to fet fuch prifoners free. " For *' all whom the Son makes free, they are free in- " deed." And this, aflliredly, is an efiential part of that falvation which we have under the Golpel, viz. being redeemed from a (lavifh fubjeftion to an affuming prieilhood : in which the generality of mankind were involved at the time of the Gofpel's firft addrefs. And yet, alas ! liow very foon did Chriftians forget what are the unalienable, and mod facred and important rights of the human mind, by pretending a power to prefcribe and impofe ar- ticles and rules of faith and worfhip. And here- upon erecting an human mock-tribunal, fitting in judgment upon thofe who religioufly differed from them, as to the fenfe they formed of the divine canon •, and thus defeating one manifeft defign of Chriil's miffion as a redeemer. Whatever pre- tence is therefore made, or by whomfoever, to give law to confcience, by requiring fubfcription to ar- ticles of faith, or conformity to modes of wor- fhip, it is notorioufly Anti-christian; becaule it imports an explicit and exprefs denial of the truth of this fundamental Gofpel-principle, viz. " that the Chrillian has but one Lord." — Will the religion of Jefus ever appear in its native genuine light, fo long as hierarchies, fpiritual didtators, and law-givers are found within the Chriftian pro- feflion .? Can civil-church-eftabiifliments be made to coirefpond with the plan of the Gofpel Confti- tution ? which confecrates and acknowledges but one Lord ; and which divinely alTerts the equality of Chriilians — all ye are brethren.

Do

On the Unify of Gofpel-Principles. 2 1

Do not let my reader think I am taking too

much freedom, in being thus diffatisfied with civil-

church-eftablifhments-, for it" I do at all underftand

the teachings of Jefus, and of his apoftles, thefe

eftablifliments have no countenance at all given

them, but are mod exprefsly condemned in thofe

divine teachings. And if this be the cafe, they

muil, fo long as they continue, be the reproach

and fcandal of the Chriftian profelTion. For, as

one fays, " what are thefe commonly called na-

" tional churches, or human eftablifhments of

" Chriftianity, fenced in with creeds and confef-

" fions, enclofed with canons and conllitutions of

*' various kinds, authoritatively enjoined to be

" fubfcribed and obferved j and fortified with the

" powers and fan6lions of this world ? — What are

** they, but temporary inftitutions of human po-

" licy, as variable as the civil government of each

" country where they are? — Utterly repugnant to

*' the nature and extent of Chrift's kingdom *.'*

Such a fymbolizing with Pagan governments, may perfeftly lliit a Popifh fyftem •, but muft be the inevitable ruin of Proreilantifm. — The young among us of this day, may polTibly live to lee its fatal effefts taking place in Britain ■\\

Thus much for that fundamental, 'viz. — t\iQ one Lord.

The next in order, is, one faith.

B 3 We

* Theological Repofitory, Dec. 1770, p. 456.

t See repeated advertifements of Sacred Mufic in the Pope's Chapel, price 10s. 6d. and the'Hiftory of the famous Preacher, Friar Gerund de Campazas, 2 vol. prige los. 6d. Are poj thefe ugly figns of the Times ?

12 On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles.

We may underftand this, either of one rule of faith, or of one principle of faith, exercifed on that one rule. Now, the written Gofpel is, with- out controverfy, that one rule of faith to all Chriftians, in all places and ages.— Nay, Faith is a term oiten put for the Gofpel. Rom. i. 5. — x. 8. — xvi. 26. Gal. i. 23. Phil. i. 27. i Tim. iv. i. 2 Ep. iv. 7. Jude, verfe 3. Rev. xiv, 12. — Chri- ftians are likewife to judge for thcmfelves of this; one rule of faith, and for none but themfelves. The reafon is very plain ; becaufe none can ever render either the doctrine or the precept principle, but the man himfelf It m.uft be the efforts of his own powers, religioufly to obferve the rule, and imitate the example. To this purpofe it will be ncceffary, that the Chrillian underftands the rule to be fully declarative of the divine will, as re- vealed by his Lord and Mafter •, and that he care- fully enters into the true fpirit of the inftrudlion -, elfe he cannot be laid to have the one common faith. — On the other hand, if he believes only as fuch or fuch men fay they believe ; or if he in- terprets fcripture by fome church-articles, he is not a believer in Chrift, but in fuch men, or in fuch a church. Hence his faith is not of the com- plexion of this one faith •, becauie it has all its ex- iftence in the wildom of men, and not in the power of God.

Again, the one faith muft accord with the rea- fon of m.an. So the learned Spencer^ — " God, I am " fure," fays he, " has no where required us to a " faith which cannot fatisfy the reafon of a man, ** which fearcheth into the grounds and reaions ^ thereof,-' See his diicourfe on prodigies, p. 252.

Another fundamental, is, one baptism.

The

On the Unity of Gofpel-Frinciples. 23

The Jews had divers wafliings or baptifms, and were very ceremonious and exa6l: in applyiiig the water of purification. So had the Pagan Greeks various wafhings and purifications ; fome before they facrificed to their celeftial, and others before they facrificed to their infernal Gods. — The Chriftian has only one baptifm, which acknowledges the ex- altation, or fovereign authority of the one Lord, and initiates into his church and kingdom. ^ — N. B. The Romans alfo had ?:n early dedicatory rite*, as well as the Pagan Greeks f.

The laft fundamental article in this harmonious fyftem, is, " one God the father of alU ivho is above all, and through all, and in us all."''

This is the utmoft which language could exprefs of that ineffable, incomprehenfible fpiritj the one unchangeable, infinite, and eternal fource of all being and bleflednefs. He has been known and worlhipped, as the one living and true God, under all former difpenfations •, even as pofiefied of all polTible perfection ! And yet, under the Gofpel, the manifeftation made of him, as the God and fa- ther of Jefus Chrift, has rendered him yet more glorious ! For, fince he who can have no limitation of prefcnce, power, and influence, is alike the fa- ther of every fmcere Chriftian, they are his fons and daughters. And, moreover, he is not only above all, but he is through all, and in us all.

This is very aptly oppofed to the polytheifm of the Gentile idolatrous world, who had Gods many. For St. Paul fays, " to us Chriftians there is but " one God the father, of whom are all things, and

B 4 " we

* See Hooke'% Rom. Hill, Vol. HI. p. 272. Where he mer\- tions the dedication of Cicero, on the 5th day of his birth. t See Potter' i Greek Antitjuiuei, Vol. II. p. 328, &c.

24 On the Unity of GofpeWPrtnctples,

" we in him." i Cor. viii. 6. — He there adds, " one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whorn are all things, *' and we by him." — I the rather mention this, be- caufe of the obvious diflindion here made between the one God and the one Lord ; the one, the un- originated fource; the other, the mmifbcr by whom he preferves, fucconrs, and governs his church. — So much for the unity of Gofpel-Principles.

Secondly. — Thus we have gained a m,oft compre- henfive view of the unity and harmony of the Gofpel-Syflem, in all its fundamentals ; and can- not fail difcovering its divine original. No one can be at a lofs how to calculate the weight of evidence.

For who does not fee the wifdom and prudence in which God has abounded towards mankind, in the uniting idea of ail the fubjedls of his Kingdom as one body -, confifting of various members, which have but one head ? The benevolent fpirit, or principle of brotherly affeflion, muft, and does opcate in all genuine Chriftians. And with the utmoft reafon, becaufe this is their difcriminating charadterillic mark, viz, their loving one another. Joh. xiii. 35. But as benevolence is the end of the Gofpel inftitution, i Tim. i. 5. and as benevolence is the higheft refemblance man can pofiibly have of his maker. Math. v. 48. hence, the evidence of this fyftem being of God, rifes to demonftration.

jigain^ — The grace of the Gofpel conftitution, or the Chriftian's being raifed to the hope of eternal life, has its bafis on the benevolence of his fpirit, and his being formed by Jove. Order, harmony, agreement of fpirit and principle, qualify for the blifsful enjoyment of efiential love ! 1 Joh. iv. 8. and muft render the aflbciation of kindred minds, I. e. minds of the fame moral and divine com- plexion,

G;2 the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 25

pkxion, for ever felicitating. — Yet, inafmuch as the objed of hope, eternal life, required, from jhe aftonifliing greatnefs and glory of its idea, fome very convincing illuflration \ therefore it was, that the miniftrations and endurances of Jefus Chrift were appointed. — And becaufe he has thrown io much light upon it, we are faid to have the divine beftowment made by him, i. e. inftrumentally.

Again, Since mankind, in every age of the world, have either had fome divine medium of worlhip, or fome fanciful mediators, it dem.onftrates the wifdom and goodnefs of God, in confecrating and appointing one mediator, with full powers to fhew us the father ; and virtually become, to all his dif. ciples, the way, the truth, and the life ! or, in other words, the light of the world ! and the life of men ! He is emphatically the one Lord, as he is the only Law-giver in the Chriflian church.

For this reafon, Chriftians have but one rule of faith, and that is, the teachings of Jefus and his Apoftles, in the New Teilament writings j which every one is to interpret for hinifelf, and apply to himfelf. A rule that is not only intelligible, but plain, to all who are willing to do the will of .God. Joh. vii. 17. This demonftrates the divi- nity of the Gofpel inftitution.

And we are alfo to obferve, there is but one ri- tual which initiates into this heavenly Kingdom, and that is, haptifm, or the application of water ; in acknowledgment of the fovereign authority of the one Lord.

But a moll conclufive evidence, that this inftitu- tion muft be of divine original, is, " its afferting " and maintaining, the unrivalled, the peerlels *' majefty of the fupreme Being; the one God, 3 " the

16 On the Unify of Gofpel-Pnnciples.

" the father of all, who is above all, and through " all, and in us all." — A doftrine, on which all true religion only can have its fupport. And which is found to be conftantly taught by Jelus Chrift and his apoflles, at a time when polytheifm and idolatry covered and darkened all the great Em- pires in the habitable world ! and whofe capital lav/s had been mod fliockingly corrupted, or per- verted, by that very people whom he had feparated from the nations. For though the Jews are not chargeable with a national acknowledgment of more Gods than one, at the time when the MefTiah was perfonally addrefling them -, yet they were over-run with immorality, vice, and a grofs fuper- ftition. In this dark and depraved condition of the world, the Gofpel revelation was, manifeftly, the wifdom of God, and the power of God.

Thus we have afcertained the weight of evidence, as it is found to derive from the unity of Gofpel- principles.

We fhall proceed to fhev/,' feme of the many^ grofs perz^erftcns made of this heavenly inftitution. And,

I. From the above idea of the one body, we fhall be able to deted: vulgar errors concerning the church of Chrijl. For his church is not confined to any human enclofure, or national efcablifiiment „ not to any one diftinguiilied denomination, or mode of profefllon. It has no mortal, i. e. no fallible head. But all men throughout the habitable earth, who acknowledge Jefus Chrift to be the one Lord and Law-giver, and are cordially united to him on the principles of Gofpel-truth, and in the fpirit of divine love, they are members of his myftical body : and none . but fuch who thus have their converfa-

tiona

On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 27

t4ons in heaven, do properly make a part of his church. Thefe, all of them, have one fpirit, as they are called in one hope of their calling; they have one faith, one baptifm, one God and father of all. Every other idea of the church of Chrift-, is confufed, falfe, and erroneous ; narrow, contradt- ed, and unworthy of the Kingdom of heaven.

But from the view above taken, we are furnifhed with a moft delightful profped of the wide extent of the Chriftian church, and its fpiritual, divine complexion. Nay, we infer from hence, a prefent -ftrliowfhip, and inter-communion of minds, which fhall have an everlailing happy aflbciation in the future world ! And this, becaufe of their having been alike formed and attempered upon the very fame divine principles : and who, from the infini- tude of moral excellencies, are called, the fulnefs cf him who filleth all in all.

II. From the unity and fimplicity of the Gofpel fj^ftem, we are led to deplore the abfurdity and impiety of Chriftian profelTors, who have been employing themfelves to no better purpofe, than to perplex and confound all fundamental principles of the Gofpel-inftruftion, to the great depravity of one another. I will make a citation from Dr. IDan. JVhithy^ a dignified divine of the Englifh- church-eftabliihment — who fays, when treating on the unity of the fpirit, " Hence it demonftratively " follows, that no Church-Governors, jointly or *' feverally, can be appointed by God, to be the *' living judges, or the infallible directors of our " faith. For fince, in matters of faith, we mufh ?' have a judgment of certainty, we cannot own ^* them as fuch, till we are certain that thty belong '.' to that church, of which Chrift is the head, and to /* which alone the promife of the fpirit does be-

*' long/

28 On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles.

" long : i. e. till we are certain they are fincere

" and upright Chriftians. Since, therefore, God

*' has given us no certain rule to know this by,

" we may reft iatisfied, that he defigned no fuch

" magiilerial guides fhould be found in his

*« church*."

This is faying enough, to cut off all claims to dominion over conlcience. But I can go further, being alTured that God has not appointed any Sub- governor in his church ; nor has given authority to any to take upon them the direflion of other men's faith. If I am right, the very pretenfion to fuch authority, muft confequently be a full proof that they do not belong to that church of which Chrift is the head ; but are forccrers, cheats, or impoilors. This furely is plain, forafmuch as all Chriftians have one and the fame rule, for frying the fpmts, whether they are of God. — It is therefore impoffible, that any one or more fhould be invefted with the power of giving law to confcience, in the province of religion. Confequently, to make creeds, and impofe them, is an open invadon of the unaliena- ble rights of Chriftians : for all the real or genuine members of Chrift's body, have an equal relation to him, and do derive from him all needful light, aid and fuccour, under the trial.

III. This defcription of the fundamental prin- ciples of the Chriilian religion, encourages every honeft, ferious mind, to read and ftudy the New Teftament writings for ihemfelves, as a divine ca- non of temper, difpofition, and life. None fhould ever imagine it can have what is dark or doubtful, either in its dodrine, precept, or example. And as to the manner or method in v/hich this divine boolc

fhould

* His Paraphrafe and Commentary, in loco.

On the Unity of Gofpel-Prmciplei. 29

fhould be confiilted, we may avail ourfelves of fame advantage, from a rule laid down by the ce- lebrated author of The Spirit of Laws, — which is, — " The laws fhould be explained by the laws -, " and hiilory by hiftory." So, by a parity of rea- foning, the New Teftament canon fhould be conli- dered as its own bell Expofitor. No commentator can throw fo much light upon the facred text, as it does upon itfelf, when carefully examined and compared. And every Commentator who has d©- ferved notice, has taken this method to illuftrate its divine inftrudlion.

There is not a better key to the whole New Teftament tea.chings, than my text provides. W« muft fo interpret all its do6trines, as to render them confiftent with this unity. But inftead of fo read- ing the New Teftament, men carry along with them fome education-prejudices, or fome fyftema' tic-prepoffeflions •, and they read the facred page only to countenance and confirm, not at all to cor- rect and remove thofe prejudices.

Perhaps there is not any thing more depraving of theological ideas, among profeilbrs, than the very mifchievous difiin6tion of orthodoxy and heterodoxy^ which has been inculcated upon weak and vulgar minds ; the ftandard of which is no other, than fome adopted fyftems of opinion, that are wholly pf human original. Whereas, we may be certain, po man is found in the faith, who is unfound in his morals, — and that no man is unfound in the faith, who has a foundnefs in his morals. Orthodoxy and heterodoxy, do lye in the fandifying effect which the Gofpel has, on the temper and life of the profefTor \ — and in the want of fuch influence. — \ confefs I know of no other criterion, either of the

foundneG or imfoundnefs of aChriftian's faith. .

Every

3© On the Unity of Go/pel- Principles.

Every honeft perfon will therefore be encouraged to read and ftudy his New Tellament, from an af- furance that he cannot run into any. fatal error or miltake, fo long as he reads and applies it, as a rule of life and manners, and preferves the unity and harmony of all its firil principles.

IV. From this fcale given of the unity and har- mony of the Golpel fyftem, v/e can eafily; account -for the fuperftition and bigotry, copioufly found among profelTing Chriflians. They, not content with its plainnefs and fimplicity, have prefumed to introduce pompous rites, and ridiculous ceremo- nies, into its worfhip, as ornaments and decorations of the mode and figure of the addi"eis. Though, as we have obferved, the Gofpel has delivered mankind from the burthenfome ritual of Mofes, and from the favage rites of the idolatrous Gentile nations. The world was in the moft abjc6t flavery, when the Gofpel {tt the prilbner free. An advan- tage has neverthelefs been taken of the powerful influence which fcnfitive objefts are found to have upon the human mind \ and hence the whole pomp and parade of ceremony. The eye, allured by paintings and ftatuary, the ear with vocal and in- llru mental mufic : the paffions are thus arrefted, the fentiments materialized and depraved ; and thus a diiability brought on the mind of ever entering into the fpirit of truth in men's devotions. What a flrange idea muft m^ankind have of the Beity^ who can luppofe that magnificence of building, fine mufic, and mafteriy paintings, do give an ac- cepcablenels to the homage offered to a pure fpirit, who has faid, he will be worfhipped in Jpirii and in truth ? for fuch the father feeketh to wor/loip him, Joh. iv. 23. A popifh writer can fay, " let us " not ofier up our treafures to God, uniefs w^e- are ^' proud of Ihewing that we elleem what he would

" have

On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 31

" have us defpife." Spirit of Laws, Vol. : II. p. 178.

V. If the Chriflian has " but one God and fa- " ther of all, who is above all, through all, and *' in us all ;" then what mull be faid or thought of great numbers of profeflbrs, who feem to have jnaniferdy perverted this primary fundamental of the Gofpel fyilem ? And when, upon this very bafiS^ ail true religion ever has, and ever muft have, its fupport ? Affuredly, the fupreme homage paid to Jeius Chrifi:, by thofe who contend for his being God equal with the father, does by no means con- fift with this capital idea, of the one God the father cf all! — Will any prefume to call in queftion the truth cf this firft principle ? Will any of the Atha- nafians fay, that the Son is the one God, the fa- ther of all, who IS . above all, through all, and in us all ? If they are not able to fay this, their affir- mations about, and afcriptions unto Jefus Chrifb, or to the Son, as God equal with the father, are un- juftifiable : and they are guilty of notorioufly per- verting the very firft fignificant fundamental prin- ciple of all true religion.

It is abfolutely impofllble that the one Lord fhould be this one God, inafmuch as the one God the father is here faid to be above all-, and there- tore muft be above him whom he has conftituted the one Lord. Nor is it any where in the New Teftament once intimated, that this Lord is pof- fefTed of any one effential perfection of deity •, or that any one of thofe pcrfedlions can be commu- nicated to any being whatfoevcr. I mean. Eternity, omnifcience, omniprelence, immenfity, and infinity^ no more than fupremacy, are communicable attri- butes. None but the one God the father, can be abo'iie, through, and in all. — Thefe perfections «re

afcribable

32 On the Unity of GofpeUFrinciphs,

afcribable to none elfe.— Deity can have no eqiial,^ either in prefence, power, or glory. — He i^ Gody and there is no God befides him.

But becaufe of thefe his adorable, incommuni- cable perfedions, a reality, a fpirit, and an energj^ are thereby given to the Gofpel-fyftem of princi- ples, becaufe of their unity and harmony. Indeed, the better any one is acquainted with the teachings of Jefus, the more he v/ill be perfuaded of the de- rivation and dependence of the Son, and of his fubordinacy to the Father. It has been the con- ftant labour of the divine addrefs of the Son of God, to perfuade men, that what he faid, and what he did, was by virtue of that . authority and power he received from the one God, his God and lather *, for which there was great occafion ; fmce he , forefaw how apt mankind would be to mifre- prefent him, from die amplitude, fubliraity, and peculiar luftre of his commilfion ; and alio from the mofl perfed revelation, or that wonderful ma- nifeflation he made of the father.

VI. The Sceptic and Infidel have their ftupi- dity manifeftly condemned by this very reprefen- tation of the unity of Gofpel principles ; fince it is impoffible there fhould be a more conclufive evi« dence of the divinity of any fyftem. There never was unity and integrity found in any hu- manly devifed fyftem of religion. Unity never yet appeared in any plan laid by the wifdom of man ; for what originates therein, muft neceflarily have imperfeftion and difcordancy. Even the blefled Jefus difclaims the idea of having Ipoken of him- felf. See Joh. vii. i6. xiv. lo, 24. xiu 49. Even the beft laid fcheme of civil policy, has ever be- trayed

■ 1 1« ■ i '■ « ■ —

* Confult St. John's Goipel, pajjim.

On the Unity of Goffel-Frincipks, 33

trayed its imperfect original. But in the Gofpel- Ifillicution, there is a perfc6l coincidence of all its parrs, and an undiflurbed harmony from the unity and concord of all its principles.

The rejeftor of this divine fyftem therefore ftands condemned, becaufe he has taken no due pains to difcover the fulnefs or perfeftion of Golpel-evidence. He has fed his prejudices from the abufive rcpre- fentations made of it by profeflbrs. No fair judg- ment of that heavenly divine canon, has been made by him : — for whatever he may think of himfelf, the New Teftament writings do moft clearly dif- play the truth and grace of God, though he may

fancy to defpife or negledl that revelation. ^It is

a fair confequence, that that man runs no fmall rifque, who rejefts this counfel of God againft him- felf:— i. e. who defpifeth the riches of fuch good- nefs, which has nothing lefs than eternal life in its addrefs ! — how would one grieve over his ftupidity !

See we to it, that none of us receive the grace of God in vain, but that we hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of truth, peace and love, and

fo grace fhall be multiplied upon us. But

otherwife, that interrogation of an Apoftle will have its awful, tremendous afpedt upon us, — " how (hall " we efcape if we negledt fo great falvation ! which *' at the firft began to be fpoken by the Lord, and " was afterwards confirmed by them that heard : " God alfo bearing them witnefs, both with figns, " wonders, divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy " Spirit, according to his own will.''

DISCOURSE II.

On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon,

HAVING, in the preceding difcourfe, confidered the unity of Gofpel- Principles i it will be both natural and eafy in this, to make it very- evident that the wifdom of man, Jiis cunning and contrivance, had no hand at all in framing any part of that fyfteni : which done, we fliall dilcover it to be of a purely divine original, and perfeftly complete in its inftrudion. — Let St. Paul again guide us in this inveftigation ; fee i Cor. ii. 4, 5. " And my fpeech and my preaching was not with " the enticing words of man's wifdom ; but in *" demonftration of the fpirit and of power : that " your faith fhould not ftand in the wifdom of " men ; but in the power of God."

Notwithflanding this, juft as it was in the apoftolic age, fo it continues to be to this day ; mankind are ever extremely fond of the rhetorical, mufical, paflTionate addrefs. The flowers of oratory are fenfitively grateful ; and the well turned periods are mechanically ftriking, — Image and figure have more engaged the attention, than logical reafoning and good fenfe are wont to do. Our crouded operas ancl oratorios^ are, at this day, in full proof of the truth of this obfervation. The melody of founds, which delight the ear, do raviih, and feed the paflion. And however ferious or folemn the fub- jeft, even that wherein the moft important bufmefs of man is everlaftingly concerned, in the religious addrefs, yet abfurdity and myftery, rather than I the

■On dii divine Pmity of the Gofpel-Canon, ^S

the real dignity and majefty of truth, fire the admiration, and furnilh the fervors of devotion. No matter how little light is thrown into the intelledj for if the paffions be but vigoroufly excited and the imagination bufily employed, the fpeaker foon becomes popular. Hence it was that St. Paul found the Greek eloquence fo much admired in his day j and that it was with them, the excellency of fpeech^ and the enticing words of man*s wifdom.

So a learned writer of the lafl: age, has expofed " the ignorant imaginations of thofe men, which *' (like the heathens of old) look upon heat and " noife, words full of charms thrown out without *' method or meafure upon the fuddam, and very " vehement affections, the fymptomes of a perfon ^'^ full of God, and managed by fome power tran- " fcendent to natural. Whereas all thefe things, " howfoever, like meteors, they carry an heavenly ** appearance in the eie of ignorance, we have *' found of a more common and bafe extraction. " Nor is the mighty power they may have over *' the fpirits of others, any argument to the " contrary; all fluent language, feathered with " foft and delicate phrafes, and pointed with *' pathetical accents, being naturally htted (as the " STAGE will alTure us) to make deep impreflion " upon the heart. Plutarch fpeaking of the rare " art which thofe matters of language, the Grae- " cian Sophifts difcovered in compofing and deli- " vering of their orations, tells us, that they " raifed up a kind of Bacchical Enthufiafm, and " tranf ported their hearers with fome honey words ^ J' foft and effeminate phrafes and accents, and a kind ** (f fwging tones. And no doubt thofe hearers of " whom he there fpeaks, which ufed to applaud \\ their orators at the end of their declamations C 2 " with

^6 On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon,

" "with a S'£jwf, S'eo^opTiTWf, Scuixovug, aiirpoTiTW?, " divinely, heavenly, inimitably fpoken ; found " themfelves as much ftirred and moved as many *' a man at a fermon, who yet thinks it is not the " art of the preacher, but the Spirit of God that *' warms and excites him.*" — " Whereas, this " fame writer fays, all thtfe ph^nanena may be " folved by mere mechanical principles, all gene- " rally being but the ilfue of a natural pregnancy " and fervor of temper, exerting itfelf in fluent " words tindured with religion and fcripture " phrafes.f"

It is a proof of extreme depravity in a people, when nothing; will engao-e their attention to divine things, but the Theatrical addrefs of the public teacher ; when men will not endure found doctrine, but after their lufts heap up to themfelves teachers', having itching ears, 2 Tim. iv. 3.

This rhetorical mechanical addrefe, St. Paul heartily defpifed, and would by no means admit it could have any propriety, in declaring the wifdom of God to mankind ; even that wifdom which had been till then a myftery, the hidden wifdom which had refpe<5l to idolatrous, vicious^ Gentiles being called, by the Gofpel, unto virtue and unto glory! — The more fully to convince the Corin- thians of the fovereign contempt he had of this their worldly wifdom, he was determined to know nothing among them, as an Apcftle, public-teacher, or orator, but only the dodrine of a crucified Jefus — and accordingly, he was with them, in weakncfo, and in fear, and in much trembling, ;'. e.

• Spencer on Vulg. Prophecies, pages 77, 78, t Ibid. p. 72.

On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Cajion, 37

as I underftand him, the fubjeffc of his preaching had an aptitude in it to put his auditors into fuch a deeply humiliating ftate of mind -, for as much as it opened to them their deplorable ignorance, idolatry, and vice ! It fet before them their very weak, deformed, guilty charaflers ; and expofed tremendoufly their perilous condition: and poflibly might have fome reference to the very great concern he himfelf had about tlie fouls of men, and their falvation.

We find, to our purpofe, that God, by his prophet Ezekiel, in ancient times, complained much of a like depraved tafte in the Jewilh people, «— " they come to thee, fays the oracle, according " to cuftom, and as my people they fit before " thee, and they hear thy words : but they will " not do them : for with their mouth they fhew *' much love, but their heart goes after their " covetoufnefs. For lo, thou art unto them as a " very lovely fong of one that has a pleafant ** voice, and can play well on an inftrument, for " they hear thy words, but they do them not." — It fliould feem by this, that Ezekiel had the natural powers of a fine orator, his voice melodious, and his addrefs extremely engaging; he was a very popular preacher. Not fo St. Paul ; he had not thefe natural talents ; and he was far from borrowing any of the artful flrokes of oratory. He delivered no truths, but juft as he had them by divine jnfpiration. A plainnefs of fpeech run through his addrefs, virhoUy unornamented by the flourifhes of elocution •, hence it was in demonftration of the fpirit and of power. His aim he wholly levelled at the moral ftate of the mind ; and his addrefs had immediately to do with firft-principles of truth and life.— —

C 3 Thi^

' 3^^8 Ori the divine Purity of the Gofpel^Carion.

This fh \\ ferve as a Ihort commentary, cm the former part of my text. And I will now proceed to'confider more diftindly the divine end of St. Paul's apoflolic labors, viz. fays he,

" That your faith Ihould not ftand in the wif- ** dom of men, but in the power of God."

Here, we muft Jirji attempt the doctrinal inftruftion, and then make fome ufeful obfej?-. vations.

A more general view of the dodrinal inftruc- tion, might be given in the words of an Englifli high-church prelate — " the Gofpel of Chrift, y^-j " ^^, at its earlieft appearance had all the proba- *' bilities in the world against its fiiccels : for it " v/as pOiTeffed fcarce of any one of thofe advan- *' tages which do moll fignally recommend a new ^•■^ d^drine, and make it thrive. It had no com- ** piving tenets, to looth mens appetites and *' paflioni :; but was all harih and auftere. — It had " no encouragement from the civil power ; it had *' no force nor ainning to uphold it; no men " of efteem and eminence to engage on its fide. — *' The age of difcovery, was more difcerning and " enlightned, more curious and inquifitive than *' any that either preceded or followed that age : " and therefore the fuccefs of this dodlrine could *' not be owing to mens ignorance, or to their *' fupinenefs. Finally, the publifhers delivered it " not out by parcels, as is the way of cunning " and defigning miCn ; but they offered the whole " of it to be examined and compared.*" —

This

* Dr. Atterbury Bp. of Rochefler's 14 Sermons, p. gS^ 97, 98.

On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 3:9

This gives pretty juflly, I apprehend, a general view of the dodrinal inllrucbion -, and yet, a more diftinfb inveftigation may be very proper. It wiU^ I apprehend, convey to our minds the following truths.

Firji, the apoftolical canon is not, cannot be of human original ; becaufe it comprehends and enforces each and every of the firft principles of natural religion, feparate from all the corruptions of polytheifm, idolatry, fuperftition and vice ; by which, the religion of nature had been fadly perverted among pagans. And it alfo delivers the religion of the Chriftian from the local, ceremonial, feparating Mofaic ritual -, and from the traditions of the elders, which had difguifed the moral. — All of which might be expedledj fince thefe apoftolic teachings do contain the moft compleat and perfeft view that was ever given of immutable, eternal truth ; its obligation and motive are drawn from the known charafter of God, and from the molt adorable ideas of his providence and government. In the whole of which teachings, there is nothing inconfiftent, nothing dark or myfterious, nothing little, mean, or trifling. Upon the whole, the Gofpel-Infti- tution has all the evidence that can now be given of the wifdom, power, and goodnefs of God. Nor is there one fingle conceivable idea of the divine majefty that is adorable, which is not to be found in that written-canpn.

Another truth which my text would fuggell, is, there are no marks of the artful, fanciful, and conjedural ; no tokens of man's inventive faculty in any New Teftament doftrines, maxims, motives,- or injunftions. On the contrary, its doftrines are all confident, rational, moral, heavenly, and C 4 divine

40 On the divine Purity of the GofpeUCanon .

divine, — its rules and laws are all calculated to regulate and refine the tempers, talles and fpirits of men : to produce in them an habitual rectitude i to render them fuperior to the infectious, ma- lignant influence of temptation. So all its maxims are wife, jufl, and benevolent : they infpire wi:h an univerfal good will to mankind, and they admit of no partialities nor referves in the Chriftian's morals. — 'Not a fingle motive is there in the whole, taken from this world, that would gratify either avarice, ambition, or fenfuality. But every of the excitements to the defire, de- light, or joy of man, are from objefts which are

fpiritua], heavenly and divine :- Objects which

have no imperfection, and can neither delude, deprave, nor difappoint the mind. —

Again^ ail Gofpel-Injun6tions are calculated to give mere a6tive life and renewed vigor to the practical frheme of labor and purfuit. Its Sym- bolical-Inititutions are alio very fimple and ex- prefTive ; and what manifeftly do fubferve the order, beauty, and benefit of the Chriftian pro- fefl^on. So it is with the Chriftian Sabbath, which is a conitant memorial of the fad of Chrift's refuricition \ — ^juft as baptifm is of his exaltation •, — and as the Lord's-Supper is of his fufferings and death. The firft prefents to our minds, the finifhed divine evidence given to his character and million ;— the fecond reports his authority as the one Lord and Law-giver, to whom we are to pay a conftant fubjeftion and obedience-, — the third reprefents to us the malignity of worldlinefs -, and fhews the neceflity there is of our being crucified to the world with all its affections and lulls. The firft provides us with the feafon for Ibcial worlhip : the fecond gives us an admiflion into his church and kingdom i and the third is

an

On the divine Purity of the Go/pel- Canon. 41

an ad of fellowlhip with the whole body of Chriftians, wherein we renew our engagements to love our head, and all his members *.

Another truth fuggefted by this apoftolic decla- ration, is, the full afTurance it gives of the Gof- pel's being a purely divine canon, from its imme- diately addrelTing every individual as equally and intimately concerned in its teachings, both as a rule of life, and as the ftandara of the final judg- ment. If therefore any argument could have been produced in confutation of the divinity of this canon, it muft have been notorious within the courfe of 1700 years. But in as much as it has itood the teft of fo many ^ges ; and no other fyftem of inftrudion could ever be (hewn to come in competition v/ith it, we may be perfectly well fatisfied that the authenticity and authority of the New Teftament is unqueftionably and con- clufively divine.

Nay, befides the Gofpel-Addrcfs being equally interefting to every individual oi mankind, to whom it is made ; the nature and tendency cf its inftru6tion, is fuch as makes an open and direft appeal to the judgment and confcience of every man ; and refers that claim which it has of a divine original, to the moft fatisfa6tory teft of his own experience. — In fact, thefe facred writings require no interpreter ; but the man's own honeft, unprejudiced attention and diligent application. And they give him proof that as he is willing and defirous to do the will of God, fo he becomes capable of knowing the doctrine ; and of diftin- guifliing very clearly, that it is of God. — Now

tills

* See the argument at large, in the open addrefs of New ^ejiament e'videnccj or three plain monument i, Sec.

42 On the divine Purify of the Gofpel-Canon.

this is what no other inftitution could ever boaH', the glory being relerved for that of the Gofpel ; concerning which Jeremiah thus prophefieth, — " and they fhall no more teach every man his " neighbour and every man his brother, faying, " know the Lord : for they fhall all know me, *• from the leaft of them unto the greateft of " them, faith the Lord." Jer. xxxi. 34. Which is fo applied by an apoftle in Heb. viii. 11. Whereas, the unenlightened Gentiles were under the ablblute guidance of proud prielts and very artful and conceited philofophers. Nay, even the Jews depended wholly on their priefts to offer facrifices for them, and explain not only their ritual, but their very code of laws delivered at Sinai: and they depended likewife on their prophets to inform them, what were the teachings of the ORACLE that fo frequently fpake by them. While the iNew Teflament code, is as well underflood by the unlearned, as it can be by the moft learned o'i mankind.

Eternal thanks be to God, thefe fcriptures arc yet found, by all who do cordially receive their inftruclions, to be the favour of life unto life. Men are transformed by them from being igno- rant, immoral and vicious -, into judicious, moral, and virtuous characlers. They are experimentally known by thoufands and ten thoufands to be both the wifdom of God, and the power of God. This is truly the cafe with every fincere, every genuine Chriftian.

A yet farther important truth, fliould feem to be fuggefted by the apoftolical declaration before ns, 'ViZ. that the original written records which were at firft delivered to the churches, have been faithfully tranflated into other languages, and

tranf-

•On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 43

tranfmitted down to ,ns, unaltered in all their important intercfting ihftruftion. For notwithfland- ing a fpiirious palTage has been introduced in St* John's, firfl epiltie concerning the witnefies, yet the interpolation has been dilcovered from niany of the bell and mod ancient Gteek copies *. And we might expeft the purity and integrity of the canon would be preferved, fince the autographs of apoftles would be immediately or very foon tranfcribed, and then tranflated into different lan- guages. Nay, the firft publiihers of the Gdfpiel were qualified, by the fupernatural gift 6f tongues, to deliver the Gofpel-meffage in the different languages and dialefts of the different people and nations wherever they came. And as the original fcriptures were held in the highefl efteem by all Chriftians, fo it was that in all controverfies which arofe among them, a conftant appeal was made to thefe writings. And becaufe in every age of the church, Chriftians have had different inter- pretations of fome mere figurative paffages in this facred code, hence the eye of jcaloufy would be kept open, and perpetually fixed on the written record ; which mufl have prevented any material alteration being made in that decifive divine ftandard, And when we add, that an Anathema was mod folemnly denounced -f on any who fhould

attempt

* It is not in the mofl ancient copies of the Greek, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, or Armenian Bibles, nor in the moil antient Latin Bibles. Brief Hid. of Unitarians, p. 43.

" Not found in anyone ancient copy in Chrillendoin nor

*' in any one ancient verfion or tranflation nor in any

*' one ancient commentary ; nor in any one citation till about *' the 15th Century." See the Scripture Account of the attri- butes and -zvorjhip of God : and of the charaCler and ojjiccs of Jefiis Chriji, — printed 1750,

f See Gal. i. 8, 9. Apoc. xxii. 18, 190

44 On the divine Purify of the Gufpel-Canon,

attempt a change of the facred text ; I ihould con- clude, we may be infallibly certain of its purity and integrity. —

Even from Ecclefiaftical teftimony, fo early

as the beginning of the 3d century, this fhould

appear, fince Tertullian fays, " we lay down this

*' as a certain fundamental truth, that the

" Evangelic fcriptures (or inftruments). have for

" their authors the apoftles, or apoftolical-men, to

** whom the work of publifhing the Gofpel was

" committed by our Lord himfeif." — And again^

*' if it be certain that is moft genuine which is

" moft ancient, and that moft ancient which is

" from the beginning, and that from the begin -

*' ning which is from the apoftles ; in like manner

" it will be alfo certain that has been delivered

*' from the apoftles which is held facred in the

" churches of the apoftles. Let us then fee what

" milk the Corinthians received from St. Paul ;

" to what rule the Galatians were reduced ; what

" the Philippians read ; what the Theffalonians •,

" what the Ephefians ; and likewife what the

" Romans recite, who are near us : with whom

" both Peter and Paul left the Gofpel fealed with

" their blood." — And this reafon he affigns for

the propriety of fuch authentic inftruments being

preferved facred in the churches, viz. " foraf-

*' much as the preaching of the difciples might

" have been fufpeded as liable to the charge

« of a defire of glory, if not fupported by the

" authority of the mafters, yea of Chrift who

«' made the apoftles mafters." Once more^ Tertullian

fays, " well, if you be willing to extrcile your

" curiofity profitably in the bufineis of your

♦' falvation, vifit the apoftolicai churches, in

« which the very chairs of the apoftles yet prefide,

*' ia

On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 45

** in which their very authentic letters * are recited, " founding forth the voice, and reprefenting the *' countenance of each one of them — as at " Corinth, Philippi, Ephefus and Rome. -f"

Admit the credibility of this teftimony, there was no poflibihty of men's being deceived, as to the purity and integrity of the facred canon, at the beginning of the 3d century : and if fo, there does not appear, to me, any probability that it could be changed in any after-age of the church. If any one (hould doubt of this, I would aflc him, whether he can conceive of a poflibility there is of making a change of the Gofpel record in the prefent age, notwithftanding the general fhocking depravity of Chriflians ? —

Thus, I truft, it muft appear, with fatisfaftory evidence, that the faith of the Chriftian has no exiftence in the artifice, cunning, wifdom, or authority of men ; but only in the wifdom and power of God. In truth, as St. Paul would hint to us, we need look no farther than into the do6lrine of a crucified Jefus, in order to convince us, that the Gofpel fcheme could never be the refult of human invention, device, or contrivance. — One might add, not any thing can be more evident, than that all former divine revelations' and difpenfations were -preparatory to this laft, under the Mefliah's kingdom.

'ty

Thus the doflrinal inftruftion has been at- tempted : and fome ufeful obfervations may now be made upon that truly divine inftrudion. —

I. If

• By authentic letters, he meaneth the originals them- felves. See Dr. Lardners Credib. vol. ii. p. 559. • t Ibid. p. 577, 578.

46 On the divine Purity of the GofpeUCanon,

I. If I iinderftand the apoftle's reafoning throughout this context, New Teftament teachings could receive no advantage in their addrefs to mankind, from any flu died rules of oratory. There is fuch a divine fimplicity, plainnefs, and jrrefiftible weight in their principles, motives, and reafoning, that the more men would affeft to put on them the ornaments of a flowery rhetorical addrefs, or the paintings of a fine imagination, the lefs will their native beauties be confpicuous : or the more they are covered with the artilt's colourings, the lefs will the pure original rays of divine truth and grace difplay the wifdom and power of God. Hence the very beft judges of their vail importance have ever propofed, that a tranflation of the facred text into any language Ihould be as literal as the eftabriilied idioms of that language' will permit. And we have ever un- happily found the liberal to be no better than a licentious tranQation. Men fadly forget them- felves, when they fancy a dcvifed imagery of their own can add a beauty and energy to the facred text, in its native original divine drefs.

It has been before obferved, that it is probable St. Paul had not a very mufical voice, nor the llriking abilities of the fine orator. But if he had acquired them at the feet of Gamaliel, under whom he purfued his ftudies, he would make no ufe of them in his apoftolic labours. The truth and grace of God flood in no need of fuch helps, in order to imprefs teachable minds. And hence it is he fays, " brethren, when I came to you, " I came not with excellence of fpeech, or of " wifdom, declaring to you the teflimony of *' God." — In one word, divine teachings borrow no additional energy from the befl fpeaker in the world. Mufical tones and vibrations are too mo- mentary;

On the divine Purify of the GofpeUCdnon, 47

mentary, mechanical, and paflionate ; they rather entertain, than inftrud; they rather amule, than imprefs. Had rhetorical addrefs been needful, St. Paul's want of the powers of elocution would have unfitted him for the apoftolate.

Ildly, Human authority is not, never was, nor never may be a foundation, on which rel'gion can fupport. So that the civil power can have no- thing to do authoritatively in religion. — At the fame time, it muft be owned, there are feveral apoftolic injun(5lions on Chriftian people, to reve- rence their infpired inilruftors. Such as, i Tim. V. 17. " Let the elders that rule well, be ** counted worthy of double honour." And Heb. xiii. 7. *' Remember them who have the rule over " you : who have fpoken to you the word of God ; " whofe faith follow." — Again, ver. 17. " Obey " them that have the rule over you, and fubmit " yourfelves ; for they watch for your fouls as " thofe who muft give an account." — But then nothing is more plain, than that this reverence, this obedience, this fubmiflion, v/as wholly owing to the authority of that divine meffage which they delivered, and not to any perlonal claims of thefe teachers. It is therefore evident, that the demand of reverence could only be made by virtue of that meffage. Juft fo the people were required to receive the firft Gofpel meffengers, as God's ambaffadors. See 2 Cor. v. 20. Math. x. 14. And whoever did not, " they were to fhake the duft off their " feet, as a teftimony againfc them." But in no other light were apoftles objefts of fuch reve- rence. For this apoftle fays, " not that we have *' dominion over your faith. — And we preach not " ourfelves, but Chrifl Jefus the Lord ; and *' ourfelves your fervants for Jefus fake." 2 Cor. i. 24. — iv. 5.—-Th"y are not Chriftians who

receive

48 On the divine Purify of the Gofpel-Canon,

receive honour one of another, and not the honour which comes from God only. Joh. v. 44.

When once the truth and grace of God, as revealed by Jefus Chrift and his apoflles, had been committed to writing, and the churches were poflefTcd of thofe writings ; when the apoitles had thus finilhed their labors, no authority could then remain any where elfe in the Chriflian-church, but in thofe writings. And every individual Chriftian became equally concerned with and in- terefted in them. Had thefe writings been every- where religioufly attended to, and at all times, none would ever have dreamed of church-o-ovcr- nors, and church-government, exercifed by fanci- ful fallible deputies, or frail vicars of the one Lord. But men who prefide in Chriftian-churches, and lead the public worfhip upon the Gofpel plan, can have no authority, nor any thing like jurif- di(5tion. — This has been the cafe even with all thofe called Bishops, both in Denmark and Swe- den j and for aught I know, may yet be the cafe with them, to this day.

It is an undoubted truth, that the mofl learned of the Chriftian world are themfelves altogether as much amenable to the divine authority of the New I'eftament writings, as the moft illiterate Chriftian can poflibly be, and thefe very fcriptures are equally an obligatory rule to them, as they can be to any others. Nay, I will add, thefe veiy fcriptures, when read juftly by a mechanic, have as much authority, as when they are read by any prieft or prelate whatlbever. It cannot be otherwife, fince they borrow no authority at all from man ! and all true Chriftians are a royal priefthood ! i Pet. ii. 9. And therefore are equally qualified to offer up Golpel facrifices.

Heb.

On the dhine Purity of the GofpeUCanon, 4^

Heb. xiiK 15. — This then is' a juft obfervation, 1}%%, " that human authority can no where operate " m the Chriftian church."

Illdly, Since that fewer of God, in which the faith of the Chriftian has all its exiftence, does certainly import his truth and grace, we may clearly underliand all thofe pafiages in the New Teftament, which afcribe the fandificadon a/d

falvation of men to ^be power of God. FvlH

the Gofpel itfelf, is, for th-is reafon, faid to be ** the power of God to falvation, to oil that " believe." Rom. i. 16. " And the preaching of " the crofs, is, to all who are faved, the power of « God." I Cor. i. 18. And fo Chrift, or his Golpel, is faid to be both the power of God, and the wifdom of God, v. 14. — To the fame purpofe St. Peter fpeaks of Chriftians, " as kept by the " power of God,' e. by the power of his truth 2nd grace, through faith unto falvation. i epiftle

Tke power of God, whenever applied to,. the falvation of men, does therefore m.aniftftly intend, that efficacious influence which the divine teachings cf his written word, have had upon the human mind^ in its renovation and fandification. Which €xa6tly agrees with other reports made of the great deiign of the Gofpel. Such as that of 2 Thefll ii. 13. " Ye are chofcn from the beginning, " (i. e. of the Gofpel age) through fandlification " of the Spirit, even a belief of the truth, as " it is in Jefus." And t^gaifii Eph. iv. 24. we are faid to be *' created in righteoufnefs, and in " the truth of holinefs." Likewife men who form themfelves upon Gcfpel-Teachings, are alfo iaidto be fpiritually-minded. Rom. viii, beginning.

D Thus

^o On the divine "Purity of the Gofpel-Canon.

Thus the fdutary power of God, when applied to human minds, denotes, that efficacious influ- ence and efFe6t which his truth and grace have upon them, in attempering and difpofing to order and rectitude every of their elections and determinations. For whenever his will becomes ours, and we have no other governing defire but that of being approved by him, it may then be very juftly faid, that our faith, or that exercife of the mind, which is the habitual pious prin- ciple, does not exifl: in the wifdom of men, but in the power of God. Now, at all times, the Gofpel-rule of faith is exprefllve of fuch divine power.

IVthly, This exercife of faith in the energy and efficacy of divine truth and grace, is what diftinguifhes and difcriminates human chara6ters. So in the context, our apoftle has obferved, that there is a natural^ and there is a fpiritual man : and that the one knows not the things of the other, i. e. the natural man has no idea of thofs exertions and fruitions which belong to the fpiritual man. And the reafon is obvious ; fince the natural man has no higher principle which guides and governs him, than what is fenfitive, viz. his animal feelings and pafTions. Temporal, perifhing good is his prime obje6l, and he knows of no- thing more defirable than to gratify thefe pro- penfities. He knows not what it is to live by faith in the power of God -, for he lives only by fight. He has no conception of what it can mean, " to have his affe6lions fet on things " above \ and not on things on the earth.'* His taftes and relifhes, his principles, fentiments, and fpirit, are of a very reverfe complexion, to thofe of the fpiritual man ; confequently, they nuift form very difagreeing oppofite characters.

Neither

O/? the divine Purity of the GofpeLCanon, 51

Neither can we wonder it fhould be fo, fince the one has no other final home^ than this tranfi- tory, fliort'lived, bodily tenement •, nor any other pleaiing gratifications, but what arife from this

material fyftem. Whereas the other is here

but zfiranger^ and is looking for a more durable habitation, an houfe that is from heaven. All his moft delightful expedlancies, are, of an

everlafting inheritance ! The one has all his

good things in hand; the other has all his good things in hope. The one has only a creaturely- good as his portion ; the other has the Creator himfelf for his unfailing objeft of fruition. The origin and fource of this difference of cha- racters, is, the one is converfant with, and daily lives upon the truth and grace of God, as revealed in the Gofpel : the other has no defire of, no talle, no reiifh for the New Teflament teach- ings •, but allows himfelf to remain deplorably- ignorant of them: or, at lealt, never takes the' pains to enter into the fpirit and power of thofe teachings. Once more; this exercife of faith, is what dillinguifhes the rational Chriftian from the enthufiafb, fmce it always is the refult of con- vincing evidence. See Heb. xi. i. For fays a learned writer, " That man who can believe without reafon, is in next capacity to believe agatnfi it*."

Vthly, The abundant evidence we have of the purity and integrity of the New Teftament canon, is a cogent reafon of thankfgiving and praife. A general review of that evidence, I am of opinion, may be thus taken — Gofpel-Teachings do contain every of the firfl principles of natural religion, feparated from any adulteration, whe- D 2 ther

* Spencer's Difc. on Prodigies, p. 254.

^2 On the divine Purity of the Gd/pel-Cancn,

ther from idolatry, fiiperftitious depraving idea, or foreign ritual. The canon has not one mark of human invention upon it ; either in principle, fpirit, maxims, motive, or even mode of worfhip. Its addrefs is immediate to every man, as inti- mately and equally concerned therein, both as a rule of life, and as an univerfal ftandard of the final judgoient. The New Teftament in our own language, we have reafon to conclude, is fo faithful and juft a tranflation, that it has the fame divine authenticity with the autographs of apoftles ; inafmuch as it produces the fame moral, benign, and falutary effe(5ts on every mind, which is formed upon its heavenly teachings. It is thus, and thus only that any can know experi- mentally or efficacioufly, that it is both the wifdom and power of God. And becaufe the unlearned Chridian is as capable of a truly faving ufe of that divine canon, from the judgment he makes for himfelf of its teachings, as the moil learned can i he may reft fully fatisfied with the evidence. He will do fo, as it gives him a rational, fettled, felf-complaceney, an eftablilhed ferenity, and a

peace of mind that pafles all] underftanding

as it makes him a bledlng to all around him— as it gives him confidence in Almighty God ; and renders him fuperior to all temptation. In fad:, therefore, the appeal which it makes to the reafon, underftanding, and experience of all mankind, is what throws the utmoft confufion on the face of the conceited infidel : and will do no lefs on the immoral believer.

DISCOURSE III.

On the Vniverjality of Qofpel-Teachings.

A FTER having in veftigated the unity of the /~\ Gofpel fyftem j and — alfothe pure, unmixed, divine originality of its teachings ; we are next to treat upon its Universality. I know not of any idea that can be formed of God's grace and mercy, that is more adorable than when under the confidpration of its impartiality and univer- fality. It is certain, that both St. Peter and St. Paul do lay a great emphafis upon the Deity*s being no refpeSier of perfons ; i. e. upon his being no way capricious, no way arbitrary in his favours ; qn the contrary^, we are aflured, that he would have ail men come to the knowledge of the truth and be faved i Nay, even an Hebrew prophet, I mean one ^n old time, 600 years before Chrift, could reprefe.nt the fupreme Being as exprefsly declaring, " I have no pleafure in the " death of him that dieth^ faith the Lord God : ** wherefore turn and live *." —

There i? in truth fomething extremely difguflful to an humane, an ingenuous mind, in any con- traded, monopolizing conceptions, or limitations of the divide goodnefs. The idea is only found in little, mean, fyftematic, contemptible fpirits, yvho would engrofs the favour of God to them- D 3 felves :

y.^ ■ ■ I - *

* Ezek. xviii. 32.

54 ^^2 ^^^ Univerfalify of Gojpel-Teacbings,

felves : or, who can imagine none to be th? proper objecls of his love, but what are of their own ungenerous, illiberal, and depraved com- plexion.—

I lliall therefore attempt an illuftration of the ufiherjality of the truth and grace of God, in Gofpel addrcfs, from that exordium of St. Paul, in his firft epiftle to the Corinthians, chap, firft, verfes firft, fecond, and third :

" Paul, called an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, *' through the will of God, 2nd Softhenes our

" brother unto the church of God which

" is at Corinth, — to them that are fandified in " Chrift Jefus, called Saints -, with all that in " every place call upon the name of Jefus Chrift *' our Lord, both theirs and ours. — Grace unto *' you and peace from God our Father, and th^ « Lord Jefus Chrift."

It may be proper to obferve, " that Corinth " was a populous, rich, and ancient mercantile ^' city, the chief of Achaia, or of Greece ; a " place of great refort for the traffic of very difr " ferent remote countries." And as to the ac- counts tranfmitted of them, — " they were a people *' of a quick and lively genius, and had a kind " of univerfity, which was fupplied with orators " and philofophers ; and great numbers of Jews *' dwelt there, who had afynagogue. — "

y^^;y,-^This firft epiftle which St. Paul fent to the Chriftian-church at Corinth, is fuppofed to have been written from Ephefus at the beginning of the .year c,6. — And that it was written from Ephefus, ftiould appear from ch. xvi. 8. where

the

On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-Teachings, ^^

the apoftle tells them, he will tarry at Ephefus until Pentecoft *.

The reafon why St. Paul puts Sojihenes along with himfeif in the beginning of this firft epiftle to that church, I fhould conjedure to be this ; Softhenes had been the chief ruler of the Jewifli fynagogue at Corinth, (who was now with him at Ephefus ;) and had greatly fuffered on Paul's account, having been openly beaten by the Greeks, even under the eye of Gallio, the governor of Corinth ; as St. Luke informs us. Ads xviii. i y. It was therefore qu.te natural for him to join Softhenes with himfeif, in this friendly falutation made to his fellowrcitizens -, thereby fliewing his truly Chriftian-fpirit •, and accordingly, St. Paul affedionately calls him, the brother. —

Having premifed thus much, we now pro- ceed to confider this apoflolical addrefs ; which appears to be a kind of dedication of his epiftle to that church, — In treating upon it we may,

I. Notice the manner in which this apoftle aflerts his divine mifiion.

II. The univerfaHty of his meflage.

III. With what authority it is that he pro- nounceth grace and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, on all genuine Chriftians,

As to the manner in which this apoftle aflerts

his divine miffion he thus expreifes himfeif,

D 4 " Paul

* Confult Mr. Locke's Paraphrafe and Dr. Lardnerh

Suppl. vol. II. p. 170.

56 On the XJnwerfiility of Gcfpei-TeacJmtgs.

*' Paul zn apoflle of Jefus Chrift through the will " of God." — There are not any words or phrafes, which could have been more expreflive of his mifllon being divine ;' for he is well affured it was through, by, or according to the will of God, that Jefus Chrift had appointed him to the office of an apoftle ; which office had refpe<5t to his preaching the Gcfpel to mankind, and to his planting the churches among Gentiles. The extraordinary manner in which he was called to the apoftolate, St. Luke has related with great precifion. And in St. Paul's epiftle to the Gala- tians, very exprefs mention is made of that hea- venly interview which he had with Chrift. That fame epiftle, I would obferve, was written there ' years before this to the Corinthians : in which he fpcaks of himfelf in the very fame ftyle — " Paul *' an apoille, not of men, neither by man, but •* by Jefus Chrift, and God the Father, — who ;<** raifed 'him tVom the dead." — In truth and fad, he had all the evidence both of inlpiration and of the power of working miracles, to enable him thus to fpeak of his miffion. And in this epiftle to the church at Corinth, ch. ix. i. he is able to make this moft open appeal, ** Am I not an " apoftle ? Have I not feen Chrift Jefus our *' Lord ?" — And in his fecond epiftle, he mentions both the revelations with which he had been honoured, and the miracles which he had aflually wrought among them, when he firft plant-ed the Chriftian-church at Corinth, See chap. xii. i, and 12. — From which accounts, the divinity of his miffion is unqueftionable. —

Secondly^ — We are next to attend to the urn- verfaliiy of his addrefs. " Unto the church of " God, which is at Corinth, to them which are t' fandificd in Chrift Jefus, -called Saints, with

^* aH

On the Univerfality of Gofpel-Teachings. 57

*« all that in every place call on the name cf ^« Jefus Chrift our Lord, both theirs and ours.'*

Now it is evident, that by the fanftified, or the Saints, St. Paul meant, all that were or Ihouid jn any age be feparated from a love of the world, by virtue of their faitl) in Gofpel-Teachings.— Men, who are God's peculiar people, by reafon of their departure from all iniquity, by their denial of all ungodlinefs, by their living foberiy, righteoully, and godly ; and by their being zealous of good works. This gives the full fenfe of the terras, fanHified and Saints. Though fometimes, indeed, we may find the word Saints .ufed indifcriminately for all profeffing Chriftians ; thus emphatically diftinguiflaiflg them from aa unbelieving world.

Further^ — Not only does our apollle infcribe his cpiftle to the Chriftians at Corinth, " but to all " in every place who call upon the name of Jefus *' Chrift our Lord :" or, in other words, all who profefs his religion. And moreover, as if not iatisfied with faying, that Jefus v/as his Lord, he adds, both theirs and ours. He would have the fulleft emphafis laid upon the divine relation, in which all genuine Chriftians do equally ftand to this exalted glorified man, whom the one God has conftituted the one Lord, or head of his irhurch.

Neither fhall we have the leaft reafon to call in queftion the univerfality of the written apoftoiic canon, when wc are alTured from the mouth of Jefus himfclf, that his divine miflion was ori- ginally intended for the benefit and tilvation of all mankind. " God fo loved the world, that he '* gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever

" believeth

58 On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-'Teachmgs,

" bclieveth on him fhould not perifh, but have " eternal life." — Jgain, he fays, '' I am the light of " the world. — And whofoever followeth me, *« fliall have the light of life." — And once more^ " I give my flefli for the life of the world." — Befides thefe declarations, there are fome yet more explicit, as that of John x. 16. "I have other " fheep which are not of this fold : them alfo I " muft bring, and they fhall hear my voice \ and " there fliali be one fold, and one fhepherd." And Luke xxiv. 46, 47. " Thus it is written, *' and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to «' rife from the dead on the third day \ and that " repentance and remiflion of fins fhould be preach- " ed in his name, among all nations, begin- *' ning at Jerufalem/'

Such full aflurance have we that the written records of apollles were intended for the benefit both of all nations and all ages of men. And for this reafon St. John fays, " thefe things are *' WRITTEN that ye might believe that Jefus is ** the Chrift ; and that believing ye might have *' life through his name." The many references made to the writings of Mofes and the Prophets, both by our Lord, and by his apoftles, will not fuffer us to imagine, that the teachings of the Son of God fhould be left to the great uncertainty of unwritten, or of oral tradition : fo that we may be abfolutely certain, the laft revelation of the truth and grace of God, fhould be, by a written record, moft fecurely tranfmitted from age to age for the benefit of mankind.

Again^ — The univerfality of the teachings of the written canon, might be argued from both their primary and ultimate moral intention ; vix. their feparating all who cordially embrace them, from

• idolatry.

On the UniverfaUty of Gofpel-'Teachings, 59

rdolatry, fuperftition, worldlinefs and vice •, from their rendring men rational, regular, holy and heavenly. From fublimating their ideas and Ten- timents, refining their taftes and relifhes, giving them that principle and fpirit, which realizes their exiftence, and fecuring them of a blifsful immortality, for, in truth, men who are called into the fellowlhip of the fon of God, are daily " enriching with knowledge, and confirming in " all goodnefs -, even fo as to be found blamelefs *' in the day of Chrift." i Cor. i. 5, 8.

Again^ — If we give credit to the Gofpel-hillory of the life and teachings of Jefus Chrift, we muft be firmly perfuaded that thefe apoftolic writings ,are intended for the univerfal and perpetual ufe and faving benefit of mankind, becaufe of their vaft moment and infinite importance. They beft explain the nature of the divine conftitutions ; they beft exhibit the plan of God's kingdom and moral government \ and are that full medium of light and life, whereby we are rendered capable of entring into the true fpirit and power of religion. It is in thefe great refpefts, men are made wife unto falvation •, even by exploring the divine fcheme in all the miniftrations of Chrift Jefus, and in every of his exalted appointments. It is in them that we fee, how his advancement to fupreme iovereignty has the moft favourable afpedt on all the children of men.

Gofpel- Teachings, as they lye in the written eanon, do likewife ftiew us, with the utmoft pre- cifion, how the ignorances and prejudices of the human intellect, and the depraved paflions of the human heart, do operate ; what abufive jde^s, and difguftful fentiments men did at firft (l}icoyer,in oppofition to Gofpel addrefsj and beficks

this,

6o On the Vniverfalify of Gofpel-Teacbings,

this, the many corruptions, and fhocking abfur- <lities that would be found under the grand apoftacy. We have like wife in this heavenly canon, all the excellence and perfeftion ol divine teachings which reipect the firli principles of truth «nd mercy •, all the purity and power of precept ^ all the greatnefs of mind and benevoknce of heart which they infpires all the fimpiicity and fpiri^ tuality c^ worfhip -, and together with this, the majefty and everlafting worth of its motive, and the great eacouragemeat it gives to the hope and defire of man. —

Had not St. Paul known, that Gofpei-Teach^ ings are far above all others, emphatically the <v}ifdo'/n of God, and the power of God, in the kifluence and effed which they hav-e on the human mind, he would not have fo pathetically infcribed his epiftle to Chriftians in all places, and of ali future ages of the world ! But in truth, he was confident that it fanctifies ail fincere believers, renders them holy, and iecures them both of jH-efent inconceivable benefits, and alfo of an everlafting bleffcdnefs ! all whom Gofpel-truth fenftifies, Gofpel-grace faves ; all whom the one fandifies, the other glorifies.

A yet further reafon may be given for the uni- verfaiity of the New Teftament code ; and that is, the appointed authoriled judge has exprefsly affirmed, that it is the fixed decifive ftandard or rule of the final judgment. See Joh. xii. 48. ** He that rejefleth me, and receiveth not my ** words, hath one that judgeth him : the word »* that I have fpoken, the fame fhall judge him *' in the laft day." Which perfe<5lly agrees with the dodrine our Lord taught of himfelf, John v. 22. *' The father hath committed all judgment

« to

On the TJnherfalky of GoJpel-'Teachmgs, 6 1

** to the fon; that all men fhould honour the

« fon." But this they could not do, under

the charafter of judge, unlefs they were made acquainted with the rule on which he will condutSl

the judgment. Now this very rule they exprefsly

have in the New Teftament writings ; for our apoftle tells the Chriftians at Rome, " that God " fhall judge the Tecrets of men according to his " Gofpel." Rom. ii. i6. And in his fecond epiftle to the Corinthians, chap. v. ver, lo. he fays, " We mud all appear before the judgment-feat '* of Chrift ; that every one may receive the ** things in his body, according to that he has *' done, whether good or bad."

Now, upon the whole, it is not at all probable, that the great God Ihould have conftituted the man Chrift Jefus judge both of quick and dead, having revealed both his truth and his grace by him, and yet, not have given mankind an exprefs written-ftandard or rule of the judgment. There would be an abfurdity in the fuppofition. And we are conftrained to conclude, that that written rule muft be univerfally interefting. — But we find, in fadl, that the facred volume gives us the very ratio of the fentence which muft pafs on all good and bad men, of every age and nation. Such as have had but one talent, iTiall be anfwerable only for one talent — and he who has had ten, iliall be anfwerable for the improvement of every one of

thofe numerous talents. In the cafe of the one

talent,—" as many as have fmned without law, *' fhall peridi without law." The diftates of natural confcience, or of reafon unenlightned by revelation, will render man accountable. They affure us, that the truly religious Gentile was an objedt of the divine approbation, as in the cafe of Cornelius, Atls x. i — 4. — So the <jentiles

" who

6z On the Univerfality ofGofpel-'TeachingSi

*' who have not the law, yet do by nature the *' things contained in the law, are a law unto *' themfelves." Rom. ii. 14. — Such are the abilities of the human mind, that mankind are univerfally accountable : for God has not any

where left himfelf without witnefs. Of this,

and of the extent of moral obligation, the apoftolic writings do inform us, with great perfpicuity and the utmoft precifion. Truth miikes an open and common appeal to the reafon, underftanding, and confcience of man. Or, as Puffendorf fomewhere cxpreffes it, — " the law of nature mull be drawn *' from the reafon of man, when the faculty is " free and unbialTed by prejudices or pafTions. — " The didtates of right reafon are true principles, *' which as;ree with the nature of things well *' oblerved and examined." In this lenfe the Gofpel is a rule, as it teaches the ratio of the final judgment. But this will be yet more evident when we confider, that the teachings of Jefus do remove all obfcurities which had been thrown on the law of nature, and do reftore it to its original purity, fpirit and power. So much for the univerfality.

We propofed in the next place to Ihew,

Thirdly^ — With what authority it is, that St. Paul pronounces. grace and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrilt, on all genuine Chriflians ? I know not whether this idea has been fufEciently attended unto, or has had much place in the minds of many profeiTors ; but here is a divine benefit derived from the apoftolic- writings, which none other writings in the world could ever boall. For verily the Chriftian who enters into the fpirit of them has, from the pen of an infpired apoftle, who load every divine credential,

grace

On the Vntverfality of Gofpel-'Teachings, 63

grace and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, authoritatively pronounced upon him. The benedidion he can rely upon, as having an undoubtedly divine meaning. Nay, thefe unfpeakable bleflings are ablblutely infured to him. And they are not only reverfionary good things, but of what he has at prefent, fome dt^gree of pofTeflion. Yea, fuch is their comprehenlive extent, that they contain in them all that is requi- fite to make him comfortable and happy. — Indeed, whatever can be meant by grace and peace, from their infinite fource, and from the appointed medium of conveyance, is to be found in the New Tefla- ment writings. They fhew us, that by grace, we are to underfland the favour of the Almighty towards us ; even his being our God and Father. For not only does he intereft us in himfelf as the fupreme and everlafting governor, whofe laws we reve- rence and obey, whofe will we would always be obferving ; but he is known as a tender parent who has complacency in, or who looks upon us as his dutiful children. He has exprefsly de- clared, he does fo look upon us, becaufe we have chofen to come out from among, and are a6tually feparated from a world which lies in wickednefs. It is of his grace and favour, that we receive fuch plain and full information of both what he would have us do and be. And we are privileged with thofe great and precious promifes which are yea and amen unto us, under this lad difpenfation : therefore there can be no pofTibility of our being deceived or difappointed in thofe hopes, which they raife and feed in our breads. For verily, they are, like their author, immutable, and can never

fail us. So much for the grace which is in

t^e benedidtion. —

But

©4 On the Univerfality of GoJpeUT!eachmgS,

But befides this, there is Peace, i. e. there is enough in the Gofpel-Covenant to calm, compofe, and quiet the mind under whatever circumftance of the prefent trial. Enough to banifh all dif- quieting, diitrefling fears ; and enough to remove all painful apprehenfions about a future- ftate of

being. For though we have, in many things,

all of us offended and come fhort of the glory of God ; yet, adored be his fovereign grace and goodnefs, we have the Utmoft alTurance given us, that repentance and reformation do appear to be fruits meet for remiffion. And we can depend upon his readinefs to receive us gracioufly and love us freely. That he will with-hold from us no good things, but make all events co-operate for our final good. And as this is our fafe and comfortable condition, no ruffling anxieties fhouid have an abiding lodgment in our breafls ; no prefent afBiction however heavy or painful, fhouid hinder the patient pofleiTion of our fouls. — But then, we mufl give evidence, that the peace which religion bellows, is a peace of God, i. e. a moit excellent peace ; which pafTes all underftanding ; as it garrifons or keeps the heart through Chrift Jefus. — The man who is juitified by faith, he has peace -with God. Rom. v. i.

Let us next attend to \hzform of the benedidion.

" Grace unto you and peace from God the " Father, and from our Lord Jefus Chrift.'* Why the apoflle mentions both God the Father and the Lord Jefus Chrift, is eafy to be accounted for 5 fince God is the origin and fource of the grace and" peace ; and Jefus Chrift, as the revealer of the Father, is the channel of conveyance, or the initrument of communication. There are no lefs than thirteen of St. Paul's epiftles which have this 3 form

On the Umverfalky of GofpeWTeachmgs, 65

form of benedidlion *, which fliews, the great emphafis he had laid upon it : And which feems almoft peculiar to this apoftle. Nor can we wonder it flioull be fo familiar to his addrefs, when we confider the tranfporting interview he had had with the exalted Jefus, who fo illuftrioufly revealed the grace and mercy of God to him ; fliewing forth in him all long-fuftering, as a pattern or type of his giving peace to all who embrace the Goipel-Teaciiings, — i Tim. i. 16. — During the life of this apoftle, none of the others do appear to have had fo much perfonal intercourfe v^ith the afcended Jefus. For as to the vifions of St. John, which are called the Apocalypfe, thefe were probably about the year 95 or 96, long after the death of St. Paul. — So that in nothing was he behind the very chiefeft of the apoftles ; for, even Peter, James, and John, who were prefent at their Lord's transfiguration, faw his glory and were eye-witnefies of his majefty, did not equal St. Paul's revelations. — We cannot therefore at all wonder, that a mind fo much animated with Gofpel-grace, Ihould be accuftomed fo pathetically to announce the bleflednefs which is the inheritance of all true Chriftians : and becaufe men m,ay per- ceive him divinely authorized to pronounce the benediction, this alTuredly gives the ferious and attentive eye, a matchlefs pleafure in reading his epiftles.

Laftly, — I fhall proceed to make fome ufcful obfervations. And

E I. Whereas

* Rom. i. 7. I Cor. i. 3. 2 Eph. i. 2. Gal. i. 3. Eph. i. 2. Phil. i. 2. Col. i. 2. i ThcfT. i. i.— 2Ep. i. 2. I Tim. i. 2. — 2 Ep. i. 2. Tit. i. 4. Philem. 3. and fimilar to ihefe, is that of Heb. xiii. 20, 2 1 .

66 On the tlniverfality of Goffel-^eachings,

I. Whereas St.. Paul was the great apoftle of the Gentiles, who had all divine atteftations to his apoftolic-miflionv we, the defceqdants of idola- trous Gentiles, fhould be filled with thankfulnefs and praife to God for the inexpreflible benefit of his writings ! and fliould delightfully look upon them as intended for the faving benefit of all true believers, in every age and nation. Whenever there- fore we read his Gofpel-Inflrudions^ we fhould regard him as writing every whit as properly to us, as to any of the primitive churches which were his immediate care and charge. — What then if he, and all the other apoftles, did die within the limits of the firft, and we live in the latter part of the 1 8th century? This makes no difference in refpedl to the capital doftrines and inftrudlions, which are found in his epiftles : — or, as St. Peter, fpeaks, " though all flefh is grafs, and the glory of man *' as the flower of grafs — though the grafs *' withereth, and the flower thereof falleth av/ay— ^ *' yet the word of the Lord endureth for ever : *' and this is the word which by the Gofpel is " preached unto us." The apoftle to the Hebrews, has accordingly thus cxprefTed the invariable truth and grace of Gofpel-Teachings, " Jefus Chrift, " the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever." — Kor could they be otherwife than immutable, eternal truth ; becaufe the apoflles who delivered thefe writings to the world, "- are, on their ac- *' count, a fweet favour of God in them that are " faved, and in them that perifh. In the one, *' the favour of life unto life ; in the other, the

*' favour of death unto death." 2 Cor,

ii. 15, 16.

It is not in the power of any of us to render their writings of lefs importance •, for whether < we will, or will not read them ; or whether we

read

On the Vntverfality of Gofpel-Teachifigs. 6'f-

read them with a cold indifference, or elfe with a ferious and religious attention, as a divine canon, they will have their refpedtive eflablifhed effefts : i. e. either to enlighten, and enliven our fpirits, or elfe to determine our obftinate and criminal inat- tention to thefe lafl teachings of God. It is not in the power of any being whatfoever to prevent thefe con fequences. And the fhutting our eyes upon, or hardning our hearts againft their initrnc^ tions, will be no apology. In a word, they are a divine talent, in which we have infinitely more concern, than we can pofllbly have with any thing elfe in the whole world. A negledl or contempt of them muft therefore be fatal ! For unlefs we are able to prove, that they are not expreflive of the truth and grace of God, or that they have no divine authority, it will be at our everiafting peril, if we are found trifling with the New Tefta- ment canon. But, on the contrary, when we confider its falutary divine intention, our gratitude fliould be excited, and we ought to be filled with thankfulnefs and prailb for that fyilem of heavenly inftriKftion.

II. Since the manifefl defign and end of the apoftolic writings, is to fandify or feparate men from worldlinefs and vice, and to enable them to Iceep free from the dominion of liift •, the fceptic or infidel muft certainly ftand condemned : becaufs he rejects the moft open addrefs that was ever made to man, of divine truth and grace. Fie m.ay fay or think juft what he pleafeth, — thefe writings "have all the poffible intrinfic marks and evidences of the will of an all-perfecl Being : for, afiu redly, that which recovers the mind from ignorance, immorality, and vicious tafte, to juft conception, to reditude of defire and averfion, and confirms in all the paths of piety and virtue, cannot bu€

E 2 hav:"

^ Gn the Univerfality of GofpeUTeachings,

have a divine original, and demand a religious reverence.

Should any object and fay, — " if thefe writings " which ycu call apoftolical, are of divine autho- " rity, and were intended for univerfal ufe, how " comes it to pafs, that they are not every where " received as luch ; and made the ftandard of *' religious idea, fentiment^ and conduct to all " nations ?"

The anfwer would be ready at hand j for this reafon, they are not ; viz. becaufe man was ori- ginally made and ever left free, either to attend unto, or not ; to receive, or to reject them, and by an abiife of this freedom the world, more gene- rally, lies in wickednefs. " The God of this *' world, i. e. a love of the world having blinded " the eyes of men, that they fhould not obey the *' truth." Confequently, fmce the Gofpel has no compuifive force in its addrefs, though it is mod exprefiive of the truth and grace of God, this will account for its non-univeiTality. For though our bleifed Lord, during his miniftrations in Judea, /pake fo as never man fpake., i. e. with far more authority than any of their inilrudlors ; yet, very few did cordially receive his melfage, or own his divine miuion : and he gives this reafon of their inatte.-ition and infideiity, " They have ears to *' hear, but they will not hear, — they love darknefs " rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil. " Tiierefore thr-y will not come to the light, left " their deeds Ihould be reproved :*' i. e. left their deeds liiould appear to them in all their defor- mity and m.alignity. On this account it is, that they hate die light. — Nay, fo verv depraved were the generality of the Jewilh nation, though fcparared from the reft of mankind by a Ipecial

provi-

On the Umver/aliiy of Gofpel-Teachlngs. 69

providence, that " they would not come to him, *• that they might have life." John v. 40.

And here it might be fhewn, with undeniable evidence, that the Gofpel is as completely fitted to become an u'niverfal ftandard rule, to guide mankind in the path of fafety and life, as the elementary light of the fun, is, to afnft the eye of man in his bodiiy operations, and his local movements, as well as to aid his ftudious attentions to fundry written volumes of the arts and fcicnces. Nay, Gofpel-Teachings might be fliewn, to be as well adapted to the end of becoming a moral divine ftandard of univerfal order and regularity ; as the rational powers given to man are to the purpofe of guiding, reftifying, and governing, his appetites and pafTions. — But in each of thefe cafes, there are vafl numbers of the human family, who are inatten- tive to the manifeft defign and er.d both of the natural and the moral luminary, e. g. How dread- fully common is it for mankind to make a perverfe life both of the elementary light, and of their own intelleftual faculties and powers ! But does this very extenfive egregious perverfion prove, that either the light of the fun, or that candle of the Lord, reafon^ were not intended for uni- verfal guidance or inftrudion. Whatever therefore may be the parts of the habitable globe, which are not under the illumination of the Gofpel, it can be no manner ot objedicn to its being fitted for univerfal inftrudtion *. — We can well account for its being refufed admittance in the wide dominions of the impoftor, Mahomet -, and in thofe extenfive regions of popery., v/hcre its lamp is put under a

E 3 bufliel

* Chrift is ftyled, emphatically, the teacher, — the (hief guide and iTiJiruiior : i. e. t/je ivay, the truihf and titt //^.— John iii. 2. ch. viii. 12. xiv. 6, Heb. xii. 2.

'JO On the TJniverfalify of Gofpel-Teachings,

bufliel. Upon the whole» as well might an ob- je6lion be formed againft .the light of nature's being divine and intended for univerfal benefit, as againft that of the Gofpel revelation xinu- io, becaufc of the vaft numbers, who defpife, abufe, or negled the light of the one and of the other.

The infidel or the fceptic, has therefore no rea- fonable excufe ; nor can he make any rational apology, for his rejedting the New Teftament canon, becaufe of the non-univerfality of its reception. —

III. All men whatfoever, ftand cenfured and condemned, who can either fpeak or think con- temptuoufly of fandification : i. e. of a feparation of the mind from all worldly luftings. — And yet, there are not a few who dare to make the appella- tive. Saint, a fubje6t of fneer and ridicule. They can play off much raillery upon this divine compellation : and ufe the term with mockery and dcrifion. Whereas, there is not one fingle prophane charafler in all the world fojuftly re- fpedable, as the man whom the truth and grace of God have landtifieJ, whatever his external cir- cumftance or condition *. Hence the ridicule will return with great force upon the worldling, as the moft debafed and contemptible of the human family.

It is proper that we fhould reafon a little clofely upon this theme — Pray, what is the precife or exact idea that we fhould form of a Saint ?

Why, in truth and faft, it is no other than that

<' of

Advert to the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus,

On the JJniverfality of Gofpel^Teachings, yi

** of a ratidnal creature habitually, reverencing his *' maker." One, whom the teachings of reafon, nature, and revelation have informed and en- lightned ; made regular and confident in all his powers and paffions. — One that has thereby at- tained unto, or recovered the original rectitude of his frame ; having his imagination, appetites, and paflions fubjedled to reafon and confcience : one who has no volitions, no ele6tions, no deter- minations, but what are direded by the known will of the fupremely adorable fovereign.

. It mull then be a proof of very depraved talle, when any can ridicule or defpife what gives the true dignity and glory of man. But truly, it is none who do fo, but the ignorant and impious, the vain and wanton, that are incapable of feeing the beauties of holinefs -, the charms which there are in piety and virtue. — But unhappily their car- nalities, their fenfualities, their debaucheries have rendered them fuch deplorable ftrangers to the fandifying influences of truth.

I cannot forbear obferving, that in the lafl lefllon of parliament, fome fpeeches made by feveral of our fenators, borrowed phrafes and pafl!ages peculiar to the facred writings, in order to give a poignancy to their wit ! at the fame time, they affbrd no proof of the reverence which is religioufly due to the truth and grace of God — but it is to be feared, are little better than the effufion of fcorners; — and they would do well to remember, what Jefus Chrill faid to Saul,-— // is hard for thee to kick againji the goads !

Further, — Pray tell us, if you can, what real

excellence, or what true merit is to be found in a

man, whom the truth of God has not fandified ?

E 4 —What-

>jz On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-'Teachings,

— 'Whatever may be his prefent ftate or condition^ he is one whom the divine mercy cannot fave. — Let me tell you, men might, upon the fame ratio, reproach, or fpeak prophanely and irreverently of the holinefs of God, as of the holinefs of thofe of his creatures whom his truth has fanftified j creatures v/ho bear his image, and refle(fl his glory. The fubje(5t is therefore of much too ferious and important a nature, ever to beconie the fubjeft of ridicule or of raillery : it muft be fo, " Since " zviihout holinefs no man can fee the Lord.^''--' Heb. xii. 14.

IV. How peculiarly delightful, and beneficial muft it be, for Chriftians to confult religioufly the apoftolic-writings •, fmce they do authoritatively pronounce grace and peace, on all who give them fiich attention? — I have before obferved, that this very form of benedi6lion is to be found in thirteen of St. Paul's epiftles, or in all that have his name. And would now remark, that St. Peter has fome- thing very analogous ; for he vviflieth, — " That " grace and peace may be m.ultiplied on thofe " to whom he wrote." Such benediftion is found in both his epiftles. — And St. john'^ firft epiftle has thefe reports, — viz. " God is light ! and " God is love !" — Nay, his fecond epiftle has a very fimilar addrefs — " Grace, mercy and peace " from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus^ *' Chrift the Son of the Father, in truth and

" love." So St. Jude calls himfelf " the

" fervant of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the brother ^' of James :" and at the fame time, he afcribe? his epiftle " to them who are fanctified by God " the Father, and preferved in Chrift Jefus, and " called." — -And tlien announceth, " mercy unto *' you and peace, and love be multiplied." And though St. Ja-mes has not this form of addrefs, ' ■ ' 2 ' ye^

On the Univerfalify of GofpeUT! cachings. 73

yet he has fomething equivalent, for he obferves, " that every good gift, and every perfed gift " is from above, and cometh dovv^n from the " Father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, " nor the Ihadow of turning." — -From all which declarations, I would here obferve, that there is no fuch dodlrine taught in the New Teflament writings, as that of the diftinft perfonality of the Spirit ; nor the peculiar office of a fanftifier ever once affigned to fuch diftind perfon. —

On the contrary •, St, Jude exprefsly fays, " that " men are fanclified by God the Father." Jude, 'uer. I. — Hence wherever the fandlification of the Spirit is mentioned, it cannot intend any thing elfe, but the truth and grace of God ; for thefe are the Spirit of the Gofpel ; they are the Spirit and power of that difpenfation. Agreeable to which, as hath been obferved, Jefus faith, " my words *' they are Spirit, and they are life." Every where, throughout Gofpel-Teachings, v/e are led to fix our eyes on God the Father, as the fountain or infinite fpurce of the grace, mercy and peace.

And thus it is that we are kept from all that confufion of ideas v^^hich is found to hang on the popular fchemes ; and may reafonably folace our- lelves in that revelation, which affords the human mind a truly divine refrelhment, as it is at- tempering and fcrnung irfelf upon apoftolical in- ftructions.-—

"We may now take a retrofped of what we have attempted : and it is, to have Ihewn in the firft difcourfe, that the religion of Jefus, has in it a fimplicity, harmony, and unity of principles : f nd that this unity is an irrefragable proof of its

divine

74 On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-^reachings,

divine original. — That next to its unity, is its un- mixed purity, having nothing of human invention in its whole plan ; which is a farther powerful argument of its divinity. And thirdly, that as it appears manifeftly calculated to be the univerfal canon of heavenly inftruftion to mankind, it cannot fail to convince and perfuade every honefl mind of the completenefs and conclufivenefs of its internal evidence.

So true it is, that the infpired New Teftament writings " are profitable for doflrine, for reproof^ for correftion, for inftru6lion in righteoufnefs, that the man of God may be perfeded, the-., roughly furnifhed unto all good works."

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCOURSE,

ON THE

SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION

OF

JESUS CHRIST

On thefupernatural Cojiception of Jefus Chriji*

IPrefume it will not be thought impertinent, to add a dilcourfe upon the fupernatural concep- tion of Jefus Chrift ; fince it confirms the prophe- tic-teftimony of his being the feed promifed to Abraham, in whom all nations Ihould be blelled ; and is a full and exprefs accomplifhment of a prophecy, which Ifaiah delivered about 700 years before his birth : the which we have If. vii. 13, 14, " And he faid, hear ye now, O houfe of David, *' is it a fmall thing with you to weary men ^. but ** will you weary my God alfo ? Therefore the " Lord himfelf fhall give you a fign, — behold a " virgin fliall conceive, and bear a fon, and fhall " call his name Immanuel. — Butter and honey " fhall he cat, that he may know to refufe the " evil, and choofe the good : for before the child " fliall know to refufe the evil and choofe the " good, the land that thou abhorreft fhall be " forfaken of both her Kings."

Since the prophetic-teflimony muil be from God, it will demand our religious attention. For fo fays the oracle, " Remember the former things *• of old, for I am God, and there is none elfe ; " I am God, and there is none like me : declaring " the end from the beginning, and from ancient

" times the things that are not yet done."

If xlvi. 9, 10.

^ifhop

7 8 On the fupernatural CoJiceptlon

Bifhop Chandler obferves of my text, that it is one of the five which have been charged witk unfaithfulnefs in the application of them to the Mefliah. Neverthelefs, St. Matthew having re- lated the wonderful formation and birth of Chrift, tells his readers of the Jewifh nation, that God of old had prepared their fathers for giving credit to the great event y " AH this, fays he^ was done, " that it might be fulfilled Which was fpoken by *' the prophet, behold a 'virgin jhall conceive" 6zc, the Bijhop thus remarks upon it, " the occafion " of the meflage by Ifaiah was, Ahaz king of Judah " being in the iitmoft diftrefs, at the boafted *' invafion of his capital city, from the kings of " Syria and Ifrael. To comfort Ahaz, the pro- " phet is fent to tell him, that the counfels and " attempt fhould prove ineffeftual. And in aflur- " ance that he fpake in God's name, he ofi^ers " the king his choice of any other fign, either " in the depth, or in the height above. — It ap- *' pears from the anfwer, that Ahaz was fullen, " and that he and his counfellors defpifed the

" prophet and diftrufted God. Since Ahaz

*' refufed to aflc any fign which God had off'ered *' to give him, the prophet is inftrufled to " declare, God will give him one without alldng ; " yet it fhould neither be in the heavens, nor " from the depth : but it fhould be a fign, or " token to him and his people, of the birth of *' a great perfonage, in whom all the promiles " of God fhould have their full accomplifhment. " Accordingly the prophet fays, Hear ye noWy " 0 houfe of Davidy' * &c.

I fhould paraphrafe the prophetic meffage thus, — " The Lord himfelf fiiall give you a fign^

" token^

See Biihop Chandkr's Defence, &c. ch, iv, fee, n

of ye/us Chrijl. 79

" token, or earneft, that behold a virgin fiiall " conceive, and bear a fon, and his name Ihall be *' called Immanuel. q. d. You are afraid left the " line of David Ihould be extinguiflied, from " which the promifed Meffiah is to defcend ; but " it fhall not. For even of a virgin of that very " family fhall he be born.. And that you may more *' fully credit the predidion, God fhall gracioudy " vouchfafe to give you an unexpeded national '* deliverance j a fign of which, the Lord himfelf " affords you by the child which is now in mine *' hand, jhear-jajhuh^ who fhall eat butter and honey, " i. e. he fhall partake of plenty, your land being " freed from^ hoftile invafions, even before he *' fhall know to refufe the evil and choofe the " good ; fo that the land about which thou fo " much diftreffeft * thyfelf, fhall be rid of both " the. hoftile kings." — Thus, I underftand, the prophet's fon, was to be the fign or eai-neft to them of the certainty of that future event, of a virgin's having a fon, who fhould be called Immanuel.

Should it be objefted to the above interpretation of the prophecy, " that a promife made of what " fhould be done in fome future age, was, by no " means, an apt meafure of exciting and fixing " the faith and confidence of a people in the pro- " mife of a near deliverance from their enemies."

I would reply, this was not at all within the defign of the prophetic mefTage. Yet, the near accomplifhment of a promife of deliverance mads to a nation, was divinely adapted to eftablilh their

faith.

* N. B. The Hebrew word rendered abhor, is tranflated, grleye, Exod.i. '12. And dijirejfed^ Numb. xxii. 3. Vid. l^oli Synopf. in loco.

8o On the fupernaiural Conception

faith, and enliven their hope in the promife of a more remote falvation.

To proceed, the prophet v/hen fpeaking of the fulfilment of the promife which had relpecfb to the everlafting covenant made with David, he lifeth the word Alma, rendered virgin ; which learned men have fhewn, does always fignify in the Hebrev/ fcriptnres, a woman who has not known a man. And even the Greek tranQators before Chrift, who were not interefted in the controverfy, and who knew much better the fignification of Hebrew words than any Jew has done fmce their laft difperfion, do fo render Alma in this very place *. And any one may fee, that after fuch a pompous introduction, the prophet muft have greatly mocked his hearers, had he meant no more than that a young woman Jhoiild he with child.

Thus this remarkable prophecy, will perfeflly well account for a notion prevalent among the Jews, of the fupernatural birth of their Meffiah, of which fome fpecimen Iliall be given, by and by j — at the fame time, it is riot at all probable, that they could have any pohtical purpofes to ferve, under fuch an expedation.

Thus much lliall fuffice as a fort of commient on the predi(5lion. In further treating upon it, the following method may be obferved ;

L I Ihall inveftigate the ground of certainty, with which the prophecy has an application to the MefTiah.

II. Shew,

* lo&v r' Tra^SEKi^ w y«rp» "Krt^i^M, virgincus intadus.

ofjefiis Chrijl. 8 1

II. Shew, in what fenfe the word Immanuel is only applicable to Chrift Jefus.

III, Point out the evil which there is in infidelity.

As to the ground of certainty on which fuch application fhould be made of the prophecy, we fhall find the New Teftament accounts of the birth of Chriil, in perfed harmony. For the Evangelifts Matthew and Luke, who clearly imderftood the meaning of the prophet Ifaiah, do, both of them, exprefsly report the virgin Mary's conception of Jefus to have been fuper- natural ; which they would not have done, with- out conclufive evidence. Accordingly the two firft chapters of St. Luke's Gofpel, are filled with narratives which fupport the credibility of the fad:. e. g. The preternatural conception of the MelTiah's harbinger, by his mother Elizabeth, who had been barren till her old age, much beyond the time of child-bearing, according to the courfe of nature. The Evangelill: informing us, that Za- charias and Elizabeth were both aged in their days * ; and that an Angel firft announced the preternatural conception to Zacharias, whilft officiating in his prieftly office, at the altar of incenfe ; who him- felf w^as perfuaded, that his own advanced age as well as his wife's, forbad fuch expedation. Luk. i. 1 8. That hiflorian alfo affirms, it was the very fame angel Gabriel^ who announced to the virgin Mary her fupernatural conception, v. 31. In both cafes he is reprefented as foretelling, be- F fides

Luc, i. 7.

82 On the fufernatural Conception ,

fides their fex, the high offices ^nd appointments of the two children.

Upon Mary's vifit to Elizabeth, they are both fo infpired, as to offer up praifes to God for the honour done them, of the one being made the mother of the harbinger, and the other of his prince, the Meffiah. Thefe gratulatory fbngs of praife, St. Luke records, and alfo gives us an account of a multitude of angels who appeared to the fhepherds, announcing to them the birth of the Mefliah, afcribing praifes to God in the higheft •, after which he mention* the facrifice that was made in the temple, by which Mary's firft-born was fanctified to the Lord ; immediately both Simeon and Anna upon feeing the infant Jefus, utter fongs of praife, under a divine impulfe.

Now when thefe concomitants of the fuper- natural conception are well confldered, and care- fully compared with the narrative, which St. Ma- thew has recorded of the angelic informations to Jofeph, Mary's efpoufed hufband ; we are con- flrained either to give full credit to the fad, or elfe to reject thefe evangelical narratives, as fabu' lous and incredible.

The argument might be farther urged from the congruity or agreement which this fupernatural conception has with the meafures God had early taken to render the line of the promife confpiciious: fmce it v/as by no other than a preternatural con- ception, that Ifaac the fon of the promife was given to Abraham, he having received him, as it were from the dead, when he was born of Sarah. See Heb, xi. 9. compare Gen. xvii, There was therefore a manifell agreement in the fupernatural

concep'

of Jefus Chriji. 83

conception of the promifed feed ; and not any thing of the leafl difficulty, to a people well acquainted with the hiltory of the father of their nation. Nay, even the p.poftle Paul has laid fo great emphafis upon Abraham's faith in the preternatural conception of Ifaac, that he fays, it was ac- counted to him for righteoufnefs. See Rom. iv. 19 — 22.

And as to the promife given to Abraham, that in his feed all the nations of the earth fhould be bleffed : Gen. xxii. 18. neither Jew nor Chriftian, have with any evidence, denied that this was to be applied to the Mcfiiah. The_/2?« of Sirach fo un- derftood it, who fays, " becaufe Abraham w^s " found faithful, God affured him by an oath, " that he would blefs the nations in his feed.'* Ecclus. xliv. 21. And both St. Peter and Paul apply that promife to the Chriftians Lord, Acts iii. 25, 26. Gal. iii. 8. From thefe views of the Abrahamic covenant, the fupernatural concep- tion of Jefus opens upon us with all the evidence of certainty, as well as of congruity and propriety. Compare Luke i. 73.

Neither have we yet colledled the whole of the evidence ; for St. Paul is wont to fpeak of the man Chrift Jefus, as having had a diftinguifhed formation. So he tells die Galatians, " that in " the fulnefs of time, he was made of a woman.'* Gal. iv. 4. And that in his humiliation, when he confented to be divefted of the miraculous powers conferred on him, and which wrought by him throughout his public miniftrations, " he was " then found in fadiion as a man, feized by the " hands of violence." Phil. ii. 8. To the Co- rinthians he is reprefent^d as the fecond Adam, l^ecaufe he had no other father but God: i^n^. F 2 b-'caiif?

84 On the fuper natural Conception

becaufe of his fuperiority to the ^rft Adam, who was of the earth, earthy, he is faid to he the Lord from heaven. 1 Cor. xv. 45 — 50.— com- pare 'ver. 25.

Let us now proceed to adduce the teftimony of Jewifh writers. And the above-mentioned Bilhop Chandler cites three or four Rabbles who fay, that the birth of the Mefliah mull be extra- ordinary. " The Mefliah is the feed that {hall " conie from another place, i. e. he fhaU have " another principle of generation." Others fay, " the birth of Chrift alone fhall be without any ;" defed j his birth fhall not be lilce that of " other creatures into the world -, none Ihall know *' his father before he tells it •, the Redeemer *' that fhall copie fliall be without a father." And Jlabbi Jfj/^j fays, on Pf. Ixxxv. 12. " The gene- *« ration of the Mefliah fhall be Angular, and not •' like that of creatures generating in the world j f« none fhall know the name of his father, till he *« comes to declare it*." With which accounts the opinion of the Jews correfponds •, fee John vii. 27.

We cannot therefore wonder that feveral impojlors fhould pretend to have been born of virgins. " It " was thus that Simon Magus would have it, *' that his mother Rachel bore him whilfl a virgin, " and before fhe co- habited with her hufband *' Antony. And that Domitian, the fon of Vef- ** patian, would be thought to have been the *' fon of Minerva. " So Virgil compliments Auguflus, by telling him, " That the child of " which his wife was pregnant, would he the be- *' lioved fop, and great offspring of Jupiter."

What-

Bilhop Chandler's Defence, p. 337.

ofjefus Chrifi, '85

Whatever then may or can be faid, theie are open, full, undeniable evidences of the fupernatura^ conception of Jefus ; and are in fatisfatlory proof of his having been born of a virgin.

Should it, however, be objeded, " that only " two Evangelifts mention the fupernatural con- •* ception?"

I would anfwer, perhaps there is not one of the four evangelical hiftorians, but what has fundry narratives peculiar to his record. And we are well afllired, that both St. Luke and St. John have many reports which are not found in the ' other Evangelifts. But muft we therefore reckon thofe reports or narratives lefs credible ? Pray, vvho tv6tild part with the parable of the prodigal, becaufe only mentioned by one Evangelift .? Or, with the difcoUrfes which our Lord had with Nicodemus, and the woman of Samaria ? Who would give up the fermon on the mount, becaufe mentioned only by two ? It is enough that we aiie fatisfied thefe hfftorians were divinely qualified for making their diftindt written records : in this confidence, not one of them will lofe a whit of their great importance with us.

Another argument might be alleged in favour of the evangelical account given of this great event of the fupernatural conception, and that is, had it been omitted, the hiftory of our Lord's entrance into being would have been lefs complete and perfed than that of many others ; inafmuch as the hiftorical records of feveral characters of old, fuch as that of Ifaac, of Jacob, of Jofeph, Samfon and Samuel, were fo diftinguifhing, as may be feen. Gen. xvii. 16, 17. ch. xxv. 21. ch. XXX. 22, 23. Judges, 13th chapter, i Sam. F 3 ift chap-

86' On the fupernatural Conception

ill chapter-, which five inftances, were of children preternatLirally given, in conlequence of a promife from God made to barren women. Confequently, there would have been a lefs perfedl account of the origination of Jefus Chriit, than had been given of thofe diltinguilhed charaders.

Here let me notice a ftrange opinion of a de- fender of revelation, who would have it, " that *' Jefus Chrift could not be a perfed man,- if " not begotten by an human father and mother, " in the ufual fenfe of the words, fon of many *' throughout the Bible.*"

We are ready to acknowledge, he was not the fon of man, by ordinary generation, as other men are : but to fay, that for this reafon he could not be a perfect man, would be the fame thing as to deny that either Adam was a perfeft man, or

Eve a perfed woman. However, the fame

gentleman tells us, " that Jefus does fo often " call himfelf the fon of man, in order to pre- " vent any idolatrous ideas and notions of him, " as it had been the wont of the pagan wojld to " deify their heroes." j V:>

Upon which, I would thus reafon ; had it been notorious that our Lord was the product of an ordinary generation, he muft have had much lefs occafion to guard the people againft fuch idola- trous notions, than he would upon his being the offspring of a fupernatural conception ; fince

this

* See the fcriptnre account of the attributes and worfliip'

of God, and of the charadler and offices of Jefus Chriit,, •■ 143. Printed for Noon, J750.

of Jefzis Chrlji, 87

this would furnilh a cogent reafon for his fo guarding mankind againft the idolatrous opinion.

Thus much for the certainty with which the ap- plication of this prophecy is made to the MelTiah.

We 2iVtfecoftdly, to fhew in what fenfe the name Immanuel is applicable only to Jelus Chrift. — And the word, our tranflators have rendered, God with us ; but Erafmus, perhaps with as much reafon, has rendered it, God with him. And if that ihould be the true {'^'c&^ we may conclude St. Peter had it in his eyCj when he gave this account of Jefus of Nazareth, that God anointed him with power, who went about doing good, for, God was with him. Adls x. 38.

We are very fure, the word of God did refide with the man Chrift Jefus, as in a tabernacle : or, the prefence of God was fo with him, that who- ever has i^tn him, has feen the Father ; i. e. he has feen all that is to be feen of him, viz. all his truth and all his grace. And hence the name Immanuel is applicable to him, and to him only. And in faifV, he has undoubtedly made the fulleft and cleareft revelation that ever was made of the will of God. In and bv him God has made, or rather hiL^ finijloed the ages *; in other words, has compleated the plan of his providence, and in him all the promifes of God are accomplifhing, throughout the revolutions of time.

o

And moreover, as God has exalted him to the

right hand of power, and made him the vital and

governing head of his church j having given him

F 4 a name

* Ai ov y^ Ta; «i*'>«5 £7ro>-/;a-j>. , Hcb. i. 2.

88 On the fupernatural Conception

a name above every name ! by raifmg mankind to the hopes of eternal life under his admini- ftration •, from thefe high appointments we fee the propriety of applying to him the name Im-

MANUEL.

The before-mentioned Bifhop feems to me, to have widely miftaken, when he imagines that Ifaiah would be underftood to fay, that a fon to be born of his wife fliould be called by this name. For I can find in the text no fon to be fo called, but the fon of a virgin ; which could not be the fon of the prophet's wife. And I conclude, no other fon of the prophet's is men- tioned but Shear-jajhub, a child already born, and now in his arms.

There is a remarkable marginal reading of this meffage — " Behold a virgin fhall conceive, and " bear a fon ; and thou, O virgin, Ihalt call his " name Immanuelj" which is the language of a future event, that could not relate to any fon of Ifaiah's.

We are in the next place, to point out the evil of Infidelity. The prophet fays, " Is it a fmall *' thing for you to weary men .? but will you " weary my God alfo ?" — Obferve, the Hebrew word rendered weary^ is tranflated grieve^ Job iv. 2. and Prov. xxvi. 15 *. And there mufl: be fomething extremely difpleafing in the idea of a rational accountable creature obftinately rejecting divine evidence •, inafmuch as a deplorable de- pravity is what obftrufts the mid-day light of ruth. It even grieves and diftreffes a generous

human

• Vid. Taylor's Heb. Concord. No, 923.

of Jefus Chrifl. 89

human breaft, to fee a fellow-creature wilfully Ihutting his eyes, and ftupidly refufing the light of life i whatever may have been the motive that gave a diflike to the cxercife of reafon, and to the divine lead of truth and goodnefs.

Here we might aptly remark, there are two demonftrative Evidences of a mifTion or meffage being from God, viz. prophecy and miracles. Under paft difpenfations, I fhould fuppofe, thefe have ufually been found in connexion. The pro- phets of old muft have had a miracle-working power, prefent fign or token, in order to excite attention, and fecure credit to their predidions *. It feems very plain that Ifaiah had fuch power, becaulfe ht bid Ahaz afk a fign cither in the depth, or in the height above. Which furely he would not have done, unlefs he had been empowered to gratify him. All the heralds of heaven had the badge of fome divine figns, whereby unpoflefled minds might eafily diftinguilh them from impoftors. Spencer on Vulgar Proph. p. 61.

Both prophecy and miracle do bearteftimony to this great event of Chrift*s fupernatural for- mation. Witnefs the predidlion, together with the preternatural conception of the harbinger •, for Za*- charias foretold he fhould be ftruck dumb, as the fign given him, and upon the fulfilment he inftantly recovered his fpeech : — compare alfo the infpiration of Elizabeth and Mary, with the aftonifliing circumftances which did attend their falutation ! Now, when Deity has given fuch

demon-

* Which feems to have been always expeftedfrom the Jewil^ prophets, and always performed by them. See Dr. Middle- ion'i Examination of the Biihop of London's Difcourfest &c. p. 41.

90 On the.fupernatUral Conception

demonilration of a fadl, and taken every proper meafure which infinite wifdom and goodnefs could devife to convince and perfuade of its truth ; an obftinate refufal of credit muft be very offenfive in the eye of heaven. We conclude therefore much evil muft be implied in infidelity.

But this will be yet more apparent, when it is confidered, that after all the raillery which un- believers have plentifully beftowed upon the fuper- natural conception, no more has yet been done than a difplay made thereby of prejudice, conceit, and vanity. For undoubtedly, there was in this event fomething worthy the interpofition of Al- mighty power ; an aftoniihing aptitude to con- vince and perfuade ; elie it could have had no place in the divine fcheme of manifeftation. Farther^

There is, in fact, nothing to oppofe to the record : for not any thing m,ore incredible can be in the fupernatural formation of Chrift, than there was either in the formation of the firft man, or in that of the firft woman ; or in the feveral preternatural conceptions. So that we, on the other hand, difcover an amazing propriety in this diftinguiftied formation, not only in fulfilment of prophecy, but in its io identifying the perfon of the promifed Mejfiahy as that it is rendered utterly impoflible the honeft enquirer fhould miftaice his perfon. Nay, even the truth and faithfulnefs, the wifdom and goodnefs of God are made illuftrious in that fupernatural formation.-— Let no one then forget how the prophet has cen- fured the crime of infidelity. — " Is it a fmall " thing that ye weary men ? Will ye weary my " God alfo ?"

of Jefus Chrijl, 91

Some Reflexions.

• I. There is a fuperlative pleafure in reading the feries of prophetic openings which have refe- rence to the MefTiah promifed from the beginning ! nnd yet it is deplorably fafliionable, to negled; and defpife the written volume of God's word. Men are accuftomed to think they are not at all obliged to confult religioiifly the divine oracles : and even learn to perfiiade themfelves, thefe facred writings are of no importance. Various are the excufes they make, to quiet their own minds in this inattention. Papijis they fee are not allowed to confult the holy book. Protejiants who are pof- fefled of that privilege, do, great numbers of them, appear to be never the better for the liberty they have ; many making no ufe of it ; — and not a few perverting and abufmg the manifeft fenfe of its teachings. Neverthelefs, thofe records of ages, which heaven has intended for the bene- ficial information of mankind, are of too great fignificance to be neglected with impunity. The oracular voice, is, " he that has ears, let him " hear."

To what, but to this contempt of the divine oracles, can we attribute the fhocking impiety, and atrocious debauchery of the age ! which has no tafte either for knowing, or doing thp will of God !

II. I might obferve, from the fupernatural conception of Jefus, that the honour done to his mother, was not in confequence of any perfonal merit j and cannot entitle her to any homage from mankind. There is no reafon to, doubt

cither

92 On the fupernatural Conception

either of her innocence, or virtue \ (he appears to have been truly pious. But though (he was the mother of Jefus, that gave her no more intereft in the Goi'pel-falvation than any others had, who were but as careful to do the will of God as (he was. This we may fairly infer from Math. xii. 50. Whofoever Jhall do the will of my Father^ — the fame is my brother, and fijier^ and mother.

III. It (hould appear from our Lord's fuper- natural formation, that he had no prior exiftence. All ancient prophecy fpeaks of him, as not yet having had any exiftence ; but always as he that was to come. And St. Paul fays, " it was in the " fulnefs of timey that he was made of a woman.*'* Some leud minds, I would here obferve, have fyoken with great levity on the declaration of the angel to Mary, " that the Holy Spirit (hould *« come upon her, and the power of the highe(t " fhould over-(hadow her."-^ — But this angelic account of the fupernatural formation of Jefus, is in perfedt agreement with the Molaic reprefen- tation of the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters ; and with the evangelic narration of its hovering over Jefus, at his baptifm. The Hebrew word rahhaph^ fignifies to move, or agitate -, as in Genefts, ch. i. 2. Buxtorf lays, it alludes to the fluttering motion of the eagle's wings, when (he would excite her young to fly. It evidently denotes, in St. Luke's account, a like exertion of the fame creative power, that moved upon the chaotic waters. That Hne de- finition given by St. Paul of the creation of this

fyftem,

♦ See the argument againft the pre-exiftence, in the true Kew 7ejlame»t doSlrine of Jefus Chrifi confidered.

ofjefus Chrifl. 93

fyftem, is here applicable, viz. *^ The worlds were *' framed by the word of God, fo that things *' which are liben were not made of things which " do appear.'* Juft fo was the origination of Jei us, in Mary's fupernatural conception of him ; which forbids our fuppofmg any prior exiftence *.

IV. From hence we conclude his divine cha- rafter and mifiion j and alfo that the meflage he delivered muft be of the greatefl: importance to mankind. It is not fuppofable that fuch an ap-m paratus of prophecy and miracle, Hiould be without a defign and end worthy of the adorable governor of univerfal nature, and deferving the religious attention of mankind. The revelation which he has made of the will of God, gives the reafon of his being ftiled Immanuel : for as it is the moft perfed, fo it muft be the laft revelation which Ihall ever be made to this world of ours. And becaufe of this revelation, he is faid to have fhewn \,is the Father : and is alfo reprefented as the brightnefs of the Father's glory, and the exprefs image or character of his perfon.

But to prevent miftake, though he is properly ftiled Immanuel^ not only from the revelation he has made of the mind and will of God, but as being conftituted head over all things to the church of God \ yet we are not to conceive of him as really and truly God. Thisi he cannot ^)ei becaufe God by his fpirit or power formed or made hini of a woman. But whatever God has made, muft be a creature. Whereas the one living and true God, is not capable of the ftiadow of change j and the idea of his becoming

an

See more on this fubjed in the Appendix.

94 On the fupernatiiral Conception

an infant, is, beyond meafure, fhocking ! Terlullian faid, " he would not believe that the fovereign " God defcended into the womb of a woman, " though even the fcripture itfelf Ihoidd affirm " it.*" And we find our Lord, throi;g:iouthis mi- niftrations, conftantly declaring, that the words he fpake, and the works he wrought, were not by his own fpirit or powe'- ; but by that of his father WHO fent hitn

Lajlly^ we cannot but fee ourfelves under an indifpenfable obligation to reverence Jefus as the ient of God, by conforming ourfelves religioufly to thofe divine inftruclions which he has delivered to us in the New Teftament canon. — It is allov/ed, that we m^ay highly entertain ourfelves, and take a refined pleafure in reading the amazing book of nature ! We may take much delight in confulting the hiftorical volumiC of providence. We may reap mucii advantage from converfing with the writings of inquifitive men,* and derive confiderable information from their experimental knowledge. Not a little is to be learnt from difcoveries made by philofophic minds, who have, with great ftudy and much accuracy, invefligated nature's laws, and taken a comparatively extenfive view of her latent treafures. — But, after all thefe laborious and entertaining refearches, we are ccnftrained to own, with admiration, that there are no fuch riches of divine wifdom and knowledge, to be any where found, as in the teachings of Jefus. For, verily, by him, God has abounded towards ns in all wifdom and prudence ! his teachings give the light of life, of immortal life !

How

* See Platonifm unveiled : Part i. p. 8.

ofjefus Chrifi, 95

How aptly then did an apoftle fay, " whofoever " ihall confefs that Jefus is the Ion of God — " God dwelJeth in him, and he in God — for this " is the record, that God hath given to us eternal " life, and this hfe is in his fon. He that hath " the fon, hath life ; but he that hath not the " fon of God, hath not life/*

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

LETTER

ADDRESSED TO THE

ARIA N S,

APPENDIX.

A

Letter addrefled to the A R I A N S :

Occafioned by a late Publication of

Mr. Martin Tomkins's Reply

T O

Dr. Lardner's Letter on theLocosw '^-

Fellow ChriJiianSf

I Begin Vv'ith obferving to you, that what Vif. Tomkins has advanced concerning the Logos, or that word of power by which God created the heavens and the earth, becoming the foul of the man Chrift Jefus, appears to me to be very wide from the truth, and far from being defenlible on any folid grounds. The idea of reducing an im- mcnfity of prcfence and power, an unqueftionable divinity to the embrio-llate, or to the narrow con- finement of an infant human body, is, I frankly con- fefs, beyond the utm.cft reach of my conceptions. Nor do I apprehend, that this idea has the leaft analogy or agreement, with any one image the mind of m.an can form, from comparing any manifeftation God has made of himfelf, in his works, ways, or word. Indeed, it feems to Hand in contradiftion to truth, reafon, nature, and revelation •, for v/e are well afliired, that tlie wife Creator has eftabliflied a fpedfic difference in the various orders of beings he has formed; and therefore cannot inform and actuate a real ^ ; ;' (^ G 2 human

100 A P P E N D I X.

human body by the fpirit of an angel, any more than by the fpirit of an animal of the loweft: order -, forafmuch as this would deftroy that fpecific difference which he has invariably efta- blilhed throughout all his works.

Mr. T. obferves, that " if it fhould be made *' appear that the death of Chrift carries in it " an utter inconfcioulhefs, he fhould make no *' fcruple of fuppofing, that the Logos was for " that time in a ftate of unconfcioufnefs.'* Had he faid no more than this, in defence of the Arian Hypothefis, my mind would have revolted ; lince I cannot fuppofe it agreeable to the divine conftitutions, that God's well-beloved fon, who, throughout his miniftrations, had fuftained the form of God, and at their finifliing had commended his own fpirit to him, fhould be reduced, even in l?adeSi to a ftate of inccnfcioufnefs. If my ideas are right, a iincere habitual conformity to the will of God, is a life-principle in m.an, which death cannot injure : much lefs could it render inconfcious the fmlefs, the'perfcdly obedient foul of Jefus, the brighteft image of the Father's glory ! At the fame time, it would greatly increafe the difficulties of the Arian Hypothefis, by its fuppofing the Logos, [an agent by which God made the worlds! reducible to a ftate of inconfcious cxiflence, were it but for a fingle moment.

As unaccountably does Mr. Tomkins fpeak'of Chrift's agony in the garden, and complaint on

the crofs. His words are thefe, — " It is pro-

*' bable that the dezil, in the temptations re- " corded, took him, as I may fiy, at the greatefl " advantage, when the circumftances he was in, *' made him more liable to the imprefTions of *^ tnings then propofed to him."^This, alluredly,

is

APPENDIX. lor

. IS a very ftrange account of the matter. And he might have been much better informed from the mouth of Jefus, who, in the eve of his fufferings, faid, the prince of this world coraeth^ and hath nothing in me. So far from taking any advantage of him, the prince of this world, whom Mr. T. calls the devil^ when he came, could make no imprefTion at all upon him. — Neither do I think our bleficd Lord made any complaint whilft he hung on the crofs. He indeed appeals to God, as his God^ from the revilings of the chief priefts, in proof of his knowing that God had not forfaken him. — Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani,

Mr. T. comments thus on Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. " Our Lord took the form of a fervant, in his " being made in the likenefs of man." ev oi^oiu^x av^pooTT'jjv yivoy.tvc<;. This is not intelligible, for unlefs he made himfelf, and made himfelf too in that likenefs, there is no propriety in faying, he took upon him that form. Whereas one may eafily conceive of his being made truly man, like to his brethren ; and in that true humanity, we can confider him as confenting to take upon him the form of a fervant ; and alfo as willingly fub- mitting to be treated as a criminal, fuffering the ignominious death of a Roman flave, in his cru- cifixion.— But then, it is not pofTible we fliould conceive of any l)eing God ever created, as either affenting or confenting to his formation. This would be to fuppofe the creature's exiftence prior to itfelf. Neither can it be any mark of humi- liation, or an exprefllon of a creature's humility, to be made what it is. One might farther argue, that to be made in the likenefs of man, is no proof of his having the form of a fervant, in the humiliating fenfe, if we can believe either Moles, or St. Paul. Mofes fays, God made man in his I own

102 APPENDIX.

own image, after his own likenefs, and gave him dominion. Gen. i. 26. And St. Paul lays, that man is the image and glory of God ! i Cor. xi. 7.

My furprize is not in the leaft abated, by that worthy man (whom I loved) thus expreffing his ideas of the exalted Jefus, — " he is now con- " fidered, not as in a ilate of fubjefbion even to '' the father j but as invefced with fupreme autho- " rity, deputed indeed, but, as it fliould feem, " not under diredion, neither is he accountable." If this can be juftly faid of the man Chrift Jefus, I mull own a total ignorance of all firft principles Vv'hich concern the law of relation ; as well as of all thofe reprefentations made of him by apoftles. — In the reafon and nature of things, by the laws of immutable eternal truth, all beings that are originated mufc be dependent, none can have independence bu: the one God, who has none befides him. Again, ChriiTs inveiliture with fupreme power from the Father, undoubtedly infers his dependence. Ke is only capable of performing th.e fundlions of his high office, by virtue of God's prefence with him. For it is God's throne at the right hand of which the Father hath placed him. Heb. xii. 2. —

As to that phrafe, t Cor. xv. 28. T'henfiaU the fon himfelf oJjo he fuhjeot., this no Vv^ay proves he is not under diredtion, nor accountable, during his mediatorial adminiftration, or that he is any other rhan the Shechinah of God, invefled with the Father's glory, See Matth. xvi. 27. Mar. viii. 38.

— ^^At the end. of which adminiftration, he

Ihail deliver i:p the kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all. Or, it may perhaps be underllood of the children of the kingdom being

pre-

APPENDIX. 103

prclented to the Father, as an heave-offering, r.fter they have been with him to behold the glory v/hich the Father hath given him. Joh. xvii. 24. But does not St. Paul fay, that the name given him above every name, to which every knee fhall bow, and every tongue confefs him Lord, Jhall he to the glory of God the Father ? And if fo, is there not an end to which he is to condud: his government ? A full proof that he is neither without dire6tion, nor in a Itate of non-fubje6lion. Indeed Mr. T. owns he is a deputy — deputed in- deed: But who of mankind ever had an idea of a deputy, that was neither under direflionj nor accountable?

I Ihall only notice another text, about which mode of exprcfTion Mr. T. is extremely fanguine, and is confident it clearly determines the pre- exiftence of Chrift, and that is, John xvi, 28, 1 came forth from the Father^ and am come into the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father. He lays much ftrefs on the [TraAiu ci(pi7\fM.2 I have the pleafure of obferving, that an ingenious writer has fliewn * the word here rendered worlds is to be confidered only as a fcene of bufinefs, exercife and trial ; he fupports this fenfe, by John xiv. 19. XV. 18. xviii. 9, and 18. i John iii. I. I would add, John xviii. 37. *' For *' this end was I born, and for this caufe came " / into the world, that I might bear witnefs to " the truth ;" where, coming into the v/orld, manifeftly fignifies, his entring on public bufinefs, as the great prophet of God, to reveal his will to mankind.

The

* Theological Repofitory, No. III. Vol. III. paper figned,

3L-1BERIVS.

104 APPENDIX.

The above text will then read thus, I cams forth from the Father, i. e. I had my divine credentials from him ; — and am come into the world -, i. e. have engaged in a fcenery of bufinefs, exercife and trial. — Again I leave the world, and go to the Father. This literally and exadlly agrees with ■what he had faid, verfes i6, 17. " A little *' while and ye fhall not fee me : and again a " little while and ye Ihall fee me, becaufe I go *' to the Father." Accordingly, he left them and all the fcenery of bufinefs when he was crucified, and went into hades for part of three days ; during which little while they faw him not. And again they fhould fee him for a little while, i. e. during the forty days he converfed with them, and more fully inftrufted them in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, — after which he left them a fecond time to go to the Father. Thefe are the two leavings of the world, confidered as a fcene of bufinefs. And every one may fee, that his coming forth from the Father, has the molt important meaning, of his receiving his credentials from him, by which he was qualified for coming into the world, and difpatching the bufinefs of his public miniftry. Here is a natural and eafy fenfe of that declaration, but no intimation at all of his pre-exifi:ence. — At leaft, this \s the opinion of one unattached to any fyfliem, h\M thofe of reafon and revelation.

F I N I S»