Wesley Corpus

Why is character important in ministry? What other character qualities would you include? 11. Agreeable to this his one desire, is the one design of his life, namely, "not to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him." His one intention at all times and in all things is, not to please himself, but Him whom his soul loveth. He has a single eye. And because "his eye is single, his whole body is full of light." Indeed, where the loving eye of the soul is continually fixed upon God, there can be no darkness at all, "but the whole is light; as when the bright shining of a candle doth enlighten the house." God then reigns alone. All that is in the soul is holiness to the Lord. There is not a motion in his heart, but is according to his will. Every thought that arises points to Him, and is in obedience to the law of Christ. At one point in our communion liturgy, we talk about God freeing us for “joyful obedience.” Convinced of God's love for us and returning that love to him, Methodists trust God enough to take his agenda - God's ideas of what we ought to be doing - as our own. Question: How does your agenda compare with Gods? Do you want to take up God's agenda? If you're going to take up God's agenda (in trusting, joyful obedience), what is your next step in that direction? What can you do to lead others in taking up God's agenda? 12. And the tree is known by its fruits. For as he loves God, so he keeps his commandments; not only some, or most of them, but all, from the least to the greatest. He is not content to "keep the whole law, and offend in one point;" but has, in all points, "a conscience void of offense towards God and towards man." Whatever God has forbidden, he avoids; whatever God hath enjoined, he doeth; and that whether it be little or great, hard or easy, joyous or grievous to the flesh. He "runs the way of God's commandments," now he hath set his heart at liberty.

To receive what they are willing to give, toward the Relief of the Poor, and the neceslary Expences of the Society, II. To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the Society once a Week; in order 3 | To inform the Minister of any that are Sick, or of any that walk disorderly, and will not be reproved. . | -- -- 2. ---- -- -- To pay to the Stewards what they have receiv'd of their several Classes in the Week preceding; And To shew their Account of what each Person. has contributed. 4. There is only one Condition previous- ly required, in those who desire Admission into these Societies, a Desire to flee from the Wrath to come, to be saved from their Sins: But, wherever this is really fix'd in the Soul, it will be shewn by its Fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue there- 1.?, that they should continue to evidence their Desire of Salvation; First, By doing no Harm, by avoiding Evil in every Kind; especially, that which is most generally practis'd. Such The taking the Name of GOD in vain; The profaning the Day of the LORD, (either by doing ordinary Work thereon, or by buying or selling:) Drunkenness, l or felling Spirituous Liguers; or drinking them (unless in Cases of extreme Neceslity ) Fighting, ele Brawling; Going zo Law, Returning Evil for Evil, or Railing, for Railing : The ufing 0 Words in buying or selling: 8 x -- 1 x EE EY” oa. Rur kt, Ec. of the The buying or selling uncustom'd Goods: The giving or taking Things on Usury > Uncharitable or unprofitable Conversation: Especially, speaking Evil of Magistrates, or of Ministers : Doing to others as we would not they Mould do unto us: 1 Doing that we know is not for the Glory of GOD: As The putting on Gold or cofily Apparel. The taking such Diversions as cannot be used in the Name of the LORD JESUS : The Singing those Songs, or reading those Books, which do not tend to the Knowledgs Ggionod Oo oouD:. 8 Softness, and needless Self- indulgence: Laying up Treasures upon Earth, g. It is expected of all who continue in to evidence their Desire of Salvation. Secondly, By doing Good, by being in every kind, merciful after their Power; as they have Opportunity, doing Good of every

to them who watch over that Soul, as they that must give an Account. We will abmonish him of the Error of his Ways: We will bear with him for a Season. But then if he repent not, he hath no more Place among us, We have deiiver'd our own Souls. Joun WesLEv, Charles WESLEY May 1, 1743: * a. at. 2 Pl * r CRT, _-- -- + 1 RR ng = -- -- -- -- 1 9 n 1 TIL pf = LS For those who are convinced of Sin. * O Most compassionate High Priest, Full of all Grace we know thou art: Fal n puts its Hand upon thy Breast, And feels beneath thy panting Heart. 2 Thy panting Heart for Sinners bleeds 3. Thy Mercies and Compassions move; Thy groaning Spirit interceeds, And yearn the Bowels of thy Love. 3. Hear then the Pleading Spirit's Prayer, (The Spirit's Will to Thee is known). For all who now thy Sufferings share, And still for full Redemption groan. 4 Poor tempted Souls, with Tempests toss'd, And Strangers to a Moment's Peace; Disconsolate, afflicted, lost, Lost in an howling Wilderness. 5 Torn with an endless War within, Vext with the Flesh and Spirit's Strife, And struggling in the Toils of Sin, And a zonizing into Life. 6 O let the Pris'ners mournful Cries As Incense in thy Sight appear ;. Their humble Wailings pierce the Skies, If haply they may seel thee near: 7 The Captive Exiles make their Moans, From Sin impatient to be tree ; Call home, call home thy banith'd ones! Lead Captive their Captivity ! $ Shew them the Blood that bought their Peace, The Anchor of their ftedfati Hope; | And bid their guilty#Terrors cease, And bring the ransom'd Pris'ners up. 9. Out. vg 3 10 A PRAVER, c. I 9 Out of the Deep regard their Cries, | 4 The Fallen raise, the Mourners chear : I O Sun of Righteousness arise, I And scatter all their Doubts and Fear ! 4 10 Pity the Day of feeble Things; | | 3 O gather ev'ry halting Soul, 5 9 And drop Salvation from thy Wi ings, 2 And make the contrite Sinner whole e. T 11 Stand by them in the fiery Hour, : Their Feebleness of Mind defend; | And in their Weakness how thy Power,

I And make them patient to the End. 3 12 O satisfy their Soul in Drought ; | | ) - Give them thy saving Health to see, - "i 1 And let thy Mercy find them out; b 8 And let thy Mercy reach to me. . 13 Hast Thou the W ork of Grace begun, 5 And bwught them to the Birth in vain ?- | n O let thy Children see the Sun! 85 Let all their Souls be born again! 1 14 Relieve the Souls whose Cross we bear, : For whom. thy (ui ri ring Members mourn ; - & Answer our Faith” s effectu al Prayer: b Bid ev'ry 1 Child be born. 15 Hark how thy Turtle Dove complains, And fee us weep for Siea's Woe ! Pity thy suff ring People's Pain; Avenge us of cur Inbred Foe, 26 Whom Thoukt { dound, O Lord, expel], - And take his Armour all away ; The Man of Sin, the Child of Hell, The Devil in our Nature slay. 17 Him and his Works at once destroy, The Being of all Sin erase, And turn our Mourning into Joy, And cloath us with the Robes of Praise, 18 Then, when our Suff rings all are past, - O let us pure and perfect be, And gain our Calling's Prize at last, For ever sanctified in Thee. fs Rage r 8 th . ana -- * N Food -- E. H OI, D! how good a Thing . It is to dwell in Peace, How pleasing to our King, This Fruit of Righteousness, When Brethren all in One agree; Who knows the Joys of Unity | Where all are sweetly joyn'd, True Followers of the Lamb, The fame in Heart and Mind, And think and speak the same, And all in Love together dwell ; The Comfort rs unspeakable. Where Unity takes place, The joys of Heaven we prove; This is the Gospel-Grace, The Unction from above, The Spirit on all Believers shed, Descending swift from CHRI ST our Head. JESUS, our great High Priest, For Us the Gift receiv'd, For Us, and All the rest, Who have in him believ'd ; F.ven to his Skirts----the meanest name That longs to love the bleeding Lamb. -- -- --

10. I believe God forgives all the sins of them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe His holy gospel; and that at the last day all men shall rise again, every one with his own body. I believe that, as the unjust shall after their resurrection be tormented in hell for ever, so the just shall enjoy inconceivable happiness in the presence of God to all eternity. 11. Now, is there anything wrong in this? Is there any one point which you do not believe as wall as we? But you think we ought to believe more. We will not now enter into the dispute. Only let me ask, If a man sincerely believes thus much, and practices accordingly, can any one possibly persuade you to think that such a man shall perish everlastingly? 12. 'But does he practice accordingly?' If he does not, we grant all his faith will not save him. And this leads me to show you in few and plain words what the practice of a true Protestant is. I say, a true Protestant: for I disclaim all common swearers, Sabbath-breakers, drunkards; all whoremongers, liars, cheats, extortioners; in a word, all that live in open sin. These are no Protestants; they are no Christians at all. Give them their own name: they are open heathens. They are the curse of the nation, the bane of society, the shame of mankind, the scum of the earth. 13. A true Protestant believes in God, has a full confidence in His mercy, fears Him with a filial fear, and loves Him with all his soul. He worships God in spirit and in truth, in everything gives Him thanks; calls upon Him with his heart as well as his lips at all times and in all places; honors His Holy name and His Word, and serves Him truly all the days of his life.

4. "However, may not the speaking thus of the mercy of God, as saving or justifying freely by faith only, encourage men in sin" Indeed, it may and will: Many will "continue in sin that grace may abound:" But their blood is upon their own head. The goodness of God ought to lead them to repentance; and so it will those who are sincere of heart. When they know there is yet forgiveness with him, they will cry aloud that he would blot out their sins also, through faith which is in Jesus. And if they earnestly cry, and faint not, it they seek him in all the means he hath appointed; if they refuse to be comforted till he come; "he will come, and will not tarry." And he can do much work in a short time. Many are the examples, in the Acts of the Apostles, of God's working this faith in men's hearts, even like lightning falling from heaven. So in the same hour that Paul and Silas began to preach, the jailer repented, believed, and was baptized; as were three thousand, by St. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, who all repented and believed at his first preaching And, blessed be God, there are now many living proofs that he is still "mighty to save." 5. Yet to the same truth, placed in another view, a quite contrary objection is made: "If a man cannot be saved by all that he can do, this will drive men to despair." True, to despair of being saved by their own works, their own merits, or righteousness. And so it ought; for none can trust in the merits of Christ, till he has utterly renounced his own. he that "goeth about to stablish his own righteousness" cannot receive the righteousness of God. The righteousness which is of faith cannot be given him while he trusteth in that which is of the law.

6. But this, it is said, is an uncomfortable doctrine. The devil spoke like himself, that is, without either truth or shame, when he dared to suggest to men that it is such. It is the only comfortable one, it is "very full of comfort," to all self-destroyed, self-condemned sinners. That "whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed that the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him": here is comfort, high as heaven, stronger than death! What! Mercy for all For Zacchaeus, a public robber For Mary Magdalene, a common harlot Methinks I hear one say "Then I, even I, may hope for mercy!" And so thou mayest, thou afflicted one, whom none hath comforted! God will not cast out thy prayer. Nay, perhaps he may say the next hour, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;" so forgiven, that they shall reign over thee no more; yea, and that "the Holy Spirit shall bear witness with thy spirit that thou art a child of God." O glad tidings! tidings of great joy, which are sent unto all people! "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters: Come ye, and buy, without money and without price." Whatsoever your sins be, "though red like crimson," though more than the hairs of your head, "return ye unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon you, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

7. When no more objections occur, then we are simply told that salvation by faith only ought not to be preached as the first doctrine, or, at least, not to be preached at all. But what saith the Holy Ghost "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ." So then, that "whosoever believeth on him shall be saved," is, and must be, the foundation of all our preaching; that is, must be preached first. "Well, but not to all." To whom, then are we not to preach it Whom shall we except The poor Nay; they have a peculiar right to have the gospel preached unto them. The unlearned No. God hath revealed these things unto unlearned and ignorant men from the beginning. The young By no means. "Suffer these," in any wise, "to come unto Christ, and forbid them not." The sinners Least of all. "He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Why then, if any, we are to except the rich, the learned, the reputable, the moral men. And, it is true, they too often except themselves from hearing; yet we must speak the words of our Lord. For thus the tenor of our commission runs, "Go and preach the gospel to every creature." If any man wrest it, or any part of it, to his destruction, he must bear his own burden. But still, "as the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto us, that we will speak."

9. For this reason the adversary so rages whenever "salvation by faith" is declared to the world: for this reason did he stir up earth and hell, to destroy those who first preached it. And for the same reason, knowing that faith alone could overturn the foundations of his kingdom, did he call forth all his forces, and employ all his arts of lies and calumny, to affright Martin Luther from reviving it. Nor can we wonder thereat; for, as that man of God observes, "How would it enrage a proud, strong man armed, to be stopped and set at nought by a little child coming against him with a reed in his hand!" especially when he knew that little child would surely overthrow him, and tread him under foot. Even so, Lord Jesus! Thus hath Thy strength been ever "made perfect in weakness!" Go forth then, thou little child that believest in him, and his "right hand shall teach thee terrible things!" Though thou art helpless and weak as an infant of days, the strong man shall not be able to stand before thee. Thou shalt prevail over him, and subdue him, and overthrow him and trample him under thy feet. Thou shalt march on, under the great Captain of thy salvation, "conquering and to conquer," until all thine enemies are destroyed, and "death is swallowed up in victory." Now, thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, for ever and ever. Amen

The Almost Christian Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university, on July 25, 1741. "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26.28. AND many there are who go thus far: ever since the Christian religion was in the world, there have been many in every age and nation who were almost persuaded to be Christians. But seeing it avails nothing before God to go only thus far, it highly imports us to consider, First. What is implied in being almost, Secondly. What in being altogether, a Christian. I. (I.) 1. Now, in the being almost a Christian is implied, First, heathen honesty. No one, I suppose, will make any question of this; especially, since by heathen honesty here, I mean, not that which is recommended in the writings of their philosophers only, but such as the common heathens expected one of another, and many of them actually practised. By the rules of this they were taught that they ought not to be unjust; not to take away their neighbour's goods, either by robbery or theft; not to oppress the poor, neither to use extortion toward any; not to cheat or overreach either the poor or rich, in whatsoever commerce they had with them; to defraud no man of his right; and, if it were possible, to owe no man anything. 2. Again: the common heathens allowed, that some regard was to be paid to truth, as well as to justice. And, accordingly, they not only held him in abomination who was forsworn, who called God to witness to a lie; but him also who was known to be a slanderer of his neighbour, who falsely accused any man. And indeed, little better did they esteem wilful liars of any sort, accounting them the disgrace of human kind, and the pests of society.

3. Yet again: there was a sort of love and assistance which they expected one from another. They expected whatever assistance any one could give another, without prejudice to himself. And this they extended not only to those little offices of humanity which are performed without any expense or labour, but likewise to the feeding the hungry, if they had food to spare; the clothing the naked with their own superfluous raiment; and, in general. the giving, to any that needed, such things as they needed not themselves. Thus far, in the lowest account of it, heathen honesty went; the first thing implied in the being almost a Christian. (II.) 4. A second thing implied in the being almost a Christian, is, the having a form of godliness; of that godliness which is prescribed in the gospel of Christ; the having the outside of a real Christian. Accordingly, the almost Christian does nothing which the gospel forbids. he taketh not the name of God in vain; he blesseth, and curseth not; he sweareth not at all, but his communication is, yea, yea; nay, nay. he profanes not the day of the Lord, nor suffers it to be profaned, even by the stranger that is within his gates. he not only avoids all actual adultery, fornication, and uncleanness, but every word or look that either directly or indirectly tends thereto; nay, and all idle words, abstaining both from detraction, backbiting, talebearing, evil speaking, and from "all foolish talking and jesting"--eutrapelia, a kind of virtue in the heathen moralist's account; --briefly, from all conversation that is not "good to the use of edifying,' and that, consequently, "grieves the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.' 5. He abstains from "wine wherein is excess'; from revellings and gluttony. he avoids, as much as in him lies, all strife and contention, continually endeavouring to live peaceably with all men. And, if he suffer wrong, he avengeth not himself, neither returns evil for evil. he is no railer, no brawler, no scoffer, either at the faults or infirmities of his neighbour. he does not willingly wrong, hurt, or grieve any man; but in all things act and speaks by that plain rule, "Whatsoever thou wouldest not he should do unto thee, that do not thou to another."

4. But here let no man deceive his own soul. "It is diligently to be noted, the faith which bringeth not forth repentance, and love, and all good works, is not that right living faith, but a dead and devilish one. For, even the devils believe that Christ was born of a virgin: that he wrought all kinds of miracles, declaring himself very God: that, for our sakes, he suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from death everlasting; that he rose again the third day: that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and at the end of the world shall come again to judge both the quick and dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all that is written in the Old and New Testament. And yet for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain still in their damnable estate lacking the very true Christian faith." [Homily on the Salvation of Man.] 5. "The right and true Christian faith is (to go on m the words of our own Church), "not only to believe that Holy Scripture and the Articles of our Faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ. It is a sure trust and confidence which a man hath in God, that, by the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God; whereof doth follow a loving heart, to obey his commandments." 6. Now, whosoever has this faith, which "purifies the heart" (by the power of God, who dwelleth therein) from "pride, anger, desire, from all unrighteousness" from "all filthiness of flesh and spirit;" which fills it with love stronger than death, both to God and to all mankind; love that doeth the works of God, glorying to spend and to be spent for all men, and that endureth with joy, not only the reproach of Christ, the being mocked, despised, and hated of all men, but whatsoever the wisdom of God permits the malice of men or devils to inflict, --whosoever has this faith thus working by love is not almost only, but altogether, a Christian.

3. Full of all diseases as he is, he fancies himself in perfect health. Fast bound in misery and iron, he dreams that he is at liberty. he says, "Peace! Peace!" while the devil, as "a strong, man armed," is in full possession of his soul. he sleeps on still and takes his rest, though hell is moved from beneath to meet him; though the pit from whence there is no return hath opened its mouth to swallow him up. A fire is kindled around him, yet he knoweth it not; yea, it burns him, yet he lays it not to heart. 4. By one who sleeps, we are, therefore, to understand (and would to God we might all understand it!) a sinner satisfied in his sins; contented to remain in his fallen state, to live and die without the image of God; one who is ignorant both of his disease, and of the only remedy for it; one who never was warned, or never regarded the warning voice of God, "to flee from the wrath to come;" one that never yet saw he was in danger of hell-fire, or cried out in the earnestness of his soul, "What must I do to be saved" 5. If this sleeper be not outwardly vicious, his sleep is usually the deepest of all: whether he be of the Laodicean spirit, "neither cold nor hot," but a quiet, rational, inoffensive, good-natured professor of the religion of his fathers; or whether he be zealous and orthodox, and, "after the most straitest sect of our religion," live "a Pharisee;" that is, according to the scriptural account, one that justifies himself; one that labours to establish his own righteousness, as the ground of his acceptance with God.

2. Awake, awake! Stand up this moment, lest thou "drink at the Lord's hand the cup of his fury." Stir up thyself to lay hold on the Lord, the Lord thy Righteousness, mighty to save! "Shake thyself from the dust." At least, let the earthquake of God's threatenings shake thee. Awake, and cry out with the trembling jailer, "What must I do to be saved" And never rest till thou believest on the Lord Jesus, with a faith which is his gift, by the operation of his Spirit. 3. If I speak to any one of you, more than to another, it is to thee, who thinkest thyself unconcerned in this exhortation. "I have a message from God unto thee." In his name, I warn thee "to flee from the wrath to come." Thou unholy soul, see thy picture in condemned Peter, lying in the dark dungeon, between the soldiers, bound with two chains, the keepers before the door keeping the prison. The night is far spent, the morning is at hand, when thou art to be brought forth to execution. And in these dreadful circumstances, thou art fast asleep; thou art fast asleep in the devil's arms, on the brink of the pit, in the jaws of everlasting destruction! 4. O may the Angel of the Lord come upon thee, and the light shine into thy prison! And mayest thou feel the stroke of an Almighty Hand, raising thee, with, "Arise up quickly, gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals, cast thy garment about thee, and follow Me." 5. Awake, thou everlasting spirit, out of thy dream of worldly happiness! Did not God create thee for himself Then thou canst not rest till thou restest in him. Return, thou wanderer! Fly back to thy ark, This is not thy home. Think not of building tabernacles here. Thou art but a stranger, a sojourner upon earth; a creature of a day, but just launching out into an unchangeable state. Make haste. Eternity is at hand. Eternity depends on this moment. An eternity of happiness, or an eternity of misery!

6. In what state is thy soul Was God, while I am yet speaking, to require it of thee, art thou ready to meet death and judgement Canst thou stand in his sight, who is of "purer eyes than to behold iniquity" Art thou "meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light" Hast thou "fought a good fight, and kept the faith" Hast thou secured the one thing needful Hast thou recovered the image of God, even righteousness and true holiness Hast thou put off the old man, and put on the new Art thou clothed upon with Christ 7. Hast thou oil in thy lamp grace in thy heart Dost thou "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength" Is that mind in thee, which was also in Christ Jesus Art thou a Christian indeed, that is, a new creature Are old things passed away, and all things become new 8. Art thou a "partaker of the divine nature" Knowest thou not, that "Christ is in thee, except thou be reprobate" Knowest thou, that God "dwelleth in thee, and thou in God, by his Spirit, which he hath given thee" Knowest thou not that "thy body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which thou hast of God" Hast thou the witness in thyself the earnest of thine inheritance Hast thou "received the Holy Ghost" Or dost thou start at the question, not knowing "whether there be any Holy Ghost" 9. If it offends thee, be thou assured, that thou neither art a Christian, nor desirest to be one. Nay, thy very prayer is turned into sin; and thou hast solemnly mocked God this very day, by praying for the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, when thou didst not believe there was any such thing to be received.

12. Thou hopest to be saved; but what reason hast thou to give of the hope that is in thee Is it because thou hast done no harm or, because thou hast done much good or, because thou art not like other men; but wise, or learned, or honest, and morally good; esteemed of men, and of a fair reputation Alas! all this will never bring thee to God. It is in his account lighter than vanity. Dost thou know Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent Hath he taught thee, that "by grace we are saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" Hast thou received the faithful saying as the whole foundation of thy hope, "that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners" Hast thou learned what that meaneth, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep" Art thou (he that heareth, let him understand!) lost, dead, damned already Dost thou know thy deserts Dost thou feel thy wants Art thou "poor in spirit" mourning for God, and refusing to be comforted Is the prodigal "come to himself," and well content to be therefore thought beside himself" by those who are still feeding upon the husks which he hath left Art thou willing to live godly in Christ Jesus And dost thou therefore suffer persecution Do men say all manner of evil against thee falsely, for the Son of Man's sake 13. O that in all these questions ye may hear the voice that wakes the dead; and feel that hammer of the Word, which breaketh the rocks in pieces! "If ye will hear his voice to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts." Now, "awake, thou that sleepest" in spiritual death, that thou sleep not in death eternal! Feel thy lost estate, and "arise from the dead." Leave thine old companions in sin and death. Follow thou Jesus, and let the dead bury their dead. "Save thyself from this untoward generation." "Come out from among them, and be thou separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord shall receive thee." "Christ shall give thee light."

13. And "shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord Shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this" Yea, we know not how soon he may say to the sword, "Sword, go through this land!" he hath given us long space to repent. he lets us alone this year also: but he warns and awakens us by thunder. his judgements are abroad in the earth; and we have all reason to expect the heaviest of all, even that he "should come unto us quickly, and remove our candlestick out of its place, except we repent and do the first works;" unless we return to the principles of the Reformation, the truth and simplicity of the gospel. Perhaps we are now resisting the last effort of divine grace to save us. Perhaps we have well-nigh "filled up the measure of our iniquities," by rejecting the counsel of God against ourselves, and casting out his messengers. 14. O God, "in the midst of wrath, remember mercy!" Be glorified in our reformation, not in our destruction! Let us "hear the rod, and him that appointed it!" Now that Thy "judgements are abroad in the earth," let the inhabitants of the world "learn righteousness!" 15. My brethren, it is high time for us to awake out of sleep before the "great trumpet of the Lord be blown," and our land become a field of blood. O may we speedily see the things that make for our peace, before they are hid from our eyes! "Turn Thou us, O good Lord, and let Thine anger cease from us. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine;" and cause us to know "the time of our visitation." "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy name! O deliver us, and be merciful to our sins, for Thy name's sake! And so we will not go back from Thee. O let us live, and we shall call upon Thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts! Show the light of Thy countenance, and we shall be whole." "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages; world without end. --Amen!"

Suppose, then, one of those who heard the Apostle Peter preaching repentance and remission of sins, was pricked to the heart, was convinced of sin, repented, and then believed in Jesus. By this faith of the operation of God, which was the very substance, or subsistence, of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1,) the demonstrative evidence of invisible things, he instantly received the Spirit of adoption, whereby he now cried, "Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15). Now first it was that he could call Jesus Lord, by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:3), the Spirit itself bearing witness with his spirit, that he was a child of God (Rom. 8:16). Now it was that he could truly say, "I live not, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). 2. This, then, was the very essence of his faith, a divine elegchos (evidence or conviction) of the love of God the Father, through the Son of his love, to him a sinner, now accepted in the Beloved. And, "being justified by faith, he had peace with God" (Rom. 5:1), yea, "the peace of God ruling in his heart;" a peace, which passing all understanding (panta noun, all barely rational conception), kept his heart and mind from all doubt and fear, through the knowledge of him in whom he had believed. He could not, therefore, "be afraid of any evil tidings;" for his "heart stood fast, believing in the Lord." He feared not what man could do unto him, knowing the very hairs of his head were all numbered. He feared not all the powers of darkness, whom God was daily bruising under his feet. Least of all was he afraid to die; nay, he desired to "depart, and to be with Christ" (Phil. 1:23); who, "through death, had destroyed him that had the power of death, even the devil; and delivered them who, through fear of death, were all their life-time," till then, "subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:15).

1. Let us take a view, in the Second place, of this Christianity, as spreading from one to another, and so gradually making its way into the world: For such was the will of God concerning it, who did not "light a candle to put it under a bushel, but that it might give light to all that were in the house." And this our Lord had declared to his first disciples, "Ye are the salt of the earth," "the light of the world;" at the same time that he gave that general command, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:13-16). 2. And, indeed, supposing a few of these lovers of mankind to see "the whole world lying in wickedness," can we believe they would be unconcerned at the sight, at the misery of those for whom their Lord died? Would not their bowels yearn over them, and their hearts melt away for very trouble? Could they then stand idle all the day long, even were there no command from him whom they loved? Rather, would they not labour by all possible means, to pluck some of these brands out of the burning? Undoubtedly they would: they would spare no pains to bring back whomsoever they could of those poor "sheep that had gone astray, to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls" (1 Pet. 2:25). 3. So the Christians of old did. They laboured, having opportunity, "to do good unto all men" (Gal. 6:10), warning them to flee from the wrath to come; now, now to escape the damnation of hell. They declared, "The times of ignorance God winked at; but now he calleth all men everywhere to repent." (Acts 17:30) They cried aloud, Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways: "so iniquity shall not be your ruin" (Ezek. 18:30). They "reasoned" with them of "temperance, and righteousness," or justice--of the virtues opposite to their reigning sins; "and of judgement to come,"--of the wrath of God which would surely be executed on evildoers in that day when he should judge the world (Acts 24:25).

5. And their labour was not in vain in the Lord. His word ran and was glorified. It grew mightily and prevailed. But so much the more did offences prevail also. The world in general were offended, "because they testified of it, that the works thereof were evil" (John 7:7). The men of pleasure were offended, not only because these men were made, as it were, to reprove their thoughts ("He professeth," said they, "to have the knowledge of God; he calleth himself the child of the Lord, his life is not like other men's; his ways are of another fashion; he abstaineth from our ways, as from filthiness; he maketh his boast, that God is his Father" Wis. 2:13-16;) but much more, because so many of their companions were taken away, and would no more run with them to "the same excess of riot." (1 Pet. 4:4.) The men of reputation were offended, because, as the gospel spread, they declined in the esteem of the people; and because many no longer dared to give them flattering titles, or to pay man the homage due to God only. The men of trade called one another together, and said, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth: but ye see and hear that these men have persuaded and turned away much people; so that this our craft is in danger to be set at nought" (Acts 19:25ff.). Above all, the men of religion, so called, the men of outside religion, "the saints of the world," were offended, and ready at every opportunity to cry out, "Men of Israel, help! We have found these men pestilent fellows, movers of sedition throughout the world" (Acts 24:5). "These are the men that teach all men everywhere against the people, and against this place" (Acts 21:28). 6. Thus it was that the heavens grew black with clouds, and the storm gathered amain. For the more Christianity spread, the more hurt was done, in the account of those who received it not; and the number increased of those who were more and more enraged at these "men who thus turned the world upside down;" (Acts 17:6;) insomuch that more and more cried out, "Away with such fellows from the earth; it is not fit that they should live;" yea, and sincerely believed, that whosoever should kill them would do God service.

7. Meanwhile they did not fail to cast out their name as evil; (Luke 6:22;) so that this "sect was everywhere spoken against." (Acts 27:22.) Men said all manner of evil of them, even as had been done of the prophets that were before them (Matt. 5:12). And whatsoever any would affirm, others would believe; so that offences grew as the stars of heaven for multitude. And hence arose, at the time fore-ordained of the Father, persecution in all its forms. Some, for a season, suffered only shame and reproach; some, "the spoiling of their goods;" "some had trial of mocking and scourging; some of bonds and imprisonment;" and others "resisted unto blood" (Heb. 10:34; 11:36ff.) 8. Now it was that the pillars of hell were shaken, and the kingdom of God spread more and more. Sinners were everywhere "turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." He gave his children "such a mouth, and such wisdom, as all their adversaries could not resist;" and their lives were of equal force with their words. But above all, their sufferings spake to all the world. They "approved themselves the servants of God, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours; in perils in the sea, in perils in the wilderness, in weariness and painfulness, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness" (2 Cor. 6:4ff.). And when, having fought the good fight, they were led as sheep to the slaughter, and offered up on the sacrifice and service of their faith, then the blood of each found a voice, and the heathen owned, "He being dead, yet speaketh." 9. Thus did Christianity spread itself in the earth. But how soon did the tares appear with the wheat, and the mystery of iniquity work, as well as the mystery of godliness! How soon did Satan find a seat, even in the temple of God, "till the woman fled into the wilderness," and "the faithful were again minished from the children of men!" Here we tread a beaten path: the still unceasing corruptions of the succeeding generations have been largely described, from time to time, by those witnesses God raised up, to show that he had "built his church upon a rock, and the gates of hell should not" wholly "prevail against her." (Matt. 16:18.) III. Christianity Covering the Earth

4. And with righteousness or justice, mercy is also found. The earth is no longer full of cruel habitations. The Lord hath destroyed both the blood-thirsty and malicious, the envious and revengeful man. Were there any provocation, there is none that now knoweth to return evil for evil; but indeed there is none that doeth evil, no, not one; for all are harmless as doves. And being filled with peace and joy in believing, and united in one body, by one Spirit, they all love as brethren, they are all of one heart and of one soul. "Neither saith any of them, that aught of the things which he possesseth is his own." There is none among them that lacketh: for every man loveth his neighbour as himself. And all walk by one rule: "Whatever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them." 5. It follows, that no unkind word can ever be heard among them, no strife of tongues, no contention of any kind, no railing or evil-speaking, but every one "opens his mouth with wisdom, and in his tongue there is the law of kindness." Equally incapable are they of fraud or guile: their love is without dissimulation: Their words are always the just expression of their thoughts, opening a window into their breast, that whosoever desires may look into their hearts, and see that only love and God are there.

8. Many of us are more immediately consecrated to God, called to minister in holy things. Are we then patterns to the rest, "in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12)? Is there written on our forehead and on our heart, "Holiness to the Lord?" From what motives did we enter upon this office? Was it indeed with a single eye "to serve God, trusting that we were inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon us this ministration, for the promoting of his glory, and the edifying of his people?" And have we "clearly determined, by God's grace, to give ourselves wholly to this office?" Do we forsake and set aside, as much as in us lies, all worldly cares and studies? Do we apply ourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all our cares and studies this way? Are we apt to teach? Are we taught of God, that we may be able to teach others also? Do we know God? Do we know Jesus Christ? Hath "God revealed his Son in us?" And hath he "made us able ministers of the new covenant?" Where then are the "seals of our apostleship?" Who, that were dead in trespasses and sins, have been quickened by our word? Have we a burning zeal to save souls from death, so that for their sake we often forget even to eat our bread? Do we speak plain, "by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:2)? Are we dead to the world, and the things of the world, "laying up all our treasure in heaven?" Do we lord over God's heritage? Or are we the least, the servants of all? When we bear the reproach of Christ, does it sit heavy upon us? Or do we rejoice therein? When we are smitten on the one cheek, do we resent it? Are we impatient of affronts? Or do we turn the other also; not resisting the evil, but overcoming evil with good? Have we a bitter zeal, inciting us to strive sharply and passionately with them that are out of the way? Or is our zeal the flame of love, so as to direct all our words with sweetness, lowliness, and meekness of wisdom?

III. Who Are They That Are Justified 1. But this is the third thing which was to be considered, namely, Who are they that are justified And the Apostle tells us expressly, the ungodly: "He (that is, God) justifieth the ungodly;" the ungodly of every kind and degree; and none but the ungodly. As "they that are righteous need no repentance," so they need no forgiveness. It is only sinners that have any occasion for pardon: It is sin alone which admits of being forgiven. Forgiveness, therefore, has an immediate reference to sin, and, in this respect, to nothing else. It is our "unrighteousness" to which the pardoning God is "merciful:" It is our "iniquity" which he "remembereth no more." 2. This seems not to be at all considered by those who so vehemently contend that a man must be sanctified, that is, holy, before he can be justified; especially by such of them as affirm, that universal holiness or obedience must precede justification. (Unless they mean that justification at the last day, which is wholly out of the present question.) So far from it, that the very supposition is not only flatly impossible, (for where there is no love of God, there is no holiness, and there is no love of God but from a sense of his loving us,) but also grossly, intrinsically absurd, contradictory to itself. For it is not a saint but a sinner that is forgiven, and under the notion of a sinner. God justifieth not the godly, but the ungodly; not those that are holy already, but the unholy. Upon what condition he doeth this, will be considered quickly: but whatever it is, it cannot be holiness. To assert this, is to say the Lamb of God takes away only those sins which were taken away before.

2. Faith in general is a divine, supernatural "elegchos," "evidence" or "conviction," "of things not seen," not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself;" but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for "my" sins, that he loved "me," and gave himself for "me." And at what time soever a sinner thus believes, be it in early childhood, in the strength of his years, or when he is old and hoary-haired, God justifieth that ungodly one: God, for the sake of his Son, pardoneth and absolveth him, who had in him, till then, no good thing. Repentance, indeed, God had given him before; but that repentance was neither more nor less than a deep sense of the want of all good, and the presence of all evil. And whatever good he hath, or doeth, from that hour when he first believes in God through Christ, faith does not "find," but "bring." This is the fruit of faith. First the tree is good, and then the fruit is good also. 3. I cannot describe the nature of this faith better than in the words of our own Church: "The only instrument of salvation" (whereof justification is one branch) "is faith; that is, a sure trust and confidence that God both hath and will forgive our sins, that he hath accepted us again into His favour, for the merits of Christ's death and passion. --But here we must take heed that we do not halt with God, through an inconstant, wavering faith: Peter, coming to Christ upon the water, because he fainted in faith, was in danger of drowning; so we, if we begin to waver or doubt, it is to be feared that we shall sink as Peter did, not into the water, but into the bottomless pit of hell fire." ("Second Sermon on the Passion")

9. Thou ungodly one, who hearest or readest these words! thou vile, helpless, miserable sinner! I charge thee before God, the Judge of all, go straight unto him, with all thy ungodliness. Take heed thou destroy not thy own soul by pleading thy righteousness, more or less. Go as altogether ungodly, guilty, lost, destroyed, deserving and dropping into hell; and thou shalt then find favour in his sight, and know that he justifieth the ungodly. As such thou shalt be brought unto the "blood of sprinkling," as an undone, helpless, damned sinner. Thus "look unto Jesus!" There is "the Lamb of God," who "taketh away thy sins!" Plead thou no works, no righteousness of thine own! no humility, contrition, sincerity! In nowise. That were, in very deed, to deny the Lord that bought thee. No: Plead thou, singly, the blood of the covenant, the ransom paid for thy proud, stubborn, sinful soul. Who art thou, that now seest and feelest both thine inward and outward ungodliness Thou art the man! I want thee for my Lord! I challenge "thee" for a child of God by faith! The Lord hath need of thee. Thou who feelest thou art just fit for hell, art just fit to advance his glory; the glory of his free grace, justifying the ungodly and him that worketh not. O come quickly! Believe in the Lord Jesus; and thou, even thou, art reconciled to God.

The Way To The Kingdom "The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15 These words naturally lead us to consider, First, the nature of true religion, here termed by our Lord, "the kingdom of God," which, saith he, "is at hand;" and, Secondly, the way thereto, which he points out in those words, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." I. 1. We are, First, to consider the nature of true religion, here termed by our Lord, "the kingdom of God." The same expression the great Apostle uses in his Epistle to the Romans, where he likewise explains his Lord's words, saying, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Rom. 14:17.) 2. "The kingdom of God," or true religion, "is not meat and drink." It is well known that not only the unconverted Jews, but great numbers of those who had received the faith of Christ, were, notwithstanding "zealous of the law," (Acts 21:20,) even the ceremonial law of Moses. Whatsoever, therefore, they found written therein, either concerning meat and drink offerings, or the distinction between clean and unclean meats, they not only observed themselves, but vehemently pressed the same even on those "among the Gentiles" (or heathens) "who were turned to God;" yea, to such a degree, that some of them taught, wheresoever they came among them, "Except ye be circumcised, and keep the law," (the whole ritual law,) "ye cannot be saved." (Acts 15:1, 24.) 3. In opposition to these, the Apostle declares, both here and in many other places, that true religion does not consist in meat and drink, or in any ritual observances; nor, indeed in any outward thing whatever; in anything exterior to the heart; the whole substance thereof lying in "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

8. And the second commandment is like unto this; the Second great branch of Christian righteousness is closely and inseparably connected therewith; even, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Thou shalt love, -- thou shalt embrace with the most tender good-will, the most earnest and cordial affection, the most inflamed desires of preventing or removing all evil, and of procuring for him every possible good, -- Thy neighbour; -- that is, not only thy friend, thy kinsman, or thy acquaintance; not only the virtuous, the friendly, him that loves thee, that prevents or returns thy kindness; but every child of man, every human creature, every soul which God hath made; not excepting him whom thou never hast seen in the flesh, whom thou knowest not, either by face or name; not excepting him whom thou knowest to be evil and unthankful, him that still despitefully uses and persecutes thee: Him thou shalt love as thyself; with the same invariable thirst after his happiness in every kind; the same unwearied care to screen him from whatever might grieve or hurt either his soul or body. 9. Now is not this love "the fulfilling of the law" the sum of all Christian righteousness -- of all inward righteousness; for it necessarily implies "bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind," (seeing "love is not puffed up,") "gentleness, meekness, long-suffering:" (for love "is not provoked;" but "believeth, hopeth, endureth all things:") And of all outward righteousness; for "love worketh no evil to his neighbour," either by word or deed. It cannot willingly hurt or grieve any one. And it is zealous of good works. Every lover of mankind, as he hath opportunity, "doth good unto all men," being (without partiality and without hypocrisy) "full of mercy and good fruits."

12. This holiness and happiness, joined in one, are sometimes styled, in the inspired writings, "the kingdom of God," (as by our Lord in the text,) and sometimes, "the kingdom of heaven." It is termed "the kingdom of God," because it is the immediate fruit of God's reigning in the soul. So soon as ever he takes unto himself his mighty power, and sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with this "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." It is called "the kingdom of heaven" because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in the soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver before angels and men, Everlasting life is won, Glory is on earth begun, according to the constant tenor of Scripture, which everywhere bears record, God "hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son" (reigning in his heart) "hath life," even life everlasting. (1 John 5:11, 12.) For "this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3.) And they, to whom this is given, may confidently address God, though they were in the midst of a fiery furnace, Thee, Lord, safe shielded by thy power, Thee, Son of God, JEHOVAH, we adore; In form of man descending to appear: To thee be ceaseless hallelujahs given, Praise, as in heaven thy throne, we offer here; For where thy presence is display'd, is heaven. 13. And this "kingdom of God," or of heaven, "is at hand." As these words were originally spoken, they implied that "the time" was then fulfilled, God being "made manifest in the flesh," when he would set up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his people. And is not the time now fulfilled For, "Lo! (saith he,) I am with you always," you who preach remission of sins in my name, "even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:20.) Wheresoever, therefore, the gospel of Christ is preached, this his "kingdom is nigh at hand." It is not far from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so be ye hearken to his voice, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel."

II. 1. This is the way: walk ye in it. And, First, "repent;" that is, know yourselves. This is the first repentance, previous to faith; even conviction, or self-knowledge. Awake, then, thou that sleepest. Know thyself to be a sinner, and what manner of sinner thou art. Know that corruption of thy inmost nature, whereby thou art very far gone from original righteousness, whereby "the flesh lusteth" always "contrary to the Spirit," through that "carnal mind" which "is enmity against God," which "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Know that thou art corrupted in every power, in every faculty of thy soul; that thou art totally corrupted in every one of these, all the foundations being out of course. The eyes of thine understanding are darkened, so that they cannot discern God, or the things of God. The clouds of ignorance and error rest upon thee, and cover thee with the shadow of death. Thou knowest nothing yet as thou oughtest to know, neither God, nor the world, nor thyself. Thy will is no longer the will of God, but is utterly perverse and distorted, averse from all good, from all which God loves, and prone to all evil, to every abomination which God hateth. Thy affections are alienated from God, and scattered abroad over all the earth. All thy passions, both thy desires and aversions, thy joys and sorrows, thy hopes and fears, are out of frame, are either undue in their degree, or placed on undue objects. So that there is no soundness in thy soul; but "from the crown of the head, to the sole of the foot," (to use the strong expression of the Prophet,) there are only "wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores."

4. And knowest thou not that "the wages of sin is death" -- death, not only temporal, but eternal. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die;" for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." It shall die the second death. This is the sentence, to "be punished" with never-ending death, "with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." Knowest thou not that every sinner, enocos esti th geennh tou puros, not properly, "is in danger of hell-fire" is far too weak; but rather, "is under the sentence of hell-fire;" doomed already, just dragging to execution. Thou art guilty of everlasting death. It is the just reward of thy inward and outward wickedness. It is just that the sentence should now take place. Dost thou see, dost thou feel this Art thou thoroughly convinced that thou deservest God's wrath, and everlasting damnation Would God do thee no wrong, if he now commanded the earth to open, and swallow thee up if thou wert now to go down quick into the pit, into the fire that never shall be quenched If God hath given thee truly to repent, thou hast a deep sense that these things are so; and that it is of his mere mercy thou art not consumed, swept away from the face of the earth.

5. And what wilt thou do to appease the wrath of God, to atone for all thy sins, and to escape the punishment thou hast so justly deserved Alas, thou canst do nothing; nothing that will in anywise make amends to God for one evil work, or word, or thought. If thou couldst now do all things well, if from this very hour, till thy soul should return to God thou couldst perform perfect, uninterrupted obedience, even this would not atone for what is past. The not increasing thy debt would not discharge it. It would still remain as great as ever. Yea, the present and future obedience of all the men upon earth, and all the angels in heaven, would never make satisfaction to the justice of God for one single sin. How vain, then, was the thought of atoning for thy own sins, by anything thou couldest do! It costeth far more to redeem one soul, than all mankind is able to pay. So that were there no other help for a guilty sinner, without doubt he must have perished everlastingly.

6. But suppose perfect obedience, for the time to come, could atone for the sins that are past, this would profit thee nothing; for thou art not able to perform it; no, not in any one point. Begin now: Make the trial. Shake off that outward sin that so easily besetteth thee. Thou canst not. How then wilt thou change thy life from all evil to all good Indeed, it is impossible to be done, unless first thy heart be changed. For, so long as the tree remains evil, it cannot bring forth good fruit. But art thou able to change thy own heart, from all sin to all holiness to quicken a soul that is dead in sin, -- dead to God and alive only to the world No more than thou art able to quicken a dead body, to raise to life him that lieth in the grave. Yea, thou art not able to quicken thy soul in any degree, no more than to give any degree of life to the dead body. Thou canst do nothing, more or less, in this matter; thou art utterly without strength. To be deeply sensible of this, how helpless thou art, as well as how guilty and how sinful, -- this is that "repentance not to be repented of," which is the forerunner of the kingdom of God. 7. If to this lively conviction of thy inward and outward sins, of thy utter guiltiness and helplessness, there be added suitable affections, --sorrow of heart, for having despised thy own mercies, -- remorse, and self-condemnation, having thy mouth stopped, -- shame to lift up thine eyes to heaven, -- fear of the wrath of God abiding on thee, of his curse hanging over thy head, and of the fiery indignation ready to devour those who forget God, and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ, -- earnest desire to escape from that indignation, to cease from evil, and learn to do well; -- then I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." One step more and thou shalt enter in. Thou dost "repent." Now, "believe the gospel."

8. The gospel, (that is, good tidings, good news for guilty, helpless sinners,) in the largest sense of the word, means, the whole revelation made to men by Jesus Christ; and sometimes the whole account of what our Lord did and suffered while he tabernacled among men. The substance of all is, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;" or, "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end we might not perish, but have everlasting life;" or, "He was bruised for our transgressions, he was wounded for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." 9. Believe this, and the kingdom of God is thine. By faith thou attainest the promise. "He pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel." As soon as ever God hath spoken to thy heart, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee," his kingdom comes: Thou hast "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 10. Only beware thou do not deceive thy own soul with regard to the nature of this faith. It is not, as some have fondly conceived, a bare assent to the truth of the Bible, of the articles of our creed, or of all that is contained in the Old and New Testament. The devils believe this, as well as I or thou! And yet they are devils still. But it is, over and above this, a sure trust in the mercy of God, through Christ Jesus. It is a confidence in a pardoning God. It is a divine evidence or conviction that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their" former "trespasses;" and, in particular, that the Son of God hath loved me, and given himself for me; and that I, even I, am now reconciled to God by the blood of the cross.

13. This repentance, this faith, this peace, joy, love, this change from glory to glory, is what the wisdom of the world has voted to be madness, mere enthusiasm, utter distraction. But thou, O man of God, regard them not; be thou moved by none of these things. Thou knowest in whom thou hast believed. See that no man take thy crown. Whereunto thou hast already attained, hold fast, and follow, till thou attain all the great and precious promises. And thou who hast not yet known him, let not vain men make thee ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Be thou in nothing terrified by those who speak evil of the things which they know not. God will soon turn thy heaviness into joy. O let not thy hands hang down! Yet a little longer, and he will take away thy fears, and give thee the spirit of a sound mind. He is nigh "that justifieth: Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died, yea rather, that rose again, who is even now at the right hand of God, making intercession" for thee. "Now cast thyself on the Lamb of God, with all thy sins, how many soever they be; and "an entrance shall" now "be ministered unto thee, into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!"

10. A believer, indeed, may sometimes be grieved: because he cannot do what his soul longs for. He may cry out, when he is detained from worshipping God in the great congregation, "Like as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God: When shall I come to appear in the presence of God" he may earnestly desire (only still saying in his heart, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt") to "go again with the multitude, and bring them forth into the house of God." But still, if he cannot go, he feels no condemnation, no guilt, no sense of God's displeasure; but can cheerfully yield up those desires with, "O my soul, put thy trust in God! for I will yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance and my God." 11. It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually styled sins of surprise: as when one who commonly in patience possesses his soul, on a sudden and violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule concerning transgressions of this nature. We cannot say, either that men are, or that they are not, condemned for sins of surprise in general: but it seems, whenever a believer is by surprise overtaken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concurrence of his will. In proportion as a sinful desire, or word, or action is more or less voluntary, so we may conceive God is more or less displeased, and there is more or less guilt upon the soul.

12. But if so, then there may be some sins of surprise which bring much guilt and condemnation. For, in some instances, our being surprised is owing to some wilful and culpable neglect; or, to a sleepiness of soul which might have been prevented, or shaken off before the temptation came. A man may be previously warned either of God or man, that trials and dangers are at hand; and yet may say in his heart, "A little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest." Now, if such an one afterwards fall, though unawares, into the snare which he might have avoided, --that he fell unawares, is no excuse; he might have foreseen and have shunned the danger. The falling, even by surprise, in such an instance as this, is, in effect, a wilful sin; and, as such, must expose the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience. 13. On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from the world, or the god of this world, and frequently from our own evil hearts, which we did not, and hardly could, foresee. And by these even a believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of his will. Now in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly show him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind which was in Christ, and consequently, grieved with a godly sorrow, and lovingly ashamed before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God layeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, "even as a father pitieth his own children." And his heart condemneth him not: in the midst of that sorrow and shame he can still say, "I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation."

III. 1. It remains only to draw some practical inferences from the preceding considerations. And, first, if there be "no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," and "walk not after the flesh , but after the Spirit," on account of their past sin; then why art thou fearful, O thou of little faith Though thy sins were once more in number than the sand, what is that to thee, now thou art in Christ Jesus "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifieth: Who is he that condemneth" all the sins thou hast committed from thy youth up, until the hour when thou wast "accepted in the Beloved," are driven away as chaff, are gone, are lost, swallowed up, remembered no more. Thou art now "born of the Spirit:" wilt thou be troubled or afraid of what is done before thou wert born Away with thy fears! thou art not called to fear, but to the "spirit of love and of a sound mind." know thy calling! rejoice in God thy Saviour, and give thanks to God thy Father through him! 2. Wilt thou say, "But I have again committed sin, since I had redemption through his blood And therefore it is, that "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." It is meet thou shouldest abhor thyself; and it is God who hath wrought thee to this self-same thing. But, dost thou now believe hath he again enabled thee to say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth"; "and the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God" Then that faith again cancels all that is past, and there is no condemnation to thee. At whatsoever time thou truly believest in the name of the Son of God, all thy sins, antecedent to that hour, vanish away as the morning dew. Now then, "stand thou fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free." he hath once more made thee free from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt and punishment of it. O "be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage!" --neither the vile, devilish bondage of sin, of evil desires, evil tempers, or words, or works, the most grievous yoke on this side hell; nor the bondage of slavish, tormenting fear, of guilt and self-condemnation.

3. He is secure, because he is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he talks of "repenting by and by;" he does not indeed exactly know when, but some time or other before he dies; taking it for granted, that this is quite in his own power. For what should hinder his doing it, if he will if he does but once set a resolution, no fear but he will make it good! 4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares, as in those who are termed, men of learning. If a natural man be one of these, he can talk at large of his rational faculties, of the freedom of his will, and the absolute necessity of such freedom, in order to constitute man a moral agent. He reads, and argues, and proves to a demonstration, that every man may do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good, as it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the god of this world spreads a double veil of blindness over his heart, lest, by any means, "the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine" upon it. 5. From the same ignorance of himself and God, there may sometimes arise, in the natural man, a kind of joy, in congratulating himself upon his own wisdom and goodness: And what the world calls joy, he may often possess. He may have pleasure in various kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of life; particularly if he has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent fortune; then he may "clothe" himself "in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day." And so long as he thus doeth well unto himself, men will doubtless speak good of him. They will say, "He is a happy man." For, indeed, this is the sum of worldly happiness; to dress, and visit, and talk, and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.

6. It in not surprising, if one in such circumstances as these, dosed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine, among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great liberty. How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all vulgar errors, and from the prejudice of education; judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. "I am free," may he say, "from all the enthusiasm of weak and narrow souls; from superstition, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from bigotry, continually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of thinking." And too sure it is, that he is altogether free from the "wisdom which cometh from above," from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ. 7. For all this time he is the servant of sin. He commits sin, more or less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He "is in no bondage," as some speak; he feels no condemnation. He contents himself (even though he should profess to believe that the Christian Revelation is of God) with, "Man is frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity." Perhaps he quotes Scripture: "Why, does not Solomon say, -- The righteous man falls into sin seven times a day! -- And, doubtless, they are all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better than their neighbours." If, at any time, a serious thought fix upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible, with, "Why should I fear, since God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners" Thus, he remains a willing servant of sin, content with the bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwardly unholy, and satisfied therewith; not only not conquering sin, but not striving to conquer, particularly that sin which doth so easily beset him. 8. Such is the state of every natural man; whether he be a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having the form, though not the power of godliness. But how can such an one be convinced of sin How is he brought to repent To be under the law To receive the spirit of bondage unto fear This is the point which in next to be considered.

II. 1. By some awful providence, or by his word applied with the demonstration of his Spirit, God touches the heart of him that lay asleep in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is terribly shaken out of his sleep, and awakes into a consciousness of his danger. Perhaps in a moment, perhaps by degrees, the eyes of his understanding are opened, and now first (the veil being in part removed) discern the real state he is in. Horrid light breaks in upon his soul; such light, as may be conceived to gleam from the bottomless pit, from the lowest deep, from a lake of fire burning with brimstone. He at last sees the loving, the merciful God is also "a consuming fire;" that he is a just God and a terrible, rendering to every man according to his words, entering into judgment with the ungodly for every idle word, yea, and for the imaginations of the heart. He now clearly perceives, that the great and holy God is "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;" that he is an avenger of every one who rebelleth against him, and repayeth the wicked to his face; and that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

4. And he not only sees, but feels in himself, by an emotion of soul which he cannot describe, that for the sins of his heart were his life without blame, (which yet it is not, and cannot be; seeing "an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit,") he deserves to be cast into the fire that never shall be quenched. He feels that "the wages," the just reward "of sin," of his sin above all, "is death;" even the second death; the death which dieth not; the destruction of body and soul in hell. 5. Here ends his pleasing dream, his delusive rest, his false peace, his vain security. His joy now vanishes as a cloud; pleasures, once loved, delight no more. They pall upon the taste: He loathes the nauseous sweet; he is weary to bear them. The shadows of happiness flee away, and sink into oblivion: So that he is stripped of all, and wanders to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none.

6. The fumes of those opiates being now dispelled, he feels the anguish of a wounded spirit. He finds that sin let loose upon the soul (whether it be pride, anger, or evil desire, whether self-will, malice, envy, revenge, or any other) is perfect misery: He feels sorrow of heart for the blessings he has lost, and the curse which is come upon him: remorse for having thus destroyed himself, and despised his own mercies; fear, from a lively sense of the wrath of God, and of the consequences of his wrath, of the punishment which he has justly deserved, and which he sees hanging over is head; -- fear of death, as being to him the gate of hell, the entrance of death eternal; -- fear of the devil, the executioner of the wrath and righteous vengeance of God; -- fear of men, who, if they were able to kill his body, would thereby plunge both body and soul into hell; fear, sometimes arising to such a height, that the poor, sinful, guilty soul, is terrified with everything, with nothing, with shades, with a leaf shaken of the wind. Yea, sometimes it may even border upon distraction, making a man "drunken though not with wine," suspending the exercise of the memory, of the understanding, of all the natural faculties. Sometimes it may approach to the very brink of despair; so that he who trembles at the name of death, may yet be ready to plunge into it every moment, to "choose strangling rather than life." Well may such a man roar, like him of old, for the very disquietness of his heart. Well may he cry out, "The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities; but a wounded spirit who can bear"

7. Now he truly desires to break loose from sin, and begins to struggle with it. But though he strive with all his might, he cannot conquer: Sin is mightier than he. He would fain escape; but he is so fast in prison, that he cannot get forth. He resolved against sin, but yet sins on: He sees the snare, and abhors, and runs into it. So much does his boasted reason avail, -- only to enhance his guilt, and increase his misery! Such is the freedom of his will; free only to evil; free to "drink in iniquity like water;" to wander farther and farther from the living God, and do more "despite to the Spirit of grace!" 8. The more he strive, wishes, labours to be free, the more does he feel his chains, the grievous chains of sin, wherewith Satan binds and "leads him captive at his will;" his servant he is, though he repine ever so much; though he rebel, he cannot prevail. He is still in bondage and fear, by reason of sin: Generally, of some outward sin, to which he is peculiarly disposed, either, by nature, custom, or outward circumstance; but always, of some inward sin, some evil temper or unholy affection. And the more he frets against it, the more it prevails; he may bite but cannot break his chain. Thus he toils without end, repenting and sinning, and repenting and sinning again, till at length the poor, sinful, helpless wretch is even at his wit's end and can barely groan, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death"

9. This whole struggle of one who is "under the law," under the "spirit of fear and bondage," is beautifully described by the Apostle in the foregoing chapter, speaking in the person of an awakened man. "I," saith he, "was alive without the law once:" (Verse 9:) I had much life, wisdom, strength, and virtue; so I thought: "But, when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died:" When the commandment, in its spiritual meaning, came to my heart, with the power of God, my inbred sin was stirred up, fretted, inflamed, and all my virtue died away. "And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me:" (Verses 10,11:) It came upon me unaware; slew all my hopes; and plainly showed, in the midst of life I was in death. "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good:" (Verse 12:) I no longer lay the blame on this, but on the corruption of my own heart. I acknowledge that "the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin:" (Verse 14:) I now see both the spiritual nature of the law; and my own carnal, devilish heart "sold under sin," totally enslaved: (Like slave bought with money, who were absolutely at their master's disposal:) "For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, I do not, but what I hate, that I do:" (Verse 15:) Such is the bondage under which I groan; such the tyranny of my hard master. "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do:" (Verses 18, 19:) "I find a law," an inward constraining power, "that when I would do good, evil is present with me.

4. Here end both the guilt and power of sin. He can now say, "I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me: And the life which I now live in the flesh," (even in this mortal body,) "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Here end remorse, and sorrow of heart, and the anguish of a wounded spirit. "God turneth his heaviness into joy." He made sore, and now his hands bind up. Here ends also that bondage unto fear; for "his heart standeth fast, believing in the Lord." He cannot fear any longer the wrath of God; for he knows it is now turned away from him, and looks upon Him no more as an angry Judge, but as a loving Father. He cannot fear the devil, knowing he has "no power, except it be given him from above." He fears not hell; being an heir of the kingdom of heaven: Consequently, he has no fear of death; by reason whereof he was in time past, for so many years, "subject to bondage." Rather, knowing that "if the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, he hath a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; he groaneth earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with that house which is from heaven." He groans to shake off this house of earth, that "mortality" may be "swallowed up of life;" knowing that God "hath wrought him for the self-same thing; who hath also given him the earnest of his Spirit."

2. Perhaps one reason why so many think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, why they do not discern what state they are in, is because these several states of soul are often mingled together, and in some measure meet in one and the same person. Thus experience shows, that the legal state, or state of fear, is frequently mixed with the natural; for few men are so fast asleep in sin, but they are sometimes more or less awakened. As the Spirit of God does not "wait for the call of man," so, at some times he will be heard. He puts them in fear, so that, for a season at least, the Heathen "know themselves to be but men." They feel the burden of sin, and earnestly desire to flee from the wrath to come. But not long: They seldom suffer the arrows of conviction to go deep into their souls; but quickly stifle the grace of God, and return to their wallowing in the mire. In like manner, the evangelical state, or state of love, is frequently mixed with the legal. For few of those who have the spirit of bondage and fear, remain always without hope. The wise and gracious God rarely suffers this; "for he remembereth that we are but dust;" and he willeth not that "the flesh should fail before him, or the spirit which he hath made." Therefore, at such times as he seeth good, he gives a dawning of light unto them that sit in darkness. He cause a part of his goodness to pass before them, and shows he is a "God that heareth the prayer." They see the promise, which is by faith in Christ Jesus, though it be yet afar off; and hereby they are encouraged to "run with patience the race which is set before them."

3. Another reason why many deceive themselves, is, because they do not consider how far a man may go, and yet be in a natural, or, at best, a legal state. A man may be of a compassionate and a benevolent temper; he may be affable, courteous, generous, friendly; he may have some degree of meekness, patience, temperance, and of many other moral virtues. He may feel many desires of shaking off all vice, and of attaining higher degrees of virtue. He may abstain from much evil; perhaps from all that is grossly contrary to justice, mercy, or truth. He may do much good, may feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the widow and fatherless. He may attend public worship, use prayer in private, read many books of devotion; and yet, for all this, he may be a mere natural man, knowing neither himself nor God; equally a stranger to the spirit of fear and to that of love; having neither repented, nor believed the gospel. But suppose there were added to all this a deep conviction of sin, with much fear of the wrath of God; vehement desires to cast off every sin, and to fulfill all righteousness; frequent rejoicing in hope, and touches of love often glancing upon the soul; yet neither do these prove a man to be under grace; to have true, living, Christian faith, unless the Spirit of adoption abide in his heart, unless he can continually cry, "Abba, Father!"

4. Beware, then, thou who art called by the name of Christ, that thou come not short of the mark of thy high calling. Beware thou rest, not, either in a natural state with too many that are accounted good Christians; or in a legal state, wherein those who are highly esteemed of men are generally content to live and die. Nay, but God hath prepared better things for thee, if thou follow on till thou attain. Thou art not called to fear and tremble like devils; but to rejoice and love, like the angels of God. "Thou shalt love the lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Thou shalt "rejoice evermore;" thou shalt "pray without ceasing:" thou shalt "in everything give thanks." Thou shalt do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven. O prove thou "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God!" Now present thyself "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God." "Whereunto thou hast already attained, hold fast," by "reaching forth unto those things which are before:" until "the God of peace make thee perfect in every good work, working in thee that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ: To whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen!"

The Witness of the Spirit: Discourse One "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. 8:16 1. How many vain men, not understanding what they spake, neither whereof they affirmed, have wrested this Scripture to the great loss if not the destruction of their souls! How many have mistaken the voice of their own imagination for this witness of the Spirit of God, and thence idly presumed they were the children of God while they were doing the works of the devil! These are truly and properly enthusiasts; and, indeed, in the worst sense of the word. But with what difficulty are they convinced thereof, especially if they have drank deep into that spirit of error! All endeavours to bring them to the knowledge of themselves they will then account fighting against God; and that vehemence and impetuosity of spirit which they call "contending earnestly for the faith," sets them so far above all the usual methods of conviction that we may well say, "With men it is impossible." 2. Who can then be surprised if many reasonable men, seeing the dreadful effects of this delusion, and labouring to keep at the utmost distance from it, should sometimes lean toward another extreme -- if they are not forward to believe any who speak of having this witness concerning which others have so grievously erred -- if they are almost ready to set all down for enthusiasts, who use the expressions which have been so terribly abused -- yea, if they should question whether the witness or testimony here spoken of, be the privilege of ordinary Christians, and not, rather, one of those extraordinary gifts which they suppose belonged only to the apostolic age 3 . But is there any necessity laid upon us of running either into one extreme or the other May we not steer a middle course -- keep a sufficient distance from that spirit of error and enthusiasm, without denying the gift of God, and giving up the great privilege of his children Surely we may. In order thereto, let us consider, in the presence and fear of God, First. What is this witness or testimony of our spirit; what is the testimony of God's Spirit; and, how does he "bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God"

10. Not that I would by any means be understood, by anything which has been spoken concerning it, to exclude the operation of the Spirit of God, even from the testimony of our own spirit. In no wise. It is he that not only worketh in us every manner of thing that is good, but also shines upon his own work, and clearly shows what he has wrought. Accordingly, this is spoken of by St. Paul, as one great end of our receiving the Spirit, "that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God:" That he may strengthen the testimony of our conscience, touching our 'simplicity and godly sincerity;" and give us to discern, in a fuller and stronger light, that we now do the things which please him. 11. Should it still be inquired, "How does the Spirit of God bear witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God,' so as to exclude all doubt, and evince the reality of our sonship" -- the answer is clear from what has been observed above. And, First, as to the witness of our spirit: The soul as intimately and evidently perceives when it loves, delights, and rejoices in God, as when it loves and delights in anything on earth. And it can no more doubt, whether it loves, delights, and rejoices or no, than whether it exists or no. If, therefore this be just reasoning, He that now loves God, that delights and rejoices in him with an humble joy, and holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God; But I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God; Therefore, I am a child of God: -- Then a Christian can in no wise doubt of his being a child of God. Of the former proposition he has as full an assurance as he has that the Scriptures are of God; and of his thus loving God, he has an inward proof, which is nothing short of self-evidence. Thus, the testimony of our own spirit is with the most intimate conviction manifested to our hearts, in such a manner, as beyond all reasonable doubt to evince the reality of our sonship.

3. I answer, the Holy Scriptures abound with marks, whereby the one may be distinguished from the other. They describe, in the plainest manner, the circumstances which go before, which accompany, and which follow, the true, genuine testimony of the Spirit of God with the spirit of a believer. Whoever carefully weighs and attends to these will not need to put darkness for light. He will perceive so wide a difference, with respect to all these, between the real and the pretended witness of the Spirit, that there will be no danger, I might say, no possibility, of confounding the one with the other. 4. By these, one who vainly presumes on the gift of God might surely know, if he really desired it, that he hath been hitherto "given up to a strong delusion," and suffered to believe a lie. For the Scriptures lay down those clear, obvious marks, as preceding, accompanying, and following that gift, which a little reflection would convince him, beyond all doubt, were never found in his soul. For instance: The Scripture describes repentance, or conviction of sin, as constantly going before this witness of pardon. So, "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2.) "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15.) "Repent, and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38.) "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." (Acts 3:19.) In conformity whereto, our Church also continually places repentance before pardon, or the witness of it. "He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel." "Almighty God -- hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them, who, with hearty repentance and true faith, turn unto him." But he is a stranger even to this repentance: He hath never known a broken and a contrite heart: "The remembrance of his sins" was never "grievous unto him," nor "the burden of them intolerable." In repeating those words, he never meant what he said; he merely paid a compliment to God. And were it only from the want of this previous work of God, he hath too great reason to believe that he hath grasped a mere shadow, and never yet known the real privilege of the sons of God.

"Nay, many who pleaded strongly for this, have utterly decried the Bible." Perhaps so; but this was no necessary consequence: Thousands plead for it who have the highest esteem for the Bible. "Yea, but many have fatally deceived themselves hereby, and got above all conviction." And yet a scriptural doctrine is no worse though men abuse it to their own destruction. 3. "But I lay it down as an undoubted truth, the fruit of the Spirit is the witness of the Spirit." Not undoubted; thousands doubt of, yea, flatly deny it: But let that pass. If this witness be sufficient, there is no need of any other. But it is sufficient, unless in one of these cases, 1. The total absence of the fruit of the Spirit. And this is the case, when the direct witness is first given. 2. The not perceiving it. But to contend for it in this case, is to contend for being in the favour of God, and not knowing it. True; not knowing it at that time any otherwise than by the testimony which is given for that end. And this we do contend for; we contend that the direct witness may shine clear, even while the indirect one is under a cloud.

8. But whoever desires to have a conscience thus void of offence, let him see that he lay the right foundation. Let him remember, "other foundation" of this "can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ." And let him also be mindful, that no man buildeth on him but by a living faith; that no man is a partaker of Christ, until he can clearly testify, "The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God;" in him who is now revealed in my heart; who "loved me, and gave himself for me." Faith alone is that evidence, that conviction, that demonstration of things invisible, whereby the eyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light poured in upon them, we "see the wondrous things of God's law;" the excellency and purity of it; the height, and depth, and length, and breadth thereof, and of every commandment contained therein. It is by faith that, beholding "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," we perceive, as in a glass, all that is in ourselves, yea, the inmost motions of our souls. And by this alone can that blessed love of God be "shed abroad in our hearts," which enables us so to love one another as Christ loved us. By this is that gracious promise fulfilled unto all the Israel of God, "I will put my laws into their mind, and write" (or engrave) "them in their hearts;" (Heb. 8:10;) hereby producing in their souls an entire agreement with his holy and perfect law, and "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." And, as an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, so a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. As the heart therefore of a believer, so likewise his life, is thoroughly conformed to the rule of God's commandments; in a consciousness whereof, he can give glory to God, and say with the Apostle, "This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world."

In this I likewise rejoice, yea, and will rejoice, because my conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost, by the light he continually pours in upon it, that "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I am called;" that I "abstain from all appearance of evil," fleeing from sin as from the face of a serpent; that as I have opportunity I do all possible good, in every kind, to all men; that I follow my Lord in all my steps, and do what is acceptable in his sight. I rejoice, because I both see and feel, through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, that all my works are wrought in him, yea, and that it is He who worketh all my works in me. I rejoice in seeing through the light of God, which shines in my heart, that I have power to walk in his ways; and that, through his grace, I turn not therefrom, to the right hand or to the left.

4. And who can doubt, but there was faith in the angel of the church of Ephesus, when our Lord said to him, "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience: Thou hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted" (Rev. 2:2-4.) But was there, meantime, no sin in his heart Yea, or Christ would not have added, "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." This was real sin which God saw in his heart; of which, accordingly, he is exhorted to repent: And yet we have no authority to say, that even then he had no faith. 5. Nay, the angel of the church at Pergamos, also, is exhorted to repent, which implies sin, though our Lord expressly says, "Thou hast not denied my faith." (Rev. 2:13, 16) And to the angel of the church in Sardis, he says, "Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die." The good which remained was ready to die; but was not actually dead. (Rev. 3:2) So there was still a spark of faith even in him; which he is accordingly commanded to hold fast. (Rev. 3:3.) 6. Once more: When the Apostle exhorts believers to "cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit," (2 Cor. 7:1,) he plainly teaches, that those believers were not yet cleansed therefrom. Will you answer, "He that abstains from all appearance of evil, does ipso facto cleanse himself from all filthiness" Not in any wise. For instance: A man reviles me: I feel resentment, which is filthiness of spirit; yet I say not a word. Here I "abstain from all appearance of evil;" but this does not cleanse me from that filthiness of spirit, as I experience to my sorrow.

"But how can unbelief be in a believer" That word has two meanings. It means either no faith, or little faith; either the absence of faith or the weakness of it. In the former sense, unbelief is not in a believer; in the latter, it is in all babes. Their faith is commonly mixed with doubt or fear; that is, in the latter sense, with unbelief. "Why are ye fearful," says our Lord, "O ye of little faith" Again: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt" You see here was unbelief in believers; little faith and much unbelief. 13. "But this doctrine, that sin remains in a believer; that a man may be in the favour of God, while he has sin in his heart; certainly tends to encourage men in sin." Understand the proposition right, and no such consequence follows. A man may be in God's favour though he feel sin; but not if he yields to it. Having sin does not forfeit the favour of God; giving way to sin does. Though the flesh in you "lust against the Spirit," you may still be a child of God; but if you "walk after the flesh," you are a child of the devil. Now this doctrine does not encourage to obey sin, but to resist it with all our might.

The Repentance of Believers "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15. 1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem to be confirmed by the great Apostle, where, exhorting the Hebrew Christians to "go on to perfection," he teaches them to leave these first "principles of the doctrine of Christ;" "not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God;" which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave these, that at first took up all their thoughts, in order to "press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes, is "within us;" and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 3. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have "believed the gospel;" yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot "run the race which is set before us." And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God. But in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified This is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the utmost attention. I. And, First, in what sense are we to repent 1. Repentance frequently means an inward change, a change of mind from sin to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as it is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless sinners, even though we know we are children of God.

2. Indeed when we first know this; when we first find the redemption in the blood of Jesus; when the love of God is first shed abroad in our hearts, and his kingdom set up therein; it is natural to suppose that we are no longer sinners, that all our sins are not only covered but destroyed. As we do not then feel any evil in our hearts, we readily imagine none is there. Nay, some well-meaning men have imagined this not only at that time, but ever after; having persuaded themselves, that when they were justified, they were entirely sanctified: yea, they have laid it down as a general rule, in spite of Scripture, reason, and experience. These sincerely believe, and earnestly maintain, that all sin is destroyed when we are justified; and that there is no sin in the heart of a believer; but that it is altogether clean from that moment. But though we readily acknowledge, "he that believeth is born of God," and "he that is born of God doth not commit sin;" yet we cannot allow that he does not feel it from within: it does not reign, but it does remain. And a conviction of the sin which remains in our heart, is one great branch of the repentance we are now speaking of. 3. For it is seldom long before he who imagined all sin was gone, feels there is still pride in his heart. He is convinced both that in many respects he has thought of himself more highly than he ought to think, and that he has taken to himself the praise of something he had received, and gloried in it as though he had not received it; and yet he knows he is in the favour of God. He cannot, and ought not to, "cast away his confidence." "The Spirit" still "witnesses with" his "spirit, that he is a child of God."

4. Nor is it long before he feels self-will in his heart; even a will contrary to the will of God. A will every man must inevitably have, as long as he has an understanding. This is an essential part of human nature, indeed of the nature of every intelligent being. Our blessed Lord himself had a will as a man; otherwise he had not been a man. But his human will was invariably subject to the will of his Father. At all times, and on all occasions, even in the deepest affliction, he could say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." But this is not the case at all times, even with a true believer in Christ. He frequently finds his will more or less exalting itself against the will of God. He wills something, because it is pleasing to nature, which is not pleasing to God; and he nills (is averse from) something, because it is painful to nature, which is the will of God concerning him. Indeed, suppose he continues in the faith, he fights against it with all his might: but this very thing implies that it really exists, and that he is conscious of it.

5. Now self-will, as well as pride, is a species of idolatry and both are directly contrary to the love of God. The same observation may be made concerning the love of the world. But this likewise even true believers are liable to feel in themselves; and every one of them does feel it, more or less, sooner or later, in one branch or another. It is true, when he first "passes from death unto life," he desires nothing more but God. He can truly say, "All my desire is unto Thee, and unto the remembrance of Thy name:" "Whom have I in heaven but Thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." But it is not so always. In process of time he will feel again, though perhaps only for a few moments, either "the desire of the flesh," or "the desire of the eye," or "the pride of life." Nay, if he does not continually watch and pray, he may find lust reviving; yea, and thrusting sore at him that he may fall, till he has scarce any strength left in him. He may feel the assaults of inordinate affection; yea, a strong propensity to "love the creature more than the Creator;" whether it be a child, a parent, a husband, or wife, or "the friend that is as his own soul." He may feel, in a thousand various ways, a desire of earthly things or pleasures. In the same proportion he will forget God, not seeking his happiness in him, and consequently being a "lover of pleasure more than a lover of God."

6. If he does not keep himself every moment, he will again feel the desire of the eye; the desire of gratifying his imagination with something great, or beautiful, or uncommon. In how many ways does this desire assault the soul Perhaps with regard to the poorest trifles, such as dress, or furniture; things never designed to satisfy the appetite of an immortal spirit. Yet, how natural is it for us, even after we have "tasted of the powers of the world to come," to sink again into these foolish, low desires of things that perish in the using! How hard is it, even for those who know in whom they have believed, to conquer but one branch of the desire of the eye, curiosity; constantly to trample it under their feet; to desire nothing merely because it is new! 7. And how hard is it even for the children of God wholly to conquer the pride of life! St. John seems to mean by this nearly the same with what the world terms "the sense of honour." This is no other than a desire of, and delight in, "the honour that cometh of men;" a desire and love of praise; and, which is always joined with it, a proportionable fear of dispraise. Nearly allied to this is evil shame; the being ashamed of that wherein we ought to glory. And this is seldom divided from the fear of man, which brings a thousand snares upon the soul. Now where is he, even among those that seem strong in the faith, who does not find in himself a degree of all these evil tempers So that even these are but in part "crucified to the world;" for the evil root still remains in their heart.

8. And do we not feel other tempers, which are as contrary to the love of our neighbour as these are to the love of God The love of our neighbour "thinketh no evil." Do not we find anything of the kind Do we never find any jealousies, any evil surmisings, any groundless or unreasonable suspicions He that is clear in these respects, let him cast the first stone at his neighbour. Who does not sometimes feel other tempers or inward motions, which he knows are contrary to brotherly love If nothing of malice, hatred, or bitterness, is there no touch of envy; particularly toward those who enjoy some real or supposed good, which we desire, but cannot attain Do we never find any degree of resentment, when we are injured or affronted; especially by those whom we peculiarly loved, and whom we had most laboured to help or oblige Does injustice or ingratitude never excite in us any desire of revenge any desire of returning evil for evil, instead of "overcoming evil with good" This also shows, how much is still in our heart, which is contrary to the love of our neighbour. 9. Covetousness, in every kind and degree, is certainly as contrary to this as to the love of God; whether, _philargyri_, the love of money, which is too frequently "the root of all evil;" or _pleonexia_, literally, a desire of having more, or increasing in substance. And how few, even of the real children of God, are entirely free from both! Indeed one great man, Martin Luther, used to say, he "never had any covetousness in him" (not only in his converted state, but) "ever since he was born." But, if so, I would not scruple to say, he was the only man born of a woman (except him that was God as well as man,) who had not, who was born without it. Nay, I believe, never was any one born of God, that lived any considerable time after, who did not feel more or less of it many times, especially in the latter sense. We may therefore set it down as an undoubted truth, that covetousness, together with pride, and self-will, and anger, remain in the hearts even of them that are justified.

10. It is their experiencing this, which has inclined so many serious persons to understand the latter part of the seventh chapter to the Romans, not of them that are "under the law," that are convinced of sin, which is undoubtedly the meaning of the Apostle, but of them that are "under grace;" that are "justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ." And it is most certain, they are thus far right, -- there does still remain, even in them that are justified, a mind which is in some measure carnal (so the Apostle tells even the believers at Corinth, "Ye are carnal;") an heart bent to backsliding, still ever ready to "depart from the living God;" a propensity to pride, self-will, anger, revenge, love of the world, yea, and all evil: a root of bitterness, which, if the restraint were taken off for a moment, would instantly spring up; yea, such a depth of corruption, as, without clear light from God, we cannot possibly conceive. And a conviction of all this sin remaining in their hearts is the repentance which belongs to them that are justified. 11. But we should likewise be convinced, that as sin remains in our hearts, so it cleaves to all our words and actions. Indeed it is to be feared, that many of our words are more than mixed with sin; that they are sinful altogether; for such undoubtedly is all uncharitable conversation; all which does not spring from brotherly love; all which does not agree with that golden rule, "What ye would that others should do to you, even so do unto them." Of this kind is all backbiting, all tale-bearing, all whispering, all evil-speaking, that is, repeating the faults of absent persons; for none would have others repeat his faults when he is absent. Now how few are there, even among believers, who are in no degree guilty of this; who steadily observe the good old rule, "Of the dead and the absent, nothing but good!" And suppose they do, do they likewise abstain from unprofitable conversation Yet all this is unquestionably sinful, and "grieves the Holy Spirit of God:" Yea, and "for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of judgement."

12. But let it be supposed, that they continually "watch and pray," and so do "not enter into" this "temptation;" that they constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips; suppose they exercise themselves herein, that all their "conversation may be in grace, seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers:" yet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all their caution And even when they endeavour to speak for God, are their words pure, free from unholy mixtures Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves Is it wholly to do the will of God, and not their own will also Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they go on "looking unto Jesus," and talking with him all the time they are talking with their neighbour When they are reproving sin, do they feel no anger or unkind temper to the sinner When they are instructing the ignorant, do they not find any pride, any self-preference When they are comforting the afflicted, or provoking one another to love and to good works, do they never perceive any inward self-commendation: "Now you have spoken well" Or any vanity -- a desire that others should think so, and esteem them on the account In some or all of these respects, how much sin cleaves to the best conversation even of believers! The conviction of which is another branch of the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.

13. And how much sin, if their conscience is thoroughly awake, may they find cleaving to their actions also! Nay, are there not many of these, which, though they are such as the world would not condemn, yet cannot be commended, no, nor excused, if we judge by the Word of God Are there not many of their actions which, they themselves know, are not to the glory of God many, wherein they did not even aim at this; which were not undertaken with an eye to God And of those that were, are there not many, wherein their eye is not singly fixed on God -- wherein they are doing their own will, at least as much as his; and seeking to please themselves as much, if not more, than to please God -- And while they are endeavouring to do good to their neighbour, do they not feel wrong tempers of various kinds Hence their good actions, so called, are far from being strictly such; being polluted with such a mixture of evil: such are their works of mercy. And is there not the same mixture in their works of piety While they are hearing the word which is able to save their souls, do they not frequently find such thoughts as make them afraid lest it should turn to their condemnation, rather than their salvation Is it not often the same case, while they are endeavouring to offer up their prayers to God, whether in public or private Nay, while they are engaged in the most solemn service, even while they are at the table of the Lord, what manner of thoughts arise in them! Are not their hearts sometimes wandering to the ends of the earth; sometimes filled with such imaginations, as make them fear lest all their sacrifice should be an abomination to the Lord So that they are now more ashamed of their best duties, than they were once of their worst sins.

14. Again: How many sins of omission are they chargeable with! We know the words of the Apostle: "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." But do they not know a thousand instances, wherein they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers, to their brethren, either with regard to their bodies or their souls, and they did it not How many omissions have they been guilty of, in their duty toward God! How many opportunities of communicating, of hearing his word, of public or private prayer, have they neglected! So great reason had even that holy man, Archbishop Usher, after all his labours for God, to cry out, almost with his dying breath, "Lord, forgive me my sins of omission!" 15. But besides these outward omissions, may they not find in themselves inward defects without number defects of every kind: they have not the love, the fear, the confidence they ought to have, toward God. They have not the love which is due to their neighbour, to every child of man; no, nor even that which is due to their brethren, to every child of God, whether those that are at a distance from them, or those with whom they are immediately connected. They have no holy temper in the degree they ought; they are defective in everything, -- in a deep consciousness of which they are ready to cry out, with M. De Renty, "I am a ground all overrun with thorns;" or, with Job, "I am vile: I abhor myself, and repent as in dust and ashes."

16. A conviction of their guiltiness is another branch of that repentance which belongs to the children of God. But this is cautiously to be understood, and in a peculiar sense. For it is certain, "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus," that believe in him, and, in the power of that faith, "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Yet can they no more bear the strict justice of God now, than before they believed. This pronounces them to be still worthy of death, on all the preceding accounts. And it would absolutely condemn them thereto, were it not for the atoning blood. Therefore they are thoroughly convinced, that they still deserve punishment, although it is hereby turned aside from them. But here there are extremes on one hand and on the other, and few steer clear of them. Most men strike on one or the other, either thinking themselves condemned when they are not, or thinking they deserve to be acquitted. Nay, the truth lies between: they still deserve, strictly speaking only the damnation of hell. But what they deserve does not come upon them, because they "have an Advocate with the Father." His life, and death, and intercession still interpose between them and condemnation. 17. A conviction of their utter helplessness is yet another branch of this repentance. I mean hereby two things: first, that they are no more able now of themselves to think one good thought, to form one good desire, to speak one good word, or do one good work, than before they were justified; that they have still no kind or degree of strength of their own; no power either to do good, or resist evil; no ability to conquer or even withstand the world, the devil, or their own evil nature. They can, it is certain, do all these things; but it is not by their own strength. They have power to overcome all these enemies; for "sin hath no more dominion over them;" but it is not from nature, either in whole or in part; it is the mere gift of God: nor is it given all at once, as if they had a stock laid up for many years; but from moment to moment.

18. By this helplessness I mean, Secondly, an absolute inability to deliver ourselves from that guiltiness or desert of punishment whereof we are still conscious; yea, and an inability to remove, by all the grace we have (to say nothing of our natural powers,) either the pride, self-will, love of the world, anger, and general proneness to depart from God, which we experimentally know to remain in the heart, even of them that are regenerate; or the evil which, in spite of all our endeavours, cleaves to all our words and actions. Add to this, an utter inability wholly to avoid uncharitable, and, much more, unprofitable, conversation: and an inability to avoid sins of omission, or to supply the numberless defects we are convinced of; especially the want of love, and other right tempers both to God and man. 19. If any man is not satisfied of this, if any believes that whoever is justified is able to remove these sins out of his heart and life, let him make the experiment. Let him try whether, by the grace he has already received, he can expel pride, self-will, or inbred sin in general. Let him try whether he can cleanse his words and actions from all mixture of evil; whether he can avoid all uncharitable and unprofitable conversation, with all sins of omission; and, lastly, whether he can supply the numberless defects which he still finds in himself. Let him not be discouraged by one or two experiments, but repeat the trial again and again; and the longer he tries, the more deeply will he be convinced of his utter helplessness in all these respects.

20. Indeed this is so evident a truth, that well nigh all the children of God, scattered abroad, however they differ in other points, yet generally agree in this; -- that although we may "by the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body," resist and conquer both outward and inward sin: although we may weaken our enemies day by day; -- yet we cannot drive them out. By all the grace which is given at justification we cannot extirpate them. Though we watch and pray ever so much, we cannot wholly cleanse either our hearts or hands. Most sure we cannot, till it shall please our Lord to speak to our hearts again, to speak the second time, "Be clean:" and then only the leprosy is cleansed. Then only, the evil root, the carnal mind, is destroyed; and inbred sin subsists no more. But if there be no such second change, if there be no instantaneous deliverance after justification, if there be none but a gradual work of God (that there is a gradual work none denies,) then we must be content, as well as we can, to remain full of sin till death; and, if so, we must remain guilty till death, continually deserving punishment. For it is impossible the guilt, or desert of punishment, should be removed from us, as long as all this sin remains in our heart, and cleaves to our words and actions. Nay, in rigorous justice, all we think, and speak, and act, continually increases it. II. 1. In this sense we are to repent, after we are justified. And till we do so, we can go no farther. For, till we are sensible of our disease, it admits of no cure. But, supposing we do thus repent, then are we called to "believe the gospel."

6. Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith exactly answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to our words and actions: by faith, we receive the power of God in Christ, purifying our hearts, and cleansing our hands. By repentance, we are still sensible that we deserve punishment for all our tempers, and words, and actions: by faith, we are conscious that our Advocate with the Father is continually pleading for us, and thereby continually turning aside all condemnation and punishment from us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction that there is no help in us: by faith we receive not only mercy, "but grace to help in" every "time of need. Repentance disclaims the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand in need of, from him that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says, "Without him I can do nothing:" Faith says, "I can do all things through Christ strengthening me." Through him I can not only overcome, but expel, all the enemies of my soul. Through him I can "love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength;" yea, and "walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of my life."

III. 1. From what has been said we may easily learn the mischievousness of that opinion, -- that we are wholly sanctified when we are justified; that our hearts are then cleansed from all sin. It is true, we are then delivered, as was observed before, from the dominion of outward sin; and, at the same time, the power of inward sin is so broken, that we need no longer follow, or be led by it: but it is by no means true, that inward sin is then totally destroyed; that the root of pride, self-will, anger, love of the world, is then taken out of the heart; or that the carnal mind, and the heart bent to backsliding, are entirely extirpated. And to suppose the contrary is not, as some may think, an innocent harmless mistake. No: it does immense harm: it entirely blocks up the way to any farther change; for it is manifest, "they that are whole not need a physician, but they that are sick." If, therefore, we think we are quite made whole already, there is no room to seek any further healing. On this supposition it is absurd to expect a farther deliverance from sin, whether gradual or instantaneous.

2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole; that our hearts are not fully purified; that there is yet in us a "carnal mind," which is still in its nature "enmity against God;" that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed; shows, beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are born again: In that instant we experience that inward change from "darkness into marvellous light;" from the image of the brute and the devil, into the image of God; from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed Are we wholly transformed into the image of him that created us Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin; and it is the consciousness of this which constrains us to groan, for a full deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or but slightly, and, as it were, notionally convinced, have little concern about entire sanctification. They may possibly hold the opinion, that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time they know not when, before it. But they have no great uneasiness for the want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense above described, until God unveils the inbred monster's face, and shows them the real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not till then, will they cry out, in the agony of their soul, Break off the yoke of inbred sin, And fully set my spirit free! I cannot rest till pure within, Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

3. We may learn from hence, secondly, that a deep conviction of our demerit, after we are accepted (which in one sense may be termed guilt,) is absolutely necessary, in order to our seeing the true value of the atoning blood; in order to our feeling that we need this as much, after we are justified as ever we did before. Without this conviction, we cannot but account the blood of the covenant as a common thing, something of which we have not now any great need, seeing all our past sins are blotted out. Yea, but if both our hearts and lives are thus unclean, there is a kind of guilt which we are contracting every moment, and which, of consequence, would every moment expose us to fresh condemnation, but that He ever lives above, For us to intercede, -- His all-atoning love, His precious blood, to plead. It is this repentance, and the faith intimately connected with it, which are expressed in those strong lines, -- I sin in every breath I draw, Nor do Thy will, nor keep Thy law On earth, as angels do above: But still the fountain open stands, Washes my feet, my heart, my hands, Till I am perfected in love. 4. We may observe, Thirdly, a deep conviction of our utter helplessness, of our total inability to retain anything we have received, much more to deliver ourselves from the world of iniquity remaining both in our hearts and lives, teaches us truly to live upon Christ by faith, not only as our Priest, but as our King. Hereby we are brought to "magnify him," indeed; to "give Him all the glory of his grace;" to "make him a whole Christ, an entire Saviour; and truly to set the crown upon his head." These excellent words, as they have frequently been used, have little or no meaning; but they are fulfilled in a strong and deep sense, when we thus, as it were, go out of ourselves, in order to be swallowed up in him; when we sink into nothing, that he may be all in all. Then, his almighty grace having abolished "every high thing which exalted itself against him," every temper, and thought, and word, and work "is brought to the obedience of Christ." LONDONDERRY, April 24, 1767

3. Had all men a deep sense of this, how effectually would it secure the interests of society! For what more forcible motive can be conceived to the practice of genuine morality to a steady pursuit of solid virtue an uniform walking in justice, mercy, and truth What could strengthen our hands in all that is good, and deter us from all evil, like a strong conviction of this, "The Judge standeth at the door;" and we are shortly to stand before him 4. It may not therefore be improper, or unsuitable to the design of the present assembly, to consider, -- I. The chief circumstances which will precede our standing before the judgement-seat of Christ; II. The judgement itself; and, III. A few of the circumstances which will follow it. I. 1. Let us, in the first place, consider the chief circumstances which will precede our standing before the judgement-seat of Christ.

And, first, God will show "signs in the earth beneath" (Acts 2:19); particularly He will "arise to shake terribly the earth." " The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage" (Isa. 24:20). "There shall be earthquakes," _kata topous_ (not in divers only, but) "in all places;" not in one only, or a few, but in every part of the habitable world (Luke 21:2); even "such as were not since men were upon the earth, so mighty earthquakes and so great." In one of these "every island shall flee away, and the mountains will not be found" (Rev. 16:20). Meantime all the waters of the terraqueous globe will feel the violence of those concussions; "the sea and waves roaring" (Luke 21:25), with such an agitation as had never been known before, since the hour that "the fountains of the great deep were broken up," to destroy the earth, which then "stood out of the water and in the water." The air will be all storm and tempest, full of dark vapors and "pillars of smoke" (Joel 2:30); resounding with thunder from pole to pole, and torn with ten thousand lightnings. But the commotion will not stop in the region of the air; "the powers of heaven also shall be shaken. There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars" (Luke 21:25, 26); those fixed, as well as those that move round them. "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come" (Joel 2:31). "The stars shall withdraw their shining" (Joel 3:15), yea, and "fall from heaven" (Rev. 6:13), being thrown out of their orbits. And then shall be heard the universal shout, from all the companies of heaven, followed by the "voice of the archangel," proclaiming the approach of the Son of God and Man, "and the trumpet of God," sounding an alarm to all that sleep in the dust of the earth (1 Thess. 4:16). In consequence of this, all the graves shall open, and the bodies of men arise. The sea also shall give up the dead which are therein (Rev. 20:13), and every one shall rise with "his own body:" his own in substance, although so changed in its properties as we cannot now conceive.

9. But will their evil deeds too (since, if we take in his whole life, there is not a man on earth who liveth and sinneth, not), will these be remembered in that day, and mentioned in the great congregation Many believe they will not; and ask, "Would not this imply, that their sufferings were not at an end, even when life ended -- seeing they would still have sorrow, and shame, and confusion of face to endure." They ask farther, "How can this be reconciled with God's declaration by the Prophet, -- `If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right; all his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be once mentioned unto him' (Ezek. 18:21, 22). How is it consistent with the promise which God has made to all who accept of the gospel covenant, `I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sin no more' (Jer. 31:34) Or, as the Apostle expresses it, `I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more'" (Heb. 8:12).

12. After the righteous are judged, the King will turn to them upon his left hand; and they shall also be judged, every man according to his works. But not only their outward works will be brought into the account, but all the evil words which they have ever spoken; yea, all the evil desires, affections, tempers, which have, or have had, a place in their souls; and all the evil thoughts or designs which were ever cherished in their hearts. The joyful sentence of acquittal will then be pronounced Upon those upon the right hand; the dreadful sentence of condemnation upon those on the left; both of which must remain fixed and unmovable as the throne of God. III. 1. We may, in the Third place, consider a few of the circumstances which will follow the general judgement. And the first is the execution of the sentence pronounced on the evil and on the good: "These shall go away into eternal punishment, and the righteous into life eternal." It should be observed, it is the very same word which is used, both in the former and the latter clause. It follows, that either the punishment lasts for ever, or the reward too will come to an end: -- No, never, unless God could come to an end, or his mercy and truth could fail. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," "and shall drink of those rivers of pleasure which are at God's right hand for evermore." But here all description falls short; all human language fails! Only one who is caught up into the third heaven can have a just conception of it. But even such a one cannot express what he hath seen: these things it is not possible for man to utter.

The wicked, meantime, shall be turned into hell, even all the people that forget God. They will be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." They will be "cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone," originally "prepared for the devil and his angels;" where they will gnaw their tongues for anguish and pain; they will curse God and look upward. There the dogs of hell -- pride, malice, revenge, rage, horror, despair -- continually devour them. There "they have no rest, day or night, but the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever!" For "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." 10 2. Then the heavens will be shrivelled up as a parchment scroll, and pass away with a great noise: they will "flee from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and there will be found no place for them" (Rev. 20:11). The very manner of their passing away is disclosed to us by the Apostle Peter: "In the day of God, the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved" (2 Pet. 3:12). The whole beautiful fabric will be overthrown by that raging element, the connexion of all its parts destroyed, and every atom torn asunder from the others. By the same, "the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up" (verse 10). The enormous works of nature, the everlasting hills, mountains that have defied the rage of time, and stood unmoved so many thousand years, will sink down in fiery ruin. How much less will the works of art, though of the most durable kind, the utmost efforts of human industry -- tombs, pillars, triumphal arches, castles, pyramids -- be able to withstand the flaming conqueror! All, all will die, perish, vanish away, like a dream when one awaketh! 11

3. It has indeed been imagined by some great and good men, that as it requires that same almighty power to annihilate things as to create; to speak into nothing or out of nothing; so no part of, no atom in, the universe, will be totally or finally destroyed. Rather, they suppose that, as the last operation of fire, which we have yet been able to observe, is to reduce into glass what, by a smaller force, it had reduced to ashes; so, in the day God hath ordained, the whole earth, if not the material heavens also, will undergo this change, after which the fire can have no farther power over them. And they believe this is intimated by that expression in the Revelation made to St. John: "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal" (Rev. 4:6). We cannot now either affirm or deny this; but we shall know hereafter. 4. If it be inquired by the scoffers, the minute philosophers, "How can these things be Whence should come such an immense quantity of fire as would consume the heavens and the whole terraqueous globe" we would beg leave, first, to remind them, that this difficulty is not peculiar to the Christian system. The same opinion almost universally obtained among the unbigoted Heathens. So one of these celebrated freethinkers speaks, according to the generally received sentiment, -- Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur, affore tempus, Quo mare, quo tellus, correptaque regia coeli Ardeat, et mundi moles operosa laboret. [The following is Dryden's translation of this quotation from Ovid: -- Rememb'ring, in the fates, a time when fire Should to the battlements of heaven aspire; And all the blazing world above should burn, And all the' inferior globe to cinders turn. -- EDIT.]

But, Secondly, it is easy to answer, even from our slight and superficial acquaintance with natural things, that there are abundant magazines of fire ready prepared, and treasured up against the day of the Lord. How soon may a comet, commissioned by him, travel down from the most distant parts of the universe! And were it to fix upon the earth in its return from the sun, when it is some thousand times hotter than a red-hot cannon ball, who does not see what must be the immediate consequence But, not to ascend so high as the ethereal heavens, might not the same lightnings which "give shine to the world," if commanded by the Lord of nature, give ruin and utter destruction Or, to go no farther than the globe itself; who knows what huge reservoirs of liquid fire are from age to age contained in the bowels of the earth Aetna, Hecla, Vesuvius, and all the other volcanoes that belch out flames and coals of fire, what are they, but so many proofs and mouths of those fiery furnaces; and at the same time so many evidences that God hath in readiness wherewith to fulfil his word Yea, were we to observe no more than the surface of the earth, and the things that surround us on every side, it is most certain (as a thousand experiments prove, beyond all possibility of denial) that we ourselves, our whole bodies, are full of fire, as well as everything round about us. Is it not easy to make this ethereal fire visible even to the naked eye, and to produce thereby the very same effects on combustible matter, which are produced by culinary fire Needs there then any more than for God to unloose that secret chain, whereby this irresistible agent is now bound down, and lies quiescent in every particle of matter And how soon would it tear the universal frame in pieces, and involve all in one common ruin! 12

1. And, First, how beautiful are the feet of those who are sent by the wise and gracious providence of God, to execute justice on earth, to defend the injured, and punish the wrongdoer! Are they not the ministers of God to us for good; the grand supporters of the public tranquillity; the patrons of innocence and virtue; the great security of all our temporal blessings And does not every one of these represent, not only an earthly prince, but the Judge of the earth Him whose "name is written upon his thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords" O that all these sons of the right hand of the Most High may be as holy as he is holy! wise with the wisdom that sitteth by his throne, like him who is the eternal Wisdom of the Father! no respecters of persons, as he is none; but rendering to every man according to his works; like him inflexibly, inexorably just, though pitiful and of tender mercy! So shall they be terrible indeed to them that do evil, as not bearing the sword in vain. So shall the laws of our land have their full use and due honor, and the throne of our King be still established in righteousness. 2. Ye truly honorable men, whom God and the King have commissioned, in a lower degree, to administer justice; may not ye be compared to those ministering spirits who will attend the Judge coming in the clouds May you, like them, burn with love to God and man! May you love righteousness and hate iniquity! May ye all minister, in your several spheres (such honor hath God given you also to them that shall be heirs of salvation, and to the glory of your great sovereign! May ye remain the establishers of peace, the blessing and ornaments of your country, the protectors of a guilty land, the guardian angels of all that are round about you!

5. "What manner of persons then ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness!" We know it cannot be long before the Lord will descend with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God; when every one of us shall appear before him, and give account of his own works. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for these things," seeing ye know he will come and will not tarry, "be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." Why should ye not Why should one of you be found on the left hand at his appearing He willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; by repentance, to faith in a bleeding Lord; by faith, to spotless love, to the full image of God renewed in the heart, and producing all holiness of conversation. Can you doubt of this, when you remember, the Judge of all is likewise the Savior of all Hath he not bought you with his own blood, that ye might not perish, but have everlasting life O make proof of his mercy, rather than his justice; of his love, rather than the thunder of his power! He is not far from every one of us; and he is now come, not to condemn, but to save the world he standeth in the midst! Sinner, doth he not now, even now, knock at the door of thy heart O that thou mayest know, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! O that ye may now give yourselves to him who gave himself for you, in humble faith, in holy, active, patient love! So shall ye rejoice with exceeding joy in his day, when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

8. The quotation is from Virgil's Aeneid, 6.567. The subject of the verbs is Rhadamanthus, the mythical judge of the dead. No translation is furnished in the 1771 ed. Modern editions give Dryden's version. The meaning is "Rhadamanthus of Gnosus here holds his iron sway, and scourges them and hears their guile, and compels each man to confess the expiations put off till death (alas! too late!) which were due for the crimes he committed on earth, rejoicing in the vain hope that they might be concealed." 9. "To justify the way of God to man:" from Milton's Paradise Lost, 1.26. In the original the last line is "men." 10. "The third heaven" Paul (2 Cor. 12:2) tells how he was caught up into the third heave, or paradise, and heard unutterable words which it is not in the power of man to speak, It is doubtful where he thought of three heavens only -- viz. the heaven of the atmosphere and clouds, the heaven of the sun and stars, and the heaven of the blessed dead -- or accepted the Jewish belief in seven heavens, of which Paradise was the third in order from below. Wesley admits of no hope for the finally impenitent, and interprets literally these passages which speak of their doom. In the first, however, Hell is Sheol, and all that the Psalmist says is that all the nations (no the people) that forget God will depart in to the world of the dead. In the Sermon 73, on Hell, he is quite explicit as to his belief in the endless torment of the wicked in material fire. Neither of these sermons are, however, part of the standard Methodist doctrine. 11. The finale destruction of the earth by means of fires is quite within the bounds of possibility. The impact of some wandering star would generate heat enough for the purpose; of it may be that gravitation will at last overcome the centrifugal force and the arch will fall into the sun. But such speculations are as fruitless as they are uncertain; and the idea in the next paragraph of the origin of the sea of glass is merely grotesque.

2. We allow that the whole value of means depends on their actual subservience to religion's end. Consequently, "all these means, when separate from the end, are less than nothing and vanity." If they don't actually conduce to knowledge and love of God, they're "not acceptable in his sight; yea, rather, they are an abomination before him, a stink in his nostrils." Using them as substitutes for the religion they were designed to promote is "an enormous folly and wickedness of thus turning God's arms against himself; of keeping Christianity out of the heart by those very means which were ordained for the bringing it in." 3. We allow likewise that all outward means, separate from God's Spirit, "cannot profit at all, cannot conduce, in any degree, either to the knowledge or love of God." "Without controversy, the help that is done upon earth, He doeth it himself. It is He alone who, by his own almighty power, worketh in us what is pleasing in his sight; and all outward things, unless He work in them and by them, are mere weak and beggarly elements." Whoever imagines there's intrinsic power in any means greatly errs. There's no inherent power in prayer's words, Scripture's letter, or bread and wine received in the Lord's Supper. "It is God alone who is the Giver of every good gift, the Author of all grace; that the whole power is of him." He's able to give the same grace though no means existed on earth. In this sense, regarding God, there is no such thing as means, since He's "equally able to work whatsoever pleaseth him, by any, or by none at all." 4. We allow further that all means' use will never atone for one sin. "It is the blood of Christ alone, whereby any sinner can be reconciled to God; there being no other propitiation for our sins, no other fountain for sin and uncleanness." Every believer is convinced "there is no merit but in Him; that there is no merit in any of his own works; not in uttering the prayer, or searching the Scripture, or hearing the word of God, or eating of that bread and drinking of that cup." If "Christ is the only means of grace" means He's the only meritorious cause, this cannot be gainsaid by those knowing God's grace.

1. As plainly as God hath pointed out the way wherein He will be inquired after, innumerable objections men, "wise in their own eyes," have raised against it. Though they lack weight in themselves, they've been used to "turn the lame out of the way; yea, to trouble and subvert those who did run well, till Satan appeared as an angel of light." The first and chief objection is: "You cannot use these means without trusting in them." I pray, where is this written? Show me plain Scripture for your assertion. Otherwise I dare not receive it; for I'm not convinced you're wiser than God. If this were true, Christ must have known it. If He'd known it, He would surely have warned us long ago. Therefore, because He hasn't, because there's no tittle of this in Jesus Christ's whole revelation, I'm as fully assured your assertion is false as that this revelation is of God. "However, leave them off for a short time, to see whether you trusted in them or no." So I'm to disobey God, to know whether I trust in obeying Him! Do you avow this advice? Do you deliberately teach to "do evil, that good may come"? O tremble at God's sentence against such teachers! Their "damnation is just." "Nay, if you're troubled when you leave them off, it is plain you trusted in them." By no means. If I'm troubled when I willfully disobey God, His Spirit is still striving with me; but if I'm not troubled at willful sin, I'm given up to a reprobate mind. But what do you mean by "trusting in them"--looking for God's blessing therein; believing that if I wait this way, I shall attain what otherwise I should not? So I do. And so I will, God being my helper, even my life's end. By God's grace I will thus trust in them, till my death's day; that is, I will believe that whatever God hath promised, He is faithful also to perform. And seeing He hath promised to bless me this way, I trust it shall be according to His word.

With regard to the former, there is a kind of order, wherein God Himself is generally pleased to use these means in bringing a sinner to salvation. A stupid, senseless wretch is going on in his own way, not having God in all his thoughts, when God comes upon him unawares, perhaps by an awakening sermon or conversation, perhaps by some awful providence, or, it may be, an immediate stroke of His convincing Spirit, without any outward means at all. Having now a desire to flee from the wrath to come, he purposely goes to hear how it may be done. If he finds a preacher who speaks to the heart, he is amazed, and begins searching the Scriptures, whether these things are so. The more he hears and reads, the more convinced he is; and the more he meditates thereon day and night. Perhaps he finds some other book which explains and enforces what he has heard and read in Scripture. And by all these means, the arrows of conviction sink deeper into his soul. He begins also to talk of the things of God, which are ever uppermost in his thoughts; yea, and to talk with God; to pray to him; although, through fear and shame, he scarce knows what to say. But whether he can speak or no, he cannot but pray, were it only in "groans which cannot be uttered." Yet, being in doubt, whether "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity" will regard such a sinner as him, he wants to pray with those who know God, with the faithful, in the great congregation. But here he observes others go up to the table of the Lord. He considers, "Christ has said, 'Do this!' How is it that I do not? I am too great a sinner. I am not fit. I am not worthy." After struggling with these scruples a while, he breaks through. And thus he continues in God's way, in hearing, reading, meditating, praying, and partaking of the Lord's Supper, till God, in the manner that pleases him, speaks to his heart, "Thy faith hath saved thee. Go in peace."

2. By observing this order of God, we may learn what means to recommend to any particular soul. If any of these will reach a stupid, careless sinner, it is probably hearing, or conversation. To such, therefore, we might recommend these, if he has ever any thought about salvation. To one who begins to feel the weight of his sins, not only hearing the Word of God, but reading it too, and perhaps other serious books, may be a means of deeper conviction. May you not advise him also, to meditate on what he reads, that it may have its full force upon his heart? Yea, and to speak thereof, and not be ashamed, particularly among those who walk in the same path. When trouble and heaviness take hold upon him, should you not then earnestly exhort him to pour out his soul before God; "always to pray and not to faint;" and when he feels the worthlessness of his own prayers, are you not to work together with God, and remind him of going up into the house of the Lord, and praying with all that fear him? But if he does this, the dying word of his Lord will soon be brought to his remembrance; a plain intimation that this is the time when we should second the motions of the blessed Spirit. And thus may we lead him, step by step, through all the means which God has ordained; not according to our own will, but just as the Providence and the Spirit of God go before and open the way.

Lastly. After you have used any of these, take care how you value yourself thereon: How you congratulate yourself as having done some great thing. This is turning all into poison. Think, "If God was not there, what does this avail? Have I not been adding sin to sin? How long O Lord! save, or I perish! O lay not this sin to my charge!" If God was there, if his love flowed into your heart, you have forgot, as it were, the outward work. You see, you know, you feel, God is all in all. Be abased. Sink down before him. Give him all the praise. "Let God in all things be glorified through Christ Jesus. Let all your bones cry out, My song shall be always of the loving-kindness of the Lord: With my mouth will I ever be telling of thy truth, from one generation to another!"

6. The best guide of the blind, the surest light of them that are in darkness, the most perfect instructor of the foolish, is faith. But it must be such a faith as is "mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds," -- to the overturning all the prejudices of corrupt reason, all the false maxims revered among men, all evil customs and habits, all that "wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God;" as "casteth down imaginations," reasoning, "and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

7. "All things are possible to him that" thus "believeth." "The eyes of his understanding being enlightened," he sees what is his calling; even to glorify God, who hath bought him with so high a price, in his body and in his spirit, which now are God's by redemption, as well as by creation. He feels what is "the exceeding greatness of this power," who, as he raise up Christ from the dead, so is able to-quicken us, dead in sin," by his Spirit which dwelleth in us." "This is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith;" that faith, which is not only an unshaken assent to all that God hath revealed in Scripture, -- and in particular to those important truths, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;" "He bare our sins in his own body on the tree;" "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world;" [N.B. The following part of this paragraph is now added to the Sermon formerly preached.] -- but likewise the revelation of Christ in our hearts; a divine evidence or conviction of his love, his free, unmerited love to me a sinner; a sure confidence in his pardoning mercy, wrought in us by the Holy Ghost; a confidence, whereby every true believer is enabled to bear witness, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," that I have an "Advocate with the Father," and that "Jesus Christ the righteous" is my Lord, and "the propitiation for my sins," -- I know he hath "loved me, and given himself for me," -- He hath reconciled me, even me, to God; and I "have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." 8. Such a faith as this cannot fail to show evidently the power of Him that inspires it, by delivering his children from the yoke of sin, and "purging their consciences from dead works;" by strengthening them so, that they are no longer constrained to obey sin in the desires there of; but instead of yielding their members unto it, as instruments of unrighteousness," they now "yield themselves" entirely "unto God, as those that are alive from the dead."

10. Here, then, is the sum of the perfect law; this is the true circumcision of the heart. Let the spirit return to God that gave it, with the whole train of its affections. "Unto the place from whence all the rivers came thither let them flow again. Other sacrifices from us he would not; but the living sacrifice of the heart he hath chosen. Let it be continual offered up to God through Christ, in flames of holy love. And let no creature be suffered to share with him: For he is a jealous God. His throne will he not divide with another: He will reign without a rival. Be no design, no desire admitted there, but what has Him for its ultimate object. This is the way where in those children of God once walked, who, being dead, still speak to us:" Desire not to live, but to praise his name: Let all your thoughts, words, and works, tend to his glory. Set your heart firm on him, and on other things only as they are in and from him. Let your soul be filled with so entire a love of him, that you may love nothing but for his sake." "Have a pure intention of heart, a steadfast regard to his glory in all your actions." "Fix your eye upon the blessed hope of your calling, and make all the things of the world minister unto it." For then, and not till then is that "mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus;" when, in every motion of our heart, in every word of our tongue, in every work of our hands, we "pursue nothing but in relation to him, and in subordination to his pleasure;" when we, too, neither think, nor speak, nor act, to fulfil our "own will, but the will of him that sent us;" when, whether we;' eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God."

3. For all this is no more than a dead faith. The true, living, Christian faith, which whosoever hath, is born of God, is not only an assent, an act of the understanding; but a disposition, which God hath wrought in his heart; "a sure trust and confidence in God, that, through the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God." This implies, that a man first renounce himself; that, in order to be "found in Christ," to be accepted through him, he totally rejects all "confidence in the flesh;" that, "having nothing to pay," having no trust in his own works or righteousness of any kind, he comes to God as a lost, miserable, self-destroyed, self-condemned, undone, helpless sinner; as one whose mouth is utterly stopped, and who is altogether "guilty before God." Such a sense of sin, (commonly called despair, by those who speak evil of the things they know not,) together with a full conviction, such as no words can express, that of Christ only cometh our salvation, and an earnest desire of that salvation, must precede a living faith, a trust in Him, who "for us paid our ransom by his death, and fulfilled the law of his life." This faith then, whereby we are born of God, is "not only a belief of all the articles of our faith, but also a true confidence of the mercy of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

5. And thus is the Scripture fulfilled, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." For it is easy to believe, that though sorrow may precede this witness of God's Spirit with our spirit; (indeed must, in some degree, while we groan under fear, and a sense of the wrath of God abiding on us;) yet, as soon as any man feeleth it in himself, his "sorrow is turned into joy." Whatsoever his pain may have been before; yet, as soon as that "hour is come, he remembereth the anguish no more, for joy" that he is born of God. It may be, many of you have now sorrow, because you are "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel;" because you are conscious to yourselves that you have not this Spirit; that you are "without hope and without God in the world." But when the Comforter is come, "then your heart shall rejoice;" yea, "your joy shall be full," and "that joy no man taketh from you." (John 16:22.) "We joy in God," will ye say, "through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement;" "by whom we have access into this grace," this state of grace, of favour, or reconciliation with God, "wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Rom. 5:2.) "Ye," saith St. Peter, whom God hath "begotten again unto a lively hope, are kept by the power of God unto salvation: Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: In whom, though now ye see him not, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:5, &c.) Unspeakable indeed! It is not for the tongue of man to describe this joy in the Holy Ghost. It is "the hidden manna, which no man knoweth, save he that receiveth it." But this we know, it not only remains, but overflows, in the depth of affliction. "Are the consolations of God small" with his children, when all earthly comforts fail Not so.

7. Hence he has scarce any knowledge of the invisible world, as he has scarce any intercourse with it. Not that it is afar off: No: He is in the midst of it; it encompasses him round about. The other world, as we usually term it, is not far from every one of us: It is above, and beneath, and on every side. Only the natural man discerneth it not; partly, because he has no spiritual senses, whereby alone we can discern the things of God; partly, because so thick a veil is interposed as he knows not how to penetrate. 8. But when he is born of God, born of the Spirit, how is the manner of his existence changed! His whole soul is now sensible of God, and he can say, by sure experience, "Thou art about my bed, and about my path;" I feel thee in all my ways: "Thou besettest me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me." The Spirit or breath of God is immediately inspired, breathed into the new-born soul; and the same breath which comes from, returns to, God: As it is continually received by faith, so it is continually rendered back by love, by prayer, and praise, and thanksgiving; love and praise, and prayer being the breath of every soul which is truly born of God. And by this new kind of spiritual respiration, spiritual life is not only sustained, but increased day by day, together with spiritual strength, and motion, and sensation; all the senses of the soul being now awake, and capable of discerning spiritual good and evil. 9. "The eyes of his understanding" are now "open," and he "seeth Him that is invisible." He sees what is "the exceeding greatness of his power" and of his love toward them that believe. He sees that God is merciful to him a sinner, that he is reconciled through the Son of his love. He clearly perceives both the pardoning love of God, and all his "exceeding great and precious promises." "God, who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, hath shined," and doth shine, "in his heart," to enlighten him with "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." All the darkness is now passed away, and he abides in the light of God's countenance.

10. His ears are now opened, and the voice of God no longer calls in vain. He hears and obeys the heavenly calling: He knows the voice of his Shepherd. All his spiritual senses being now awakened, he has a clear intercourse with the invisible world; and hence he knows more and more of the things which before it could not "enter into his heart to conceive." He now knows what the peace of God is; what is joy in the Holy Ghost; what the love of God which is shed abroad in the heart of them that believe in him through Christ Jesus. Thus the veil being removed which before interrupted the light and voice, the knowledge and love of God, he who is born of the Spirit, dwelling in love, "dwelleth in God, and God in him." II. 1. Having considered the meaning of that expression, "whosoever is born of God," it remains, in the Second place, to inquire, in what sense he "doth not commit sin." Now one who is so born of God, as hath been above described, who continually receives into his soul the breath of life from God, the gracious influence of his Spirit, and continually renders it back; one who thus believes and loves, who by faith perceives the continual actings of God upon his spirit, and by a kind of spiritual re-action returns the grace he receives, in unceasing love, and praise, and prayer; not only doth not commit sin, while he thus keepeth himself, but so long as this "seed remaineth in him, he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

5. And even after the Holy Ghost was more largely given, after "life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel" we want not instances of the same melancholy kind, which were also doubtless written for our instruction. Thus he who (probably from his selling all that he had, and bringing the price for the relief of his poor brethren) was by the apostles themselves surnamed Barnabas, that is, the son of consolation; (Acts 4:36, 37;) who was so honoured at Antioch, as to be selected with Saul out of all the disciples, to carry their relief unto the brethren in Judea; (Acts 11:29, 30;) this Barnabas, who, at his return from Judea, was, by the peculiar direction of the Holy Ghost, solemnly "separated from the other Prophets and Teachers, for the work whereunto God had called him," (Acts 13:1-4,) even to accompany the great Apostle among the Gentiles, and to be his fellow-labourer in every place; -- nevertheless, was afterward so sharp, (Acts 15:35, 39,) in his contention with St. Paul, (because he "thought it not good to take with them John," in his visiting the brethren a second time, "who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work,") that he himself also departed from the work; that he "took John, and sailed unto Cyprus;" (Acts 15:39;) forsaking him to whom he had been in so immediate a manner joined by the Holy Ghost.

The eye of his mind was now closed again, and God vanished out of his sight. Faith, the divine, supernatural intercourse with God, and the love of God, ceased together: He then rushed on as a horse into the battle, and knowingly committed the outward sin. 9. You see the unquestionable progress from grace to sin: Thus it goes on, from step to step. (1.) The divine seed of loving, conquering faith, remains in him that is born of God. "He keepeth himself," by the grace of God, and "cannot commit sin." (2.) A temptation arises; whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not. (3.) The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer. (4.) He gives way, in some degree, to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him. (5.) The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened; and his love of God grows cold. (6.) The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, "This is the way; walk thou in it." (7.) He turns away from the painful voice of God, and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter. (8.) Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, till faith and love vanish away: He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him. 10. To explain this by another instance: The Apostle Peter was full of faith and of the Holy Ghost; and hereby keeping himself, he had a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. Walking thus in simplicity and godly sincerity, "before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles," knowing that what God had cleansed was not common or unclean. But "when they were come," a temptation arose in his heart, "to fear those of the circumcision," (the Jewish converts, who were zealous for circumcision and the other rites of the Mosaic law,) and regard the favour and praise of these men, more than the praise of God. He was warned by the Spirit that sin was near: Nevertheless, he yielded to it in some degree, even to sinful fear of man, and his faith and love were proportionably weakened.

2. From what has been said, we may learn, Secondly, what the life of God in the soul of a believer is; wherein it properly consists; and what is immediately and necessarily implied therein. It immediately and necessarily implies the continual inspiration of God's Holy Spirit; God's breathing into the soul, and the soul's breathing back what it first receives from God; a continual action of God upon the soul, and a re-action of the soul upon God; an unceasing presence of God, the loving, pardoning God, manifested to the heart, and perceived by faith; and an unceasing return of love, praise, and prayer, offering up all the thoughts of our hearts, all the words of our tongues, all the works of our hands, all our body, soul, and spirit, to be a holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God in Christ Jesus. 3. And hence we may, Thirdly, infer the absolute necessity of this re-action of the soul, (whatsoever it be called,) in order to the continuance of the divine life therein. For it plainly appears, God does not continue to act upon the soul, unless the soul re-acts upon God. He prevents us indeed with the blessings of his goodness. He first loves us, and manifests himself unto us. While we are yet afar off, he calls us to himself, and shines upon our hearts. But if we do not then love him who first loved us; if we will not hearken to his voice; if we turn our eye away from him, and will not attend to the light which he pours upon us; his Spirit will not always strive: He will gradually withdraw, and leave us to the darkness of our own hearts. He will not continue to breathe into our soul, unless our soul breathes toward him again; unless our love, and prayer, and thanksgiving return to him, a sacrifice wherewith he is well pleased.

The Lord Our Righteousness Preached at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven Dials, on Sunday, November 24, 1765 "This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." Jer. 23:6. 1. How dreadful and how innumerable are the contests which have arisen about religion! And not only among the children of this world, among those who knew not what true religion was, but even among the children of God; those who had experienced "the kingdom of God within them;" who had tasted of "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." How many of these, in all ages, instead of joining together against the common enemy, have turned their weapons against each other, and so not only wasted their precious time, but hurt one another's spirits, weakened each other's hands, and so hindered the great work of their common Master! How many of the weak have hereby been offended! -- How many of the lame turned out of the way! How many sinners confirmed in their disregard of all religion, and their contempt of those that profess it! And how many of "the excellent ones upon earth" have been constrained to "weep in secret places!" 2. What would not every lover of God and his neighbour do, what would he not suffer, to remedy this sore evil; to remove contention from the children of God; to restore or preserve peace among them What but a good conscience would he think too dear to part with, in order to promote this valuable end And suppose we cannot "make" these "wars to cease in all the world," suppose we cannot reconcile all the children of God to each other, however, let each do what he can, let him contribute, if it be but two mites, toward it. Happy are they who are able, in any degree, to promote "peace and good-will among men" especially among good men; among those that are all listed under the banner of "the Prince of Peace;" and are, therefore, peculiarly engaged, "as much as lies in them," to "live peaceably with all men."

3. We may go a step farther yet: Men may differ from us in their opinions, as well as their expressions, and nevertheless be partakers with us of the same precious faith. It is possible they may not have a distinct apprehension of the very blessing which they enjoy: Their ideas may not be so clear, and yet their experience may be as sound, as ours. There is a wide difference between the natural faculties of men, their understandings in particular; And that difference is exceedingly increased by the manner of their education. Indeed, this alone may occasion an inconceivable difference in their opinions of various kinds; and why not upon this head, as well as on any other But still, though their opinions, as well as expressions, may be confused and inaccurate, their hearts may cleave to God through the Son of his love, and be truly interested in his righteousness. 4. Let us then make all that allowance to others, which, were we in their place, we would desire for ourselves. Who is ignorant (to touch again on that circumstance only) of the amazing power of education And who that knows it, can expect, suppose, a member of the Church of Rome, either to think or speak clearly on this subject And yet, if we had heard even dying Bellarmine cry out, -- when he was asked, "Unto which of the saints wilt thou turn" -- Fidere meritis Christi tutissimum; "It is safest to trust in the merits of Christ;" would we have affirmed that, not withstanding his wrong opinions, he had no share in his righteousness

5. But in what sense is this righteousness imputed to believers In this: all believers are forgiven and accepted, not for the sake of anything in them, or of anything that ever was, that is, or ever can be done by them, but wholly and solely for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered for them. I say again, not for the sake of anything in them, or done by them, of their own righteousness or works: "Not for works of righteousness which we have done, but of his own mercy he saved us." "By grace ye are saved through faith, -- not of works, lest any man should boast;" but wholly and solely for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered for us. We are "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." And this is not only the means of our obtaining the favour of God, but of our continuing therein. It is thus we come to God at first; it is by the same we come unto him ever after. We walk in one and the same new and living way, till our spirit returns to God.

8. In the Sermon on Justification, published nineteen, and again seven or eight, years ago, I express the same thing in these words: (P. 55) "In consideration of this, -- that the Son of God hath `tasted death for every man,' God hath now `reconciled the world unto himself, not imputing to them their' former `trespasses.' So that for the sake of his well-beloved Son, of what he hath done and suffered for us, God now vouchsafes, on one only condition, (which himself also enables us to perform,) both to remit the punishment due to our sins, to re-instate us in his favour, and to restore our dead souls to spiritual life, as the earnest of life eternal." 9. This is more largely and particularly expressed in the Treatise on Justification, which I published last year: "If we take the phrase of imputing Christ's righteousness, for the bestowing (as it were) the righteousness of Christ, including his obedience, as well passive as active, in the return of it, that is, in the privileges, blessings, and benefits purchased it; so a believer may be said to be justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed. The meaning is, God justifies the believer for the sake of Christ's righteousness, and not for any righteousness of his own. So Calvin: (Institut. 1.2, c.17) `Christ by his obedience, procured and merited for us grace or favour with God the Father.' Again: `Christ, by his obedience, procured or purchased righteousness for us.' And yet again: `All such expressions as these, -- that we are justified by the grace of God, that Christ is our righteousness, that righteousness was procured for us by the death and resurrection of Christ, import the same thing; namely, that the righteousness of Christ, both his active and passive righteousness, is the meritorious cause of our justification, and has procured for us at God's hand, that, upon our believing, we should be accounted righteous by him.'" Page 5.

10. But perhaps some will object, "Nay, but you affirm that faith is imputed to us for righteousness. St. Paul affirms this over and over; therefore I affirm it too. Faith is imputed for righteousness to every believer; namely, faith in the righteousness of Christ; but this is exactly the same thing which has been said before; For by that expression I mean neither more nor less, than that we are justified by faith, not by works; or that every believer is forgiven and accepted, merely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered. 11. But is not a believer invested or clothed with the righteousness of Christ Undoubtedly he is. And accordingly the words above-recited are the language of every believing heart: Jesu, thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress. That is, "For the sake of thy active and passive righteousness, I am forgiven and accepted of God." But must not we put off the filthy rags of our own righteousness, before we can put on the spotless righteousness of Christ Certainly we must; that is, in plain terms, we must repent, before we can believe the gospel. We must be cut off from dependence upon ourselves, before we can truly depend upon Christ. We must cast away all confidence in our own righteousness, or we cannot have a true confidence in his. Till we are delivered from trusting in anything that we do, we cannot throughly trust in what he has done and suffered. First, we receive the sentence of death in ourselves: Then, we trust in Him that lived and died for us. 12. But do not you believe inherent righteousness Yes, in its proper place; not as the ground of our acceptance with God, but as the fruit of it; not in the place of imputed righteousness, but as consequent upon it. That is, I believe God implants righteousness in every one to whom he has imputed it. I believe "Jesus Christ is made of God unto us sanctification," as well as "righteousness;" or, that God sanctifies, as well as justifies, all them that believe in him. They to whom the righteousness of Christ is imputed, are made righteous by the spirit of Christ, are renewed in the image of God, "after the likeness wherein they were created, in righteousness and true holiness."

17. But, blessed be God, we are not among those who are so dark in their conceptions and expressions. We no more deny the phrase than the thing; but we are unwilling to obtrude it on other men. Let them use either this or such other expressions as they judge to be more exactly scriptural, provided their heart rests only on what Christ hath done and suffered, for pardon, grace, and glory. I cannot express this better than in Mr. Hervey's words, worthy to be wrote in letters of gold: "We are not solicitous as to any particular set of phrases. Only let men be humbled as repenting criminals at Christ's feet, let them rely as devoted pensioners on his merits and they are undoubtedly in the way to a blessed immortality." 18. Is there any need, is there any possibility, of saying more Let us only abide by this declaration, and all the contention about this or that "particular phrase" is torn up by the roots. Keep to this, -- "All who are humbled as repenting criminals at Christ's feet, and rely as devoted pensioners on his merits, are in the way to a blessed immortality;" And what room for dispute Who denies this Do we not all meet on this ground What then shall we wrangle about A man of peace here proposes terms of accommodation to all the contending parties. We desire no better: We accept of the terms: We subscribe to them with heart and hand. Whoever refuses so to do, set a mark upon that man! He is an enemy of peace, and a troubler of Israel, a disturber of the Church of God.

19. In the meantime what we are afraid of is this: -- lest any should use the phrase, "The righteousness of Christ," or, "The righteousness of Christ is imputed to me," as a cover for his unrighteousness. We have known this done a thousand times. A man has been reproved, suppose for drunkenness: "O", said he, "I pretend to no righteousness of my own; Christ is my righteousness." Another has been told, that "the extortioner, the unjust, shall not inherit the kingdom of God:" He replies, with all assurance, "I am unjust in myself, but I have a spotless righteousness in Christ." And thus, though a man be as far from the practice as from the tempers of a Christian; though he neither has the mind which was in Christ, nor in any respect walks as he walked; yet he has armour of proof against all conviction, in what he calls the "righteousness of Christ." 20. It is the seeing so many deplorable instances of this kind, which makes us sparing in the use of these expressions. And I cannot but call upon all of you who use them frequently, and beseech you in the name of God, our Saviour, whose you are, and whom you serve, earnestly to guard all that hear you against this accursed abuse of them. O warn them (it may be they will hear your voice) against "continuing in sin that grace may abound!" Warn them against making "Christ the minister of sin;" against making void that solemn decree of God, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," by a vain imagination of being holy in Christ! O warn them that if they remain unrighteous, the righteousness of Christ will profit them nothing! Cry aloud, (is there not a cause) that for this very end the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, that "the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us;" and that we may "live soberly, religiously, and godly, in this present world."

But these do not seem to have observed, First, that the expression of St. Paul must be understood with some restriction; otherwise it is not true; for the love of money is not the root, the sole root, of all evil. There are a thousand other roots of evil in the world, as sad experience daily shows. His meaning can only be, it is the root of very many evils; perhaps of more than any single vice besides. -- Secondly, that this sense of the expression, "poor in spirit," will by no means suit our Lord's present design, which is to lay a general foundation whereon the whole fabric of Christianity may be built; a design which would be in no wise answered by guarding against one particular vice: So that, if even this were supposed to be one part of his meaning, it could not possibly be the whole. -- Thirdly, that it cannot be supposed to be any part of his meaning, unless we charge him with manifest tautology: Seeing, if poverty of spirit were only freedom from covetousness, from the love of money, or the desire of riches, it would coincide with what he afterwards mentions, it would be only a branch of purity of heart. 4. Who then are "the poor in spirit" Without question, the humble; they who know themselves; who are convinced of sin; those to whom God hath given that first repentance, which is previous to faith in Christ.

But if God would forgive him all that is past, on this one condition, that he should sin no more; that for the time to come he should entirely and constantly obey all his commands; he well knows that this would profit him nothing, being a condition he could never perform. He knows and feels that he is not able to obey even the outward commands of God; seeing these cannot be obeyed while his heart remains in its natural sinfulness and corruption; inasmuch as an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. But he cannot cleanse a sinful heart: With men this is impossible: So that he is utterly at a loss even how to begin walking in the path of God's commandments. He knows not how to get one step forward in the way. Encompassed with sin, and sorrow, and fear, and finding no way to escape, he can only cry out, "Lord, save, or I perish!" 7. Poverty of spirit then, as it implies the first step we take in running the race which is set before us, is a just sense of our inward and outward sins, and of our guilt and helplessness. This some have monstrously styled, "the virtue of humility;" thus teaching us to be proud of knowing we deserve damnation! But our Lord's expression is quite of another kind; conveying no idea to the hearer, but that of mere want, of naked sin, of helpless guilt and misery. 8. The great Apostle, where he endeavours to bring sinners to God, speaks in a manner just answerable to this. "The wrath of God," saith he, "is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men;" (Rom. 1:18, &c.;) a charge which he immediately fixes on the heathen world, and thereby proves they are under the wrath of God. He next shows that the Jews were no better than they, and were therefore under the same condemnation; and all this, not in order to their attaining "the noble virtue of humility," but "that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God."

He proceeds to show, that they were helpless as well as guilty, which is the plain purport of all those expressions: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified:" -- "But now the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, without the law, is manifested:" -- "We conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law:" -- Expressions all tending to the same point, even to "hide pride from man;" to humble him to the dust, without teaching him to reflect upon his humility as a virtue; to inspire him with that full, piercing conviction of his utter sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness, which casts the sinner, stripped of all, lost and undone, on his strong Helper, Jesus Christ the Righteous. 9. One cannot but observe here, that Christianity begins just where heathen morality ends; poverty of spirit, conviction of sin, the renouncing ourselves, the not having our own righteousness, (the very first point in the religion of Jesus Christ,) leaving all pagan religion behind. This was ever hid from the wise men of this world; insomuch that the whole Roman language, even with all the improvements of the Augustan age, does not afford so much as a name for humility; (the word from whence we borrow this, as is well known, bearing in Latin a quite different meaning;) no, nor was one found in all the copious language of Greece, till it was made by the great Apostle. 10. O that we may feel what they were not able to express! Sinner, awake! Know thyself! Know and feel, that thou wert "shapen in wickedness," and that "in sin did thy mother conceive thee;" and that thou thyself hast been heaping up sin upon sin, ever since thou couldst discern good from evil! Sink under the mighty hand of God, as guilty of death eternal; and cast off, renounce, abhor, all imagination of ever being able to help thyself! Be it all thy hope to be washed in His blood, and renewed by his almighty Spirit, who himself "bare all our sins in his own body on the tree!" So shalt thou witness, "Happy are the poor in spirit: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

13. Then thou learnest of him to be "lowly of heart." And this is the true, genuine, Christian humility, which flows from a sense of the love of God, reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. Poverty of spirit, in this meaning of the word, begins where a sense of guilt and of the wrath of God ends; and is a continual sense of our total dependence on him, for every good thought, or word, or work; of our utter inability to all good, unless he "water us every moment;" and an abhorrence of the praise of men, knowing that all praise is due unto God only. With this is joined a loving shame, a tender humiliation before God, even for the sins which we know he hath forgiven us, and for the sin which still remaineth in our hearts, although we know it is not imputed to our condemnation. Nevertheless, the conviction we feel of inbred sin is deeper and deeper every day. The more we grow in grace, the more do we see of the desperate wickedness of our heart. The more we advance in the knowledge and love of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, (as great a mystery as this may appear to those who know not the power of God unto salvation,) the more do we discern of our alienation from God, of the enmity that is in our carnal mind, and the necessity of our being entirely renewed in righteousness and true holiness. II. 1. It is true, he has scarce any conception of this who now begins to know the inward kingdom of heaven. "In his prosperity he saith, I shall never be moved; thou, Lord, hast made my hill so strong." Sin is so utterly bruised beneath his feet, that he can scarce believe it remaineth in him. Even temptation is silenced, and speaks not again: It cannot approach, but stands afar off. He is borne aloft in the chariots of joy and love: He soars, "as upon the wings of an eagle." But our Lord well knew that this triumphant state does not often continue long: He therefore presently subjoins, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."

3. The mourners of whom our Lord here speaks, are those that mourn on quite another account: They that mourn after God; after Him in whom they did "rejoice with joy unspeakable," when he gave them to "taste the good," the pardoning, "word, and the powers of the world to come." But he now "hides his face, and they are troubled:" They cannot see him through the dark cloud. But they see temptation and sin, which they fondly supposed were gone never to return, arising again, following after them amain, and holding them in on every side. It is not strange if their soul is now disquieted within them, and trouble and heaviness take hold upon them. Nor will their great enemy fail to improve the occasion; to ask, "Where is now thy God Where is now the blessedness whereof thou spakest the beginning of the kingdom of heaven Yea, hath God said, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee' Surely God hath not said it. It was only a dream, a mere delusion, a creature of thy own imagination. If thy sins are forgiven, why art thou thus Can a pardoned sinner be thus unholy" -- And, if then, instead of immediately crying to God, they reason with him that is wiser than they, they will be in heaviness indeed, in sorrow of heart, in anguish not to be expressed. Nay even when God shines again upon the soul, and takes away all doubt of his past mercy, still he that is weak in faith may be tempted and troubled on account of what is to come; especially when inward sin revives, and thrusts sore at him that he may fall. Then may he again cry out, I have a sin of fear, that when I've spun My last thread, I shall perish on the shore! -- Lest I should make shipwreck of the faith, and my last state be worse than the first: -- Lest all my bread of life should fail, And I sink down unchanged to hell!

4. Sure it is, that this "affliction," for the present, "is not joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it bringeth forth peaceable fruit unto them that are exercised thereby." Blessed, therefore, are they that thus mourn, if they "tarry the Lord's leisure," and suffer not themselves to be turned out of the way, by the miserable comforters of the world; if they resolutely reject all the comforts of sin, of folly, and vanity; all the idle diversions and amusements of the world; all the pleasures which "perish in the using," and which only tend to benumb and stupefy the soul, that it may neither be sensible of itself nor God. Blessed are they who "follow on to know the Lord," and steadily refuse all other comfort. They shall be comforted by the consolations of his Spirit; by a fresh manifestation of his love; by such a witness of his accepting them in the Beloved, as shall never more be taken away from them. This "full assurance of faith" swallows up all doubt, as well as all tormenting fear; God now giving them a sure hope of an enduring substance, and "strong consolation through grace." Without disputing whether it be possible for any of those to "fall away, who were once enlightened and made partakers of the Holy Ghost," it suffices them to say, by the power now resting upon them, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ -- I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39.)

5. This whole process, both of mourning for an absent God, and recovering the joy of his countenance, seems to be shadowed out in what our Lord spoke to his Apostles, the night before his passion: "Do ye inquire of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: And again, a little while, and ye shall see me Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament;" namely, when ye do not see me; "but the world shall rejoice;" shall triumph over you, as though your hope were now come to an end. "And ye shall be sorrowful," through doubt, through fear, through temptation, through vehement desire; "but your sorrow shall be turned into joy," by the return of Him whom your soul loveth. "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now have sorrow;" ye mourn and cannot be comforted; "but I will see you again; and your heart shall rejoice," with calm, inward joy, "and your joy no man taketh from you." (John 16:19-22.)

6. But although this mourning is at an end, is lost in holy joy, by the return of the Comforter, yet is there another, and a blessed mourning it is, which abides in the children of God. They still mourn for the sins and miseries of mankind: They "weep with them that weep." They weep for them that weep not for themselves, for the sinners against their own souls. They mourn for the weakness and unfaithfulness of those that are, in some measure, saved from their sins. "Who is weak, and they are not weak Who is offended, and they burn not" They are grieved for the dishonour continually done to the Majesty of heaven and earth. At all times they have an awful sense of this, which brings a deep seriousness upon their spirit; a seriousness which is not a little increased, since the eyes of their understanding were opened, by their continually seeing the vast ocean of eternity, without a bottom or a shore, which has already swallowed up millions of millions of men, and is gaping to devour them that yet remain. They see here the house of God eternal in the heavens; there, hell and destruction without a covering; and thence feel the importance of every moment, which just appears, and is gone for ever!

7. But all this wisdom of God is foolishness with the world. The whole affair of mourning and poverty of spirit is with them stupidity and dullness. Nay, it is well if they pass so favourable a judgment upon it; if they do not vote it to be mere moping and melancholy, if not downright lunacy and distraction. And it is no wonder at all, that this judgment should be passed by those who know not God. Suppose, as two persons were walking together, one should suddenly stop, and with the strongest signs of fear and amazement, cry out, "On what a precipice do we stand! See, we are on the point of being dashed in pieces! Another step, and we fall into that huge abyss! Stop! I will not go on for all the world!" -- when the other, who seemed, to himself at least, equally sharp-sighted, looked forward and saw nothing of all this; what would he think of his companion, but that he was beside himself; that his head was out of order; that much religion (if he was not guilty of "much learning") had certainly made him mad!

Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Two "Blessed are the meek: For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: For they shall obtain mercy." Matt. 5:5-7 I. 1. When "the winter is past," when "the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land;" when He that comforts the mourners is now returned, "that he may abide with them for ever;" when, at the brightness of his presence, the clouds disperse, the dark clouds of doubt and uncertainty, the storms of fear flee away, the waves of sorrow subside, and their spirit again rejoiceth in God their Saviour; then is it that this word is eminently fulfilled; then those whom he hath comforted can bear witness, "Blessed," or happy, "are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." 2. But who are "the meek" Not those who grieve at nothing, because they know nothing; who are not discomposed at the evils that occur, because they discern not evil from good. Not those who are sheltered from the shocks of life by a stupid insensibility; who have, either by nature or art, the virtue of stocks and stones, and resent nothing, because they feel nothing. Brute philosophers are wholly unconcerned in this matter. Apathy is as far from meekness as from humanity. So that one would not easily conceive how any Christians of the purer ages, especially any of the Fathers of the Church, could confound these, and mistake one of the foulest errors of Heathenism for a branch of true Christianity. 3. Nor does Christian meekness imply, the being without zeal for God, any more than it does ignorance or insensibility. No; it keeps clear of every extreme, whether in excess or defect. It does not destroy but balance the affections, which the God of nature never designed should be rooted out by grace, but only brought and kept under due regulations. It poises the mind aright. It holds an even scale, with regard to anger, and sorrow, and fear; preserving the mean in every circumstance of life, and not declining either to the right hand or the left.

"Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee," -- on account of thy unkind behaviour toward him, of thy calling him "Raca," or, "Thou fool;" think not that thy gift will atone for thy anger; or that it will find any acceptance with God, so long as thy conscience is defiled with the guilt of unrepented sin. "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother," (at least do all that in thee lies toward being reconciled,) "and then come and offer thy gift." (Matt. 5:23, 24.) 11. And let there be no delay in what so nearly concerneth thy soul. "Agree with thine adversary quickly;" -- now; upon the spot; "whiles thou art in the way with him;" if it be possible, before he go out of thy sight; "lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge;" lest he appeal to God, the Judge of all; "and the judge deliver thee to the officer;" to Satan, the executioner of the wrath of God; "and thou be cast into prison;" into hell, there to be reserved to the judgment of the great day: "Verily, I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." But this it is impossible for thee ever to do; seeing thou hast nothing to pay. Therefore, if thou art once in that prison, the smoke of thy torment must "ascend up for ever and ever."

12. Meantime "the meek shall inherit the earth." Such is the foolishness of worldly wisdom! The wise of the world had warned them again and again, -- that if they did not resent such treatment, if they would tamely suffer themselves to be thus abused, there would be no living for them upon earth; that they would never be able to procure the common necessaries of life, nor to keep even what they had; that they could expect no peace, no quiet possession, no enjoyment of anything. Most true, -- suppose there were no God in the world; or, suppose he did not concern himself with the children of men: But, "when God ariseth to judgment, and to help all the meek upon earth," how doth he laugh all this heathen wisdom to scorn, and turn the "fierceness of man to his praise!" He takes a peculiar care to provide them with all things needful for life and godliness; he secures to them the provision he hath made, in spite of the force, fraud, or malice of men; and what he secures he gives them richly to enjoy. It is sweet to them, be it little or much. As in patience they possess their souls, so they truly possess whatever God hath given them. They are always content, always pleased with what they have: It pleases them because it pleases God: So that while their heart, their desire, their joy is in heaven, they may truly be said to "inherit the earth."

13. But there seems to be a yet farther meaning in these words, even that they shall have a more eminent part in "the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness;" in that inheritance, a general description of which (and the particulars we shall know hereafter) St. John has given in the twentieth chapter of the Revelation: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, -- and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, -- and bound him a thousand years. -- And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and of them which had not worshipped the Beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again, until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: On such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." [Rev. 20:1-6] II. 1. Our Lord has hitherto been more immediately employed in removing the hindrances of true religion: Such is pride, the first, grand hindrance of all religion, which is taken away by poverty of spirit; levity and thoughtlessness, which prevent any religion from taking root in the soul, till they are removed by holy mourning; such are anger, impatience, discontent, which are all healed by Christian meekness. And when once these hindrances are removed, these evil diseases of the soul, which were continually raising false cravings therein, and filling it with sickly appetites, the native appetite of a heaven-born spirit returns; it hungers and thirsts after righteousness: And "blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." 2. Righteousness, as was observed before, is the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus. It is every holy and heavenly temper in one; springing from, as well as terminating in, the love of God, as our Father and Redeemer, and the love of all men for his sake.

It is not improbable that our translators inserted that word, as it were, to excuse the Apostle; who, as they supposed, might otherwise appear to be wanting in the very love which he so beautifully describes. They seem to have supposed this from a phrase in the Acts of the Apostles; which is likewise very inaccurately translated. When Paul and Barnabas disagreed concerning John, the translation runs thus, "And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder." (Acts 15:39.) This naturally induces the reader to suppose, that they were equally sharp therein; that St. Paul, who was undoubtedly right, with regard to the point in question, (it being quite improper to take John with them again, who had deserted them before,) was as much provoked as Barnabas, who gave such a proof of his anger, as to leave the work for which he had been set apart by the Holy Ghost. But the original imports no such thing; nor does it affirm that St. Paul was provoked at all. It simply says, kai egeneto paroxusmos, -- "And there was a sharpness," a paroxysm of anger; in consequence of which Barnabas left St. Paul, took John, and went his own way. Paul then "chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God;" (which is not said concerning Barnabas;) "and he went through Syria and Cilicia," as he had proposed, "confirming the churches." [Acts 15:39-41] But to return.

He makes one only exception. Sometimes he is convinced that it is for the glory of God, or (which comes to the same) the good of his neighbour, that an evil should not be covered. In this case, for the benefit of the innocent, he is constrained to declare the guilty. But even here, (1.) He will not speak at all, till love, superior love, constrains him. (2.) He cannot do it from a general confused view of doing good, or promoting the glory of God, but from a clear sight of some particular end, some determinate good which he pursues. (3.) Still he cannot speak, unless he be fully convinced that this very means is necessary to that end; that the end cannot be answered, at least not so effectually, by any other way. (4.) He then doeth it with the utmost sorrow and reluctance; using it as the last and worst medicine, a desperate remedy in a desperate case, a kind of poison never to be used but to expel poison. Consequently, (5.) He uses it as sparingly as possible. And this he does with fear and trembling, lest he should transgress the law of love by speaking too much, more than he would have done by not speaking at all. 15. Love "believeth all things." It is always willing to think the best; to put the most favourable construction on everything. It is ever ready to believe whatever may tend to the advantage of any one's character. It is easily convinced of (what it earnestly desires) the innocence or integrity of any man; or, at least, of the sincerity of his repentance, if he had once erred from the way. It is glad to excuse whatever is amiss; to condemn the offender as little as possible; and to make all the allowance for human weakness which can be done without betraying the truth of God.

16. And when it can no longer believe, then love "hopeth all things." Is any evil related of any man Love hopes that the relation is not true, that the thing related was never done. Is it certain it was -- "But perhaps it was not done with such circumstances as are related; so that, allowing the fact, there is room to hope it was not so ill as it is represented." Was the action apparently undeniably evil Love hopes the intention was not so. Is it clear, the design was evil too -- "Yet might it not spring from the settled temper of the heart, but from a start of passion, or from some vehement temptation, which hurried the man beyond himself." And even when it cannot be doubted, but all the actions, designs, and tempers are equally evil; still love hopes that God will at last make bare his arm, and get himself the victory; and that there shall be "joy in heaven over" this "one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance." 17. Lastly. It "endureth all things." This completes the character of him that is truly merciful. He endureth not some, not many, things only; not most, but absolutely all things. Whatever the injustice, the malice, the cruelty of men can inflict, he is able to suffer. He calls nothing intolerable; he never says of anything, "This is not to be borne." No; he can not only do, but suffer, all things through Christ which strengtheneth him. And all he suffers does not destroy his love, nor impair it in the least. It is proof against all. It is a flame that burns even in the midst of the great deep. "Many waters cannot quench" his "love, neither can the floods drown it." It triumphs over all. It "never faileth," either in time or in eternity. In obedience to what heaven decrees, Knowledge shall fail, and prophecy shall cease; But lasting charity's more ample sway, Nor bound by time, nor subject to decay, In happy triumph shall for ever live, And endless good diffuse, and endless praise receive.

6. How much more does he rejoice, if he can do any good to the soul of any man! This power, indeed, belongeth unto God. It is He only that changes the heart, without which every other change is lighter than vanity. Nevertheless, it pleases Him who worketh all in all, to help man chiefly by man; to convey his own power, and blessing, and love, through one man to another. Therefore, although it be certain that "the help which is done upon earth, God doth it himself;" yet has no man need, on this account to stand idle in his vineyard. The peace-maker cannot: He is ever labouring therein, and, as an instrument in God's hand, preparing the ground for his Master's use, or sowing the seed of the kingdom, or watering what is already sown, if haply God may give the increase. According to the measure of grace which he has received, he uses all diligence, either to reprove the gross sinner, to reclaim those who run on headlong in the broad way of destruction; or "to give light to them that sit in darkness," and are ready to "perish for lack of knowledge;" or to "support the weak, to lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees;" or to bring back and heal that which was lame and turned out of the way. Nor is he less zealous to confirm those who are already striving to enter in at the strait gate; to strengthen those that stand, that they may "run with patience the race which is set before them;" to build up in their most holy faith those that know in whom they have believed; to exhort them to stir up the gift of God which is in them, that daily growing in grace, "an entrance may be ministered unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Perhaps the same observation may be made, with regard to the grand persecution in our own land. God had dealt very graciously with our nation. He had poured out various blessings upon us: He had given us peace abroad and at home; and a King, wise and good beyond his years: And, above all, he had caused the pure light of his gospel to arise and shine amongst us. But what return did he find "He looked for righteousness; but behold a cry!" -- a cry of oppression and wrong, of ambition and injustice, of malice, and fraud, and covetousness. Yea, the cry of those who even then expired in the flames entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. It was then God arose to maintain his own cause against those that held the truth in unrighteousness. Then he sold them into the hands of their persecutors, by a judgment mixed with mercy; an affliction to punish, and yet a medicine to heal, the grievous backslidings of his people. 6. But it is seldom God suffers the storm to rise so high as torture, or death, or bonds, or imprisonment. Whereas his children are frequently called to endure those lighter kinds of persecution; they frequently suffer the estrangement of kinsfolk, -- the loss of the friends that were as their own soul. They find the truth of their Lord's word (concerning the event, though not the design of his coming,) "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth I tell you, Nay; but rather division." (Luke 12:51.) And hence will naturally follow loss of business or employment, and consequently of substance. But all these circumstances likewise are under the wise direction of God, who allots to everyone what is most expedient for him.

12. Meantime, let no persecution turn you out of the way of lowliness and meekness, of love and beneficence. "Ye have heard" indeed "that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;" (Matt. 5:38;) and your miserable teachers have hence allowed you to avenge yourselves, to return evil for evil: "But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil:" -- Not thus; not by returning it in kind. "But, rather than do this, "whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." So invincible let thy meekness be. And be thy love suitable thereto. "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." Only give not away that which is another man's, that which is not thine own. Therefore, (1.) Take care to owe no man anything: For what thou owest is not thy own, but another man's. (2.) Provide for those of thine own household: This also God hath required of thee; and what is necessary to sustain them in life and godliness is also not thine own. Then, (3.) Give or lend all that remains, from day to day, or from year to year: Only, first, seeing thou canst not give or lend to all, remember the household of faith.

13. The meekness and love we are to feel, the kindness we are to show to them which persecute us for righteousness' sake, our blessed Lord describes farther in the following verses: O that they were graven upon our hearts! "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy:" (Matt. 5:43, &c.:) God indeed had said only the former part, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour;" the children of the devil had added the latter, "and hate thy enemy:" "But I say unto you," (1.) "Love your enemies:" See that you bear a tender good-will to those who are most bitter of spirit against you; who wish you all manner of evil. (2.) "Bless them that curse you." Are there any whose bitterness of spirit breaks forth in bitter words who are continually cursing and reproaching you when you are present, and "saying all evil against you" when absent So much the rather do you bless: In conversing with them use all mildness and softness of language. Reprove them, by repeating a better lesson before them; by showing them how they ought to have spoken. And, in speaking of them, say all the good you can, without violating the rules of truth and justice. (3.) "Do good to them that hate you:" Let your actions show, that you are as real in love as they in hatred. Return good for evil. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (4). If you can do nothing more, at least "pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." You can never be disabled from doing this; nor can all their malice or violence hinder you. Pour out your souls to God, not only for those who did this once, but now repent: -- This is a little thing: "If thy brother, seven times a day, turn and say unto thee, I repent;" (Luke 17:4) that is, if, after ever so many relapses, he give thee reason to believe that he is really and throughly changed; then thou shalt forgive him, so as to trust him, to put him in thy bosom, as if he had never sinned against thee at all: -- But pray for, wrestle with God for, those that do not repent, that now despitefully use thee and persecute thee.

Pour out your souls to God, not only for those who did this once, but now repent: -- This is a little thing: "If thy brother, seven times a day, turn and say unto thee, I repent;" (Luke 17:4) that is, if, after ever so many relapses, he give thee reason to believe that he is really and throughly changed; then thou shalt forgive him, so as to trust him, to put him in thy bosom, as if he had never sinned against thee at all: -- But pray for, wrestle with God for, those that do not repent, that now despitefully use thee and persecute thee. Thus far forgive them, "not until seven times only, but until seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:22.) Whether they repent or no, yea, though they appear farther and farther from it, yet show them this instance of kindness: "That ye may be the children," that ye may approve yourselves the genuine children, "of your Father which is in heaven;" who shows his goodness by giving such blessings as they are capable of, even to his stubbornest enemies; "who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye Do not even the Publicans the same" (Matt. 5:46;) -- who pretend to no religion; whom ye yourselves acknowledge to be without God in the world. "And if ye salute," show kindness in word or deed to "your brethren," your friends or kinsfolk, "only; what do ye more than others" -- than those who have no religion at all "Do not even the publicans so" (Matt. 5:47.) Nay, but follow ye a better pattern than them. In patience, in longsuffering, in mercy, in beneficence of every kind, to all, even to your bitterest persecutors; "be ye," Christians, "perfect," in kind, though not in degree, "even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.)

5. But has our Lord been wanting on his part Has he not sufficiently guarded us against this pleasing delusion Has he not armed us here with armour of proof against Satan "transformed into an angel of light" Yea, verily: He here defends, in the clearest and strongest manner, the active, patient religion he had just described. What can be fuller and plainer, than the words he immediately subjoins to what he had said of doing and suffering "Ye are the salt of the earth: But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." In order fully to explain and enforce these important words, I shall endeavour to show, First, that Christianity is essentially a social religion; and that to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it. Secondly, that to conceal this religion is impossible, as well as utterly contrary to the design of its Author. I shall, Thirdly, answer some objections; and conclude the whole with a practical application. I. 1. First, I shall endeavour to show, that Christianity is essentially a social religion; and that to turn it into a solitary religion, is indeed to destroy it. By Christianity I mean that method of worshipping God which is here revealed to man by Jesus Christ. When I say, This is essentially a social religion, I mean not only that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all, without society, -- without living and conversing with other men. And in showing this, I shall confine myself to those considerations which will arise from the very discourse before us. But if this be shown, then doubtless, to turn this religion into a solitary one is to destroy it.

Not that we can in any wise condemn the intermixing solitude or retirement with society. This is not only allowable but expedient; nay, it is necessary, as daily experience shows, for everyone that either already is, or desires to be, a real Christian. It can hardly be, that we should spend one entire day in a continued intercourse with men, without suffering loss in our soul, and in some measure grieving the Holy Spirit of God. We have need daily to retire from the world, at least morning and evening, to converse with God, to commune more freely with our Father which is in secret. Nor indeed can a man of experience condemn even longer seasons of religious retirement, so they do not imply any neglect of the worldly employ wherein the providence of God has placed us. 2. Yet such retirement must not swallow up all our time; this would be to destroy, not advance, true religion. For, that the religion described by our Lord in the foregoing words cannot subsist without society, without our living and conversing with other men, is manifest from hence, that several of the most essential branches thereof can have no place if we have no intercourse with the world. 3. There is no disposition, for instance, which is more essential to Christianity than meekness. Now although this, as it implies resignation to God, or patience in pain and sickness, may subsist in a desert, in a hermit's cell, in total solitude; yet as it implies (which it no less necessarily does) mildness, gentleness, and long-suffering, it cannot possibly have a being, it has no place under heaven, without an intercourse with other men. So that to attempt turning this into a solitary virtue is to destroy it from the face of the earth.

6. Much more the words of our Lord; who is so far from directing us to break off all commerce with the world, that without it, according to his account of Christianity, we cannot be Christians at all. It would be easy to show, that some intercourse even with ungodly and unholy men is absolutely needful, in order to the full exertion of every temper which he has described as the way of the kingdom; that it is indispensably necessary, in order to the complete exercise of poverty of spirit, of mourning, and of every other disposition which has a place here, in the genuine religion of Jesus Christ. Yea, it is necessary to the very being of several of them; of that meekness, for example, which, instead of demanding "an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth," doth "not resist evil," but causes us rather, when smitten "on the right cheek, to turn the other also;" -- of that mercifulness, whereby "we love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us;" -- and of that complication of love and all holy tempers which is exercised in suffering for righteousness' sake. Now all these, it is clear, could have no being, were we to have no commerce with any but real Christians.

9. Toward those who have never tasted of the good word, God is indeed pitiful and of tender mercy. But justice takes place with regard to those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and have afterwards turned back "from the holy commandment" then "delivered to them." "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened;" (Heb. 6:4, &c;) in whose hearts God had once shined, to enlighten them with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; "who have tasted of the heavenly gift" of redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of sins; "and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," of lowliness, of meekness, and of the love of God and man shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost which was given unto them; and "have fallen away," -- kai parapesontas -- (here is not a supposition, but a flat declaration of matter of fact) "to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." But that none may misunderstand these awful words, it should be carefully observed, (1.) Who they are that are here spoken of; namely they, and they only, who were once thus "enlightened;" they only, "who did taste of" that "heavenly gift, and were" thus "'made partakers of the Holy Ghost." So that all who have not experienced these things are wholly unconcerned in this Scripture. (2.) What that falling away is which is, here spoken of: It is an absolute, total apostasy. A believer may fall, and not fall away. He may fall and rise again. And if he should fall, even into sin, yet this case, dreadful as it is, is not desperate. For "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins." But let him above all things beware, lest his "heart be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin;" lest he should sink lower and lower, till he wholly fall away, till he become as salt that hath lost its savour: For if we thus sin wilfully, after we have received the experimental "knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain, fearful looking for of fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

8. "We have tried; we have laboured to reform sinners; and what did it avail On many we could make no impression at all. And if some were changed for a while, yet their goodness was but as the morning dew, and they were soon as bad, nay, worse than ever: So that we only hurt them, and ourselves too; for our minds were hurried and discomposed, -- perhaps filled with anger instead of love: Therefore, we had better have kept our religion to ourselves." It is very possible this fact also may be true; that you have tried to do good, and have not succeeded; yea, that those who seemed reformed, relapsed into sin, and their last state was worse than the first. And what marvel Is the servant above his master But how often did He strive to save sinners, and they would not hear; or when they had followed him awhile, they turned back as a dog to his vomit! But he did not therefore desist from striving to do good: No more should you, whatever your success be. It is your part to do as you are commanded: The event is in the hand of God. You are not accountable for this. Leave it to him, who orders all things well. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper." (Eccles. 11:6) But the trial hurries and frets your own soul. Perhaps it did so for this very reason, because you thought you was accountable for the event, which no man is, nor indeed can be; -- or perhaps, because you was off your guard; you was not watchful over your own spirit. But this is no reason for disobeying God. Try again; but try more warily than before. Do good (as you forgive) "not seven times only, but until seventy times seven." Only be wiser by experience: Attempt it every time more cautiously than before. Be more humbled before God, more deeply convinced that of yourself you can do nothing. Be more jealous over your own spirit; more gentle, and watchful unto prayer. Thus "cast your bread upon the waters, and you shall find it again after many days."

3. Be this your one ultimate end in all things. With this view, be plain, open, undisguised. Let your love be without dissimulation: Why should you hide fair, disinterested love Let there be no guile found in your mouth: Let your words be the genuine picture of your heart. Let there be no darkness or reservedness in your conversation, no disguise in your behaviour. Leave this to those who have other designs in view; designs which will not bear the light. Be ye artless and simple to all mankind; that all may see the grace of God which is in you. And although some will harden their hearts, yet others will take knowledge that ye have been with Jesus, and, by returning themselves `to the great Bishop of their souls, "glorify your Father which is in heaven." 4. With this one design, that men may glorify God in you, go on in his name, and in the power of his might. Be not ashamed even to stand alone, so it be in the ways of God. Let the light which is in your heart shine in all good works both works of piety and works of mercy. And in order to enlarge your ability of doing good, renounce all superfluities. Cut off all unnecessary expense in food, in furniture, in apparel. Be a good steward of every gift of God, even of these his lowest gifts. Cut off all unnecessary expense of time, all needless or useless employments; and "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." In a word, be thou full of faith and love; do good; suffer evil. And herein be thou "steadfast, unmovable;" yea, "always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as thou knowest that thy labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Thirdly. Fall not short of a Pharisee in doing good. Give alms of all thou dost possess. Is any hungry Feed him. Is he athirst Give him drink. Naked Cover him with a garment. If thou hast this world's goods, do not limit thy beneficence to a scanty proportion. Be merciful to the uttermost of thy power. Why not, even as this Pharisee Now "make thyself friends," while the time is, "of the mammon of unrighteousness," that when thou failest," when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, "they may receive thee into everlasting habitations." 13. But rest not here. Let thy "righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees." Be not thou content to "keep the whole law, and offend in one point." Hold thou fast all His commandments, and all "false ways do thou utterly abhor." Do all the things whatsoever He hath commanded, and that with all thy might. Thou canst do all things through Christ strengthening thee; though without Him thou canst do nothing. Above all, let thy righteousness exceed theirs in the purity and spirituality of it. What is the exactest form of religion to thee the most perfect outside righteousness Go thou higher and deeper than all this! Let thy religion be the religion of the heart. Be thou poor in spirit; little, and base, and mean, and vile in thy own eyes; amazed and humbled to the dust at the "love of God which is in Christ Jesus thy Lord! Be serious: Let the whole stream of thy thoughts, words, and works, be such as flows from the deepest conviction that thou standest on the edge of the great gulf, thou and all the children of men, just ready to drop in, either into everlasting glory, or everlasting burnings! Be meek: Let thy soul be filled with mildness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering toward all men; at the same time that all which is in thee is athirst for God, the living God, longing to awake up after his likeness, and to be satisfied with it. Be thou a lover of God, and of all mankind. In this spirit, do and suffer all things. Thus "exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," and thou shalt be "called great in the kingdom of heaven."

8. "Thy kingdom come." -- This has a close connexion with the preceding petition. In order that the name of God might be hallowed, we pray that his kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, may come. This kingdom then comes to a particular person, when he "repents and believes the gospel;" when he is taught of God, not only to know himself, but to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. As "this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent;" so it is the kingdom of God begun below, set up in the believer's heart; "the Lord God Omnipotent" then "reigneth," when he is known through Christ Jesus. He taketh unto himself his mighty power, that he may subdue all things unto himself. He goeth on in the soul conquering and to conquer, till he hath put all things under his feet, till "every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." When therefore God shall "give his Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession;" when "all kingdoms shall bow before him, and all nations shall do him service;" when "the mountain of the Lord's house," the Church of Christ, "shall be established in the top of the mountains;" when "the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved;" then shall it be seen, that "the Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel," appearing to every soul of man as King of kings, and Lord of lords. And it is meet for all those who love his appearing, to pray that he would hasten the time; that this his kingdom, the kingdom of grace, may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth; that all mankind, receiving him for their King, truly believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy, with holiness and happiness, -- till they are removed hence into his heavenly kingdom, there to reign with him for ever and ever.

3. As to the degrees or measures of fasting, we have instances of some who have fasted several days together. So Moses, Elijah, and our blessed Lord, being endued with supernatural strength for that purpose, are recorded to have fasted, without intermission, "forty days and forty nights." But the time of fasting, more frequently mentioned in Scripture, is one day, from morning till evening. And this was the fast commonly observed among the ancient Christians. But beside these, they had also their half-fasts (Semijejunia, as Tertullian styles them) on the fourth and sixth days of the week, (Wednesday and Friday,) throughout the year; on which they took no sustenance till three in the afternoon, the time when they returned from the public service. 4. Nearly related to this, is what our Church seems peculiarly to mean by the term abstinence; which may be used when we cannot fast entirely, by reason of sickness or bodily weakness. This is the eating little; the abstaining in part; the taking a smaller quantity of food than usual. I do not remember any scriptural instance of this. But neither can I condemn it; for the Scripture does not. It may have its use, and receive a blessing from God. 5. The lowest kind of fasting, if it can be called by that name, is the abstaining from pleasant food. Of this, we have several instances in Scripture, besides that of Daniel and his brethren, who from a peculiar consideration, namely, that they might "not defile themselves with the portion of the King's meat, nor with the wine which he drank," (a daily provision of which the King had appointed for them,) requested and obtained, of the prince of the eunuchs, pulse to eat and water to drink. (Daniel 1:8, &c.) Perhaps from a mistaken imitation of this might spring the very ancient custom of abstaining from flesh and wine during such times as were set apart for fasting and abstinence; -- if it did not rather arise from a supposition that these were the most pleasant food, and a belief that it was proper to use what was least pleasing at those times of solemn approach to God.

2. Here, then, is the natural ground of fasting. One who is under deep affliction, overwhelmed with sorrow for sin, and a strong apprehension of the wrath of God, would, without any rule, without knowing or considering whether it were a command of God or not, "forget to eat his bread," abstain not only from pleasant but even from needful food; -- like St. Paul, who, after he was led into Damascus, "was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink." (Acts 9:9.) Yea, when the storm rose high; "when an horrible dread overwhelmed" one who had been without God in the world, his soul would "loathe all manner of meat;" it would be unpleasing and irksome to him; he would be impatient of anything that should interrupt his ceaseless cry, "Lord, save or I perish." How strongly is this expressed by our Church in the first part of the Homily on Fasting! -- "When men feel in themselves the heavy burden of sin, see damnation to be the reward of it, and behold, with the eye of their mind, the horror of hell, they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto him for mercy. This being done seriously, their mind is so occupied, [taken up,] partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart, and loathsomeness [or loathing] of all worldly things and pleasure cometh in place. So that nothing then liketh them more than to weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behaviour of body to show themselves weary of life."

5. Perhaps we need not altogether omit (although I know not if we should do well to lay any great stress upon it) another reason for fasting, which some good men have largely insisted on; namely, the punishing themselves for having abused the good gifts of God, by sometimes wholly refraining from them; thus exercising a kind of holy revenge upon themselves, for their past folly and ingratitude, in turning the things which should have been for their health into an occasion of falling. They suppose David to have had an eye to this, when he said, "I wept and chastened," or punished, "my soul with fasting;" and St. Paul, when he mentions "what revenge" godly sorrow occasioned in the Corinthians. 6. A Fifth and more weighty reason for fasting is, that it is an help to prayer; particularly when we set apart larger portions of time for private prayer. Then especially it is that God is often pleased to lift up the souls of his servants above all the things of earth, and sometimes to rap them up, as it were, into the third heavens. And it is chiefly, as it is an help to prayer, that it has so frequently been found a means, in the hand of God, of confirming and increasing, not one virtue, not chastity only, (as some have idly imagined, without any ground either from Scripture, reason, or experience,) but also seriousness of spirit, earnestness, sensibility and tenderness of conscience, deadness to the world, and consequently the love of God, and every holy and heavenly affection. 7. Not that there is any natural or necessary connexion between fasting, and the blessings God conveys thereby. But he will have mercy as he will have mercy; he will convey whatsoever seemeth him good by whatsoever means he is pleased to appoint. And he hath, in all ages, appointed this to be a means of averting his wrath, and obtaining whatever blessings we, from time to time, stand in need of.

How powerful a means this is to avert the wrath of God, we may learn from the remarkable instance of Ahab. "There was none like him who did sell himself" -- wholly give himself up, like a slave bought with money -- "to work wickedness." Yet when he "rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and went softly, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days." It was for this end, to avert the wrath of God, that Daniel sought God "with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." This appears from the whole tenor of his prayer, particularly from the solemn conclusion of it: "O Lord, according to all thy righteousness," or mercies, "let thy anger be turned away from thy holy mountain. -- Hear the prayer of thy servant, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate. -- O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do, for thine own sake." (Dan. 9:3, 16, &c.)

8. But it is not only from the people of God that we learn, when his anger is moved, to seek him by fasting and prayer; but even from the Heathens. When Jonah had declared, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown," the people of Nineveh proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them unto the least. "For the King of Nineveh arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: Let them not feed, nor drink water:" (Not that the beast had sinned, or could repent; but that, by their example, man might be admonished, considering that, for his sin, the anger of God was hanging over all creatures:) "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not" And their labour was not in vain. The fierce anger of God was turned away from them. "God saw their works;" (the fruits of that repentance and faith which he had wrought in them by his Prophet;) "and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them; and he did it not." (Jonah 3:4, &c.)

9. And it is a means not only of turning away the wrath of God, but also of obtaining whatever blessings we stand in need of. So, when the other tribes were smitten before the Benjamites, "all the children of Israel went up unto the house of God, and wept, and fasted that day until even;" and then the Lord said, "Go up" again; "for to-morrow I will deliver them into thine hand." (Judges 20:26, &c.) So Samuel gathered all Israel together, when they were in bondage to the Philistines, "and they fasted on that day" before the Lord: And when "the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel, the Lord thundered" upon them "with a great thunder, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel." (1 Sam. 7:6.) So Ezra: "I proclaimed a fast at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones; and he was entreated of us." (Ezra 8:21.) So Nehemiah: I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, and said, Prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man:" And God granted him mercy in the sight of the king. (Neh. 1:4-11) 10. In like manner, the apostles always joined fasting with prayer when they desired the blessing of God on any important undertaking. Thus we read, (Acts 13.,) "There were in the church that was at Antioch certain Prophets and Teachers: As they ministered to the Lord and fasted," doubtless for direction in this very affair, "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had" a second time "fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." (Acts 13:1-3.) Thus also Paul and Barnabas themselves, as we read in the following chapter, when they "returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and when they had ordained them Elders in every Church, and had prayed with fasting, commended them to the Lord." (Acts 14:23.)

Yea, that blessings are to be obtained in the use of this means, which are no otherwise attainable, our Lord expressly declares in his answer to his disciples, asking, "Why could not we cast him out Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind" of devils "goeth not out but by prayer and fasting:" (Matt. 17:19, &c.:) -- These being the appointed means of attaining that faith whereby the very devils are subject unto you. 11. These were the appointed means: For it was not merely by the light of reason, or of natural conscience, as it is called, that the people of God have been, in all ages, directed to use fasting as a means to these ends; but they have been, from time to time, taught it of God himself, by clear and open revelations of his will. Such is that remarkable one by the Prophet Joel: "Therefore saith the Lord, Turn you to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: -- Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: -- Then will the Lord be jealous over his land, and will pity his people. Yea, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil: -- I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen." (Joel 2.12. &c.)

Let us beware of mocking God, of turning our fast, as well as our prayers, into an abomination unto the Lord, by the mixture of any temporal view, particularly by seeking the praise of men. Against this our blessed Lord more peculiarly guards us in the words of the text. "Moreover when ye fast, be ye not as the hypocrites:" -- Such were too many who were called the people of God; "of a sad countenance;" sour, affectedly sad, putting their looks into a peculiar form. "For they disfigure their faces," not only by unnatural distortions, but also by covering them with dust and ashes; "that they may appear unto men to fast;" this is their chief, if not only design. "Verily, I say unto you, They have their reward;" even the admiration and praise of men. "But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face:" Do as thou art accustomed to do at other times; "that thou appear not unto men to fast;" -- let this be no part of thy intention; if they know it without any desire of thine, it matters not, thou art neither the better nor the worse; -- "but unto thy Father which is in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." 2. But, if we desire this reward, let us beware, Secondly of fancying we merit anything of God by our fasting. We cannot be too often warned of this; inasmuch as a desire to "establish our own righteousness," to procure salvation of debt and not of grace, is so deeply rooted in all our hearts. Fasting is only a way which God hath ordained, wherein we wait for his unmerited mercy; and wherein, without any desert of ours, he hath promised freely to give us his blessing.

5. But let us take care to afflict our souls as well as our bodies. Let every season, either of public or private fasting, be a season of exercising all those holy affections which are implied in a broken and contrite heart. Let it be a season of devout mourning, of godly sorrow for sin; such a sorrow as that of the Corinthians, concerning which the Apostle saith, "I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance. For ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow" -- h kata qeon luph, -- the sorrow which is according to God, which is a precious gift of his Spirit, lifting the soul to God from whom it flows -- "worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of." Yea, and let our sorrowing after a godly sort work in us the same inward and outward repentance; the same entire change of heart, renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness; and the same change of life, till we are holy as He is holy, in all manner of conversation. Let it work in us the same carefulness to be found in him, without spot and blameless; the same clearing of ourselves, by our lives rather than words, by our abstaining from all appearance of evil; the same indignation, vehement abhorrence of every sin; the same fear of our own deceitful hearts; the same desire to be in all things conformed to the holy and acceptable will of God; the same zeal for whatever may be a means of his glory, and of our growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the same revenge against Satan and all his works, against all filthiness both of flesh and Spirit. (2 Cor. 7:9, &c.)

With regard to most of the commandments of God, whether relating to the heart or life, the Heathens of Africa or America stand much on a level with those that are called Christians. The Christians observe them (a few only being excepted) very near as much as the Heathens. For instance: the generality of the natives of England, commonly called Christians, are as sober and as temperate as the generality of the heathens near the Cape of Good Hope. And so the Dutch or French Christians are as humble and as chaste as the Choctaw or Cherokee Indians. It is not easy to say, when we compare the bulk of the nations in Europe with those in America, whether the superiority lies on the one side or the other. At least the American has not much the advantage. But we cannot affirm this with regard to the command now before us. Here the heathen has far the pre-eminence. He desires and seeks nothing more than plain food to eat and plain raiment to put on. And he seeks this only from day to day. He reserves, he lays up nothing; unless it be as much corn at one season of the year as he will need before that season returns. This command, therefore, the heathens, though they know it not, do constantly and punctually observe. They "lay up for themselves no treasures upon earth;" no stores of purple or fine linen, of gold or silver, which either "moth or rust may corrupt", or "thieves break through and steal." But how do the Christians observe what they profess to receive as a command of the most high God Not at all! not in any degree; no more than if no such command had ever been given to man. Even the good Christians, as they are accounted by others as well as themselves, pay no manner of regard thereto. It might as well be still hid in its original Greek for any notice they take of it.

The cautiousness with which the Apostle here speaks is highly observable. He does not affirm this absolutely of the rich: For a man may possibly be rich, without any fault of his, by an overruling Providence, preventing his own choice: But he affirms it of oi boulomenoi plourein, those who desire or seek to be rich. Riches, dangerous as they are, do not always "drown men in destruction and perdition;" but the desire of riches does: those who calmly desire and deliberately seek to attain them, whether they do, in fact, gain the world or no, do infallibly lose their own souls. These are they that sell him who bought them with his blood, for a few pieces of gold or silver. These enter into a covenant with death and hell; and their covenant shall stand. For they are daily making themselves meet to partake of their inheritance with the devil and his angels! 16. O who shall warn this generation of vipers to flee from the wrath to come! Not those who lie at their gate, or cringe at their feet, desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fall from their tables. Not those who court their favour or fear their frown: none of those who mind earthly things. But if there be a Christian upon earth, if there be a man who hath overcome the world, who desires nothing but God, and fears none but him that is able to destroy both body and soul in hell; thou, O man of God, speak and spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet! Cry aloud, and show these honourable sinners the desperate condition wherein they stand! It may be, one in a thousand may have ears to hear, may arise and shake himself from the dust; may break loose from these chains that bind him to the earth, and at length lay up treasures in heaven.

19. But there is at hand a greater trouble than all these. Thou art to die! Thou art to sink into dust; to return to the ground from which thou wast taken, to mix with common clay. Thy body is to go to the earth as it was, while thy spirit returns to God that gave it. And the time draws on: the years slide away with a swift though silent pace. Perhaps your day is far spent: the noon of life is past, and the evening shadows begin to rest upon you. You feel in yourself sure approaching decay. The springs of life wear away apace. Now what help is there in your riches Do they sweeten death Do they endear that solemn hour Quite the reverse. "O death, how bitter art thou to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions!" How unacceptable to him is that awful sentence, "This night shall thy soul be required of thee!" -- Or will they prevent the unwelcome stroke, or protract the dreadful hour Can they deliver your soul that it should not see death Can they restore the years that are past Can they add to your appointed time a month, a day, an hour, a moment -- Or will the good things you have chosen for your portion here follow you over the great gulf Not so. Naked came you into this world; naked must you return. Linquenda tellus, et domus, et placens Uxor; neque harum quas colis, arborum, Te, praeter invisam cupressos, Ulla brevem dominum sequetur! [The following is Boscawen's translation of these verses from Horace: Thy lands, thy dome, thy pleasing wife, These must thou quit; 'tis nature's doom. No tree, whose culture charms thy life, Save the sad cypress, waits thy tomb. -- Edit.] Surely, were not these truths too plain to be observed, because they are too plain to be denied, no man that is to die could possibly trust for help in uncertain riches.

22. Thirdly, seek not to increase in goods. "Lay not up for" thyself "treasures upon earth." This is a flat, positive command; full as clear as "Thou shalt not commit adultery." How then is it possible for a rich man to grow richer without denying the Lord that bought him Yea, how can any man who has already the necessaries of life gain or aim at more, and be guiltless "Lay not up," saith our Lord, "treasures upon earth." If, in spite of this, you do and will lay up money or goods, which "moth or rust may corrupt, or thieves break through and steal;" if you will add house to house, or field to field, -- why do you call yourself a Christian You do not obey Jesus Christ. You do not design it. Why do you name yourself by his name "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord," saith he himself, "and do not the things which I say" 23. If you ask, "But what must we do with our goods, seeing we have more than we have occasion to use, if we must not lay them up Must we throw them away" I answer: If you threw them into the sea, if you were to cast them into the fire and consume them, they would be better bestowed than they are now. You cannot find so mischievous a manner of throwing them away as either the laying them up for your posterity or the laying them out upon yourselves in folly and superfluity. Of all possible methods of throwing them away, these two are the very worst; the most opposite to the gospel of Christ, and the most pernicious to your own soul. How pernicious to your own soul the latter of these is has been excellently shown by a late writer: -- "If we waste our money we are not only guilty of wasting a talent which God has given us, but we do ourselves this farther harm, we turn this useful talent into a powerful means of corrupting ourselves; because so far as it is spent wrong, so far it is spent in the support of some wrong temper, in gratifying some vain and unreasonable desires, which as Christians we are obliged to renounce.

"As wit and fine parts cannot be only trifled away, but will expose those that have them to greater follies, so money cannot be only trifled away, but if it is not used according to reason and religion, will make people live a more silly and extravagant life than they would have done without it. If therefore you don't spend your money in doing good to others, you must spend it to the hurt of yourself. You act like one that refuses the cordial to his sick friend which he cannot drink himself without inflaming his blood. For this is the case of superfluous money, if you give it to those who want it is a cordial; if you spend it upon yourself in something that you do not want it only inflames and disorders your mind. "In using riches where they have no real use, nor we any real want, we only use them to our great hurt, in creating unreasonable desires, in nourishing ill tempers, in indulging in foolish passions, and supporting a vain turn of mind. For high eating and drinking, fine clothes and fine houses, state and equipage, gay pleasures and diversions, do all of them naturally hurt and disorder our heart. They are the food and nourishment of all the folly and weakness of our nature. They are all of them the support of something that ought not to be supported. They are contrary to that sobriety and piety of heart which relishes divine things. They are so many weights upon our mind, that makes us less able and less inclined to raise our thoughts and affections to things above. "So that money thus spent is not merely wasted or lost, but it is spent to bad purposes and miserable effects; to the corruption and disorder of our hearts; to the making us unable to follow the sublime doctrines of the gospel. It is but like keeping money from the poor to buy poison for ourselves." 24. Equally inexcusable are those who lay up what they do not need for any reasonable purposes: --

9. The serving mammon implies, Secondly, loving the world; desiring it for its own sake; the placing our joy in the things thereof, and setting our hearts upon them; the seeking (what indeed it is impossible we should find) our happiness therein; the resting with the whole weight of our souls, upon the staff of this broken reed, although daily experience shows it cannot support, but will only "enter into our hand and pierce it." 10. To resemble, to be conformed to the world, is a Third thing we are to understand by serving mammon; to have not only designs, but desires, tempers, affections, suitable to those of the world; to be of an earthly, sensual mind, chained down to the things of earth; to be self-willed, inordinate lovers of ourselves; to think highly of our own attainments; to desire and delight in the praise of men; to fear, shun, and abhor reproach; to be impatient of reproof, easy to be provoked, and swift to return evil for evil. 11. To serve mammon is, Lastly, to obey the world, by outwardly conforming to its maxims and customs; to walk as other men walk, in the common road, in the broad, smooth, beaten path; to be in the fashion; to follow a multitude; to do like the rest of our neighbours; that is, to do the will of the flesh and the mind, to gratify our appetites and inclinations; to sacrifice to ourselves; aim at our own ease and pleasure, in the general course both of our words and actions. Now what can be more undeniably clear than that we cannot thus serve God and mammon

12. Does not every man see, that he cannot comfortably serve both That to trim between God and the world is the sure way to be disappointed in both, and to have no rest either in one or the other How uncomfortable a condition must he be in, who, having the fear but not the love of God, -- who, serving him, but not with all his heart, -- has only the toils and not the joys of religion He has religion enough to make him miserable, but not enough to make him happy: His religion will not let him enjoy the world, and the world will not let him enjoy God. So that, by halting between both, he loses both; and has no peace either in God or the world. 13. Does not every man see, that he cannot serve both consistently with himself What more glaring inconsistency can be conceived, than must continually appear in his whole behavior, who is endeavoring to obey both these masters, -- striving to "serve God and mammon" He is indeed a "sinner that goeth two ways;" one step forward and another backward. He is continually building up with one hand, and pulling down with the other. He loves sin, and he hates it: He is always seeking, and yet always fleeing from, God. He would, and he would not. He is not the same man for one day; no, not for an hour together. He is a motley mixture of all sorts of contrarieties; a heap of contradictions jumbled in one. O be consistent with thyself one way or the other! Turn to the right hand or to the left. If mammon be God, serve thou him; if the Lord, then serve him. But never think of serving either at all, unless it be with thy whole heart.

18. "Take no thought" of this kind, no uneasy thought, even "for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment" If then God gave you life, the greater gift, will he not give you food to sustain it If he hath given you the body, how can ye doubt but he will give you raiment to cover it More especially, if you give yourselves up to him, and serve him with your whole heart. "Behold," see before your eyes, "the fowls of the air: For they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;" and yet they lack nothing; "yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they" Ye that are creatures capable of God, are ye not of more account in the eyes of God of a higher rank in the scale of beings "And which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature" What profit have you then from this anxious thought It is every way fruitless and unavailing. "And why take ye thought for raiment" Have ye not a daily reproof wherever you turn your eyes "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven," (is cut down, burned up, and seen no more,) "shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith" you, whom he made to endure for ever and ever, to be pictures of his own eternity! Ye are indeed of little faith; otherwise ye could not doubt of his love and care; no, not for a moment.

28. "Let the morrow," therefore, "take thought for the things of itself;" that is, when the morrow comes, then think of it. Live thou to-day. Be it thy earnest care to improve the present hour. This is your own; and it is your all. The past is as nothing, as though it had never been. The future is nothing to you. It is not yours; perhaps it never will be. There is no depending on what is yet to come; for you "know not what a day may bring forth." Therefore, live to-day: Lose not an hour: Use this moment; for it is your portion. "Who knoweth the things which have been before him, or which shall be after him under the sun" The generations that were from the beginning of the world, where are they now Fled away: Forgotten. They were; they lived their day; they were shook off of the earth, as leaves off of their trees: They mouldered away into common dust! Another and another race succeeded; then they "followed the generation of their fathers, and shall never more see the light." Now is thy turn upon the earth. "Rejoice, O young man, in the days of thy youth! Enjoy the very, very now, by enjoying Him "whose years fail not." Now let thine eye be singly fixed on Him in "whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning!" Now give Him thy heart; now stay thyself on Him: Now be thou holy, as he is holy. Now lay hold on the blessed opportunity of doing his acceptable and perfect will! Now rejoice to "suffer the loss of all things," so thou mayest "win Christ!"

Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Ten "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone Or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." Matt. 7:1-12. 1. Our blessed Lord, having now finished his main design, having first delivered the sum of true religion, carefully guarded against those glosses of men whereby they would make the Word of God of none effect; and having, next, laid down rules touching that right intention which we are to preserve in all our outward actions, now proceeds to point out the main hindrances of this religion, and concludes all with a suitable application.

5. There is no station of life, nor any period of time, from the hour of our first repenting and believing the gospel till we are made perfect in love, wherein this caution is not needful for every child of God. For occasions of judging can never be wanting. And the temptations to it are innumerable; many whereof are so artfully disguised that we fall into the sin before we suspect any danger. And unspeakable are the mischiefs produced hereby, -- always to him that judges another, thus wounding his own soul, and exposing himself to the righteous judgment of God; -- and frequently to those who are judged, whose hands hang down, who are weakened and hindered in their course, if not wholly turned out of the way, and caused to turn back even to perdition. Yea, how often when this "root of bitterness springs up," are "many defiled thereby;" by reason whereof the way of truth itself is evil spoken of, and that worthy name blasphemed whereby we are called! 6. Yet it does not appear that our Lord designed this caution only, or chiefly, for the children of God; but rather for the children of the world, for the men who know not God. These cannot but hear of those who are not of the world; who follow after the religion above described; who endeavour to be humble, serious, gentle, merciful, and pure in heart; who earnestly desire such measures of these holy tempers as they have not yet attained, and wait for them in doing all good to all men, and patiently suffering evil. Whoever go but thus far cannot be hid, no more than "a city set upon a hill." And why do not those who 'see" their "good works glorify their Father which is in heaven" What excuse have they for not treading in their steps -- for not imitating their example and being followers of them, as they are also of Christ Why, in order to provide an excuse for themselves, they condemn those whom they ought to imitate. They spend their time in finding out their neighbour's faults, instead of amending their own. They are so busied about others going out of the way, that themselves never come into it at all; at least, never get forward, never go beyond a poor dead form of godliness without the power.

Only use the world, but enjoy God. Seek all thy happiness in him! Above all, cast out the grand beam, that supine carelessness and indifference! Deeply consider, that "one thing is needful;" the one thing which thou hast scarce ever thought of. Know and feel, that thou art a poor, vile, guilty worm, quivering over the great gulf! What art thou A sinner born to die; a leaf driven before the wind; a vapour ready to vanish away, just appearing, and then scattered into air, to be no more seen! See this! "And then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Then, if thou hast leisure from the concerns of thy own soul, thou shalt know how to correct thy brother also. 8. But what is properly the meaning of this word, "Judge not" What is the judging which is here forbidden It is not the same as evil-speaking, although it is frequently joined therewith. Evil-speaking is the relating anything that is evil concerning an absent person; whereas judging may indifferently refer either to the absent or the present. Neither does it necessarily imply the speaking at all, but only the thinking evil of another. Not that all kind of thinking evil of others is that judging which our Lord condemns. If I see one commit robbery or murder, or hear him blaspheme the name of God, I cannot refrain from thinking ill of the robber or murderer. Yet this is not evil judging: There is no sin in this, nor anything contrary to tender affection.

9. The thinking of another in a manner that is contrary to love is that judging which is here condemned; and this maybe of various kinds. For, First, we may think another to blame when he is not. We may lay to his charge (at least in our own mind) the things of which he is not guilty; the words which he has never spoke, or the actions which he has never done. Or we may think his manner of acting was wrong, although in reality it was not. And even where nothing can justly be blamed, either in the thing itself or in the manner of doing it, we may suppose his intention was not good, and so condemn him on that ground, at the same time that he who searches the heart sees his simplicity and godly sincerity. 10. But we may not only fall into the sin of judging by condemning the innocent; but also, Secondly, by condemning the guilty to a higher degree than he deserves. This species of judging is likewise an offence against justice as well as mercy; and yet such an offence as nothing can secure us from but the strongest and tenderest affection. Without this we readily suppose one who is acknowledged to be in fault to be more in fault than he really is. We undervalue whatever good is found in him. Nay, we are not easily induced to believe that anything good can remain in him in whom we have found anything that is evil. 11. All this shows a manifest want of that love which ou logizetai kakon, -- thinketh no evil; which never draws an unjust or unkind conclusion from any premises whatsoever. Love will not infer from a person's falling once into an act of open sin that he is accustomed so to do, that he is habitually guilty of it: And if he was habitually guilty once, love does not conclude he is so still, much less, that if he is now guilty of this, therefore he is guilty of other sins also. These evil reasonings all pertain to that sinful judging which our Lord here guards us against; and which we are in the highest degree concerned to avoid, if we love either God or our own souls.

15. But supposing thou hast by the grace of God "cast the beam out of thine own eye," and dost now "clearly see the mote or the beam which is in thy brother's eye," yet beware thou dost not receive hurt thyself by endeavouring to help him. Still "give not that which is holy unto dogs." Do not lightly account any to be of this number; but if it evidently appear that they deserve the title, then "cast ye not your pearls before swine." Beware of that zeal which is not according to knowledge. For this is another great hindrance in their way who would be "perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect." They who desire this cannot but desire that all mankind should partake of the common blessing. And when we ourselves first partake of the heavenly gift, the divine "evidence of things not seen," we wonder that all mankind do not see the things which we see so plainly; and make no doubt at all but we shall open the eyes of all we have any intercourse with. Hence we are for attacking all we meet without delay, and constraining them to see, whether they will or no. And by the ill success of this intemperate zeal, we often suffer in our own souls. To prevent this spending our strength in vain our Lord adds this needful caution (needful to all, but more especially to those who are now warm in their first love,) "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under foot, and turn again and rend you."

17. "Neither cast ye your pearls before swine." Be very unwilling to pass this judgment on any man. But if the fact be plain and undeniable, if it is clear beyond all dispute, if the swine do not endeavour to disguise themselves, but rather glory in their shame, making no pretence to purity either of heart or life, but working all uncleanness with greediness; then "cast" not ye your pearls before them. Talk not to them of the mysteries of the kingdom; of the things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; which of consequence, as they have no other inlets of knowledge, no spiritual senses, it cannot enter into their hearts to conceive. Tell not them of the "exceeding great and precious promises" which God hath given us in the Son of his love. What conception can they have of being made partakers of the divine nature, who do not even desire to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust Just as much knowledge as swine have of pearls, and as much relish as they have for them, so much relish have they for the deep things of God, so much knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel, who are immersed in the mire of this world, in worldly pleasures, desires, and cares. O cast not those pearls before these, "lest they trample them under their feet!" -- lest they utterly despise what they cannot understand, and speak evil of the things which they know not. Nay, it is probable this would not be the only inconvenience which would follow. It would not be strange if they were, according to their nature, to "turn again, and rend you;" if they were to return you evil for good, cursing for blessing, and hatred for your goodwill. Such is the enmity of the carnal mind against God and all the things of God. Such is the treatment you are to expect from these, if you offer them the unpardonable affront of endeavouring to save their souls from death, to pluck them as brands out of the burning.

18. And yet you need not utterly despair even of these, who, for the present, "turn again and rend you." For if all your arguments and persuasives fail, there is yet another remedy left; and one that is frequently found effectual when no other method avails; this is prayer. Therefore whatever you desire or want, either for others or for your own soul, "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." The neglect of this is a Third grand hindrance of holiness. Still we "have not, because we ask not." O how meek and gentle, how lowly in heart, how full of love both to God and men, might ye have been at this day, if you had only asked; -- if you had continued instant in prayer! Therefore, now, at least, "ask, and it shall be given unto you." Ask, that ye may throughly experience and perfectly practise the whole of that religion which our Lord has here so beautifully described. It shall then be given you, to be holy as he is holy, both in heart and in all manner of conversation. Seek, in the way he hath ordained, in searching the Scriptures, in hearing his word, in meditating thereon, in fasting, in partaking of the Supper of the Lord, and surely ye shall find: Ye shall find that pearl of great price, that faith which overcometh the world, that peace which the world cannot give, that love which is the earnest of your inheritance. Knock; continue in prayer, and in every other way of the Lord: Be not weary or faint in your mind. Press on to the mark: Take no denial: Let him not go until he bless you. And the door of mercy, of holiness, of heaven shall be opened unto you.

24. It may be understood either in a positive or negative sense. If understood in a negative sense, the meaning is, "Whatever ye would not that men should do to you, do not ye unto them." Here is a plain rule, always ready at hand, always easy to be applied. In all cases relating to your neighbour, make his case your own. Suppose the circumstances to be changed, and yourself to be just as he is now. And then beware that you indulge no temper or thought, that no word pass out of your lips, that you take no step which you should have condemned in him, upon such a change of circumstances. If understood in a direct and positive sense, the plain meaning of it is, "Whatsoever you could reasonably desire of him, supposing yourself to be in his circumstances, that do, to the uttermost of your power, to every child of man." 25. To apply this in one or two obvious instances. It is clear to every man's own conscience, we would not that others should judge us, should causelessly or lightly think evil of us; much less would we that any should speak evil of us, -- should publish our real faults or infirmities. Apply this to yourself. Do not unto another what you would not he should do unto you; and you will never more judge your neighbour, never causelessly or lightly think evil of anyone; much less will you speak evil; you will never mention even the real fault of an absent person, unless so far as you are convinced it is absolutely needful for the good of other souls.

5. "And many there are who go in at" that gate; many who walk in that way; -- almost as many as go in at the gate of death, as sink into the chambers of the grave. For it cannot be denied, (though neither can we acknowledge it but with shame and sorrow of heart,) that even in this which is called a Christian country, the generality of every age and sex, of every profession and employment, of every rank and degree, high and low, rich and poor, are walking in the way of destruction. The far greater part of the inhabitants of this city, to this day, live in sin; in some palpable, habitual, known transgression of the law they profess to observe; yea, in some outward transgression, some gross, visible kind of ungodliness or unrighteousness; some open violation of their duty, either to God or man. These then, none can deny, are all in the way that leadeth to destruction. Add to these, those who have a name indeed that they live, but were never yet alive to God; those that outwardly appear fair to men, but are inwardly full of all uncleanness; full of pride or vanity, of anger or revenge, of ambition or covetousness; lovers of themselves, lovers of the world, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. These, indeed, may be highly esteemed of men; but they are an abomination to the Lord. And how greatly will these saints of the world swell the number of the children of hell! Yea, add all, whatever they be in other respects, whether they have more or less of the form of godliness, who, "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness," as the ground of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him, of consequence have not "submitted themselves unto the righteousness which is of God" by faith. Now, all these things joined together in one, how terribly true is our Lord's assertion, "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat!"

10. Add to this, that they are not noble, not honourable men: If they were, you might bear with their folly. They are men of no interest, no authority, of no account in the world. They are mean and base; low in life; and such as have no power, if they had the will, to hurt you. Therefore there is nothing at all to be feared from them; and there is nothing at all to hope: For the greater part of them may say, "Silver and gold have I none;" at least a very moderate share. Nay, some of them have scarce food to eat, or raiment to put on. For this reason, as well as because their ways are not like those of other men, they are everywhere spoken against, are despised, have their names cast out as evil, are variously persecuted, and treated as the filth and offscouring of the world. So that both your fears, your hopes, and all your desires (except those which you have immediately from God,) yea, all your natural passions, continually incline you to return into the broad way. III. 1. Therefore it is, that our Lord so earnestly exhorts, "Enter ye in at the strait gate." Or, (as the same exhortation is elsewhere expressed,) "Strive to enter in:" agvnizesqe eiselqein, -- "strive as in an agony:" "For many," saith our Lord, "shall seek to enter in," indolently strive, "and shall not be able." 2. It is true, he intimates what may seem another reason for this, for their not being able to enter in, in the words which immediately follow these. For after he had said, "Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able," he subjoins, "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without," arxhsqe exv estanai, -- rather, ye stand without; for arxhsqe seems to be only an elegant expletive, -- "and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not: Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." (Luke 13:24, &c.)

5. Now, then, "strive to enter in at the strait gate," being penetrated with the deepest sense of the inexpressible danger your soul is in, so long as you are in a broad way, -- so long as you are void of poverty of spirit, and all that inward religion, which the many, the rich, the wise, account madness. "Strive to enter in;" being pierced with sorrow and shame for having so long run on with the unthinking crowd, utterly neglecting, if not despising, that "holiness without which no man can see the Lord." Strive, as in an agony of holy fear, lest "a promise being made you of entering into his rest," even that "rest which remaineth for the people of God," you should nevertheless "come short of it." Strive, in all the fervour of desire, with "groanings which cannot be uttered. Strive by prayer without ceasing; at all times, in all places, lifting up your heart to God, and giving him no rest, till you "awake up after his likeness" and are "satisfied with it." 6. To conclude. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," not only by this agony of soul, of conviction, of sorrow, of shame, of desire, of fear, of unceasing prayer; but likewise by ordering thy conversation aright, by walking with all thy strength in all the ways of God, the way of innocence, of piety, and of mercy. Abstain from all appearance of evil: Do all possible good to all men: Deny thyself, thy own will, in all things, and take up thy cross daily. Be ready to cut off thy right hand, to pluck out thy right eye and cast it from thee; to suffer the loss of goods, friends, health, all things on earth, so thou mayst enter into the kingdom of heaven!

3. Is this and unheard-of, is it an uncommon thing Nay, God knoweth it is not. The instances of it are almost innumerable. We may find them in every age and nation. But how terrible is this! -- when the ambassadors of God turn agents for the devil! -- when they who are commissioned to teach men the way to heaven do in fact teach them the way to hell! These are like the locusts of Egypt, "which eat up the residue that had escaped, that had remained after the hail." They devour even the residue of men that had escaped, that were not destroyed by ill example. It is not, therefore, without cause, that our wise and gracious Master so solemnly cautions us against them: "Beware," saith he, "of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." 4 A caution this of the utmost importance. -- That it may the more effectually sink into our hearts, let us inquire, First, who these false prophets are: Secondly, what appearance they put on: And, Thirdly, how we may know what they really are, notwithstanding their fair appearance. I. 1. We are, First, to inquire who these false prophets are. And this it is needful to do the more diligently, because these very men have so laboured to "wrest this scripture to their own," though not only their own, "destruction." In order, therefore, to cut off all dispute, I shall raise no dust, (as the manner of some is,) neither use any loose, rhetorical exclamations, to deceive the hearts of the simple; but speak rough, plain truths, such as none can deny, who has either understanding or modesty left, and such truths as have the closest connexion with the whole tenor of the preceding discourse: Whereas too many have interpreted these words without any regard to all that went before; as if they bore no manner of relation to the sermon in the close of which they stand. 2. By prophets here (as in many other passages of Scripture, particularly in the New Testament) are meant, not those who foretell things to come, but those who speak in the name of God; those men who profess to be sent of God, to teach others the way to heaven.

Those are false prophets, who teach a false way to heaven, a way which does not lead thither; or, (which comes in the end to the same point,) who do not teach the true. 3. Every broad way is infallibly a false one. Therefore this is one plain, sure rule, "They who teach men to walk in a broad way, a way that many walk in, are false prophets." Again: The true way to heaven is a narrow way. Therefore this is another plain, sure rule, "They who do not teach men to walk in a narrow way, to be singular, are false prophets." 4. To be more particular: The only true way to heaven is that pointed out in the preceding sermon. Therefore they are false prophets who do not teach men to walk in this way. Now the way to heaven pointed out in the preceding sermon is the way of lowliness, mourning, meekness, and holy desire, love of God and of our neighbour, doing good, and suffering evil for Christ's sake. They are, therefore, false prophets, who teach, as the way to heaven, any other way than this. 5. It matters not what they call that other way. They may call it faith; or good works; or faith and works; or repentance; or repentance, faith, and new obedience. All these are good words: But if, under these, or any other terms whatever, they teach men any way distinct from this, they are properly false prophets. 6. How much more do they fall under that condemnation, who speak evil of this good way; -- but above all, they who teach the directly opposite way, the way of pride, of levity, of passion, of worldly desires, of loving pleasure more than God, of unkindness to our neighbour, of unconcern for good works, and suffering no evil, no persecution for righteousness' sake!

4. A hard saying this! How few can bear it! This our Lord was sensible of, and therefore condescends to prove it at large by several clear and convincing arguments. "Do men," says he, "gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" (Matt. 7:16.) Do you expect that these evil men should bring forth good fruit As well might you expect that thorns should bring forth grapes, or that figs should grow upon thistles! "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." (Matt. 5:17.) Every true Prophet, every Teacher whom I have sent, bringeth forth the good fruit of holiness. But a false prophet, a teacher whom I have not sent, brings forth only sin and wickedness. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." A true Prophet, a Teacher sent from God, does not bring forth good fruit sometimes only, but always; not accidentally, but by a kind of necessity. In like manner, a false prophet, one whom God hath not sent, does not bring forth evil fruit accidentally or sometimes only, but always, and of necessity. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Verse 19.) Such infallibly will be the lot of those prophets who bring not forth good fruit, who do not save souls from sin, who do not bring sinners to repentance. "Wherefore," let this stand as an eternal rule, "By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 7:20.) They who, in fact bring the proud, passionate, unmerciful, lovers of the world to be lowly, gentle, lovers of God and man, -- they are true Prophets, they are sent from God, who therefore confirms their word. On the other hand, they whose hearers, if unrighteous before, remain unrighteous still, or, at least, void of any righteousness which "exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," -- they are false prophets; they are not sent of God; therefore their word falls to the ground: And, without a miracle of grace, they and their hearers together will fall into the bottomless pit!

5. O "beware of these false prophets!" For though they "come in sheep's clothing, yet inwardly they are ravening wolves." They only destroy and devour the flock: They tear them in pieces, if there is none to help them. They will not, cannot, lead you in the way to heaven. How should they, when they know it not themselves O beware they do not turn you out of the way, and cause you to "lose what you have wrought!" 6. But perhaps you will ask, "If there is such danger in hearing them, ought I to hear them at all" It is a weighty question, such as deserves the deepest consideration, and ought not to be answered but upon the calmest thought, the most deliberate reflection. For many years I have been almost afraid to speak at all concerning it; being unable to determine one way or the other, or to give any judgment upon it. Many reasons there are which readily occur, and incline me to say, "Hear them not." And yet what our Lord speaks concerning the false prophets of his own times seems to imply the contrary. "Then spake Jesus unto the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat," -- are the ordinary, stated Teachers in your Church: "All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do. But do not ye after their works; for they say and do not." Now, that these were false prophets, in the highest sense, our Lord hath shown during the whole course of his ministry; as indeed he does in those very words, "They say and do not." Therefore, by their fruits his disciples could not but know them, seeing they were open to the view of all men. Accordingly, he warns them again and again, to beware of these false prophets. And yet he does not forbid them to hear even these: Nay, he, in effect, commands them so to do, in those words: "All therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do:" For unless they heard them, they could not know, much less observe, whatsoever they bade them do. Here, then, our Lord himself gives a plain direction, both to his Apostles and the whole multitude, in some circumstances, to hear even false prophets, known and acknowledged so to be.

10. I cannot conclude without addressing a few plain words to those of whom we have now been speaking. O ye false prophets! O ye dry bones! hear ye, for once, the word of the Lord! How long will ye lie in the name of God, saying, "God hath spoken;" and God hath not spoken by you How long will ye pervert the right ways of the Lord, putting darkness for light, and light for darkness How long will ye teach the way of death, and call it the way of life How long will ye deliver to Satan the souls whom ye profess to bring unto God 11. "Woe unto you, ye blind leaders of the blind! for ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men. Ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." Them that would "strive to enter in at the strait gate," ye call back into the broad way. Them that have scarce gone one step in the ways of God, you devilishly caution against going too far. Them that just begin to "hunger and thirst after righteousness," you warn not to "be righteous overmuch." Thus you cause them to stumble at the very threshold; yea, to fall and rise no more. O wherefore do ye this What profit is there in their blood, when they go down to the pit Miserable profit to you! "They shall perish in their iniquity; but their blood will God require at your hands!" 12. Where are your eyes Where is your understanding Have ye deceived others, till you have deceived yourselves also Who hath required this at your hands, to teach a way which ye never knew Are you "given up to" so "strong a delusion," that ye not only teach but "believe a lie" And can you possibly believe that God hath sent you that ye are His messengers Nay; if the Lord had sent you, the work of the Lord would prosper in your hand. As the Lord liveth, if ye were messengers of God, he would "confirm the word of his messengers." But the work of the Lord doth not prosper in your hand. You bring no sinners to repentance. The Lord doth not confirm your word; for you save no souls from death.

14. My dear brethren, harden not your hearts! You have too long shut your eyes against the light. Open them now before it is too late; before you are cast into outer darkness! Let not any temporal consideration weigh with you; for eternity is at stake. Ye have run before ye were sent. O go no farther! Do not persist to damn yourselves and them that hear you! You have no fruit of your labours. And why is this Even because the Lord is not with you. But can you go this warfare at your own cost It cannot be. Then humble yourselves before him. Cry unto him out of the dust, that he may first quicken thy soul; give thee the faith that worketh by love; that is lowly and meek, pure and merciful, zealous of good works, rejoicing in tribulation, in reproach, in distress, in persecution for righteousness' sake! So shall "the Spirit of glory and of Christ rest upon thee," and it shall appear that God hath sent thee. So shalt thou indeed "do the work of an Evangelist, and make full proof of thy ministry." So shall the word of God in thy mouth be "an hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces!" It shall then be known by thy fruits that thou art a Prophet of the Lord, even by the children whom God hath given thee. And having "turned many to righteousness," thou shalt "shine as the stars for ever and ever!"

II. 1. I am, Secondly, to show the wisdom of him that doeth them, that buildeth his house upon a rock. He indeed is wise, "who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." He is truly wise, whose "righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees." He is poor in spirit; knowing himself even as also he is known. He sees and feels all his sin, and all his guilt, till it is washed away by the atoning blood. He is conscious of his lost estate, of the wrath of God abiding on him, and of his utter inability to help himself, till he is filled with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. He is meek and gentle, patient toward all men, never "returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing," till he overcomes evil with good. His soul is athirst for nothing on earth, but only for God, the living God. He has bowels of love for all mankind, and is ready to lay down his life for his enemies. He loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and soul, and strength. He alone shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, who, in this spirit, doeth good unto all men; and who, being for this cause despised and rejected of men, being hated, reproached, and persecuted, rejoices and is "exceeding glad," knowing in whom he hath believed, and being assured these light, momentary afflictions will "work out for him an eternal weight of glory."

6. Now, therefore, build thou upon a rock. By the grace of God, know thyself. Know and feel that thou wast shapen in wickedness, and in sin did thy mother conceive thee; and that thou thyself hast been heaping sin upon sin, ever since thou couldst discern good from evil. Own thyself guilty of eternal death; and renounce all hope of ever being able to save thyself. Be it all thy hope, to be washed in his blood, and purified by his Spirit, "who himself bore" all "thy sins in his own body upon the tree." And if thou knowest he hath taken away thy sins, so much the more abase thyself before him, in a continual sense of thy total dependence on him for every good thought, and word, and work, and of thy utter inability to all good unless he "water thee every moment." 7. Now weep for your sins, and mourn after God, till he turns your heaviness into joy. And even then weep with them that weep; and for them that weep not for themselves. Mourn for the sins and miseries of mankind; and see, but just before your eyes, the immense ocean of eternity, without a bottom or a shore, which has already swallowed up millions of millions of men, and is gaping to devour them that yet remain! See here, the house of God eternal in the heavens! there, hell and destruction without a covering! -- and thence learn the importance of every moment, which just appears, and is gone for ever!

12. In a word: Let thy religion be the religion of the heart. Let it lie deep in thy inmost soul. Be thou little, and base, and mean, and vile (beyond what words can express) in thy own eyes; amazed and humbled to the dust by the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Be serious. Let the whole stream of thy thoughts, words, and actions flow from the deepest conviction that thou standest on the edge of the great gulf, thou and all the children of men, just ready to drop in, either into everlasting glory or everlasting burnings! Let thy soul be filled with mildness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering towards all men; -- at the same time that all which is in thee is athirst for God, the living God; longing to awake up after his likeness, and to be satisfied with it! Be thou a lover of God and of all mankind! In this spirit do and suffer all things! Thus show thy faith by thy works; thus "do the will of thy Father which is in heaven!" And, as sure as thou now walkest with God on earth, thou shalt also reign with him in glory!

6. But to return. The law of God (speaking after the manner of men) is a copy of the eternal mind, a transcript of the divine nature: Yea, it is the fairest offspring of the everlasting Father, the brightest efflux of his essential wisdom, the visible beauty of the Most High. It is the delight and wonder of cherubim and seraphim, and all the company of heaven, and the glory and joy of every wise believer, every well-instructed child of God upon earth. III. 1. Such is the nature of the ever-blessed law of God. I am, in the Third place, to show the properties of it: -- Not all; for that would exceed the wisdom of an angel; but those only which are mentioned in the text. These are three: it is holy, just, and good. And, First, the law is holy. 2. In this expression the Apostle does not appear to speak of its effects, but rather of its nature: As St. James, speaking of the same thing under another name, says, "The wisdom from above" (which is no other than this law, written in our heart) "is first pure" (Jas. 3.17;) agnh, -- chaste, spotless; eternally and essentially holy. And, consequently, when it is transcribed into the life, as well as the soul, it is (as the same Apostle terms it, Jas. 1:27) qrhskeia kaqara kai amiantos, -- pure religion and undefiled; or, the pure, clean, unpolluted worship of God. 3. It is, indeed, in the highest degree, pure, chaste, clean, holy. Otherwise it could not be the immediate offspring, and much less the express resemblance, of God, who is essential holiness. It is pure from all sin, clean and unspotted from any touch of evil. It is a chaste virgin, incapable of any defilement, of any mixture with that which is unclean or unholy. It has no fellowship with sin of any kind: For "what communion hath light with darkness" As sin is, in its very nature, enmity to God, so his law is enmity to sin.

IV. 1. It remains only to show, in the Fourth and last place, the uses of the law. And the First use of it, without question, is, to convince the world of sin. This is, indeed, the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost; who can work it with out any means at all, or by whatever means it pleaseth him, however insufficient in themselves, or even improper, to produce such an effect. And, accordingly, some there are whose hearts have been broken in pieces in a moment, either in sickness or in health, without any visible cause, or any outward means whatever; and others (one in an age) have been awakened to a sense of the "wrath of God abiding on them, by hearing that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." But it is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God to convict sinners by the law. It is this which, being set home on the conscience, generally breaketh the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of the word of God which is zvn kai energhs, -- quick and powerful, full of life and energy, "and sharper than any two edged sword." This, in the hand of God and of those whom he hath sent, pierces through all the folds of a deceitful heart, and "divides asunder even the soul and the spirit;" yea, as it were, the very "joints and marrow." By this is the sinner discovered to himself. All his fig-leaves are torn away, and he sees that he is "wretched, and poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked." The law flashes conviction on every side. He feels himself a mere sinner. He has nothing to pay. His "mouth is stopped," and he stands "guilty before God."

3. Their grand plea is this: That preaching the gospel, that is, according to their judgment, the speaking of nothing but the sufferings and merits of Christ, answers all the ends of the law. But this we utterly deny. It does not answer the very first end of the law, namely, the convincing men of sin; The awakening those who are still asleep on the brink of hell. There may have been here and there an exempt case. One in a thousand may have been awakened by the gospel: But this is no general rule: The ordinary method of God is, to convict sinners by the law, and that only. The gospel is not the means which God hath ordained, or which our Lord himself used, for this end. We have no authority in Scripture for applying it thus, nor any ground to think it will prove effectual. Nor have we any more ground to expect this, from the nature of the thing. "They that be whole," as our Lord himself observes, "need not a physician, but they that are sick." It is absurd, therefore, to offer a physician to them that are whole, or that at least imagine themselves so to be. You are first to convince them that they are sick; otherwise they will not thank you for your labour. It is equally absurd to offer Christ to them whose heart is whole, having never yet been broken. It is, in the proper sense, "casting pearls before swine." Doubtless "they will trample them under foot;" and it is no more than you have reason to expect, if they also "turn again and rend you." 4. "But although there is no command in Scripture, to offer Christ to the careless sinner, yet are there not scriptural precedents for it" I think not: I know not any. I believe you cannot produce one, either from the four Evangelists, or the Acts of the Apostles. Neither can you prove this to have been the practice of any of the Apostles, from any passage in all their writings. 5. "Nay, does not the Apostle Paul say, in his former Epistle to the Corinthians, `We preach Christ crucified' (1:23,) and in his latter, `We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord' (4:5.)"

We consent to rest the cause on this issue; to tread in his steps, to follow his example. Only preach you just as Paul preached, and the dispute is at an end. For although we are certain he preached Christ in as perfect a manner as the very chief of the Apostle, yet who preached the law more than St. Paul Therefore he did not think the gospel answered the same end. 6. The very first sermon of St. Paul's which is recorded, concludes in these words: "By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: For I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." (Acts 13:39, 40.) Now it is manifest, all this is preaching the law, in the sense wherein you understand the term; even although great part of, if not all, his hearers, were either Jews or religious proselytes, (verse 43.) and, therefore, probably many of them, in some degree at least, convicted of sin already. He first reminds them, that they could not be justified by the law of Moses, but only by faith in Christ; and then severely threatens them with the judgments of God, which is in the strongest sense, preaching the law. 7. In his next discourse, that to the Heathens at Lystra, (14:15ff.) we do not find so much as the name of Christ: The whole purport of it is, that they should "turn from those vain idols, unto the living God." Now confess the truth. Do not you think, if you had been there, you could have preached much better than he I should not wonder if you thought too, that his preaching so ill occasioned his being so ill treated; and that his being stoned was a just judgment upon him for not preaching Christ!

8. To the gaoler indeed, when "he sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved" he immediately said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ;" (Acts 16:29, 30;) and in the case of one so deeply convicted of sin, who would not have said the same But to the men of Athens you find him speaking in a quite different manner; reproving their superstition, ignorance, and idolatry; and strongly moving them to repent, from the consideration of a future judgment, and of the resurrection from the dead. (17:24-31.) Likewise when Felix sent for Paul, on purpose that he might "hear him concerning the faith in Christ;" instead of preaching Christ in your sense, (which would probably have caused the Governor either to mock or to contradict and blaspheme,) "he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," till Felix (hardened as he was) "trembled." (24:24, 25.) Go thou, and tread in his steps. Preach Christ to the careless sinner, by reasoning "of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come!" 9. If you say, "But he preached Christ in a different manner in his Epistles:" I answer, (1.) He did not there preach at all; not in that sense wherein we speak: For preaching, in our present question, means speaking before a congregation. But, waving this, I answer, (2.) His Epistles are directed, not to unbelievers, such as those we are now speaking of, but "to the saints of God," in Rome, Corinth, Philippi, and other places. Now, unquestionably, he would speak more of Christ to these than to those who were without God in the world. And yet, (3.) Every one of these is full of the law, even the Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians; in both of which he does what you term "preaching the law," and that to believers, as well as unbelievers.

10. From hence it is plain, you know not what it is to preach Christ, in the sense of the Apostle. For doubtless St. Paul judged himself to be preaching Christ, both to Felix, and at Antioch, Lystra, and Athens: From whose example every thinking man must infer, that not only the declaring the love of Christ to sinners, but also the declaring that he will come from heaven in flaming fire, is, in the Apostle's sense, preaching Christ; yea, in the full scriptural meaning of the word. To preach Christ, is to preach what he hath revealed, either in the Old or New Testament; so that you are really preaching Christ, when you are saying, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God," as when you are saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" 11. Consider this well; -- that to preach Christ, is to preach all things that Christ hath spoken; all his promises; all his threatenings and commands; all that is written in his book; and then you will know how to preach Christ, without making void the law. 12. "But does not the greatest blessing attend those discourses wherein we peculiarly preach the merits and suffering of Christ" Probably when we preach to a congregation of mourners, or of believers, these will be attended with the greatest blessing; because such discourses are peculiarly suited to their state. At least, these will usually convey the most comfort. But this is not always the greatest blessing. I may sometimes receive a far greater by a discourse that cuts me to the heart, and humbles me to the dust. Neither should I receive that comfort, if I were to preach or to hear no discourses but on the sufferings of Christ. These, by constant repetition, would lose their force, and grow more and more flat and dead, till at length they would become a dull round of words, without any spirit, or life, or virtue. So that thus to preach Christ must, in process of time, make void the gospel as well as the law.

3. Now although a believer is "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ," yet from the moment he believes, he is not "under the law," in any of the preceding senses. On the contrary, he is "under grace," under a more benign, gracious dispensation. As he is no longer under the ceremonial law, nor under the Mosaic institution; as he is not obliged to keep even the moral law, as the condition of his acceptance; so he is delivered from the wrath and the curse of God, from all sense of guilt and condemnation, and from all that horror and fear of death and hell whereby he was all his life before subject to bondage. And he now performs (which while "under the law" he could not do) a willing and universal obedience. He obeys not from the motive of slavish fear, but on a nobler principle; namely, the grace of God ruling in his heart, and causing all his works to be wrought in love. 4. What then Shall this evangelical principle of action be less powerful that the legal Shall we be less obedient to God from filial love than we were from servile fear It is well if this is not a common case; if this practical Antinomianism, this unobserved way of making void the law through faith, has not infected thousands of believers. Has it not infected you Examine yourself honestly and closely. Do you not do now what you durst not have done when you was "under the law," or (as we commonly call it) under conviction For instance: You durst not then indulge yourself in food: You took just what was needful, and that of the cheapest kind. Do you not allow yourself more latitude now Do you not indulge yourself a little more than you did O beware lest you "sin because you are not under the law, but under grace!" 5. When you was under conviction, you durst not indulge the lust of the eye in any degree. You would not do anything, great or small, merely to gratify your curiosity. You regarded only cleanliness and necessity, or at most very moderate convenience, either in furniture or apparel; superfluity and finery of whatever kind, as well as fashionable elegance, were both a terror and an abomination to you.

7. God forbid you should any longer continue thus to "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness!" O remember how clear and strong a conviction you once had concerning all these things! And, at the same time, you was fully satisfied from whom that conviction came. The world told you, you was in a delusion; but you knew it was the voice of God. In these things you was not too scrupulous then; but you are not now scrupulous enough. God kept you longer in that painful school, that you might learn those great lessons the more perfectly. And have you forgot them already O recollect them before it is too late! Have you suffered so many things in vain I trust, it is not yet in vain. Now use the conviction without the pain! Practice the lesson without the rod! Let not the mercy of God weigh less with you now, than his fiery indignation did before. Is love a less powerful motive than fear If not, let it be an invariable rule, "I will do nothing now I am `under grace,' which I durst not have done when 'under the law.'"

8. I cannot conclude this head without exhorting you to examine yourself, likewise, touching sins of omission. Are you as clear of these, now you "are under grace," as you was when "under the law" How diligent was you then in hearing the word of God! Did you neglect any opportunity Did you not attend thereon day and night Would a small hinderance have kept you away a little business a visitant a slight indisposition a soft bed a dark or cold morning -- Did not you then fast often; or use abstinence to the uttermost of your power Was not you much in prayer, (cold and heavy as you was,) while you was hanging over the mouth of hell Did you not speak and not spare even for and unknown God Did you not boldly plead his cause -- reprove sinners -- and avow the truth before an adulterous generation And are you now a believer in Christ Have you the faith that overcometh the world What! and are less zealous for your Master now, than you was when you knew him not less diligent in fasting, in prayer, in hearing his word, in calling sinners to God O repent! See and feel your grievous loss! Remember from whence you are fallen! Bewail your unfaithfulness! Now be zealous and do the first works; lest, if you continue to "make void the law through faith," God cut you off, and appoint you your portion with the unbelievers!

3. And by faith, taken in its more particular meaning, for a confidence in a pardoning God, we establish his law in our own hearts in a still more effectual manner. For there is no motive which so powerfully inclines us to love God, as the sense of the love of God in Christ. Nothing enables us like a piercing conviction of this to give our hearts to him who was given for us. And from this principle of grateful love to God arises love to our brother also. Neither can we avoid loving our neighbour, if we truly believe the love wherewith God hath loved us. Now this love to man, grounded on faith and love to God, "worketh no ill to" our "neighbour." Consequently, it is, as the Apostle observes,"the fulfilling of the" whole negative "law." "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness; Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Neither is love content with barely working no evil to our neighbour. It continually incites us to do good, as we have time and opportunity; to do good, in every possible kind, and in every possible degree, to all men. It is therefore, the fulfilling of the positive, likewise, as well as of the negative, law of God. 4. Nor does faith fulfil either the negative or positive law, as to the external part only; but it works inwardly by love, to the purifying of the heart, the cleansing it from all vile affections. Everyone that hath this faith in himself, "purifieth himself, even as he is pure;" -- purifieth himself from every earthly, sensual desire, from all vile and inordinate affections; yea, from the whole of that carnal mind which is enmity against God. At the same time, if it have its perfect work, it fills him with all goodness, righteousness, and truth. It brings all heaven into his soul; and causes him to walk in the light, even as God is in the light.

The Nature Of Enthusiasm "And Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself." Acts 26:24. 1. And so say all the world, the men who know not God, of all that are of Paul's religion: of every one who is so a follower of him as he was of Christ. It is true, there is a sort of religion, nay, and it is called Christianity too, which may be practised without any such Imputation, which is generally allowed to be consistent with common sense, --that is, a religion of form, a round of outward duties, performed in a decent, regular manner. You may add orthodoxy thereto, a system of right opinions, yea, and some quantity of heathen morality; and yet not many will pronounce, that "much religion hath made you mad." But if you aim at the religion of the heart, if you talk of "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," then it will not be long before your sentence is passed, "Thou art beside thyself." 2. And it is no compliment which the men of the world pay you here. They, for once, mean what they say. They not only affirm, but cordially believe, that every man is beside himself who says, "the love of God is shed abroad in" his "heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him;" and that God has enabled him to rejoice in Christ "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." If a man is indeed alive to God, and dead to all things here below; if he continually sees Him that is invisible, and accordingly walks by faith, and not by sight; then they account it a clear case: beyond all dispute, "much religion hath made him mad." 3. It is easy to observe, that the determinate thing which the world account madness is, that utter contempt of all temporal things, and steady pursuit of things eternal; that divine conviction of things not seen; that rejoicing in the favour of God that happy, holy love of God; and that testimony of His Spirit with our spirit, that we are the children of God, --that is, in truth, the whole spirit, and life, and power of the religion of Jesus Christ.

The first sort of enthusiasm which I shall mention, is that of those who imagine they have the grace which they have not. Thus some imagine, when it is not so, that they have redemption through Christ, "even the forgiveness of sins." These are usually such as "have no root in themselves;" no deep repentance, or thorough conviction. "Therefore they receive the word with joy." And "because they have no deepness of earth," no deep work in their heart, therefore the seed "immediately springs up." There is immediately a superficial change, which, together with that light joy, striking in with the pride of their unbroken heart, and with their inordinate self-love, easily persuades them they have already "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." 14. This is properly an instance of the first sort of enthusiasm: it is a kind of madness, arising from the imagination that they have that grace which, in truth, they have not: so that they only deceive their own souls. Madness it may be justly termed: for the reasonings of these poor men are right, were their premisses good; but as those are a mere creature of their own imagination, so all that is built on them falls to the ground. The foundation of all their reveries is this: they imagine themselves to have faith in Christ. If they had this, they would be "kings and priests to God;" possessed of a "kingdom which cannot be moved": but they have it not; consequently, all their following behaviour is as wide of truth and soberness as that of the ordinary madman who, fancying himself an earthly king, speaks and acts in that character. 15. There are many other enthusiasts of this sort. Such, for instance, is the fiery zealot for religion; or, more properly, for the opinions and modes of worship which he dignifies with that name. This man, also, strongly imagines himself to be a believer in Jesus; yea, that he is a champion for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. Accordingly, all his conduct is formed upon that vain imagination. And allowing his supposition to be just, he would have some tolerable plea for his behaviour; whereas now it is evidently the effect of a distempered brain, as well as of a distempered heart.

24. Suppose, for instance, it were proposed to a reasonable man to marry, or to enter into a new business: in order to know whether this is the will of God, being assured, "It is the will of God concerning me, that I should be as holy and do as much good as I can," he has only to enquire, "In which of these states can I be most holy, and do the most good" And this is to be determined, partly by reason, and partly by experience. Experience tells him what advantages he has in his present state, either for being or doing good; and reason is to show, what he certainly or probably will have in the state proposed. By comparing these, he is to judge which of the two may most conduce to his being and doing good; and as far as he knows this, so far he is certain what is the will of God. 25. Meantime, the assistance of His Spirit is supposed, during the whole process of the inquiry. Indeed it is not easy to say, in how many ways that assistance is conveyed. He may bring many circumstances to our remembrance; may place others in a stronger and clearer light; may insensibly open our mind to receive conviction, and fix that conviction upon our heart. And to a concurrence of many circumstances of this kind, in favour of what is acceptable in His sight, He may superadd such an unutterable peace of mind, and so uncommon a measure of His love, as will leave us no possibility of doubting, that this, even this, is His will concerning us.

In order to have the clearest view of this, we should remember, that (according to the scriptural account) as God dwells and works in the children of light, so the devil dwells and works in the children of darkness. As the Holy Spirit possesses the souls of good men, so the evil spirit possesses the souls of the wicked. Hence it is that the Apostle terms him "the god of this world;" from the uncontrolled power he has over worldly men. Hence our blessed Lord styles him "the prince of this world;" so absolute is his dominion over it. And hence St. John: "We know that we are of God, and" all who are not of God, "the whole world," "en tw ponhrw keitai," --not lieth in wickedness, but "lieth in the wicked one;" lives and moves in him, as they who are not of the world do in God. 2. For the devil is not to be considered only as "a roaring lion going about seeking whom he may devour;" nor barely as a subtle enemy, who cometh unawares upon poor souls, and "leads them captive at his will;" but as he who dwelleth in them, and walketh in them; who ruleth the darkness or wickedness of this world (of worldly men and all their dark designs and actions), by keeping possession of their hearts, setting up his throne there, and bringing every thought into obedience to himself. Thus the "strong one armed keepeth his house;" and if this "unclean spirit" sometimes "go out of a man," yet he often returns with "seven spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there." Nor can he be idle in his dwelling. He is continually "working in" these "children of disobedience." he works in them with power, with mighty energy, transforming them into his own likeness, effacing all the remains of the image of God, and preparing them for every evil word and work.

3. It is, therefore, an unquestionable truth, that the god and prince of this world still possesses all who know not God. Only the manner wherein he possesses them now differs from that wherein he did it of old time. Then he frequently tormented their bodies as well as souls, and that openly, without any disguise: now he torments their souls only (unless in some rare cases), and that as covertly as possible. The reason of this difference is plain: it was then his aim to drive mankind into superstition; therefore, he wrought as openly as he could. But it is his aim to drive us into infidelity; therefore, he works as privately as he can: for the more secret he is, the more he prevails. 4. Yet, if we may credit historians, there are countries, even now, where he works as openly as aforetime. "But why in savage and barbarous countries only Why not in Italy, France, or England" For a very plain reason: he knows his men, and he knows what he hath to do with each. To Laplanders he appears barefaced; because he is to fix them in superstition and gross idolatry. But with you he is pursuing a different point. He is to make you idolize yourselves; to make you wiser in your own eyes than God himself, than all the oracles of God. Now, in order to do this, he must not appear in his own shape: that would frustrate his design. No: He uses all his art to make you deny his being, till he has you safe in his own place. 5. He reigns, therefore, although in a different way, yet as absolute in one land as in the other. He has the gay Italian infidel in his teeth, as sure as the wild Tartar. But he is fast asleep in the mouth of the lion, who is too wise to wake him out of sleep. So he only plays with him for the present, and when he pleases, swallows him up!

The god of this world holds his English worshippers full as fast as those in Lapland. But it is not his business to affright them, lest they should fly to the God of heaven. The prince of darkness, therefore, does not appear, while he rules over these his willing subjects. The conqueror holds his captives so much the safer, because they imagine themselves at liberty. Thus "the strong one armed keepeth his house, and his goods are in peace;" neither the Deist nor nominal Christian suspects he is there: so he and they are perfectly at peace with each other. 6. All this while he works with energy in them. He blinds the eyes of their understanding, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ cannot shine upon them. He chains their souls down to earth and hell, with the chains of their own vile affections. He binds them down to the earth, by love of the world, love of money, of pleasure, of praise. And by pride, envy, anger, hate, revenge, he causes their souls to draw nigh unto hell; acting the more secure and uncontrolled, because they know not that he acts at all. 7. But how easily may we know the cause from its effects! These are sometimes gross and palpable. So they were in the most refined of the heathen nations. Go no farther than the admired, the virtuous Romans; and you will find these, when at the height of their learning and glory, "filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, despiteful, proud, boasters, disobedient to parents, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." 8. The strongest parts of this description are confirmed by one whom some may think a more unexceptionable witness. I mean their brother heathen, Dion Cassius; who observes, that, before Caesar's return from Gaul, not only gluttony and lewdness of every kind were open and barefaced; not only falsehood, injustice, and unmercifulness abounded, in public courts, as well as private families; but the most outrageous robberies, rapine, and murders were so frequent in all parts of Rome, that few men went out of doors without making their wills, as not knowing if they should return alive!

13. If you consider this, you cannot but see in what sense men may now also cast out devils: yea, and every Minister of Christ does cast them out, if his Lord's work prosper in his hand. By the power of God attending his word, he brings these sinners to repentance; an entire inward as well as outward change, from all evil to all good. And this is, in a sound sense, to cast out devils, out of the souls wherein they had hitherto dwelt. The strong one can no longer keep his house. A stronger than he is come upon him, and hath cast him out, and taken possession for himself, and made it an habitation of God through his Spirit. Here, then, the energy of Satan ends, and the Son of God "destroys the works of the devil." The understanding of the sinner is now enlightened, and his heart sweetly drawn to God. His desires are refined, his affections purified; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, he grows in grace till he is not only holy in heart, but in all manner of conversation. 14. All this is indeed the work of God. It is God alone who can cast out Satan. But he is generally pleased to do this by man as an instrument in his hand: who is then said to cast out devils in his name, by his power and authority. And he sends whom he will send upon this great work; but usually such as man would never have thought of: for "His ways are not as our ways, neither his thoughts as our thoughts." Accordingly, he chooses the weak to confound the mighty; the foolish to confound the wise; for this plain reason, that he may secure the glory to himself; that "no flesh may glory in his sight." II. 1. But shall we not forbid one who thus "casteth out devils," if "he followeth not us" This, it seems, was both the judgement and practice of the Apostle, till he referred the case to his Master. "We forbad him," saith he, "because he followeth not us!" which he supposed to be a very sufficient reason. What we may understand by this expression, "He followeth not us," is the next point to be considered.

9. Indeed, so far is the practice of the apostolic age from inclining us to think it was unlawful for a man to preach before he was ordained, that we have reason to think it was then accounted necessary. Certainly the practice and the direction of the Apostle Paul was, to prove a man before he was ordained at all. "Let these" (the deacons), says he, "first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon" (1 Tim. 3:10). Proved, how By setting them to construe a sentence of Greek and asking them a few commonplace questions O amazing proof of a Minister of Christ! Nay; but by making a clear, open trial (as is still done by most of the Protestant Churches of Europe) not only whether their lives be holy and unblamable, but whether they have such gifts as are absolutely and indispensably necessary in order to edify the church of Christ. 10. But what if a man has these, and has brought sinners to repentance, and yet the Bishop will not ordain him Then the Bishop does forbid him to cast out devils. But I dare not forbid him: I have published my reasons to all the world. Yet it is still insisted I ought to do it. You who insist upon it answer those reasons. I know not that any have done this yet, or even made an attempt of doing it. Only some have spoken of them as very weak and trifling: and this was prudent enough; for it is far easier to despise, at least seem to despise, an argument, than to answer it. Yet till this is done I must say, when I have reasonable proof that any man does cast out devils, whatever others do, I dare not forbid him, lest I be found even to fight against God.

4. "Search me, O Lord, and prove me. Try out my reins and my heart! Look well if there be any way of" bigotry "in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." In order to examine ourselves thoroughly, let the case be proposed in the strongest manner. What, if I were to see a Papist, an Arian, a Socinian casting out devils If I did, I could not forbid even him, without convicting myself of bigotry. Yea, if it could be supposed that I should see a Jew, a Deist, or a Turk, doing the same, were I to forbid him either directly or indirectly, I should be no better than a bigot still. 5. O stand clear of this! But be not content with not forbidding any that casts out devils. It is well to go thus far; but do not stop here. If you will avoid all bigotry, go on. In every instance of this kind, whatever the instrument be, acknowledge the finger of God. And not only acknowledge, but rejoice in his work, and praise his name with thanksgiving. Encourage whomsoever God is pleased to employ, to give himself wholly up thereto. Speak well of him wheresoever you are; defend his character and his mission. Enlarge, as far as you can, his sphere of action; show him all kindness in word and deed; and cease not to cry to God in his behalf, that he may save both himself and them that hear him.

6. I need add but one caution: Think not the bigotry of another is any excuse for your own. It is not impossible, that one who casts out devils himself, may yet forbid you so to do. You may observe, this is the very case mentioned in the text. The Apostles forbade another to do what they did themselves. But beware of retorting. It is not your part to return evil for evil. Another's not observing the direction of our Lord, is no reason why you should neglect it. Nay, but let him have all the bigotry to himself. If he forbid you, do not you forbid him. Rather labour, and watch, and pray the more, to confirm your love toward him. If he speak all manner of evil of you, speak all manner of good (that is true) of him. Imitate herein that glorious saying of a great man (O that he had always breathed the same spirit!), "Let Luther call me a hundred devils; I will still reverence him as a messenger of God."

12. But what is properly implied in the question I do not mean, What did Jehu imply therein But, What should a follower of Christ understand thereby, when he proposes it to any of his brethren The first thing implied is this: Is thy heart right with God Dost thou believe his being and his perfections his eternity, immensity, wisdom, power his justice, mercy, and truth Dost thou believe that he now "upholdeth all things by the word of his power" and that he governs even the most minute, even the most noxious, to his own glory, and the good of them that love him hast thou a divine evidence, a supernatural conviction, of the things of God Dost thou "walk by faith not by sight" looking not at temporal things, but things eternal 13. Dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, "God over all, blessed for ever" Is he revealed in thy soul Dost thou know Jesus Christ and him crucified Does he dwell in thee, and thou in him Is he formed in thy heart by faith having absolutely disclaimed all thy own works, thy own righteousness, hast thou "submitted thyself unto the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Christ Jesus Art thou "found in him, not having thy own righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith" And art thou, through him, "fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold of eternal life" 14. Is thy faith filled with the energy of love Dost thou love God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength Dost thou seek all thy happiness in him alone And dost thou find what thou seekest Does thy soul continually "magnify the Lord, and thy spirit rejoice in God thy Saviour" having learned "in everything to give thanks, dost thou find "it is a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thankful" Is God the centre of thy soul, the sum of all thy desires Art thou accordingly laying up thy treasure in heaven, and counting all things else dung and dross hath the love of God cast the love of the world out of thy soul Then thou art "crucified to the world;" thou art dead to all below; and thy "life is hid with Christ in God."

15. Art thou employed in doing, "not thy own will, but the will of him that sent thee" --of him that sent thee down to sojourn here awhile, to spend a few days in a strange land, till, having finished the work he hath given thee to do, thou return to thy Father's house Is it thy meat and drink "to do the will of thy Father which is in heaven" Is thine eye single in all things always fixed on him always looking unto Jesus Dost thou point at him in whatsoever thou doest in all thy labour, thy business, thy conversation aiming only at the glory of God in all, "whatsoever thou doest, either in word or deed, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus; giving thanks unto God, even the Father, through him" 16. Does the love of God constrain thee to serve him with fear, to "rejoice unto him with reverence" Art thou more afraid of displeasing God, than either of death or hell Is nothing so terrible to thee as the thought of offending the eyes of his glory Upon this ground, dost thou "hate all evil ways," every transgression of his holy and perfect law; and herein "exercise thyself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward man" 17. Is thy heart right toward thy neighbour Dost thou love as thyself, all mankind, without exception "If you love those only that love you, what thank have ye" Do you "love your enemies" Is your soul full of good-will, of tender affection, toward them Do you love even the enemies of God, the unthankful and unholy Do your bowels yearn over them Could you "wish yourself" temporally "accursed" for their sake And do you show this by "blessing them that curse you, and praying for those that despitefully use you, and persecute you"

4. Love me (but in a higher degree than thou dost the bulk of mankind) with the love that is long-suffering and kind; that is patient, --if I am ignorant or out of the way, bearing and not increasing my burden; and is tender, soft, and compassionate still; that envieth not, if at any time it please God to prosper me in his work even more than thee. Love me with the love that is not provoked, either at my follies or infirmities; or even at my acting (if it should sometimes so appear to thee) not according to the will of God. Love me so as to think no evil of me; to put away all jealousy and evil-surmising. Love me with the love that covereth all things; that never reveals either my faults or infirmities, --that believeth all things; is always willing to think the best, to put the fairest construction on all my words and actions, --that hopeth all things; either that the thing related was never done; or not done with such circumstances as are related; or, at least, that it was done with a good-intention, or in a sudden stress of temptation. And hope to the end, that whatever is amiss will, by the grace of God, be corrected; and whatever is wanting, supplied, through the riches of his mercy in Christ Jesus. 5. I mean, Secondly, commend me to God in all thy prayers; wrestle with him in my behalf, that he would speedily correct what he sees amiss, and supply what is wanting in me. In thy nearest access to the throne of grace, beg of him who is then very present with thee, that my heart may be more as thy heart, more right both toward God and toward man; that I may have a fuller conviction of things not seen, and a stronger view of the love of God in Christ Jesus; may more steadily walk by faith, not by sight; and more earnestly grasp eternal life. Pray that the love of God and of all mankind may be more largely poured into my heart; that I may be more fervent and active in doing the will of my Father which is in heaven, more zealous of good works, and more careful to abstain from all appearance of evil.

Christian Perfection "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." Phil. 3:12. 1. There is scarce any expression in Holy Writ which has given more offence than this. The word perfect is what many cannot bear. The very sound of it is an abomination to them. And whosoever preaches perfection (as the phrase is,) that is, asserts that it is attainable in this life, runs great hazard of being accounted by them worse than a heathen man or a publican. 2. And hence some have advised, wholly to lay aside the use of those expressions, "because they have given so great offence." But are they not found in the oracles of God If so, by what authority can any Messenger of God lay them aside, even though all men should be offended We have not so learned Christ; neither may we thus give place to the devil. Whatsoever God hath Spoken that will we speak, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear; knowing that then alone can any Minister of Christ be "pure from the blood of all men," when he hath "not shunned to declare unto them all the counsel of God." [Acts 20:26, 27] 3. We may not, therefore, lay these expressions aside, seeing they are the words of God, and not of man. But we may and ought to explain the meaning of them, that those who are sincere of heart may not err to the right hand or to the left, from the mark of the prize of their high calling. And this is the more needful to be done because in the verse already repeated the Apostle speaks of himself as not perfect: "Not," saith he, "as though I were already perfect." And yet immediately after, in the fifteenth verse, he speaks of himself, yea and many others, as perfect. "Let us," saith he, "as many as be perfect, be thus minded." [Phil. 3:15] 4. In order, therefore, to remove the difficulty arising from this seeming contradiction, as well as to give light to them who are pressing forward to the mark, and that those who are lame be not turned out of the way, I shall endeavor to show, First, in what sense Christians are not; and, Secondly, in what sense they are, perfect.

7. Even Christians, therefore, are not so perfect as to be free either from ignorance or error: We may, Thirdly, add, nor from infirmities. -- Only let us take care to understand this word aright: Only let us not give that soft title to known sins, as the manner of some is. So, one man tells us, "Every man has his infirmity, and mine is drunkenness;" Another has the infirmity of uncleanness; another of taking God's holy name in vain; and yet another has the infirmity of calling his brother, "Thou fool," [Matt. 5:22] or returning "railing for railing." [1 Pet. 3:9] It is plain that all you who thus speak, if ye repent not, shall, with your infirmities, go quick into hell! But I mean hereby, not only those which are properly termed bodily infirmities, but all those inward or outward imperfections which are not of a moral nature. Such are the weakness or slowness of understanding, dulness or confusedness of apprehension, incoherency of thought, irregular quickness or heaviness of imagination. Such (to mention no more of this kind) is the want of a ready or of a retentive memory. Such in another kind, are those which are commonly, in some measure, consequent upon these; namely, slowness of speech, impropriety of language, ungracefulness of pronunciation; to which one might add a thousand nameless defects, either in conversation or behaviour. These are the infirmities which are found in the best of men, in a larger or smaller proportion. And from these none can hope to be perfectly freed till the spirit returns to God that gave it. [Eccles. 12:7]

23. The same happy privilege of real Christians, St. Paul asserts from his own experience. "The weapons of our warfare," saith he, "are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations" (or reasonings rather, for so the word logismous signifies; all the reasonings of pride and unbelief against the declarations, promises, or gifts of God) "and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:4, &c.) 24. And as Christians indeed are freed from evil thoughts, so are they, Secondly, from evil tempers. This is evident from the above-mentioned declaration of our Lord himself: "The disciple is not above his Master; but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master." [Luke 6:40] He had been delivering, just before, some of the sublimest doctrines of Christianity, and some of the most grievous to flesh and blood. "I say unto you, love your enemies, do good to them which hate you; -- and unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other." [Luke 6:29] Now these he well knew the world would not receive; and, therefore, immediately adds, "Can the blind lead the blind Will they not both fall into the ditch" [Luke 6:39] As if he had said, "Do not confer with flesh and blood touching these things, -- with men void of spiritual discernment, the eyes of whose understanding God hath not opened, -- lest they and you perish together." In the next verse he removes the two grand objections with which these wise fools meet us at every turn: "These things are too grievous to be borne," or, "They are too high to be attained," [Matt. 23:4] saying, "'The disciple is not above his Master;' therefore, if I have suffered, be content to tread in my steps. And doubt ye not then, but I will fulfill my word: 'For every one that is perfect shall be as his Master.'" [Luke 6:40] But his Master was free from all sinful tempers. So, therefore, is his disciple, even every real Christian.

27. Thus doth Jesus "save his people from their sins:" [Matt. 1:21] And not only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts; from evil thoughts and from evil tempers. -- "True," say some, "we shall thus be saved from our sins; but not till death; not in this world." But how are we to reconcile this with the express words of St. John -- "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Because as he is, so are we in this world." The Apostle here, beyond all contradiction, speaks of himself and other living Christians, of whom (as though he had foreseen this very evasion, and set himself to overturn it from the foundation) he flatly affirms, that not only at or after death but in this world they are as their Master. (1 John 4:17.)

2. With regard to the former, all our thoughts are naturally of this kind: For they are continually wandering from God: We think nothing about him: God is not in all our thoughts: We are, one and all, as the Apostle observes, "without God in the world." We think of what we love; but we do not love God; therefore, we think not of him. Or, if we are now and then constrained to think of him for a time, yet as we have not pleasure therein, nay, rather, as these thoughts are not only insipid, but distasteful and irksome to us, we drive them out as soon as we can, and return to what we love to think of. So that the world, and the things of the world, -- what we shall eat, what we shall drink, what we shall put on, -- what we shall see, what we shall hear, what we shall gain, -- how we shall please our senses or our imagination, -- takes up all our time, and engrosses all our thought. So long, therefore, as we love the world; that is, so long as we are in our natural state; all our thoughts, from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, are no other than wandering thoughts. 3. But many times we are not only "without God in the world," but also fighting against him; as there is in every man by nature a "carnal mind which is enmity against God:" No wonder, therefore, that men abound with unbelieving thoughts; either saying in their hearts, "There is no God," or questioning, if not denying, his power or wisdom, his mercy, or justice, or holiness. No wonder that they so often doubt of his providence, at least, of its extending to all events; or that, even though they allow it, they still entertain murmuring or repining thoughts. Nearly related to these, and frequently connected with them, are proud and vain imaginations. Again: Sometimes they are taken up with angry, malicious, or revengeful thoughts; at other times, with airy scenes of pleasure, whether of sense or imagination; whereby the earthly, sensual mind becomes more earthy and sensual still. Now by all these they make flat war with God: These are wandering thoughts of the highest kind.

"We are not ignorant of his devices." 2 Cor. 2:11. 1. The devices whereby the subtle god of this world labours to destroy the children of God -- or at least to torment whom he cannot destroy, to perplex and hinder them in running the race which is set before them -- are numberless as the stars of heaven or the sand upon the sea-shore. But it is of one of them only that I now propose to speak, (although exerted in various ways,) whereby he endeavours to divide the gospel against itself, and by one part of it to overthrow the other. 2. The inward kingdom of heaven, which is set up in the heart of all that repent and believe the gospel, is no other than "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." Every babe in Christ knows we are made partakers of these, the very hour that we believe in Jesus. But these are only the first-fruits of his Spirit; the harvest is not yet. Although these blessings are inconceivably great, yet we trust to see greater than these. We trust to love the Lord our God, not only as we do now, with a weak though sincere affection, but "with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength." We look for power to "rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks;" knowing, "this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us."

I. 1. I am, First, to point out the several ways whereby Satan endeavours to destroy the first work of God in the soul, or at least to hinder its increase by our expectation of that greater work. And, 1. He endeavours to damp our joy in the Lord by the consideration of our own vileness, sinfulness, unworthiness; added to this, that there must be a far greater change than is yet, or we cannot see the Lord. If we knew we must remain as we are even to the day of our death, we might possibly draw a kind of comfort, poor as it was, from that necessity. But as we know, we need not remain in this state, as we are assured there is a greater change to come, and that unless sin be all done away in this life we cannot see God in glory, -- that subtle adversary often damps the joy we should otherwise feel in what we have already attained, by a perverse representation of what we have not attained, and the absolute necessity of attaining it. So that we cannot rejoice in what we have, because there is more which we have not. We cannot rightly taste the goodness of God, who hath done so great things for us, because there are so much greater things which as yet he hath not done. Likewise, the deeper conviction God works in us of our present unholiness, and the more vehement desire we feel in our heart of the entire holiness he hath promised, the more are we tempted to think lightly of the present gifts of God, and to undervalue what we have already received because of what we have not received.

2. If he can prevail thus far, if he can damp our joy, he will soon attack our peace also. He will suggest, "Are you fit to see God He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. How then can you flatter yourself, so as to imagine he beholds you with approbation God is holy: You are unholy. What communion hath light with darkness How is it possible that you, unclean as you are, should be in a state of acceptance with God You see indeed the mark, the prize of your high calling; but do you not see it is afar off How can you presume then to think that all your sins are already blotted out How can this be, until you are brought nearer to God, until you bear more resemblance to him" Thus will he endeavour not only to shake your peace, but even to overturn the very foundation of it; to bring you back, by insensible degrees, to the point from whence you set out first, even to seek for justification by works, or by your own righteousness, -- to make something in you the ground of your acceptance, or at least necessarily previous to it. 3. Or, if we hold fast, "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ;" and, "I am justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption which is in Jesus;" yet he will not cease to urge, "But the tree is known by its fruits: And have you the fruits of justification Is that mind in you which was in Christ Jesus Are you dead unto sin, and alive unto righteousness Are you made conformable to the death of Christ, and do you know the power of his resurrection" And then, comparing the small fruits we feel in our souls with the fullness of the promises, we shall be ready to conclude: "Surely God hath not said that my sins are forgiven me! Surely I have not received the remission of my sins; for what lot have I among them that are sanctified"

8. At the same time that our wise adversary endeavours to make our conviction of the necessity of perfect love an occasion of shaking our peace by doubts and fears, he endeavours to weaken, if not destroy, our faith. Indeed these are inseparably connected, so that they must stand or fall together. So long as faith subsists we remain in peace; our heart stands fast, while it believes in the Lord. But if we let go our faith, our filial confidence in a loving, pardoning God, our peace is at an end, the very foundation on which it stood being overthrown. And this is the only foundation of holiness, as well as of peace; consequently whatever strikes at this, strikes at the very root of all holiness: For without this faith, without an abiding sense that Christ loved me, and gave himself for me, without a continuing conviction that God for Christ's sake is merciful to me a sinner, it is impossible that I should love God: "We love him, because he first loved us;" and in proportion to the strength and clearness of our conviction that he hath loved us, and accepted us in his Son. And unless we love God, it is not possible that we should love our neighbour as ourselves; nor, consequently, that we should have any right affections, either toward God, or toward man. It evidently follows, that whatever weakens our faith, must, in the same degree obstruct our holiness: And this is not only the most effectual, but also the most compendious, way of destroying all holiness; seeing it does not affect any one Christian temper, any single grace or fruit of the Spirit, but, so far as it succeeds, tears up the very root of the whole work of God.

10. And if they "hold fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast unto the end," they shall undoubtedly receive the promise of God, reaching through both time and eternity. But here is another snare laid for our feet: While we earnestly pant for that part of the promise which is to be accomplished here, "for the glorious liberty of the children of God," we may be led unawares from the consideration of the glory which shall hereafter be revealed. Our eye may be insensibly turned aside from that crown which the righteous Judge hath promised to give at that day "to all that love his appearing;" and we may be drawn away from the view of that incorruptible inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us. But this also would be a loss to our souls, and an obstruction to our holiness. For to walk in the continual sight of our goal, is a needful help in our running the race that is set before us. This it was, the having "respect unto the recompense of reward," which of old time, encouraged Moses, rather "to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." Nay, it is expressly said of a greater than he, that "for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, and despised the shame," till he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Whence we may easily infer, how much more needful for us is the view of that joy set before us, that we may endure whatever cross the wisdom of God lays upon us, and press on through holiness to glory.

13. Thus, whenever our heart is eagerly athirst for all the great and precious promises; when we pant after the fullness of God, as the hart after the water-brook; when our soul breaketh out in fervent desire, "Why are his chariot-wheels so long a-coming" -- he will not neglect the opportunity of tempting us to murmur against God. He will use all his wisdom, and all his strength, if haply, in an unguarded hour, we may be influenced to repine at our Lord for thus delaying his coming. At least, he will labour to excite some degree of fretfulness or impatience; and, perhaps, of envy at those whom we believe to have already attained the prize of our high calling. He well knows, that, by giving way to any of these tempers, we are pulling down the very thing we would build up. By thus following after perfect holiness, we become more unholy than before. Yea, there is great danger that our last state should be worse than the first; like them of whom the Apostle speaks in those dreadful words, "It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."

1. I. And, first, let us inquire, What is salvation The salvation which is here spoken of is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not the soul's going to paradise, termed by our Lord, "Abraham's bosom." It is not a blessing which lies on the other side death; or, as we usually speak, in the other world. The very words of the text itself put this beyond all question: "Ye are saved." It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing; a blessing which, through the free mercy of God, ye are now in possession of. Nay, the words may be rendered, and that with equal propriety, "Ye have been saved": so that the salvation which is here spoken of might be extended to the entire work of God, from the first dawning of grace in the soul, till it is consummated in glory. 2. If we take this in its utmost extent, it will include all that is wrought in the soul by what is frequently termed "natural conscience," but more properly, "preventing grace"; --all the drawings of the Father; the desires after God, which, if we yield to them, increase more and more; --all that light wherewith the Son of God "enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world;" showing every man "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God"; --all the convictions which His Spirit, from time to time, works in every child of man--although it is true, the generality of men stifle them as soon as possible, and after a while forget, or at least deny, that they ever had them at all. 3. But we are at present concerned only with that salvation which the Apostle is directly speaking of. And this consists of two general parts, justification and sanctification.

6. But it is seldom long before they are undeceived, finding sin was only suspended, not destroyed. Temptations return, and sin revives; showing it was but stunned before, not dead. They now feel two principles in themselves, plainly contrary to each other; "the flesh lusting against the Spirit"; nature opposing the grace of God. They cannot deny, that although they still feel power to believe in Christ, and to love God; and although His "Spirit" still "witnesses with their spirits, that they are children of God"; yet they feel in themselves sometimes pride or self-will, sometimes anger or unbelief. They find one or more of these frequently stirring in their heart, though not conquering; yea, perhaps, "thrusting sore at them that they may fall"; but the Lord is their help. 7. How exactly did Macarius, fourteen hundred years ago, describe the present experience of the children of God: "The unskilful," or unexperienced, "when grace operates, presently imagine they have no more sin. Whereas they that have discretion cannot deny, that even we who have the grace of God may be molested again. For we have often had instances of some among the brethren, who have experienced such grace as to affirm that they had no sin in them; and yet, after all, when they thought themselves entirely freed from it, the corruption that lurked within was stirred up anew, and they were wellnigh burned up." 8. From the time of our being born again, the gradual work of sanctification takes place. We are enabled "by the Spirit" to "mortify the deeds of the body," of our evil nature; and as we are more and more dead to sin, we are more and more alive to God. We so on from grace to grace, while we are careful to "abstain from all appearance of evil," and are "zealous of good works," as we have opportunity, doing good to all men; while we walk in all His ordinances blameless, therein worshipping Him in spirit and in truth; while we take up our cross, and deny ourselves every pleasure that does not lead us to God.

9. It is thus that we wait for entire sanctification; for a full salvation from all our sins, --from pride, self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the Apostle expresses it, "go unto perfection." But what is perfection The word has various senses: here it means perfect love. It is love excluding sin; love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love "rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in everything giving thanks." II. But what is faith through which we are saved This is the second point to be considered. 1. Faith, in general, is defined by the Apostle, elegcos pragmatvn ou blepomenvn. An evidence, a divine evidence and conviction (the word means both) of things not seen; not visible, not perceivable either by sight, or by any other of the external senses. It implies both a supernatural evidence of God, and of the things of God; a kind of spiritual light exhibited to the soul, and a supernatural sight or perception thereof. Accordingly, the Scripture speaks of God's giving sometimes light, sometimes a power of discerning it. So St. Paul: "God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And elsewhere the same Apostle speaks of "the eyes of" our "understanding being opened." By this two-fold operation of the Holy Spirit, having the eyes of our soul both opened and enlightened, we see the things which the natural "eye hath not seen, neither the ear heard." We have a prospect of the invisible things of God; we see the spiritual world, which is all round about us, and yet no more discerned by our natural faculties than if it had no being. And we see the eternal world; piercing through the veil which hangs between time and eternity. Clouds and darkness then rest upon it no more, but we already see the glory which shall be revealed.

2. Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction not only that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself," but also that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me. It is by this faith (whether we term it the essence, or rather a property thereof) that we receive Christ; that we receive Him in all His offices, as our Prophet, Priest, and King. It is by this that He is "made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 3. "But is this the faith of assurance, or faith of adherence" The Scripture mentions no such distinction. The Apostle says, "There is one faith, and one hope of our calling"; one Christian, saving faith; "as there is one Lord," in whom we believe, and "one God and Father of us all." And it is certain, this faith necessarily implies an assurance (which is here only another word for evidence, it being hard to tell the difference between them) that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me. For "he that believeth" with the true living faith "hath the witness in himself": "the Spirit witnesseth with his spirit that he is a child of God." "Because he is a son, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father"; giving him an assurance that he is so, and a childlike confidence in Him. But let it be observed, that, in the very nature of the thing, the assurance goes before the confidence. For a man cannot have a childlike confidence in God till he knows he is a child of God. Therefore, confidence, trust, reliance, adherence, or whatever else it be called, is not the first, as some have supposed, but the second, branch or act of faith. 4. It is by this faith we are saved, justified, and sanctified; taking that word in its highest sense. But how are we justified and sanctified by faith This is our third head of inquiry. And this being the main point in question, and a point of no ordinary importance, it will not be improper to five it a more distinct and particular consideration.

III. 1. And, first, how are we justified by faith In what sense is this to be understood I answer, Faith is the condition, and the only condition, of justification. It is the condition: none is justified but he that believes: without faith no man is justified. And it is the only condition: this alone is sufficient for justification. Every one that believes is justified, whatever else he has or has not. In other words: no man is justified till he believes; every man when he believes is justified. 2. "But does not God command us to repent also Yea, and to `bring forth fruits meet for repentance'--to cease, for instance, from doing evil, and learn to do well And is not both the one and the other of the utmost necessity, insomuch that if we willingly neglect either, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all But if this be so, how can it be said that faith is the only condition of justification" God does undoubtedly command us both to repent, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance; which if we willingly neglect, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all: therefore both repentance, and fruits meet for repentance, are, in some sense, necessary to justification. But they are not necessary in the same sense with faith, nor in the same degree. Not in the same degree; for those fruits are only necessary conditionally; if there be time and opportunity for them. Otherwise a man may be justified without them, as was the thief upon the cross (if we may call him so; for a late writer has discovered that he was no thief, but a very honest and respectable person!); but he cannot be justified without faith; this is impossible. Likewise, let a man have ever so much repentance, or ever so many of the fruits meet for repentance, yet all this does not at all avail; he is not justified till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less repentance, he is justified. --Not in the same sense; for repentance and its fruits are only remotely necessary; necessary in order to faith; whereas faith is immediately necessary to justification. It remains, that faith is the only condition, which is immediately and proximately necessary to justification.

3. "But do you believe we are sanctified by faith We know you believe that we are justified by faith; but do not you believe, and accordingly teach, that we are sanctified by our works" So it has been roundly and vehemently affirmed for these five-and-twenty years: but I have constantly declared just the contrary; and that in all manner of ways. I have continually testified in private and in public, that we are sanctified as well as justified by faith. And indeed the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith. Faith is the condition, and the only condition, of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. It is the condition: none is sanctified but he that believes; with out faith no man is sanctified. And it is the only condition: this alone is sufficient for sanctification. Every one that believes is sanctified, whatever else he has or has not. In other words, no man is sanctified till he believes: every man when he believes is sanctified. 4. "But is there not a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification And is it not incumbent on all that are justified to be `zealous of good works' Yea, are not these so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them he cannot reasonably expect that he shall ever be sanctified in the full sense; that is, perfected in love Nay, can he grow at all in grace, in the loving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Yea, can he retain the grace which God has already given him Can he continue in the faith which he has received, or in the favour of God. Do not you yourself allow all this, and continually assert it But, if this be so, how can it be said that faith is the only condition of sanctification"

5. I do allow all this, and continually maintain it as the truth of God. I allow there is a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification. It is incumbent on all that are justified to be zealous of good works. And there are so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect that he shall ever be sanctified; he cannot grow in grace, in the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus; nay, he cannot retain the grace he has received; he cannot continue in faith, or in the favour of God. What is the inference we mist draw herefrom Why, that both repentance, rightly understood, and the practice of all good works, --works of piety, as well as works of mercy (now properly so called, since they spring from faith), are, in some sense, necessary to sanctification. 6. I say, "repentance rightly understood"; for this must not be confounded with the former repentance. The repentance consequent upon justification is widely different from that which is antecedent to it. This implies no guilt, no sense of condemnation, no consciousness of the wrath of God. It does not suppose any doubt of the favour of God, or any "fear that hath torment." It is properly a conviction, wrought by the Holy Ghost, of the sin which still remains in our heart; of the jronhma sarkos, the carnal mind, which "does still remain" (as our Church speaks) "even in them that are regenerate"; although it does no longer reign; it has not now dominion over them. It is a conviction of our proneness to evil, of an heart bent to backsliding, of the still continuing tendency of the flesh to lust against the spirit. Sometimes, unless we continually watch and pray, it lusteth to pride, sometimes to anger, sometimes to love of the world, love of ease, love of honour, or love of pleasure more than of God. It is a conviction of the tendency of our heart to self-will, to Atheism, or idolatry; and above all, to unbelief; whereby, in a thousand ways, and under a thousand pretenses, we are ever departing, more or less, from the living God.

7. With this conviction of the sin remaining in our hearts, there is joined a clear conviction of the sin remaining in our lives; still cleaving to all our words and actions. In the best of these we now discern a mixture of evil, either in the spirit, the matter, or the manner of them; something that could not endure the righteous judgement of God, were He extreme to mark what is done amiss. Where we least suspected it, we find a taint of pride or self-will, of unbelief or idolatry; so that we are now more ashamed of our best duties than formerly of our worst sins: and hence we cannot but feel that these are so far from having anything meritorious in them, yea, so far from being able to stand in sight of the divine justice, that for those also we should be guilty before God, were it not for the blood of the covenant. 8. Experience shows that, together with this conviction of sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to all our words and actions; as well as the guilt which on account thereof we should incur, were we not continually sprinkled with the atoning blood; one thing more is implied in this repentance; namely, a conviction of our helplessness, of our utter inability to think one good thought, or to form one good desire; and much more to speak one word aright, or to perform one good action, but through His free, almighty grace, first preventing us, and then accompanying us every moment. 9. "But what good works are those, the practice of which you affirm to be necessary to sanctification" First, all works of piety; such as public prayer, family prayer, and praying in our closet; receiving the supper of the Lord; searching the Scriptures, by hearing, reading, meditating; and using such a measure of fasting or abstinence as our bodily health allows.

10. Secondly, all works of mercy; whether they relate to the bodies or souls of men; such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously afflicted; such as the endeavouring to instruct the ignorant, to awaken the stupid sinner, to quicken the lukewarm, to confirm the wavering, to comfort the feeble-minded, to succour the tempted, or contribute in any manner to the saving of souls from death. This is the repentance, and these the "fruits meet for repentance," which are necessary to full sanctification. This is the way wherein God hath appointed His children to wait for complete salvation. 11. Hence may appear the extreme mischievousness of that seemingly innocent opinion, that there is no sin in a believer; that all sin is destroyed, root and branch, the moment a man is justified. By totally preventing that repentance, it quite blocks up the way to sanctification. There is no place for repentance in him who believes there is no sin either in his life or heart: consequently, there is no place for his being perfected in love, to which that repentance is indispensably necessary. 12. Hence it may likewise appear, that there is no possible danger in thus expecting full salvation. For suppose we were mistaken, suppose no such blessing ever was or can be attained, yet we lose nothing: nay, that very expectation quickens us in using all the talents which God has given us; yea, in improving them all; so that when our Lord cometh, He will receive His own with increase.

13. But to return. though it be allowed, that both this repentance and its fruits are necessary to full salvation; yet they are not necessary either in the same sense with faith, or in the same degree: --Not in the same degree; for these fruits are only necessary conditionally, if there be time and opportunity for them; otherwise a man may be sanctified without them. But he cannot be sanctified without faith. likewise, let a man have ever so much of this repentance, or ever so many good works, yet all this does not at all avail: he is not sanctified till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less of this repentance, he is sanctified. --Not in the same sense; for this repentance and these fruits are only remotely necessary, --necessary in order to the continuance of his faith, as well as the increase of it; whereas faith is immediately and directly necessary to sanctification. It remains, that faith is the only condition which is immediately and proximately necessary to sanctification. 14. "But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified, --saved from sin, and perfected in love" It is a divine evidence and conviction, first, that God hath promised it in the holy Scripture. Till we are thoroughly satisfied of this, there in no moving one step further. And one would imagine there needed not one word more to satisfy a reasonable man of this, than the ancient promise, "Then will I circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." How clearly does this express the being perfected in love! --how strongly imply the being saved from all sin! For as long as love takes up the whole heart, what room is there for sin therein

15. It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, that what God hath promised He is able to perform. Admitting, therefore, that "with men it is impossible" to "bring a clean thing out of an unclean," to purify the heart from all sin, and to till it with all holiness; yet this creates no difficulty in the case, seeing "with God all things are possible." And surely no one ever imagined it was possible to any power less than that of the Almighty! But if God speaks, it shall be done. God saith, "Let there be light; and there" is "light"! 16. It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that He is able and willing to do it now. And why not Is not a moment to Him the same as a thousand years He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is His will. And He cannot want or stay for any more worthiness or fitness in the persons He is pleased to honour. We may therefore boldly say, at any point of time, "Now is the day of salvation!" "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts!" "Behold, all things are now ready; come unto the marriage!" 17. To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more, --a divine evidence and conviction that He doeth it. In that hour it is done: God says to the inmost soul, "According to thy faith be it unto thee!" Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; it is clean "from all unrighteousness." The believer then experiences the deep meaning of those solemn words, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

I. 1. I am, First, by opening the words of the text, to show what men were before the flood. And we may fully depend on the account here given: For God saw it, and he cannot be deceived. He "saw that the wickedness of man was great:" -- Not of this or that man; not of a few men only; not barely of the greater part, but of man in general; of men universally. The word includes the whole human race, every partaker of human nature. And it is not easy for us to compute their numbers, to tell how many thousands and millions they were. The earth then retained much of its primeval beauty and original fruitfulness. The face of the globe was not rent and torn as it is now; and spring and summer went hand in hand. It is therefore probable, it afforded sustenance for far more inhabitants than it is now capable of sustaining; and these must be immensely multiplied, while men begat sons and daughters for seven or eight hundred years together. Yet, among all this inconceivable number, only "Noah found favour with God." He alone (perhaps including part of his household) was an exception from the universal wickedness, which, by the just judgment of God, in a short time after brought on universal destruction. All the rest were partakers in the same guilt, as they were in the same punishment. 2. "God saw all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart;" -- of his soul, his inward man, the spirit within him, the principle of all his inward and outward motions. He "saw all the imaginations:" It is not possible to find a word of a more extensive signification. It includes whatever is formed, made, fabricated within; all that is or passes in the soul; every inclination, affection, passion, appetite; every temper, design, thought. It must of consequence include every word and action, as naturally flowing from these fountains, and being either good or evil according to the fountain from which they severally flow.

3. Now God saw that all this, the whole thereof, was evil; -- contrary to moral rectitude; contrary to the nature of God, which necessarily includes all good; contrary to the divine will, the eternal standard of good and evil; contrary to the pure, holy image of God, wherein man was originally created, and wherein he stood when God, surveying the works of his hands, saw them all to be very good; contrary to justice, mercy, and truth, and to the essential relations which each man bore to his Creator and his fellow-creatures. 4. But was there not good mingled with the evil Was there not light intermixed with the darkness No; none at all: "God saw that the whole imagination of the heart of man was only evil." It cannot indeed be denied, but many of them, perhaps all, had good motions put into their hearts; for the Spirit of God did then also "strive with man," if haply he might repent, more especially during that gracious reprieve, the hundred and twenty years, while the ark was preparing. But still "in his flesh dwelt no good thing;" all his nature was purely evil: It was wholly consistent with itself, and unmixed with anything of an opposite nature. 5. However, it may still be matter of inquiry, "Was there no intermission of this evil Were there no lucid intervals, wherein something good might be found in the heart of man" We are not here to consider, what the grace of God might occasionally work in his soul; and, abstracted from this, we have no reason to believe, there was any intermission of that evil. For God, who "saw the whole imagination of the thoughts of his heart to be only evil," saw likewise, that it was always the same, that it "was only evil continually;" every year, every day, every hour, every moment. He never deviated into good. II. Such is the authentic account of the whole race of mankind which He who knoweth what is in man, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, hath left upon record for our instruction. Such were all men before God brought the flood upon the earth. We are, Secondly, to inquire, whether they are the same now.

5. And having no knowledge, we can have no love of God: We cannot love him we know not. Most men talk indeed of loving God, and perhaps imagine they do; at least, few will acknowledge they do not love him: But the fact is too plain to be denied. No man loves God by nature, any more than he does a stone, or the earth he treads upon. What we love we delight in: But no man has naturally any delight in God. In our natural state we cannot conceive how any one should delight in him. We take no pleasure in him at all; he is utterly tasteless to us. To love God! it is far above, out of our sight. We cannot, naturally, attain unto it. 6. We have by nature, not only no love, but no fear of God. It is allowed, indeed, that most men have, sooner or later, a kind of senseless, irrational fear, properly called superstition; though the blundering Epicureans gave it the name of religion. Yet even this is not natural, but acquired; chiefly by conversation or from example. By nature "God is not in all our thoughts:" We leave him to manage his own affairs, to sit quietly, as we imagine, in heaven, and leave us on earth to manage ours; so that we have no more of the fear of God before our eyes, than of the love of God in our hearts.

7. Thus are all men "Atheists in the world." But Atheism itself does not screen us from idolatry. In his natural state, every man born into the world is a rank idolater. Perhaps, indeed, we may not be such in the vulgar sense of the word. We do no, like the idolatrous Heathens, worship molten or graven images. We do not bow down to the stock of a tree, to the work of our own hands. We do not pray to the angels or saints in heaven, any more than to the saints that are upon the earth. But what then We have set up our idols in our hearts; and to these we bow down and worship them: We worship ourselves, when we pay that honour to ourselves which is due to God only. Therefore all pride is idolatry; it is ascribing to ourselves what is due to God alone. And although pride was not made for man, yet where is the man that is born without it But hereby we rob god of his unalienable right, and idolatrously usurp his glory. 8. But pride is not the only sort of idolatry which we are all by nature guilty of. Satan has stamped his own image on our heart in self-will also. "I will," said he, before he was cast out of heaven, "I will sit upon the sides of the north;" I will do my own will and pleasure, independently on that of my Creator. the same does every man born into the world say, and that in a thousand instances; nay, and avow it too, without ever blushing upon the account, without either fear or shame. Ask the man, "Why did you do this" He answers, "Because I had a mind to it." What is this but, "Because it was my will;" that is, in effect, because the devil and I agreed; because Satan and I govern our actions by one and the same principle. The will of God, mean time, is not in his thoughts, is not considered in the least degree; although it be the supreme rule of every intelligent creature, whether in heaven or earth, resulting from the essential, unalterable relation which all creature bear to their Creator.

9. So far we bear the image of the devil, and tread in his steps. But at the next step we leave Satan behind; we run into an idolatry whereof he is not guilty: I mean love of the world; which is now as natural to every man, as to love his own will. What is more natural to us than to seek happiness in the creature, instead of the Creator -- to seek that satisfaction in the works of his hands, which can be found in God only What more natural than "the desire of the flesh" that is, of the pleasure of sense in every kind Men indeed talk magnificently of despising these low pleasures, particularly men of learning and education. They affect to sit loose to the gratification of these appetites wherein they stand on a level with the beasts that perish. But it is mere affectation; for every man is conscious to himself, that in this respect he is, by nature, a very beast. Sensual appetites, even those of the lowest kind, have, more or less, the dominion over him. They lead him captive; they drag him to and fro, in spite of his boasted reason. The man, with all his good breeding, and other accomplishments, has no pre-eminence over the goat: Nay, it is much to be doubted, whether the beast has not the pre-eminence over him. Certainly he has, if we may hearken to one of their modern oracles, who very decently tells us, Once in a season beasts too taste of love; Only the beast of reason is its slave, And in that folly drudges all the year.

11. A third symptom of this fatal disease, the love of the world, which is so deeply rooted in our nature, is "the pride of life;" the desire of praise, of the honour that cometh of men. This the greatest admirers of human nature allow to be strictly natural; as natural as the sight, or hearing, or any other of the external senses. And are they ashamed of it, even men of letters, men of refined and improved understanding So far from it that they glory therein! They applaud themselves for their love of applause! Yea, eminent Christians, so called, make no difficulty of adopting the saying of the old, vain Heathen, Animi dissoluti est et nequam negligere quid de se homines sentiant: "Not to regard what men think of us is the mark of a wicked and abandoned mind." So that to go calm and unmoved through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report, is with them a sign of one that is, indeed, not fit to live: " Away with such a flow from the earth!" But would one imagine that these men had ever heard of Jesus Christ or his Apostles; or that they knew who it was that said, "How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of God only" But if this is really so, if it be impossible to believe, and consequently to please God, so long as we receive or seek honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of God only; then in what a condition are all mankind! the Christians as well as Heathens! since they all seek honour one of another! since it is as natural for them so to do, themselves being the judges, as it is to see the light which strikes upon their eye, or to hear the sound which enters their ear; yea, since they account it a sign of a virtuous mind, to seek the praise of men, and of a vicious one, to be content with the honour that cometh of God only!

2. Hence we may, Secondly, learn, that all who deny this, call it original sin, or by any other title, are put Heathens still, in the fundamental point which differences Heathenism from Christianity. They may, indeed, allow, that men have many vices; that some are born with us; and that, consequently, we are not born altogether so wise or so virtuous as we should be; there being few that will roundly affirm, "We are born with as much propensity to good as to evil, and that every man is, by nature, as virtuous and wise as Adam was at his creation." But here is the shibboleth: Is man by nature filled with all manner of evil Is he void of all good Is he wholly fallen Is his soul totally corrupted Or, to come back to the text, is "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually" Allow this, and you are so far a Christian. Deny it, and you are but an Heathen still. 3. We may learn from hence, in the Third place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is qerapeia yuchs, God's method of healing a soul which is thus diseased. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal this sickness; to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals all our Atheism by the knowledge of Himself, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God, and of the things of God, -- in particular, of this important truth, "Christ loved me" -- and gave himself for me." By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed; that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God; and for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now, this is properly religion, "faith" thus "working by love;" working the genuine meek humility, entire deadness to the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in, and conformity to, the whole will and word of God.

4. Indeed, if man were not thus fallen, there would be no need of all this. There would be no occasion for this work in the heart, this renewal in the spirit of our mind. The superfluity of godliness would then be a more proper expression than the "superfluity of naughtiness." For an outside religion, without any godliness at all, would suffice to all rational intents and purposes. It does, accordingly, suffice, in the judgment of those who deny this corruption of our nature. They make very little more of religion than the famous Mr. Hobbes did of reason. According to him, reason is only "a well-ordered train of words:" According to them, religion is only a well-ordered train of words and actions. And they speak consistently with themselves; for if the inside be not full of wickedness, if this be clean already, what remains, but to "cleanse the outside of the cup" Outward reformation, if their supposition be just, is indeed the one thing needful.

The New Birth "Ye must be born again." John 3:7. 1. If any doctrines within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtless these two, -- the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth: The former relating to that great work which God does for us, in forgiving our sins; the latter, to the great work which God does in us, in renewing our fallen nature. In order of time, neither of these is before the other: in the moment we are justified by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Jesus, we are also "born of the Spirit;" but in order of thinking, as it is termed, justification precedes the new birth. We first conceive his wrath to be turned away, and then his Spirit to work in our hearts. 2. How great importance then must it be of, to every child of man, throughly to understand these fundamental doctrines! From a full conviction of this, many excellent men have wrote very largely concerning justification, explaining every point relating thereto, and opening the Scriptures which treat upon it. Many likewise have wrote on the new birth: And some of them largely enough; but yet not so clearly as might have been desired, nor so deeply and accurately; having either given a dark, abstruse account of it, or a slight and superficial one. Therefore a full, and at the same time a clear, account of the new birth, seems to be wanting still; such as may enable us to give a satisfactory answer to these three questions: First, Why must we be born again What is the foundation of this doctrine of the new birth Secondly, How must we be born again What is the nature of the new birth And, Thirdly, Wherefore must we be born again To what end is it necessary These questions, by the assistance of God, I shall briefly and plainly answer; and then subjoin a few inferences which will naturally follow.

He lives a life which the world knoweth not of, a "life which is hid with Christ in God." God is continually breathing, as it were, upon the soul; and his soul is breathing unto God. Grace is descending into his heart; and prayer and praise ascending to heaven: And by this intercourse between God and man, this fellowship with the Father and the Son, as by a kind of spiritual respiration, the life of God in the soul is sustained; and the child of God grows up, till he comes to the "full measure of the stature of Christ." 5. From hence it manifestly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the soul when he brings it into life; when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is "created anew in Christ Jesus;" when it is "renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness;" when the love of the world is changed into the love of God; pride into humility; passion into meekness; hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, disinterested love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the "mind which was in Christ Jesus." This is the nature of the new birth: "So is every one that is born of the Spirit."

3. A Third inference which we may draw from what has been observed, is, that the new birth is not the same with sanctification. This is indeed taken for granted by many; particularly by an eminent writer, in his late treatise on "The Nature and Grounds of Christian Regeneration." To wave several other weighty objections which might be made to that tract, this is a palpable one: It all along speaks of regeneration as a progressive work, carried on in the soul by slow degrees, from the time of our first turning to God. This is undeniably true of sanctification; but of regeneration, the new birth, it is not true. This is a part of sanctification, not the whole; it is the gate to it, the entrance into it. When we are born again, then our sanctification, our inward and outward holiness, begins; and thenceforward we are gradually to "grow up in Him who is our Head." This expression of the Apostle admirably illustrates the difference between one and the other, and farther points out the exact analogy there is between natural and spiritual things. A child is born of a woman in a moment, or at least in a very short time: Afterward he gradually and slowly grows, till he attains to the stature of a man. In like manner, a child is born of God in a short time, if not in a moment. But it is by slow degrees that he afterward grows up to the measure of the full stature of Christ. The same relation, therefore, which there is between our natural birth and our growth, there is also between our new birth and our sanctification.

The Wilderness State "Ye now have sorrow: But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22. 1. After God had wrought a great deliverance for Israel, by bringing them out of the house of bondage, they did not immediately enter into the land which he had promised to their fathers; but "wandered out of the way in the wilderness," and were variously tempted and distressed. In like manner, after God has delivered them that fear him from the bondage of sin and Satan; after they are "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus," yet not many of them immediately enter into "the rest which remaineth for the people of God." The greater part of them wander, more or less, out of the good way into which he hath brought them. They come, as it were, into a "waste and howling desert," where they are variously tempted and tormented: And this, some, in allusion to the case of the Israelites, have termed "a wilderness state." 2. Certain it is, that the condition wherein these are has a right the tenderest compassion. They labour under an evil and sore disease; though one that is not commonly understood; and for this very reason it is the more difficult for them to find a remedy. Being in darkness themselves, they cannot be supposed to understand the nature of their own disorder; and few of their brethren, nay, perhaps, of their teachers, know either what their sickness is, or how to heal it. So much the more need there is to inquire, First, What is the nature of this disease Secondly, What is the cause and, Thirdly, What is the cure of it

I. 1. And, First, what is the nature of this disease, into which so many fall after they have believed Wherein does it properly consist; and what are the genuine symptoms of it It properly consists in the loss of that faith which God once wrought in their heart. They that are in the wilderness, have not now that divine "evidence," that satisfactory conviction "of things not seen," which they once enjoyed. They have not now that inward demonstration of the Spirit which before enabled each of them to say, "The life I live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." The light of heaven does not now "shine in their hearts," neither do they "see him that is invisible;" but darkness is again on the face of their souls, and blindness on the eyes of their understanding. The Spirit no longer "witnesses with their spirits, that they are the children of God;" neither does he continue as the Spirit of adoption, "crying" in their hearts, "Abba, Father." They have not now a sure trust in his love, and a liberty of approaching him with holy boldness. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," is no more the language of their heart; but they are shorn of their strength, and become weak and feeble-minded, even as other men.

3. In consequence of the loss of faith and love, follows, Thirdly, loss of joy in the Holy Ghost. For if the loving consciousness of pardon be no more, the joy resulting therefrom cannot remain. If the Spirit does not witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, the joy that flowed from that inward witness must also be at an end. And, in like manner, they who once "rejoiced with joy unspeakable," "in hope of the glory of God," now they are deprived of that "hope full of immortality," are deprived of the joy it occasioned; as also of that which resulted from a consciousness of "the love of God," then "shed abroad in their hearts." For the cause being removed, so is the effect: The fountain being dammed up, those living waters spring no more to refresh the thirsty soul. 4. With loss of faith, and love, and joy there is also joined, Fourthly, the loss of that peace which once passed all understanding. That sweet tranquillity of mind, that composure of spirit, is gone. Painful doubt returns; doubt, whether we ever did, and perhaps whether we ever shall, believe. We begin to doubt, whether we ever did find in our hearts the real testimony of the Spirit; whether we did not rather deceive our own souls, and mistake the voice of nature for the voice of God. Nay, and perhaps, whether we shall ever hear his voice, and find favour in his sight. And these doubts are again joined with servile fear, with that fear which hath torment. We fear the wrath of God, even as before we believed: We fear, lest we should be cast out of his presence; and thence sink again into that fear of death, from which we were before wholly delivered.

5. But even this is not all; for loss of peace is accompanied with loss of power. We know everyone who has peace with God, through Jesus Christ, has power over all sin. But whenever he loses the peace of God, he loses also the power over sin. While that peace remained, power also remained, even over the besetting sin, whether it were the sin of his nature, his constitution, of his education, or that of his profession; yea, and over those evil tempers and desires which, till then, he could not conquer Sin had then no more dominion over him; but he hath now no more dominion over sin. He may struggle, indeed, but he cannot overcome; the crown is fallen from his head. His enemies again prevail over him, and, more or less, bring him into bondage. The glory is departed from him, even the kingdom of God which was in his heart. He is dispossessed of righteousness, as well as of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. II. 1. Such is the nature of what many have termed, and not improperly, "The wilderness state." But the nature of it may be more fully understood by inquiring, Secondly, What are the causes of it These indeed are various. But I dare not rank among these the bare, arbitrary, sovereign will of God. He "rejoiceth in the prosperity of his servants: He delighteth not to afflict or grieve the children of men." His invariable will is our sanctification, attended with "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." These are his own free gifts; and we are assured "the gifts of God are," on his part, "without repentance." He never repenteth of what he hath given, or desires to withdraw them from us. Therefore he never deserts us, as some speak; it is we only that desert him.

8. But suppose we are aware of this snare of the devil, we may be attacked from another quarter. When fierceness and anger are asleep, and love alone is waking, we may be no less endangered by desire, which equally tends to darken the soul. This is the sure effect of any foolish desire, any vain or inordinate affection. If we set our affection on things of the earth, on any person or thing under the sun; if we desire anything but God, and what tends to God; if we seek happiness in any creature; the jealous God will surely contend with us, for he can admit of no rival. And if we will not hear his warning voice, and return to him with our whole soul, we continue to grieve him with our idols, and running after other gods, we shall soon be cold, barren, and dry; and the god of this world will blind and darken our hearts. 9. But this he frequently does, even when we do not give way to any positive sin. It is enough, it gives him sufficient advantage, if we do not "stir up the gift of God which is in us;" if we do not agonize continually "to enter in at the strait gate;" if we do not earnestly "strive for the mastery," and "take the kingdom of heaven by violence." There needs no more than not to fight, and we are sure to be conquered. Let us only be careless or "faint in our mind," let us be easy and indolent, and our natural darkness will soon return, and overspread our soul. It is enough, therefore, if we give way to spiritual sloth; this will effectually darken the soul: It will as surely destroy the light of God, if not so swiftly, as murder or adultery.

10. But it is well to be observed, that the cause of our darkness (whatsoever it be, whether omission or commission, whether inward or outward sin) is not always nigh at hand. Sometimes the sin which occasioned the present distress may lie at a considerable distance. It might be committed days, or weeks, or months before. And that God now withdraws his light and peace on account of what was done so long ago is not (as one might at first imagine) an instance of his severity, but rather a proof of his longsuffering and tender mercy. He waited all this time if haply we would see, acknowledge, and correct what was amiss. And in default of this he at length shows his displeasure, if thus, at last, he may bring us to repentance. (II). 1. Another general cause of this darkness is ignorance; which is likewise of various kinds. If men know not the Scriptures, if they imagine there are passages either in the Old or New Testament which assert, that all believers without exception, must sometimes be in darkness; this ignorance will naturally bring upon them the darkness which they expect. And how common a case has this been among us! How few are there that do not expect it! And no wonder, seeing they are taught to expect it; seeing their guides lead them into this way. Not only the mystic writers of the Romish Church, but many of the most spiritual and experimental in our own, (very few of the last century excepted,) lay it down with all assurance as a plain, unquestionable Scripture doctrine, and cite many texts to prove it.

(III). 1. A Third general cause of this darkness is temptation. When the candle of the Lord first shines on our head, temptation frequently flees away, and totally disappears. All is calm within; perhaps without too, while God makes our enemies to be at peace with us. It is then very natural to suppose that we shall not see war any more. And there are instances wherein this calm has continued, not only for weeks, but for months or years. But commonly it is otherwise: In a short time "the winds blow, the rains descend, and the floods arise" anew. They who know not either the Son or the Father, and consequently hate his children, when God slackens the bridle which is in their teeth , will show that hatred in various instances. As of old, "he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now;" the same cause still producing the same effect. The evil which yet remains in the heart will then also move afresh; anger, and many other roots of bitterness will endeavour to spring up. At the same time, Satan will not be wanting to cast in his fiery darts; and the soul will have to wrestle, not only with the world, not only "with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, with the rulers of the darkness of this world, with wicked spirits in high places." Now, when so various assaults are made at once, and perhaps with the utmost violence, it is not strange if it should occasion, not only heaviness, but even darkness in a weak believer; -- more especially if he was not watching; if these assaults are made in an hour when he looked not for them; if he expected nothing less, but had fondly told himself, -- the day of evil would return no more.

1. To suppose that this is one and the same in all cases is a and fatal mistake; and yet extremely common, even among many, who pass for experienced Christians, yea, perhaps take upon them to be teachers in Israel, to be the guides of other souls. Accordingly, they know and use but one medicine, whatever be the cause of the distemper. They begin immediately to apply the promises; to preach the gospel, as they call it. To give comfort is the single point at which they aim; in order to which they say many soft and tender things, concerning the love of God to poor helpless sinners, and the efficacy of the blood of Christ. Now this is quackery indeed, and that of the worse sort, as it tends, if not to kill men's bodies, yet without the peculiar mercy of God, "to destroy both their bodies and souls in hell." It is hard to speak of these "daubers with untempered mortar," these promise-mongers, as they deserve. They well deserve the title, which has been ignorantly given to others: They are spiritual mountebanks. They do, in effect, make "the blood of the covenant an unholy thing." They vilely prostitute the promises of God by thus applying them to all without distinction. Whereas, indeed, the cure of spiritual, as of bodily diseases, must be as various as are the causes of them. The first thing, therefore, is to find out the cause; and this will naturally point out the cure. 2. For instance: Is it sin which occasions darkness What sin Is it outward sin of any kind Does your conscience accuse you of committing any sin, whereby you grieve the Holy Spirit of God Is it on this account that he is departed from you, and that joy and peace are departed with him And how can you expect they should return, till you put away the accursed thing "Let the wicked forsake his way;" "cleanse your hands, ye sinners;" "put away the evil of your doings;" so shall your "light break out of obscurity;" the Lord will return and "abundantly pardon."

3. If, upon the closest search, you can find no sin of commission which causes the cloud upon your soul, inquire next, if there be not some sin of omission which separates between God and you. Do you "not suffer sin upon your brother" Do you reprove them that sin in your sight Do you walk in all the ordinances of God in public, family, private prayer If not, if you habitually neglect any one of these known duties, how can you expect that the light of his countenance should continue to shine upon you Make haste to "strengthen the things that remain;" then your soul shall live. "Today, if ye will hear his voice," by his grace supply what is lacking. When you hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk thou in it," harden not your heart; be no more "disobedient to the heavenly calling." Till the sin, whether of omission or commission, be removed, all comfort is false and deceitful. It is only skinning the wound over, which still festers and rankles beneath. Look for no peace within, till you are at peace with God; which cannot be without "fruits meet for repentance."

4. But perhaps you are not conscious of even any sin of omission which impairs your peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Is there not then some inward sin, which as a root of bitterness, springs up in your heart to trouble you Is not your dryness, and barrenness of soul, occasioned by your heart's "departing from the living God" Has not "the foot of pride come against" you Have you not thought of yourself "more highly than you ought to think" Have you not, in any respect, "sacrificed to your own net, and burned incense to your own drag" Have you not ascribed your success in any undertaking to your own courage, or strength, or wisdom Have you not boasted of something "you have received, as though you had not received it" Have you not gloried in anything, "save the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Have you not sought after or desired the praise of men Have you not taken pleasure in it If so, you see the way you are to take. If you have fallen by pride, "humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt you in due time." Have you not forced him to depart from you, by giving place to anger Have you not "fretted yourself because of the ungodly" or "been envious against the evil-doers" Have you not been offended at any of your brethren, looking at their (real or imagined) sin, so as to sin yourself against the great law of love, by estranging your heart from them Then look unto the Lord, that you may renew your strength; that all this sharpness and coldness may be done away; that love and peace and joy may return together, and you may be invariably kind to each other, and "tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Have not you given way to any foolish desire To any kind or degree of inordinate affection How then can the love of God have place in your heart, till you put away your idols "Be not deceived: God is not mocked:" He will not dwell in a divided heart. As long, therefore, as you cherish Delilah in your bosom he has no place there.

As long, therefore, as you cherish Delilah in your bosom he has no place there. It is vain to hope for a recovery of his light, till you pluck out the right eye, and cast it from you. O let there be no longer delay! Cry to Him, that he may enable you so to do! Bewail your own impotence and helplessness; and, the Lord being your helper, enter in at the strait gate; take the kingdom of heaven by violence! Cast out every idol from his sanctuary, and the glory of the Lord shall soon appear. 5. Perhaps it is this very thing, the want of striving, spiritual sloth, which keeps your soul in darkness. You dwell at ease in the land; there is no war in your coasts; and so you are quiet and unconcerned. You go on in the same even track of outward duties, and are content there to abide. And do you wonder, meantime, that your soul is dead O stir yourself up before the Lord! Arise, and shake yourself from the dust; wrestle with God for the mighty blessing; pour out your soul unto God in prayer, and continue therein with all perseverance! Watch! Awake out of sleep; and keep awake! Otherwise there is nothing to be expected, but that you will be alienated more and more from the light and life of God. 6. If, upon the fullest and most impartial examination of yourself, you cannot discern that you at present give way either to spiritual sloth, or any other inward or outward sin, then call to mind the time that is past. Consider your former tempers, words, and actions. Have these been right before the Lord "Commune with him in your chamber, and be still;" and desire of him to try the ground of your heart, and bring to your remembrance whatever has at any time offended the eyes of his glory. If the guilt of any unrepented sin remain on our soul, it cannot be but you will remain in darkness, till, having been renewed by repentance, you are again washed by faith in the "fountain opened for sin and uncleanness."

10. A third Scripture from whence the same inference has been drawn is that above recited, "Ye now have sorrow: But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." This has been supposed to imply, that God would after a time withdraw himself from all believers; and that they could not, till after they had thus sorrowed, have the joy which no man could take from them. But the whole context shows that our Lord is here speaking personally to the Apostles, and no others; and that he is speaking concerning those particular events, his own death and resurrection. "A little while," says he, "and ye shall not see me;" viz., whilst I am in the grave: "And again, a little while, and ye shall see me;" when I am risen from the dead. Ye will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice: But your sorrow shall be turned into joy." -- "Ye now have sorrow," because I am about to be taken from your head; "but I will see you again," after my resurrection, "and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy," which I will then give you, "no man taketh from you." All this we know was literally fulfilled in the particular case of the Apostles. But no inference can be drawn from hence with regard to God's dealings with believers in general. 11. A fourth text (to mention no more) which has been frequently cited in proof of the same doctrine, is 1 Peter 4:12: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." But this is full as foreign to the point as the preceding. The text, literally rendered, runs thus: "Beloved, wonder not at the burning which is among you, which is for your trial." Now, however, this may be accommodated to inward trials, in a secondary sense; yet, primarily, it doubtless refers to martyrdom, and the sufferings connected with it. Neither, therefore, is this text anything at all to the purpose for which it is cited. And we may challenge all men to bring one text, either from the Old or New Testament, which is any more to the purpose than this.

12. "But is not darkness much more profitable for the soul than light Is not the work of God in the heart most swiftly and effectually carried on during a state of inward suffering Is not a believer more swiftly and thoroughly purified by sorrow, than by joy -- by anguish, and pain, and distress, and spiritual martyrdoms, than by continual peace" So the Mystics teach; so it is written in their books; but not in the oracles of God. The Scripture nowhere says, that the absence of God best perfects his work in the heart! Rather, his presence, and a clear communion with the Father and the Son: A strong consciousness of this will do more an hour, than his absence in an age. Joy in the Holy Ghost will far more effectually purify the soul than the want of that joy; and the peace of God is the best means of refining the soul from the dross of earthly affections. Away then with the idle conceit, that the kingdom of God is divided against itself; that the peace of God, and joy in the Holy Ghost, are obstructive of righteousness; and that we are saved, not by faith, but by unbelief; not by hope, but by despair! 13. So long as men dream thus, they may well "walk in darkness:" Nor can the effect cease, till the cause is removed. But yet we must not imagine it will immediately cease, even when the cause is no more. When either ignorance or sin has caused darkness, one or the other may be removed, and yet the light which was obstructed thereby may not immediately return. As it is the free gift of God, he may restore it, sooner or later, as it pleases him. In the case of sin, we cannot reasonably expect that it should immediately return. The sin began before the punishment, which may, therefore, justly remain after the sin is at an end. And even in the natural course of things, though a wound cannot be healed while the dart is sticking in the flesh; yet neither is it healed as soon as that is drawn out, but soreness and pain may remain long after.

2. It is probable our translators rendered it heaviness (though a less common word,) to denote two things: First, the degree, and next, the continuance, of it. It does indeed, seem that it is not a slight or inconsiderable degree of grief which is here spoken of; but such as makes a strong impression upon, and sinks deep into, the soul. Neither does this appear to be a transient sorrow, such as passes away in an hour; but rather, such as, having taken fast hold of the heart, is not presently shaken off, but continues for some time, as a settled temper, rather than a passion, -- even in them that have living faith in Christ, and the genuine love of God in their hearts. 3. Even in these, this heaviness may sometimes be so deep as to overshadow the whole soul; to give a colour, as it were, to all the affections; such as will appear in the whole behavior. It may likewise have an influence over the body; particularly in those that are either of a naturally weak constitution, or weakened by some accidental disorder, especially of the nervous kind. In many cases, we find "the corruptible body presses down the soul." In this, the soul rather presses down the body, and weakens it more and more. Nay, I will not say that deep and lasting sorrow of heart may not sometimes weaken a strong constitution, and lay the foundation of such bodily disorders as are not easily removed: And yet, all this may consist with a measure of that faith which still worketh by love. 4. This may well be termed a "fiery trial:" And though it is not the same with that the Apostle speaks of in the fourth chapter [1 Pet. 4], yet many of the expressions there used concerning outward sufferings may be accommodated to this inward affliction. They cannot, indeed, with any propriety, be applied to them that are in darkness: These do not, cannot rejoice; neither is it true, that "the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon" them. But he frequently doth on those that are in heaviness; so that, though sorrowful, yet are they always rejoicing.

III. 1. But to proceed to the Third point: What are the causes of such sorrow or heaviness in a true believer The Apostle tells us clearly: "Ye are in heaviness," says he, "through manifold temptations," poikilois, manifold, not only many in number, but of many kinds. They may be varied and diversified a thousand ways, by the change or addition of numberless circumstances. And this very diversity and variety makes it more difficult to guard against them. Among these we may rank all bodily disorders; particularly acute diseases, and violent pain of every kind, whether affecting the whole body or the smallest part of it. It is true, some who have enjoyed uninterrupted health, and have felt none of these, may make light of them, and wonder that sickness, or pain of body, should bring heaviness upon the mind. And perhaps one in a thousand is of so peculiar a constitution as not to feel pain like other men. So hath it pleased God to show his almighty power by producing some of these prodigies of nature, who have seemed not to regard pain at all, though of the severest kind; if that contempt of pain was not owing partly to the force of education, partly to a preternatural cause, -- to the power either of good or evil spirits, who raised those men above the state of mere nature. But, abstracting from these particular cases, it is, in general, a just observation, that Pain is perfect misery, and extreme Quite overturns all patience And even where this is prevented by the grace of God, where men do "possess their souls in patience," it may, nevertheless, occasion much inward heaviness; the soul sympathizing with the body. 2. All diseases of long continuance, though less painful, are apt to produce the same effect. When God appoints over us consumption, or the chilling and burning ague, if it be not speedily removed it will not only "consume the eyes," but "cause sorrow of heart." This is eminently the case with regard to all those which are termed nervous disorders. And faith does not overturn the course of nature: Natural causes still produce natural effects. Faith no more hinders the sinking of the spirits (as it is called) in an hysteric illness than the rising of the pulse in a fever.

9. But upon this I would observe, (1.) In the preceding paragraph, this writer says, "Hearing I had not a true faith in Christ, I offered myself up to God, and immediately felt his love." It may be so; and yet it does not appear that this was justification. It is more probable, it was no more than what are usually termed, the "drawings of the Father." And if so, the heaviness and darkness which followed was no other than conviction of sin; which in the nature of things, must precede that faith whereby we are justified. (2.) Suppose she was justified almost the same moment she was convinced of wanting faith, there was then no time for that gradually-increasing self-knowledge which uses to precede justification: In this case, therefore, it came after, and was probably the more severe, the less it was expected. (3.) It is allowed, there will be a far deeper, a far clearer and fuller knowledge of our inbred sin, of our total corruption by nature, after justification, than ever there was before it. But this need not occasion darkness of soul: I will not say, that it must bring us into heaviness. Were it so, the Apostle would not have used that expression, if need be for there would be an absolute, indispensable need of it, for all that would know themselves; that is, in effect, for all that would know the perfect love of God, and be thereby "made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." But this is by no means the case. On the contrary, God may increase the knowledge of ourselves to any degree, and increase in the same proportion, the knowledge of himself and the experience of his love. And in this case there would be no "desert, no misery, no forlorn condition;" but love, and peace, and joy, gradually springing up into everlasting life.

7. Add to this the advantage which others may receive by seeing our behavior under affliction. We find by experience, example frequently makes a deeper impression upon us than precept. And what examples have a stronger influence, not only on those who are partakers of like precious faith, but even on them who have not known God, than that of a soul calm and serene in the midst of storms; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; meekly accepting whatever is the will of God, however grievous it may be to nature; saying, in sickness and pain, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it" -- in loss or want, "The Lord gave; the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" V. 1. I am to conclude with some inferences. And, First, how wide is the difference between darkness of soul, and heaviness; which, nevertheless, are so generally confounded with each other, even by experienced Christians! Darkness, or the wilderness-state, implies a total loss of joy in the Holy Ghost: Heaviness does not; in the midst of this we may "rejoice with joy unspeakable." They that are in darkness have lost the peace of God; They that are in heaviness have not; So far from it, that at the very time "peace," as well as "grace," may "be multiplied" unto them. In the former, the love of God is waxed cold, if it be not utterly extinguished; in the latter, it retains its full force, or, rather, increases daily. In these, faith itself, if not totally lost, is, however, grievously decayed: Their evidence and conviction of things not seen, particularly of the pardoning love of God, is not so clear or strong as in time past: and their trust in him is proportionably weakened: Those, though they see him not, yet have a clear, unshaken confidence in God, and an abiding evidence of that love whereby all their sins are blotted out. So that as long as we can distinguish faith from unbelief, hope from despair, peace from war, the love of God from the love of the world, we may infallibly distinguish heaviness from darkness!

4. But may not this very consideration make it reasonable to inquire, If much has been said and wrote on the subject already, what need is there to say or write any more I answer, There are no inconsiderable numbers, even of people fearing God, who have not had the opportunity either of hearing what has been spoke, or reading what has been wrote, upon it. And, perhaps, if they had read much of what has been written, they would not have been so much profited. Many who have wrote, (some of them large volumes,) do by no means appear to have understood the subject. Either they had imperfect views of the very nature of it, (and then they could never explain it to others,) or they were unacquainted with the due extent of it; they did not see how exceeding broad this command is; or they were not sensible of the absolute, the indispensable necessity of it. Others speak of it in so dark, so perplexed, so intricate, so mystical a manner, as if they designed rather to conceal it from the vulgar, than to explain it to common readers. Others speak admirably well, with great clearness and strength, on the necessity of self-denial; but then they deal in generals only, without coming to particular instances, and so are of little use to the bulk of mankind, to men of ordinary capacity and education. And if some of them do descend to particulars, it is to those particulars only which do not affect the generality of men, since they seldom, if ever, occur in common life; -- such as the enduring imprisonment, or tortures; the giving up, in a literal sense, their houses or lands, their husbands or wives, children, or life itself; to none of which we are called, nor are likely to be, unless God should permit times of public persecution to return. In the meantime, I know of no writer in the English tongue who has described the nature of self-denial in plain and intelligible terms, such as lie level with common understandings, and applied it to those little particulars which daily occur in common life.

How few of them recommend it themselves, or are pleased with them that do! Rather, do they not continually represent it in the most odious colours, as if it were seeking "salvation by works," or seeking "to establish our own righteousness" And how readily do Antinomians of all kinds, from the smooth Moravian, to the boisterous, foul-mouthed Ranter, join the cry, with their silly, unmeaning cant of legality, and preaching the law! Therefore you are in constant danger of being wheedled, hectored, or ridiculed out of this important gospel-doctrine, either by false teachers, or false brethren, (more or less beguiled from the simplicity of the gospel,) if you are not deeply grounded therein. Let fervent prayer, then, go before, accompany, and follow what you are now about to read, that it may be written in your heart by the finger of God, so as never to be erased. 2. But what is self-denial Wherein are we to deny ourselves And whence does the necessity of this arise I answer, The will of God is the supreme, unalterable rule for every intelligent creature; equally binding every angel in heaven, and every man upon earth. Nor can it be otherwise: This is the natural, necessary result of the relation between creatures and their Creator. But if the will of God be our one rule of action in every thing, great and small, it follows, by undeniable consequence, that we are not to do our own will in anything. Here, therefore, we see at once the nature, with the ground and reason, of self-denial. We see the nature of self-denial: It is the denying or refusing to follow ours own will, from a conviction that the will of God is the only rule of action to us. And we see the reason thereof, because we are creatures; because "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves."

6. On the whole, then, to deny ourselves, is, to deny our own will, where it does not fall in with the will of God; and that however pleasing it may be. It is, to deny ourselves any pleasure which does not spring from, and lead to, God; that is, in effect, to refuse going out of our way, though into a pleasant, flowery path; to refuse what we know to be deadly poison, though agreeable to the taste. 7. And every one that would follow Christ, that would be his real disciple, must not only deny himself, but take up his cross also. A cross is anything contrary to our will, anything displeasing to our nature. So that taking up our cross goes a little farther than denying ourselves; it rises a little higher, and is a more difficult task to flesh and blood; -- it being more easy to forego pleasure, than to endure pain. 8. Now, in running "the race which is set before us," according to the will of God, there is often a cross lying in the way; that is, something which is not only not joyous, but grievous; something which is contrary to our will, which is displeasing to our nature. What then is to be done The choice is plain: Either we must take up our cross, or we must turn aside from the way of God, "from the holy commandment delivered to us;" if we do not stop altogether, or turn back to everlasting perdition!

9. In order to the healing of that corruption, that evil disease, which every man brings with him into the world, it is often needful to pluck out, as it were, a right eye, to cut off a right hand; -- so painful is either the thing itself which must be done, or the only means of doing it; the parting, suppose, with a foolish desire, with an inordinate affection; or a separation from the object of it, without which it can never be extinguished. In the former kind, the tearing away such a desire or affection, when it is deeply rooted in the soul, is often like the piercing of a sword, yea, like "the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, the joints and marrow." The Lord then sits upon the soul as a refiner's fire, to burn all the dross thereof. And this is a cross indeed; it is essentially painful; it must be so, in the very nature of the thing. The soul cannot be thus torn asunder, it cannot pass through the fire, without pain. 10. In the latter kind, the means to heal a sin-sick soul, to cure a foolish desire, an inordinate affection, are often painful, not in the nature of the thing, but from the nature of the disease. So when our Lord said to the rich young man, "Go, sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor," (as well knowing, this was the only means of healing his covetousness,) the very thought of it gave him so much pain, that "he went away sorrowful;" choosing rather to part with his hope of heaven, than his possessions on earth. This was a burden he could not consent to lift, a cross he would not take up. And in the one kind or the other, every follower of Christ will surely have need to "take up his cross daily."

3. Suppose he begins to awake out of sleep, and his eyes are a little opened, why are they so quickly closed again Why does he again sink into the sleep of death Because he again yields to his bosom-sin; he drinks again of the pleasing poison. Therefore it is impossible that any lasting impression should be made upon his heart: That is, he relapses into his fatal insensibility, because he will not deny himself. 4. But this is not the case with all. We have many instances of those who when once awakened sleep no more. The impressions once received do not wear away: They are not only deep, but lasting. And yet, many of these have not found what they seek: They mourn, and yet are not comforted. Now, why is this It is because they do not "bring forth fruits meet for repentance;" because they do not, according to the grace they have received, "cease from evil, and do good." They do not cease from the easily besetting sin, the sin of their constitution, of their education, or of their profession; or they omit doing the good they may, and know they ought to do, because of some disagreeable circumstance attending it: That is, they do not attain faith, because they will not "deny themselves," or "take up their cross."

5. But this man did receive "the heavenly gift;" he did "taste of the powers of the world to come;" he saw "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ;" the "peace which passeth all understanding" did "rule his heart and mind; and "the love of God was shed abroad" therein, "by the Holy Ghost which was given unto him;" -- yet he is now weak as another man; he again relishes the things of earth, and has more taste for the things which are seen than for those which are not seen; the eye of his understanding is closed again, so that he cannot "see Him that is invisible;" his love is waxed cold, and the peace of God no longer rules in his heart. And no marvel: for he has again given place to the devil, and grieved the Holy Spirit of God. He has turned again unto folly, to some pleasing sin, if not in outward act, yet in heart. He has given place to pride, or anger, or desire, to self-will, or stubbornness. Or he did not stir up the gift of God which was in him; he gave way to spiritual sloth, and would not be at the pains of "praying always, and watching thereunto with all perseverance:" That is, he made shipwreck of the faith, for want of self-denial, and taking up his cross daily.

7. It manifestly follows, that it is always owing to the want either of self-denial, or taking up his cross, that a man does not throughly follow his Lord, that he is not fully a disciple of Christ. It is owing to this, that he who is dead in sin does not awake, though the trumpet be blown; that he who begins to awake out of sleep, yet has no deep or lasting conviction; that he who is deeply and lastingly convinced of sin does not attain remission of sins; that some who have received this heavenly gift retain it not, but make shipwreck of the faith; and that others, if they do not draw back to perdition, yet are weary and faint in their mind, and do not reach the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. III. 1. How easily may we learn hence, that they know neither the Scripture nor the power of God, who directly or indirectly, in public or in private, oppose the doctrine of self-denial and the daily cross! How totally ignorant are these men of an hundred particular texts, as well as of the general tenor of the whole oracles of God! And how entirely unacquainted must they be with true, genuine, Christian experience; -- of the manner wherein the Holy Spirit ever did, and does at this day, work in the souls of men! They may talk, indeed, very loudly and confidently, (a natural fruit of ignorance,) as though they were the only men who understood either the word of God, or the experience of his children. but their words are, in every sense, vain words; they are weighed in the balance, and found wanting.

2. We may learn from hence, Secondly, the real cause why not only many particular persons, but even bodies of men, who were once burning and shining lights, have now lost both their light and heat. If they did not hate and oppose, they at least lightly esteemed, this precious gospel doctrine. If they did not boldly say, Abnegationem omnem proculcamus, internecioni damus-' "We trample all self-denial under foot, we devote it to destruction;" yet they neither valued it according to its high importance, nor took any pains in practising it. Hanc mystici docent, said that great, bad man: "The mystic writers teach self-denial." -- No; the inspired writers! And God teaches it to every soul who is willing to hear his voice! 3. We may learn from hence, Thirdly, that it is not enough for a Minister of the gospel not to oppose the doctrine of self-denial, to say nothing concerning it. Nay, he cannot satisfy his duty by saying a little in favour of it. If he would, indeed, be pure from the blood of all men, he must speak of it frequently and largely; he must inculcate the necessity of it in the clearest and strongest manner; he must press it with his might, on all persons, at all times, and in all places; laying "line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, precept upon precept:" So shall he have a conscience void of offence; so shall he save his own soul and those that hear him. 4. Lastly: See that you apply this, every one of you, to your own soul. Meditate upon it when you are in secret: Ponder it in your heart! Take care not only to understand it throughly, but to remember it to your lives' end! Cry unto the Strong for strength, that you may no sooner understand, than enter upon the practice of it. Delay not the time, but practise it immediately, from this very hour! Practise it universally, on every one of the thousand occasions which will occur in all circumstances of life! Practise it daily, without intermission, from the hour you first set your hand to the plough, and enduring therein to the end, till your spirit returns to God!

5. But is there no way to avoid the snare Unquestionably there is. Our blessed Lord has marked out a plain way for His followers, in the words above recited. None, who warily and steadily walk in this path, will ever fall into evil-speaking. This rule is either an infallible preventive, or a certain cure of it. In the preceding verses, our Lord had said, "Woe to the world, because of offences," -- unspeakable misery will arise in the world from this baleful fountain: (Offences are all things whereby anyone is turned out of, or hindered in, the ways of God.): "For it must be that offenses come," -- Such is the nature of things; such the wickedness, folly, and weakness of mankind: "But woe to that man," -- miserable is that man, "by whom the offense cometh." "Wherefore if thy hand, thy foot, thine eye, cause thee to offend," -- if the most dear enjoyment, the most beloved and useful person, turn thee out of or hinder thee in the way, "pluck it out," -- cut them off, and cast them from thee. But how can we avoid giving offense to some, and being offended at others Especially, suppose they are quite in the wrong, and we see it with our own eyes Our Lord here teaches us how: He lays down a sure method of avoiding offenses and evil-speaking together. "If thy brother shall sin against thee, go and tell him of his fault, between thee and him alone: If he will hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he will not hear them, tell it to the church: But if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican."

I. 1. First, "If thy brother shall sin against thee, go and tell him of his fault, between thee and him alone." The most literal way of following this first rule, where it is practicable, is the best: Therefore, if thou seest with thine own eyes a brother, a fellow Christian, commit undeniable sin, or hearest it with thine own ears, so that it is impossible for thee to doubt the fact, then thy part is plain: Take the very first opportunity of going to him; and, if thou canst have access, "tell him of his fault between thee and him alone." Indeed, great care is to be taken that this is done in a right spirit, and in a right manner. The success of a reproof greatly depends on the spirit wherein it is given. Be not, therefore, wanting in earnest prayer to God, that it may be given in a lowly spirit; with a deep, piercing conviction, that it is God alone who maketh thee to differ; and that if any good be done by what is now spoken, God doeth it himself. Pray that he would guard thy heart, enlighten thy mind, and direct thy tongue to such words as he may please to bless. See that thou speak in a meek as well as a lowly spirit; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." If he be "overtaken in a fault," he can no otherwise be restored, than "in the spirit of meekness." If he opposes the truth, yet he cannot be brought to the knowledge thereof, but by gentleness. Still speak in a spirit of tender love, "which many waters cannot quench." If love is not conquered, it conquers all things. Who can tell the force of love Love can bow down the stubborn neck, The stone to flesh convert; Soften, and melt, and pierce and break An adamantine heart. Confirm, then, your love toward him, and you will thereby "heap coals of fire upon his head."

6. Do not think to excuse yourself for taking an entirely different step, by saying, "Why, I did not speak to anyone, till I was so burdened that I could not refrain." You was burdened! It was no wonder you should, unless your conscience was seared; for you was under the guilt of sin, of disobeying a plain commandment of God! You ought immediately to have gone, and told "your brother of his fault between you and him alone." If you did not, how should you be other than burdened (unless your heart was utterly hardened,) while you was trampling the command of God under foot, and "hating your brother in your heart" And what a way have you found to unburden yourself God reproves you for a sin of omission, for not telling your brother of his fault; and you comfort yourself under His reproof by a sin of commission, by telling your brother's fault to another person! Ease bought by sin is a dear purchase! I trust in God, you will have no ease, but will be burdened so much the more, till you "go to your brother and tell him," and no one else.

7. I know but of one exception to this rule: There may be a peculiar case, wherein it is necessary to accuse the guilty, though absent, in order to preserve the innocent. For instance: You are acquainted with the design which a man has against the property or life of his neighbor. Now, the case may be so circumstanced, that there is no other way of hindering that design from taking effect, but the making it known, without delay, to him against whom it is laid. In this case, therefore, this rule is set aside, as is that of the Apostle, "Speak evil of no man:" and it is lawful, yea, it is our bounden duty, to speak evil of an absent person, in order to prevent his doing evil to others and himself at the same time. But remember, meanwhile that all evil-speaking is, in its own nature, deadly poison. Therefore if you are sometimes constrained to use it as a medicine, yet use it with fear and trembling; seeing it is so dangerous a medicine, that nothing but absolute necessity can excuse your using it at all. Accordingly, use it as seldom as possible; never but when there is such a necessity: And even then use as little of it as is possible; only so much as is necessary for the end proposed. At all other times, "go and tell him of his fault between thee and him alone."

II. 1. But what, "if he will not hear" If he repay evil for good If he be enraged rather than convinced What, if he hear to no purpose, and go on still in the evil of his way We must expect this will frequently be the case; the mildest and tenderest reproof will have no effect; but the blessing we wished for another will return into our own bosom. And what are we to do then Our Lord has given us a clear and full direction. Then "take with thee one or two more:" This is the second step. Take one or two whom you know to be of a loving spirit, lovers of God and of their neighbor. See, likewise, that they be of a lowly spirit, and "clothed with humility." Let them also be such as are meek and gentle, patient and longsuffering; not apt to "return evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing." Let them be men of understanding, such as are endued with wisdom from above; and men unbiased, free from partiality, free from prejudice of any kind. Care should likewise be taken, that both the persons and their characters be well known to him: And let those that are acceptable to him be chosen preferable to any others. 2. Love will dictate the manner wherein they should proceed, according to the nature of the case. Nor can any one particular manner be prescribed for all cases. But perhaps, in general, one might advise, before they enter upon the thing itself, let them mildly and affectionately declare that they have no anger or prejudice toward him, and that it is merely from a principle of goodwill that they now come, or at all concern themselves with his affairs. To make this the more apparent, they might then calmly attend to your repetition of your former conversation with him, and to what he said in his own defense, before they attempted to determine anything. After this they would be better able to judge in what manner to proceed, "that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word might be established;" that whatever you have said may have its full force by the additional weight of their authority.

dost thou travail with thy cursed secret, as a woman travaileth with child Go, then, and be delivered of thy burden in the way the Lord hath ordained! First, "go and tell thy brother of his fault between thee and him alone.:" next, "take with thee one or two" common friends, and tell him in their presence: If neither of these steps take effect, then "tell it to the church." But, at the peril of thy soul, tell it to no one else, either before or after, unless in that one exempt case, when it is absolutely needful to preserve the innocent! Why shouldst thou burden another as well as thyself, by making him partaker of thy sin

1. Our Lord, having finished the beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son, which he had particularly addressed to those who murmured at his receiving publicans and sinners, adds another relation of a different kind, addressed rather to the children of God. "He said unto his disciples," not so much to the scribes and Pharisees to whom he had been speaking before, -- "There was a certain rich man, who had a steward, and he was accused to him of wasting his goods. And calling him, he said, Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward." (Luke 16:1, 2.) After reciting the method which the bad steward used to provide against the day of necessity, our Saviour adds, "His lord commended the unjust steward" namely, in this respect, that he used timely precaution; and subjoins this weighty reflection, "The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light:" (Luke 16:8:) Those who seek no other portion than this world "are wiser" (not absolutely; for they are one and all the veriest fools, the most egregious madmen under heaven; but, "in their generation," in their own way; they are more consistent with themselves; they are truer to their acknowledged principles; they more steadily pursue their end) "than the children of light;" -- than they who see "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Then follow the words above recited: "And I," -- the only-begotten Son of God, the Creator, Lord, and Possessor of heaven and earth and all that is therein; the Judge of all, to whom ye are to "give an account of your stewardship," when ye "can be no longer stewards;" "I say unto you," -- learn in this respect, even of the unjust steward, -- "make yourselves friends," by wise, timely precaution, "of the mammon of unrighteousness." "Mammon" means riches or money. It is termed "the mammon of unrighteousness," because of the unrighteous manner wherein it frequently procured, and wherein even that which was honestly procured is generally employed. "Make yourselves friends" of this, by doing all possible good, particularly to the children of God; "that, when ye fail," -- when ye return to dust, when ye have no more place under the sun, -- those of them who are gone before "may receive you," may welcome you, into the "everlasting habitations."

5. And are not they partakers of the same guilt, though in a lower degree, whether Surgeons, Apothecaries, or Physicians, who play with the lives or health of men, to enlarge their own gain Who purposely lengthen the pain or disease which they are able to remove speedily who protract the cure of their patient's body in order to plunder his substance Can any man be clear before God who does not shorten every disorder "as much as he can," and remove all sickness and pain "as soon as he can" He cannot: For nothing can be more clear than that he does not "love his neighbour as himself;" than that he does not "do unto others as he would they should do unto himself." 6. This is dear-bought gain. And so is whatever is procured by hurting our neighbour in his soul; by ministering, suppose, either directly or indirectly, to his unchastity, or intemperance, which certainly none can do, who has any fear of God, or any real desire of pleasing Him. It nearly concerns all those to consider this, who have anything to do with taverns, victualling-houses, opera-houses, play-houses, or any other places of public, fashionable diversion. If these profit the souls of men, you are clear; your employment is good, and your gain innocent; but if they are either sinful in themselves, or natural inlets to sin of various kinds, then, it is to be feared, you have a sad account to make. O beware, lest God say in that day, "These have perished in their iniquity, but their blood do I require at thy hands!"

I. 1. And, first, we are to inquire, in what respects we are now God's stewards. We are now indebted to Him for all we have; but although a debtor is obliged to return what he has received, yet until the time of payment comes, he is at liberty to use it as he pleases. It is not so with a steward; he is not at liberty to use what is lodged in his hands as he pleases, but as his master pleases. He has no right to dispose of anything which is in his hands, but according to the will of his lord. For he is not the proprietor of any of these things, but barely entrusted with them by another; and entrusted on this express condition, -- that he shall dispose of all as his master orders. Now, this is exactly the case of every man, with relation to God. We are not at liberty to use what he has lodged in our hands as we please, but as he pleases, who alone is the possessor of heaven and earth, and the Lord of every creature. We have no right to dispose of anything we have, but according to His will, seeing we are not proprietors of any of these things; they are all, as our Lord speaks, allotria, belonging to another person; nor is anything properly our own, in the land of our pilgrimage. We shall not receive ta idia, our own things, till we come to our own country. Eternal things only are our own: With all these temporal things we are barely entrusted by another, the Disposer and Lord of all. And he entrusts us with them on this express condition, -- that we use them only as our Master's goods, and according to the particular directions which he has given us in his Word. 2. On this condition he hath entrusted us with our souls, our bodies, our goods, and whatever other talents we have received: But in order to impress this weighty truth on our hearts, it will be needful to come to particulars.

II. 1. In so many respects are the children of men stewards of the Lord, the Possessor of heaven and earth: So large a portion of His goods, of various kinds, hath he committed to their charge. But it is not for ever, nor indeed for any considerable time: We have this trust reposed in us only during the short, uncertain space that we sojourn here below; only so long as we remain on earth, as this fleeting breath is in our nostrils. The hour is swiftly approaching, it is just at hand, when we "can be no longer stewards!" The moment the body "returns to the dust as it was, and the spirit to God that gave it," we bear that character no more; the time of our stewardship is at an end. Part of those goods wherewith we were before entrusted are now come to an end; at least, they are so with regard to us; nor are we longer entrusted with them: And that part which remains can no longer be employed or improved as it was before. 2. Part of what we were entrusted with before is at an end, at least with regard to us. What have we to do, after this life, with food, and raiment, and houses, and earthly possessions The food of the dead is the dust of the earth; they are clothed only with worms and rottenness. They dwell in the house prepared for all flesh; their lands know them no more: All their worldly goods are delivered into other hands, and they have "no more portion under the sun." 3. The case is the same with regard to the body. The moment the spirit returns to God, we are no longer stewards of this machine, which is then sown in corruption and dishonour. All the parts and members of which it was composed lie mouldering in the clay. The hands have no longer power to move; the feet have forgot their office; the flesh, sinews, and bones, are all hastening to be dissolved into common dust.

4. Here end also the talents of a mixed nature; our strength, our health, our beauty, our eloquence, and address, our faculty of pleasing or persuading, or convincing others. Here end, likewise, all the honours we once enjoyed, all the power which was lodged in our hands, all the influence which we once had over others, either by the love or the esteem which they bore us. Our love, our hatred, our desire, is perished: None regard how we were once affected toward them. They look upon the dead as neither able to help nor hurt them; so that "a living dog is better than a dead lion." 5. Perhaps a doubt may remain concerning some of the other talents wherewith we are now entrusted, whether they will cease to exist when the body returns to dust or only cease to be improvable. Indeed, there is no doubt but the kind of speech which we now use, by means of these bodily organs, will then be entirely at an end, when those organs are destroyed. It is certain, the tongue will no more occasion any vibrations in the air; neither will the ear convey these tremulous motions to the common sensory. Even the sonus exilis, the low, shrill voice, which the poet supposes to belong to a separate spirit, we cannot allow to have a real being; it is a mere flight of imagination. Indeed, it cannot be questioned, but separate spirits have some way to communicate their sentiments to each other; but what inhabitant of flesh and blood can explain that way What we term "speech," they cannot have: So that we can no longer be stewards of this talent when we are numbered with the dead.

6. It may likewise admit of a doubt, whether our senses will exist, when the organs of sense are destroyed. Is it not probable, that those of the lower kind will cease -- the feeling, the smell, the taste -- as they have a more immediate reference to the body, and are chiefly, if not wholly, intended for the preservation of it But will not some kind of sight remain, although the eye be closed in death And will there not be something in the soul equivalent to the present sense of hearing Nay, is it not probable, that these will not only exist in the separate state, but exist in a far greater degree, in a more eminent manner, than now, when the soul, disentangled from its clay, is no longer "a dying sparkle in a cloudy place;" when it no longer "looks through the windows of the eye and ear;" but rather is all eye, all ear, all sense, in a manner we cannot yet conceive And have we not a clear proof of the possibility of this, of seeing without the use of the eye, and hearing without the use of the ear yea, and earnest of it continually For does not the soul see, in the clearest manner, when the eye is of no use; namely, in dreams Does she not then enjoy the faculty of hearing, without any help from the ear But however this be, certain it is, that neither will our senses, any more than our speech, be entrusted to us in the manner they are now, when the body lies in the silent grave. 7. How far the knowledge or learning which we have gained by education will then remain, we cannot tell. Solomon indeed says, "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." But it is evident, these words cannot be understood in an absolute sense. For it is so far from being true that there is no knowledge after we have quitted the body, that the doubt lies on the other side, whether there be any such thing as real knowledge till then; whether it be not a plain sober truth, not a mere poetical fiction, that All these shadows which for things we take, Are but the empty dreams, which in death's sleep we make;

10. What then can we say to an ingenious man, who has lately made a discovery, that disembodied spirits have not only no senses (not even sight or hearing,) but no memory or understanding; no thought or perception; not so much as a consciousness of their own existence! that they are in a dead sleep from death to the resurrection! Consanguineus lethi sopor indeed! Such a sleep we may call "a near kinsman of death," if it be not the same thing. What can we say, but that ingenious men have strange dreams; and these they sometimes mistake for realities 11. But to return. As the soul will retain its understanding and memory, notwithstanding the dissolution of the body, so undoubtedly the will, including all the affections, will remain in its full vigour. If our love or anger, our hope or desire, perish, it is only with regard to those whom we leave behind. To them it matters not, whether they were the objects of our love or hate, of our desire or aversion. But in separate spirits themselves we have no reason to believe that any of these are extinguished. It is more probable, that they work with far greater force, than while the soul was clogged with flesh and blood. 12. But although all these, although both our knowledge and senses, our memory and understanding, together with our will, our love, hate, and all our affections, remain after the body is dropped off; yet, in this respect, they are as though they were not -- we are no longer stewards of them. The things continue, but our stewardship does not: We no more act in that capacity. Even the grace which was formerly entrusted with us, in order to enable us to be faithful and wise stewards, is now no longer entrusted for that purpose. The days of our stewardship are ended.

The Reformation of Manners Preached before the Society for Reformation of Manners on Sunday, January 30, 1763 at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven-Dials "Who will rise up with me against the wicked" Ps. 94:16. 1. In all ages, men who neither feared God nor regarded man have combined together, and formed confederacies, to carry on the works of darkness. And herein they have shown themselves wise in their generation; for by this means they more effectually promoted the kingdom of their father the devil, than otherwise they could I have done. On the other hand, men who did fear God, and desire the happiness of their fellow-creatures, have, in every age, found it needful to join together, in order to oppose the works of darkness, to spread the knowledge of God their Saviour, and to promote his kingdom upon earth. Indeed He himself has instructed them so to do. From the time that men were upon the earth, he hath taught them to join together in his service, and has united them in one body by one Spirit. And for this very end he has joined them together, "that he might destroy the works of the devil;" first in them that are already united, and by them in all that care round about them. 2. This is the original design of the Church of Christ. It is a body of men compacted together, in order, first, to save each his own soul; then to assist each other in working out their salvation; and, afterwards, as far as in them lies, to save all men from present and future misery, to overturn the kingdom of Satan, and set up the kingdom of Christ. And this ought to be the continued care and endeavour of every member of his Church; otherwise he is not worthy to be called a member thereof, as he is not a living member of Christ.

6. Having, therefore, received help from God, they went on to restrain bakers likewise, from spending so great a part of the Lord's day in exercising the work of their calling. But many of these were more noble than the victuallers. They were so far from resenting this, or looking upon it as an affront, that several, who had been hurried down the stream of custom to act contrary to their own conscience, sincerely thanked them for their labour, and acknowledged it as a real kindness. 7. In clearing the streets, fields, and alehouses of Sabbath-breakers, they fell upon another sort of offenders, as mischievous to society as any; namely, gamesters of various kinds. Some of these were of the lowest and vilest class, commonly called gamblers; who make a trade of seizing on young and unexperienced men, and tricking them out of all their money; and after they have beggared them, they frequently teach them the same mystery of iniquity. Several nests of these they have rooted out, and constrained not a few of them honestly to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow and the labour of their hands. 8. Increasing in number and strength, they extended their views, and began, not only to repress profane swearing, but to remove out of our streets another public nuisance, and scandal of the Christian name, common prostitutes. Many of these were stopped in their mid career of audacious wickedness. And in order to go to the root of the disease, many of the houses that entertained them have been detected, prosecuted according to law, and totally suppressed. And some of the poor desolate women themselves, though fallen to The lowest line of human infamy, have acknowledged the gracious providence of God, and broke off their sins by lasting repentance. Several of these have been placed out, and several received into the Magdalene Hospital.

9. If a little digression may be allowed, who can sufficiently admire the wisdom of Divine Providence, in the disposal of the times and seasons so as to suit one occurrence to another For instance: Just at a time when many of these poor creatures, being stopped in their course of sin, found a desire of leading a better life, as it were in answer to that sad question, "But if I quit the way I now am in, what can I do to live For I am not mistress of any trade; and I have no friends that will receive me:" -- I say, just at this time, God has prepared the Magdalen Hospital. Here those who have no trade, nor any friends to receive them, are received with all tenderness; yea, they may live, and that with comfort, being provided with all things that are needful "for life and godliness." 10. But to return. The number of persons brought to justice, from August, 1757, to August, 1762, is......................9,596 From thence to the present time: -- For unlawful gaming, and profane swearing..................... 40 For Sabbath-breaking......................................... 400 Lewd women, and keepers of ill houses........................ 550 For offering to sale obscene prints............................ 2 In all............................10,588 11. In the admission of members into the Society, no regard is had to any particular sect or party. Whoever is found, upon inquiry, to be a good man is readily admitted. And none who has selfish or pecuniary views, will long continue therein; not only because he can gain nothing thereby, but because he would quickly be a loser, inasmuch as he must commence subscriber as soon as he is a member. Indeed, the vulgar cry is, "These are all Whitefieldites." But it is a great mistake. About twenty of the constantly subscribing members are all that are in connection with Mr. Whitefield; about fifty are in connexion with Mr. Wesley; about twenty, who are of the Established Church, have no connexion with either; and about seventy are Dissenters; who make, in all, an hundred and sixty. There are, indeed, many more who assist in the work by occasional subscriptions.

III. 1. But what manner of men ought they to be who engage in such a design Some may imagine, any that are willing to assist therein ought readily to be admitted; and that the greater the number of members, the greater will be their influence. But this is by no means true: Matter of fact undeniably proves the contrary. While the former Society for Reformation of Manners consisted of chosen members only, though neither many, rich, nor powerful, they broke through all opposition, and were eminently successful in every branch of their undertaking; but when a number of men less carefully chosen, were received into that Society, they grew less and less useful, till, by insensible degrees, they dwindled into nothing. 2. The number, therefore, of the members is no more to be attended to than the riches or eminence. This is a work of God. It is undertaken in the name of God, and for his sake. It follows, that men who neither love nor fear God have no part or lot in this matter. "Why takest thou my covenant in thy mouth" may God say to any of these; "whereas thou" thyself "hatest to be reformed, and have cast my words behind thee" Whoever, therefore, lives in any known sin is not fit to engage in reforming sinners: More especially if he is guilty, in any instance, or in the least degree, of profaning the name of God, of buying, selling, or doing any unnecessary work on the Lord's day; or offending in any other of those instances which this Society is peculiarly designed to reform. No; let none who stands himself in need of this reformation presume to meddle with such an undertaking. First let him "pull the beam out of his own eye:" Let him be himself unblamable in all things.

With thee conversing, I forget All time, and toil, and care: Labour is rest, and pain is sweet, While thou, my God, art here. 8. What adds a still greater sweetness, even to labour and pain, is the Christian "love of our neighbour." When they "love their neighbour," that is, every soul of man, "as themselves," as their own souls; when "the love of Christ constrains" them to love one another, "even as he loved us;" when, as he "tasted death for every man," so they are "ready to lay down their life for their brethren;" (including in that number every man, every soul for which Christ died,) what prospect of danger will then be able to fright them from their "labour of love" What suffering will they not be ready to undergo to save one soul from everlasting burnings What continuance of labour, disappointment, pain, will vanquish their fixed resolution Will they not be 'Gainst all repulses steel'd, nor ever tired With toilsome day, or ill-succedding night So love both "hopeth" and "endureth all things:" So "charity never faileth." 9. Love is necessary for all the members of such a Society, on another account likewise; even because it "is not puffed up:" It produces not only courage and patience, but humility. And O how needful is this for all who are so employed! What can be of more importance, than that they should be little and mean and base and vile in their own eyes For, otherwise, should they think themselves anything, should they impute anything to themselves, should they admit anything of a Pharisaic spirit, "trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and despising others;" nothing could more directly tend to overthrow the whole design. For then they would not only have all the world, but also God himself, to contend with; seeing he "resisteth the proud, and giveth grace" only "to the humble." Deeply conscious, therefore, should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness; continually hanging, with his whole soul upon Him who alone hath wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction that "the help which is done upon earth, God doth it himself;" and that it is He alone "who worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

10. One point more whoever engages in this design should have deeply impressed on his heart, namely, that "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Let him, therefore, learn of Him who was meek, as well as lowly; and let him abide in meekness, as well as humility: "With all lowliness and meekness," let him "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called." Let them be "gentle toward all men," good or bad, for his own sake, for their sake, for Christ's sake. Are any "ignorant, and out of the way" Let him have "compassion" upon them. Do they even oppose the word and the work of God; yea, set themselves in battle array against it So much the more hath he need "in meekness to instruct those who thus oppose themselves;" if haply they may "escape out of the snare of the devil," and no more be "taken captive at his will." IV. 1. From the qualifications of those who are proper to engage in such an undertaking as this I proceed to show, Fourthly, with what spirit and in what manner it ought to be pursued. First, with what spirit. Now this first regards the motive, which is to be preserved in every step that is taken; for if, at any time "the light which is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! But if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." This is, therefore, continually to be remembered, and carried into every word and action. Nothing is to be spoke or done, either great or small, with a view to any temporal advantage; nothing with a view to the favour or esteem, the love or the praise, of men. But the intention, the eye of the mind, is always to be fixed on the glory of God and good of man.

7. I have an higher demand upon you who love, as well as fear, God. He whom you fear, whom you love, has qualified you for promoting his work in a more excellent way. Because you love God, you love your brother also: You love, not only your friends, but your enemies; not only the friends, but even the enemies, of God. You have "put on, as the elect of God, lowliness, gentleness, long-suffering." You have faith in God, and in Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; faith which overcometh the world: And hereby you conquer both evil shame, and that "fear of man which bringeth a snare;" so that you can stand with boldness before them that despise you, and make no account of your labors. Qualified, then, as you are, and armed for the fight, will you be like the children of Ephraim, "who, being harnessed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle" Will you leave a few of your brethren to stand alone, against all the hosts of the aliens O say not, "This is too heavy a cross; I have not strength or courage to bear it!" True; not of yourself: But you that believe "can do all things through Christ strengthening you." "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." No cross is too heavy for him to bear; knowing that they that "suffer with him, shall reign with him." Say not, "Nay, but I cannot bear to be singular." Then you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. No one enters there but through the narrow way; and all that walk in this are singular. Say not, "But I cannot endure the reproach, the odious name of an informer." And did any man ever save his soul, that was not a by-word, and a proverb of reproach Neither canst thou ever save thine, unless thou art willing that men should say all manner of evil of thee.

You trust in God; and you aim at pleasing him only. And if he should call you even into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, "though thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flames kindle upon thee." "True; if he called me into the furnace; but I do not see that I am called to this." Perhaps thou art not willing to see it. However, if thou wast not called before, I call thee now, in the name of Christ: Take up thy cross, and follow him! Reason no more with flesh and blood, but now resolve to cast in thy lot with the most despised, the most infamous, of his followers; the filth and offscouring of the world! I call thee in particular, who didst once strengthen their hands, but since art drawn back. Take courage! Be strong! Fulfil their joy, by returning with heart and hand! Let it appear thou "departedst for a season, that they might receive thee again for ever." O be "not disobedient to the heavenly calling!" And, as for all of you who know whereunto ye are called, count ye all things loss, so ye may save one soul for which Christ died! And therein "take no thought for the morrow," but "cast all your care on Him that careth for you!" Commit your souls, bodies, substance, all to him, "as unto a merciful and faithful Creator!" [After this Society had subsisted several years, and done unspeakable good, it was wholly destroyed by a verdict given against it in the King's Bench, with three hundred pounds damages. I doubt a severe account remains for the witnesses, the jury, and all who were concerned in that dreadful affair!]

2. By them he was convinced that we "must be born again," or outward religion will profit us nothing. He joined with them in fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays; in visiting the sick and the prisoners; and in gathering up the very fragments of time, that no moment might be lost: and he changed the course of his studies; reading chiefly such books as entered into the heart of religion, and led directly to an experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3. He was soon tried as with fire. Not only his reputation was lost, and some of his dearest friends forsook him; but he was exercised with inward trials, and those of the severest kind. Many nights he lay sleepless upon his bed; many days, prostrate on the ground. But after he had groaned several months under "the spirit of bondage," God was pleased to remove the heavy load, by giving him "the Spirit of adoption;" enabling him through a living faith, to lay hold on "the Son of His Love." 4. However, it was thought needful, for the recovery of his health, which was much impaired, that he should go into the country. He accordingly went to Gloucester, where God enabled him to awaken several young persons. These soon formed themselves into a little society, and were some of the first-fruits of his labor. Shortly after, he began to read, twice or thrice a week, to some poor people in the town; and every day to read to and pray with the prisoners in the county jail. 5. Being now about twenty-one years of age, he was solicited to enter into holy orders. Of this he was greatly afraid, being deeply sensible of his own insufficiency. But the Bishop himself sending for him, and telling him, "Though I had purposed to ordain none under three-and-twenty, yet I will ordain you whenever you come" -- and several other providential circumstances concurring -- he submitted, and was ordained on Trinity Sunday, 1736. The next Sunday he preached to a crowded auditory, in the church wherein he was baptized. The week following he returned to Oxford, and took his Bachelor's degree: and he was now fully employed; the care of the prisoners and the poor lying chiefly on him.

6. But it was not long before he was invited to London, to serve the cure of a friend going into the country. He continued there two months, lodging in the Tower, reading prayers in the chapel twice a week, catechizing and preaching once, beside visiting the soldiers in the barracks and the infirmary. He also read prayers every evening at Wapping chapel, and preached at Ludgate prison every Tuesday. While he was here, letters came from his friends in Georgia, which made him long to go and help them: but not seeing his call clear, at the appointed time he returned to his little charge at Oxford, where several youths met daily at his room, to build up each other in their most holy faith. 7. But he was quickly called from hence again, to supply the cure of Dummer, in Hampshire. Here he read prayers twice a day; early in the morning, and in the evening after the people came from work. He also daily catechized the children, and visited from house to house. He now divided the day into three parts, allotting eight hours for sleep and meals, eight for study and retirement, and eight for reading prayers, catechizing, and visiting the people. Is there a more excellent way for a servant of Christ and His Church If not, who will "go and do likewise" 8. Yet his mind still ran on going abroad; and being now fully convinced he was called of God thereto, he set all things in order, and, in January, 1737, went down to take leave of his friends in Gloucester. It was in this journey that God began to bless his ministry in an uncommon manner. Wherever he preached, amazing multitudes of hearers flocked together, in Gloucester, in Stonehouse, in Bath, in Bristol; so that the heat of the churches was scarce supportable: and the impressions made on the minds of many were no less extraordinary. After his return to London, while he was detained by General Oglethorpe, from week to week, and from month to month, it pleased God to bless his word still more. And he was indefatigable in his labor: generally on Sunday he preached four times, to exceeding large auditories; beside reading prayers twice or thrice, and walking to and fro often ten or twelve miles.

11. It was now that he observed the deplorable condition of many children here; and that God put into his heart the first thought of founding an Orphan-house, for which he determined to raise contributions in England, if God should give him a safe return thither. In December following, he did return to London; and on Sunday, January 14, 1739, he was ordained priest at Christ Church, Oxford. The next day he came to London again; and on Sunday, the 21st, preached twice. But though the churches were large, and crowded exceedingly, yet many hundreds stood in the churchyard, and hundreds more returned home. This put him upon the first thought of preaching in the open air. But when he mentioned it to some of his friends, they judged it to be mere madness: so he did not carry it into execution till after he, had left London. It was on Wednesday, February 21, that, finding all the church doors to be shut in Bristol (beside, that no church was able to contain one half of the congregation), at three in the afternoon he went to Kingswood, and preached abroad to near two thousand people. On Friday he preached there to four or five thousand; and on Sunday to, it was supposed, ten thousand! The number continually increased all the time he stayed at Bristol; and a flame of holy love was kindled, which will not easily be put out. The same was afterwards kindled in various parts of Wales, of Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. Indeed, wherever he went, God abundantly confirmed the word of his messenger.

12. On Sunday, April 29, he preached the first time in Moorfields, and on Kennington Common; and the thousands of hearers were as quiet as they could have been in a church. Being again detained in England from month to month, he made little excursions into several counties, and received the contributions of willing multitudes for an Orphan-house in Georgia. The embargo which was now laid on the shipping gave him leisure for more journeys through various parts of England, for which many will have reason to bless God to all eternity. At length, on August 14, he embarked: but he did not land in Pennsylvania till October 30. Afterwards he went through Pennsylvania, the Jerseys, New York, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina; preaching all along to immense congregations, with full as great effect as in England. On January 10, 1740, he arrived at Savannah. 13. January 29, he added three desolate orphans to near twenty which he had in his house before. The next day he laid out the ground for the house, about ten miles from Savannah. February 11, he took in four orphans more; and set out for Frederica, in order to fetch the orphans that were in the southern parts of the colony. In his return he fixed a school, both for children and grown persons, at Darien, and took four orphans thence. March 25, he laid the first stone of the Orphan-house; to which, with great propriety, he gave the name of Bethesda; a work for which the children yet unborn shall praise the Lord. He had now about forty orphans, so that there was near a hundred mouths to be fed daily. But he was "careful for nothing," casting his care on Him who feed the young ravens that call upon Him.

14. In April he made another tour through Pennsylvania, the Jerseys, and New York. Incredible multitudes flocked to hear, among whom were abundance of Negroes. In all places the greater part of the hearers were affected to an amazing degree. Many were deeply convinced of their lost state, many truly converted to God. In some places, thousands cried out aloud; many as in the agonies of death; most were drowned in tears; some turned pale as death; others were wringing their hands; others lying on the ground; others sinking into the arms of their friends; almost all lifting up their eyes, and calling for mercy. 15. He returned to Savannah, June 5. The next evening, during the public service, the whole congregation, young and old, were dissolved in tears: after service, several of the parishioners, and all his family, particularly the little children, returned home crying along the street, and some could not help praying aloud. The groans and cries of the children continued all night, and great part of the next day. 16. In August he set out again, and through various provinces came to Boston. While he was here, and in the neighboring places, he was extremely weak in body: yet the multitudes of hearers were so great, and the effects wrought on them so astonishing, as the oldest men then alive in the town had never seen before. The same power attended his preaching at New York, particularly on Sunday, November 2: almost as soon as he began, crying, weeping, and wailing were to be heard on every side. Many sunk down to the ground, cut to the heart; and many were filled with divine consolation. Toward the close of his journey he made this reflection: "It is the seventy-fifth day since I arrived at Rhode Island, exceeding weak in body; yet God has enabled me to preach an hundred and seventy-five times in public, besides exhorting frequently in private! Never did God vouchsafe me greater comforts: never did I perform my journeys with less fatigue, or see such a continuance of the divine presence in the congregations to whom I preached." In December he returned to Savannah, and in the March following arrived in England.

"After being about a month with us in Boston and its vicinity, and preaching every day, he went to Old York; preached on Thursday, September 27, there; proceeded to Portsmouth, and preached there on Friday. On Saturday morning he set out for Boston; but before he came to Newbury, where he had engaged to preach the next morning, he was importuned to preach by the way. The house not being large enough to contain the people, he preached in an open field. But having been infirm for several weeks, this so exhausted his strength, that when he came to Newbury he could not get out of the ferry-boat without the help of two men. In the evening, however, he recovered his spirits, and appeared with his usual cheerfulness. He went to his chamber at nine, his fixed time, which no company could divert him from, and slept better than he had done for some weeks before. He rose at four in the morning, September 30, and went into his closet; and his companion observed he was unusually long in private. He left his closet, returned to his companion, threw himself on the bed, and lay about ten minutes. Then he fell upon his knees, and prayed most fervently to God that if it was consistent with His will, he might that day finish his Master's work. He then desired his man to call Mr. Parsons, the clergyman, at whose house he was; but, in a minute, before Mr. Parsons could reach him, died, without a sigh or groan. On the news of his death, six gentlemen set out for Newbury, in order to bring his remains hither: but he could not be moved; so that his precious ashes must remain at Newbury. Hundreds would have gone from this town to attend his funeral, had they not expected he would have been interred here.... May this stroke be sanctified to the Church of God in general, and to this province in particular!" II. 1. We are, in the second place, to take some view of his character. A little sketch of this was soon after published in the Boston Gazette; an extract of which is subjoined: -- ["Little can be said of him but what every friend to vital Christianity who has sat under his ministry will attest."]

8. If it be inquired what was the foundation of this integrity, or of his sincerity, courage, patience, and every other valuable and amiable quality; it is easy to give the answer. It was not the excellence of his natural temper, not the strength of his understanding; it was not the force of education; no, nor the advice of his friends: it was no other than faith in a bleeding Lord; "faith of the operation of God." It was "a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." It was "the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which was given unto him," filling his soul with tender, disinterested love to every child of man. From this source arose that torrent of eloquence which frequently bore down all before it; from this, that astonishing force of persuasion which the most hardened sinners could not resist. This it was which often made his "head as waters, and his eyes a fountain of tears." This it was which enabled him to pour out his soul in prayer, in a manner peculiar to himself, with such fullness and ease united together, with such strength and variety both of sentiment and expression. 9. I may close this head with observing what an honor it pleased God to put upon His faithful servant, by allowing him to declare His everlasting gospel in so many various countries, to such numbers of people, and with so great an effect on so many of their precious souls! Have we read or heard of any person since the Apostles, who testified the gospel of the grace of God through so widely extended a space, through so large a part of the habitable world Have we read or heard of any person who called so many thousands, so many myriads, of sinners to repentance Above all, have we read or heard of any who has been a blessed instrument in His hand of bringing so many sinners from "darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God" It is true, were we to talk thus to the gay world, we should be judged to speak as barbarians. But you understand the language of the country to which you are going, and whither our dear friend is gone a little before us.

9. Was not this the spirit of our dear friend And why should it not be ours O Thou God of love, how long shall Thy people be a by-word among the Heathen How long shall they laugh us to scorn, and say, "See how these Christians love one another!" When wilt Thou roll away our reproach Shall the sword devour for ever How long will it be ere Thou bid Thy people return from "following each other" Now, at least, "let all the people stand still, and pursue after their brethren no more!" But what ever others do, let all of us, my brethren, hear the voice of him that, being dead, yet speaks! Suppose ye hear him say, "Now, at least, be ye followers of me as I was of Christ! Let brother "no more lift up sword against brother, neither know ye war any more!" Rather put ye on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, humbleness of mild, brotherly kindness, gentleness, long- suffering, forbearing one another in love. Let the time past suffice for strife, envy, contention; for biting and devouring one another. Blessed be God, that ye have not long ago been consumed one of another! From henceforth hold ye the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 10. O God, with Thee no word is impossible! Thou does whatsoever please Thee! O that Thou would cause the mantle of Thy prophet, whom Thou hast taken up, now to fall upon us that remain! "Where is the Lord God of Elijah" Let his spirit rest upon these Thy servants! Show Thou art the God that answers by fire! Let the fire of Thy love fall on every heart! And because we love Thee, let us love one another with a "love stronger than death!" Take away from us "all anger, and wrath, and bitterness; all clamor and evil speaking!" Let Thy Spirit so rest upon us, that from this hour we may be "kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven us!" Servant of God, well done! Thy glorious warfare's past; The battle's fought, the race is won, And thou art crown'd at last; Of all thy heart's desire Triumphantly possess'd, Lodged by the ministerial choir In thy Redeemer's breast. 2

GEORGE WHITEFIELD died at Newburyport, Massachusetts, thirty miles north of Boston, on September 30, 1770, in the Presbyterian manse, which is still preserved. He was buried in a vault under the pulpit of the Presbyterian meeting-house on October 2, according to his own wish; and in 1828 a cenotaph was erected in the church with a suitable inscription. Under date November 10, 1770, Wesley says, "I returned to London, and had the melancholy news of Mr. Whitefield's death confirmed by his executors, who desired me to preach his funeral sermon on Sunday the 18th." [This was his own wish. "If you should die abroad," said Mr. Keen, "whom shall we get to preach your funeral sermon Must it be your old friend, the Rev. Mr. John Wesley" This question was often put, and as often Whitefield answered, "He is the man."] "In order to write this, I retired to Lewisham on Monday; and on Sunday following went to the chapel in Tottenham Court Road. An immense multitude was gathered together from all corners of the town. I was at first afraid that a great part of the congregation would not be able to hear; but it pleased God to strengthen my voice that even those at the door heard distinctly. It was an awful season. All were still as night; most appeared to be deeply affected; and an impression was made on many which one would hope will not speedily be effaced. The time appointed for my beginning at the Tabernacle was half-hour after five, but it was quite filled at three; so I began at four. At first the noise was exceeding great; but it ceased when I began to speak; and my voice was again so strengthened that all who were within could hear, unless an accidental noise hindered here or there for a few moments. Oh that all may hear the voice of Him with whom are the issues of life and death; and who so loudly, by this unexpected stroke, calls all His children to love one another." On the following Friday he repeated the sermon at the Tabernacle at Greenwich to an overflowing congregation. Again, on January 2, 1771, he preached at Deptford "a kind of funeral sermon for Mr. Whitefield. In every place I wish to show all possible respect to the memory of that great and good man."

6. But leaving one of these unbounded seas to the Father of eternity, to whom alone duration without beginning belongs, let us turn our thoughts on duration without end. This is not an incommunicable attribute of the great Creator; but he has been graciously pleased to make innumerable multitudes of his creatures partakers of it. He has imparted this not only to angels, and archangels, and all the companies of heaven, who are not intended to die, but to glorify him, and live in his presences for ever; but also to the inhabitants of the earth, who dwell in houses of clay. Their bodies, indeed, are "crushed before the moth;" but their souls will never die, God made them, as an ancient writer speaks, to be "pictures of his own eternity." Indeed all spirits, we have reason to believe, are clothed with immortality; having no inward principle of corruption, and being liable to no external violence.

7. Perhaps we may go a step farther still: Is not matter itself, as well as spirit, in one sense eternal Not indeed a parte ante, as some senseless philosophers, both ancient and modern, have dreamed. Not that anything had existed from eternity; seeing, if so, it must be God; yea, it must by the One God; for it is impossible there should be two Gods, or two Eternals. But although nothing beside the great God can have existed from everlasting, -- none else can be eternal a parte ante; yet there is no absurdity in supposing that all creatures are eternal a parte post. All matter indeed is continually changing, and that into ten thousand forms; but that it is changeable, does in nowise imply that it is perishable. The substance may remain one and the same, though under innumerable different forms. It is very possible any portion of matter may be resolved into the atoms of which it was originally composed: But what reason have we to believe that one of these atoms ever was, or ever will be, annihilated It never can, unless by the uncontrollable power of its almighty Creator. And is it probable that ever He will exert this power in unmaking any of the things that he hath made In this also, God is not "a son of man that he should repent." Indeed, every creature under heaven does, and must, continually change its form, which we can now easily account for; as it clearly appears, from late discoveries, that ethereal fire enters into the composition of every part of the creation. Now, this is essentially edax rerum: It is the universal menstruum, the discohere of all things under the sun. By the force of this, even the strongest, the firmest bodies are dissolved. It appears from the experiment repeatedly made by the great Lord Bacon, that even diamonds, by a high degree of heat, may be turned into dust: and that, in a still higher degree, (strange as it may seem,) they will totally flame away. Yea, by this the heavens themselves will be dissolved; "the elements shall melt with fervent heat." But they will be only dissolved, not destroyed; they will belt, but they will not perish.

In what condition will such a spirit be after the sentence is executed, "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels!" Suppose him to be just now plunged into "the lake of fire burning with brimstone," where "they have no rest, day or night, but the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." "For ever and ever!" Why, if we were only to be chained down one day, yea, one hour, in a lake of fire, how amazing long would one day or one hour appear! I know not if it would not seem as a thousand years. But (astonishing thought!) after thousands of thousands, he has but just tasted of his bitter cup! After millions, it will be no nearer the end than it was the moment it began! 15. What then is he -- how foolish, how mad, in how unutterable a degree of distraction -- who, seeming to have the understanding of a man, deliberately prefers temporal things to eternal who (allowing that absurd, impossible opposition, that wickedness is happiness, -- a supposition utterly contrary to all reason, as well as to matter fact) prefers the happiness of a year, say a thousand years, to the happiness of eternity, in comparison of which, a thousand ages are infinitely less than a year, a day, a moment especially when we take this into the consideration, (which, indeed should never be forgotten,) that the refusing a happy eternity, implies the choosing of a miserable eternity: For there is not, cannot be, any medium between everlasting joy and everlasting pain. It is a vain thought which some have entertained, that death will put an end to neither the one nor the other; it will only alter the manner of their existence. But when the body "returns to the dust as it was, the spirit will return to God that gave it." Therefore, at the moment of death, it must be unspeakably happy, or unspeakably miserable: And that misery will never end. Never! Where sinks the soul at that dread sound Into a gulf how dark, and how profound! How often would he who had made the wretched choice wish for the death both of his soul and body! It is not impossible he might pray in some such manner as Dr. Young supposes:

17. This remedy is faith. I do not mean that which is the faith of a Heathen, who believes that there is a God, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; but that which is defined by the Apostle, "an evidence," or conviction "of things not seen," a divine evidence and conviction of the invisible and eternal world. This alone opens the eyes of the understanding, to see God and the things of God. This, as it were, takes away, or renders transparent, the impenetrable veil, Which hangs 'twixt mortal and immortal being. When Faith lends its realizing light, The clouds disperse, the shadows fly; The invisible appears in sight, And God is seen by mortal eye. Accordingly, a believer, in the scriptural sense, lives in eternity, and walks in eternity. His prospect is enlarged: His view is not any longer bounded by present things: No, nor by an earthly hemisphere; though it were, as Milton speaks, "ten-fold the length of this terrene." Faith places the unseen, the eternal world continually before his face. consequently, he looks not at "the things that are seen;" -- Wealth, honour, pleasure, or what else This short-enduring world can give; these are not his aim, the object of his pursuit, his desire or happiness; -- but at "the things that are not seen;" at the favour, the image, and the glory of God; as well knowing that "the things which are seen are temporal," -- a vapour, a shadow, a dream that vanishes away; whereas "the things that are not seen are eternal;" real, solid, unchangeable.

God's Approbation Of His Works "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31. 1. When God created the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, at the conclusion of each day's work it is said, "And God saw that it was good." Whatever was created was good in its kind; suited to the end for which it was designed; adapted to promote the good of the whole and the glory of the great Creator. This sentence it pleased God to pass with regard to each particular creature. But there is a remarkable variation of the expression, with regard to all the parts of the universe, taken in connection with each other, and constituting one system: "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." 2. How small a part of this great work of God is man able to understand! But it is our duty to contemplate what he has wrought, and to understand as much of it as we are able. For "the merciful Lord," as the Psalmist observes, "hath so done his marvellous works" of creation, as well as of providence, "that they ought to be had in remembrance" by all that fear him; which they cannot well be, unless they are understood. Let us, then, by the assistance of that Spirit who giveth unto man understanding, endeavour to take a general survey of the works which God made in this lower world, as they were before they were disordered and depraved in consequence of the sin of man: We shall then easily see, that as every creature was good in its primeval state; so, when all were compacted in one general system, "behold, they were very good." I do not remember to have seen any attempt of this kind, unless in that truly excellent poem, (termed by Mr. Hutchinson, "That wicked farce!") Milton's "Paradise Lost."

4. The element of water, it is probable, was then mostly confined within the great abyss. In the new earth, (as we are informed by the Apostle, Rev. 21:1,) there will be "no more sea;" none covering as now the face of the earth, and rendering so large a part of it uninhabitable by man. Hence it is probable, there was no external sea in the paradisiacal earth; none, until the great deep burst the barriers which were originally appointed for it. -- Indeed there was not then that need of the ocean for navigation which there is now: For either, as the poet supposes, Omnis tuli omnia tellus; every country produced whatever was requisite either for the necessity or comfort of its inhabitants; or man, being then (as he will be again at the resurrection) equal to angels, was able to convey himself, at his pleasure, to any given distance; over and above that, those flaming messengers were always ready to minister to the heirs of salvation. But whether there was sea or not, there were rivers sufficient to water the earth, and make it very plenteous. These answered all the purposes of convenience and pleasure by Liquid lapse of murmuring stream; to which were added gentle, genial showers, with salutary mists and exhalations. But there were no putrid lakes, no turbid or stagnating waters; but only such as Bore imprest Fair nature's image on their placid breast. 5. The element of air was then always serene, and always friendly to man. It contained no frightful meteor, no unwholesome vapours, no poisonous exhalations. There were no tempests, but only cool and gentle breezes,-- genitabilis aura Favoni, -- fanning both man and beast, and wafting the fragrant odours on their silent wings. 6. The sun, the fountain of fire, Of this great world both eye and soul, was situated at the most exact distance from the earth, so as to yield a sufficient quantity of heat (neither too little nor too much) to every part of it. God had not yet Bid his angels turn askance This oblique globe. There was, therefore, then no country that groaned under The rage of Arctos, and eternal frost.

There was no violent winter, or sultry summer; no extreme, either of heat or cold. No soil was burned up by the solar heat; none uninhabitable through the want of it. Thus earth, water, air, and fire, all conspired together to the welfare and pleasure of man! 7. To the same purpose served the grateful vicissitude of light and darkness, -- day and night. For as the human body, though not liable to death or pain, yet needed continual sustenance by food; so, although it was not liable to weariness, yet it needed continual reparation by sleep. By this the springs of the animal machine were wound up from time to time, and kept always fit for the pleasing labour for which man was designed by his Creator. Accordingly, "the evening and the morning were the first day," before sin or pain was in the world. The first natural day had one part dark for a season of repose; one part light for a season of labour. And even in paradise "Adam slept," (Gen. 2:21,) before he sinned: Sleep, therefore, belonged to innocent human nature. Yet I do not apprehend it can be inferred from hence, that there is either darkness or sleep in heaven. Surely there is no darkness in that city of God. Is it not expressly said, (Rev. 22:5,) "There shall be no night there" Indeed they have no light from the sun; but "the Lord giveth them light." So it is all day in heaven, as it is all night in hell! On earth we have a mixture of both. Day and night succeed each other, till earth shall be turned to heaven. Neither can we at all credit the account given by the ancient poet, concerning sleep in heaven; although he allows "cloud-compelling Jove" to remain awake while the inferior gods were sleeping. It is pity, therefore, that our great poet should copy so servilely after the old Heathen, as to tell us, Sleep had seal'd All but the unsleeping eyes of God himself. Not so: They are "before the throne of God serve him day and night," speaking after the manner of men, "in his temple;" (Rev. 7:15;) that is, without any interval. As wicked spirits are tormented day and night without any intermission of their misery; so holy spirits enjoy God day and night without any intermission of their happiness.

On The Fall Of Man "Dust thou are, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3:19. 1. Why is there pain in the world; seeing God is "loving to every man, and his mercy is over all his works" Because there is sin: Had there been no sin, there would have been no pain. But pain (supposing God to be just) is the necessary effect of sin. But why is there sin in the world Because man was created in the image of God: Because he is not mere matter, a clod of earth, a lump of clay, without sense or understanding; but a spirit like his Creator, a being endued not only with sense and understanding, but also with a will exerting itself in various affections. To crown all the rest, he was endued with liberty; a power of directing his own affections and actions; a capacity of determining himself, or of choosing good or evil. Indeed, had not man been endued with this, all the rest would have been of no use: Had he not been a free as well as an intelligent being, his understanding would have been as incapable of holiness, or any kind of virtue, as a tree or a block of marble. And having this power, a power of choosing good or evil, he chose the latter: He chose evil. Thus "sin entered into the world," and pain of every kind, preparatory to death. 2. But this plain, simple account of the origin of evil, whether natural or moral, all the wisdom of man could not discover till it pleased God to reveal it to the world. Till then man was a mere enigma to himself; a riddle which none but God could solve. And in how full and satisfactory a manner has he solved it in this chapter! In such a manner, as does not indeed serve to gratify vain curiosity, but as is abundantly sufficient to answer a nobler end; to Justify the ways of God with men. To this great end I would, First, briefly consider the preceding part of this chapter; and then, Secondly, more particularly weigh the solemn words which have been already recited.

And unbelief brought forth actual sin: "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit, and did eat;" and so completed her sin. But "the man," as the Apostle observes, "was not deceived." How then came he to join in the transgression "She gave unto her husband, and he did eat." He sinned with his eyes open. He rebelled against his Creator, as is highly probable, Not by stronger reason moved, But fondly overcome with female charms. And if this was the case, there is no absurdity in the assertion of a great man, "That Adam sinned in his heart before he sinned outwardly; before he ate of the forbidden fruit;" namely, by inward idolatry, by loving the creature more than the Creator. 2. Immediately pain followed sin. When he lost his innocence he lost his happiness. He painfully feared that God, in the love of whom his supreme happiness before consisted. "He said," (Gen. 3:10,) "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid." He fled from Him who was, till then, his desire and glory and joy. He "hid himself from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Hid himself! What, from the all-seeing eye the eye which, with one glance, pervades heaven and earth See how his understanding likewise was impaired! What amazing folly was this! such as one would imagine very few, even of his posterity, could have fallen into. So dreadfully was his "foolish heart darkened" by sin, and guilt, and sorrow, and fear. His innocence was lost, and, at the same time, his happiness and his wisdom. Here is the clear, intelligible answer to that question, "How came evil into the world"

3. One cannot but observe, throughout this whole narration, the inexpressible tenderness and lenity of the almighty Creator, from whom they had revolted, the Sovereign against whom they had rebelled. "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou" -- thus graciously calling him to return, who would otherwise have eternally fled from God. "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked." Still here is no acknowledgment of his fault, no humiliation for it. But with what astonishing tenderness does God lead him to make that acknowledgment! "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked" How camest thou to make this discovery "Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat" "And the man said," still unhumbled, yea, indirectly throwing the blame upon GOd himself, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." "And the Lord God," still in order to bring them to repentance, "said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done" (Gen. 3:13.) "And the woman said," nakedly declaring the thing as it was, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." "And the Lord God said unto the serpent," to testify his utter abhorrence of sin, by a lasting monument of his displeasure, in punishing the creature that had been barely the instrument of it, "Thou art cursed above the cattle, and above every beast of the field. -- And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Thus, in the midst of judgment hath God remembered mercy, from the beginning of the world; connecting the grand promise of salvation with the very sentence of condemnation!

4. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and," or in, "thy conception: In sorrow" or pain "thou shalt bring forth children;" -- yea, above any other creature under heaven; which original curse we see is entailed on her latest posterity. "And thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." It seems, the latter part of this sentence is explanatory of the former. Was there, till now, any other inferiority of the woman to the man than that which we may conceive in one angel to another "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake. -- Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee:" -- Useless, yea, and hurtful productions; whereas nothing calculated to hurt or give pain had at first any place in the creation. "And thou shalt eat the herb of the field:" -- Coarse and vile, compared to the delicious fruits of paradise! "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: For out of it wast thou taken: For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." II. 1. Let us now, in the Second place, weigh these solemn words in a more particular manner. "Dust thou art:" But how fearfully and wonderfully wrought into innumerable fibres, nerves, membranes, muscles, arteries. veins, vessels of various kinds! And how amazingly is this dust connected with water, with inclosed, circulating fluids, diversified a thousand ways by a thousand tubes and strainers! Yea, and how wonderfully is air impacted into every part, solid, or fluid, of the animal machine; air not elastic, which would tear the machine in pieces, but as fixed as water under the pole! But all this would not avail, were not ethereal fire intimately mixed both with this earth, air, and water. And all these elements are mingled together in the most exact proportion; so that while the body is in health, no one of them predominates, in the least degree, over the others.

3. "And unto dust thou shalt return." How admirably well has the wise Creator secured the execution of this sentence on all the offspring of Adam! It is true He was pleased to make one exception from this general rule, in a very early age of the world, in favour of an eminently righteous man. So we read, Gen. 5:23, 24, after Enoch had "walked with God" three hundred sixty and five years, "he was not; for God took him:' He exempted him from the sentence passed upon all flesh, and took him alive into heaven. Many ages after, he was pleased to make a second exception; ordering the Prophet Elijah to be taken up into heaven, in a chariot of fire, -- very probably by a convoy of angels, assuming that appearance. And it is not unlikely that he saw good to make a third exception in the person of the beloved disciple. There is transmitted to us a particular account of the Apostle John's old age; but we have not any account of his death, and not the least intimation concerning it. Hence we may reasonably suppose that he did not die, but that, after he had finished his course, and "walked with God" for about a hundred years, the Lord took him, as he did Enoch; not in so open and conspicuous a manner as he did the Prophet Elijah. 4. But setting these two or three instances aside, who has been able, in the course of near six thousand years, to evade the execution of this sentence, passed on Adam and all his posterity Be men ever so great masters of the art of healing, can they prevent or heal the gradual decays of nature Can all their boasted skill heal old age, or hinder dust from returning to dust Nay, who among the greatest in masters of medicine has been able to add a century to his own years yea, or to protract his own life any considerable space beyond the common period The days of man, for above three thousand years, (from the time of Moses at least,) have been fixed, by a middling computation at threescore years and ten. How few are there that attain to fourscore years! Perhaps hardly one in five hundred. So little does the art of man avail against the appointment of God!

As age increases, fewer and fewer of the vessels are pervious, and capable of transmitting the vital stream; except the larger ones, most of which are lodged within the trunk of the body. In extreme old age, the arteries themselves, the grand instruments of circulation, by the continual apposition of earth, become hard, and, as it were, bony, till, having lost the power of contracting themselves, they can no longer propel the blood, even through the largest channels; in consequence of which, death naturally ensues. Thus are the seeds of death sown in our very nature! Thus from the very hour when we first appear on the stage of life, we are travelling toward death: We are preparing, whether we will or no, to return to the dust from whence we came! 6. Let us now take a short review of the whole, as it is delivered with inimitable simplicity; what an unprejudiced person might, even from hence, infer to be the word of God. In that period of duration which He saw to be most proper, (of which He alone could be the judge, whose eye views the whole possibility of things from everlasting to everlasting,) the Almighty, rising in the greatness of his strength, went forth to create the universe. "In the beginning he created," made out of nothing, "the matter of the heavens and the earth:" (So, Mr. Hutchinson observes, the original words properly signify:) Then "the Spirit" or breath "from the Lord," that is, the air, "moved upon the face of the waters." Here were earth, water, air; three of the elements, or component parts of the lower world. "And God said, Let there be light: And there was light." By his omnific word, light, that is, fire, the fourth element, sprang into being. Out of these, variously modified and proportioned to each other, he composed the whole. "The earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed, and the tree yielding fruit after his kind;" and then the various tribes of animals, to inhabit the waters, the air, and the earth. But the very Heathen could observe, Sanctius his animal, mentisque capacius aluae Deerat adhuc!

8. But can the Creator despise the work of his own hands Surely that is impossible! Hath he not then, seeing he alone is able, provided a remedy for all these evils Yea, verily he hath! And a sufficient remedy; every way adequate to the disease. He hath fulfilled his word: He hath given "the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head." -- "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Here is a remedy provided for all our guilt: He "bore all our sins in his body on the tree." And "if any one have sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." And here is a remedy for all our disease, all the corruption of our nature. For God hath also, through the intercession of his Son, given us his Holy Spirit, to renew us both "in knowledge," in his natural image; -- opening the eyes of our understanding, and enlightening us with all such knowledge as is requisite to our pleasing God; -- and also in his moral image, namely, "righteousness and true holiness." And supposing this is done, we know that "all things" will "work together for our good." We know by happy experience, that all natural evils change their nature and turn to good; that sorrow, sickness, pain, will all prove medicines, to heal our spiritual sickness. They will all be to our profit; will all tend to our unspeakable advantage; making us more largely "partakers of his holiness," while we remain on earth; adding so many stars to that crown which is reserved in heaven for us.

15. The sum of all is this: the almighty, all-wise God sees and knows, from everlasting to everlasting, all that is, that was, and that is to come, through one eternal now. With him nothing is either past or future, but all things equally present. He has, therefore, if we speak according to the truth of things, no foreknowledge, no afterknowledge. This would be ill consistent with the Apostle's words, "With him is no variableness or shadow of turning;" and with the account he gives of himself by the Prophet, "I the Lord change not." Yet when he speaks to us, knowing whereof we are made, knowing the scantiness of our understanding, he lets himself down to our capacity, and speaks of himself after the manner of men. Thus, in condescension to our weakness, he speaks of his own purpose, counsel, plan, foreknowledge. Not that God has any need of counsel, of purpose, or of planning his work beforehand. Far be it from us to impute these to the Most High; to measure him by ourselves! It is merely in compassion to us that he speaks thus of himself, as foreknowing the things in heaven or earth, and as predestinating or fore-ordaining them. But can we possibly imagine that these expressions are to be taken literally To one who was so gross in his conceptions might he not say, "Thinkest thou I am such an one as thyself" Not so: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than thy ways. I know, decree, work, in such a manner as it is not possible for thee to conceive: But to give thee some faint, glimmering knowledge of my ways, I use the language of men, and suit myself to thy apprehensions in this thy infant state of existence. 16. What is it, then, that we learn from this whole account It is this, and no more: -- (1.) God knows all believers; (2) wills that they should be saved from sin; (3) to that end, justifies them, (4) sanctifies and (5) takes them to glory. O that men would praise the Lord for this his goodness; and that they would be content with this plain account of it, and not endeavour to wade into those mysteries which are too deep for angels to fathom!

1. And, First, mankind in general have gained, by the fall of Adam, a capacity of attaining more holiness and happiness on earth than it would have been possible for them to attain if Adam had not fallen. For if Adam had not fallen, Christ had not died. Nothing can be more clear than this; nothing more undeniable: The more thoroughly we consider the point the more deeply shall we be convinced of it. Unless all the partakers of human nature had received that deadly wound in Adam, it would not have been needful for the Son of God to take our nature upon him. Do you not see that this was the very ground of his coming into the world "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: And thus death passed upon all," through him in whom all men sinned. (Rom. 5:12.) Was it not to remedy this very thing that "the Word was made flesh," that "as in Adam all died, so in Christ all" might "be made alive" Unless, then, many had been made sinners by the disobedience of one, by the obedience of one many would not have been made righteous: (Rom. 5:19:) So there would have been no room for that amazing display of the Son of God's love to mankind: There would have been no occasion for his being "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It could not then have been said, to the astonishment of all the hosts of heaven "God so loved the world," yea, the ungodly world, which had no thought or desire of returning to him, "that he gave his Son" out of his bosom, his only-begotten Son, "to the end that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Neither could we then have said,:God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself;" or, that he "made him to be sin," that is, a sin-offering, "for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him." There would have been no such occasion for such "an Advocate with the Father," as "Jesus Christ the righteous;" neither for his appearing "at the right hand of God, to make intercession for us."

7. How innumerable are the benefits which God conveys to the children of men through the channel of sufferings! -- so that it might well be said, "What are termed afflictions in the language of men, are in the language of God styled blessings." Indeed, had there been no suffering in the world, a considerable part of religion, yea, and, in some respects, the most excellent part, could have had no place therein; since the very existence of it depends on our suffering; so that had there been no pain, it could have had no being. Upon this foundation, even our suffering, it is evident all our passive graces are built; yea, the noblest of all Christian graces, -- love enduring all things. Here is the ground for resignation to God, enabling us to say from the heart in every trying hour, "It is the Lord: Let him do what seemeth him good:" "Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil!" And what a glorious spectacle is this! Did it not constrain even a Heathen to cry out, Ecce spectaculum Deo dignum! "See a sight worthy of God;" a good man struggling with adversity, and superior to it. Here is the ground for confidence in God, both with regard to what we feel, and with regard to what we should fear, were it not that our soul is calmly stayed on Him. What room could there be for trust in God if there was no such thing as pain or danger Who might not say then, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it" It is by sufferings that our faith is tried, and, therefore, made more acceptable to God. It is in the day of trouble that we have occasion to say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." And this is well pleasing to God, that we should own him in the face of danger: in defiance of sorrow, sickness, pain, or death.

8. Again: Had there been neither natural nor moral evil in the world, what must have become of patience, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering It is manifest they could have had no being; seeing all these have evil for their object. If, therefore, evil had never entered into the world, neither could these have had any place in it. For who could have returned good for evil, had there been no evil-doer in the universe How had it been possible, on that supposition, to "overcome evil with good" Will you say, "But all these graces might have been divinely infused into the hearts of men" Undoubtedly they might: But if they had, there would have been no use or exercise for them. Whereas in the present state of things we can never long want occasion to exercise them: And the more they are exercised, the more all our graces are strengthened and increased. And in the same proportion as our resignation, our confidence in God, our patience and fortitude, our meekness, gentleness, and longsuffering, together with our faith, and love of God and man, increase, must our happiness increase, even in the present world. 9. Yet again: As God's permission of Adam's fall gave all his posterity a thousand opportunities of suffering, and thereby of exercising all those passive graces which increase both their holiness and happiness; so it gives them opportunities of doing good in numberless instances; of exercising themselves in various good works, which otherwise could have had no being. And what exertions of benevolence, of compassion, of godlike mercy, had then been totally prevented! Who could then have said to the Lover of men, -- Thy Mind throughout my life be shown, While listening to the wretch's cry, The widow's or the orphan's groan, On mercy's wings I swiftly fly, The poor and needy to relieve; Myself, my all for them to give It is the just observation of a benevolent man, -- All worldly joys are less Than that one joy of doing kindnesses.

5. What then is the barrier between men and brutes the line which they cannot pass It was not reason. Set aside that ambiguous term: Exchange it for the plain word, understanding: and who can deny that brutes have this We may as well deny that they have sight or hearing. But it is this: Man is capable of God; the inferior creatures are not. We have no ground to believe that they are, in any degree, capable of knowing, loving, or obeying God. This is the specific difference between man and brute; the great gulf which they cannot pass over. And as a loving obedience to God was the perfection of man, so a loving obedience to man was the perfection of brutes. And as long as they continued in this, they were happy after their kind; happy in the right state and the right use of their respective faculties. Yea, and so long they had some shadowy resemblance of even moral goodness. For they had gratitude to man for benefits received, and a reverence for him. They had likewise a kind of benevolence to each other, unmixed with any contrary temper. How beautiful many of them were, we may conjecture from that which still remains; and that not only in the noblest creatures, but in those of the lowest order. And they were all surrounded, not only with plenteous food, but with every thing that could give them pleasure; pleasure unmixed with pain; for pain was not yet; it had not entered into paradise. And they too were immortal: For "God made not death; neither hath he pleasure in the death of any living." 6. How true then is that word, "God saw everything that he had made: and behold it was very good!" But how far is this from being the present case! In what a condition is the whole lower world! -- to say nothing of inanimate nature, wherein all the elements seem to be out of course, and by turns to fight against man. Since man rebelled against his Maker, in what a state is all animated nature! Well might the Apostle say of this: "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain until now." This directly refers to the brute creation In what state this is at present we are now to consider.

II. 1. As all the blessings of God in paradise flowed through man to the inferior creatures; as man was the great channel of communication, between the Creator and the whole brute creation; so when man made himself incapable of transmitting those blessings, that communication was necessarily cut off. The intercourse between God and the inferior creatures being stopped, those blessings could no longer flow in upon them. And then it was that "the creature," every creature, "was subjected to vanity," to sorrow, to pain of every kind, to all manner of evils: Not, indeed, "willingly," not by its own choice, not by any act or deed of its own; "but by reason of Him that subjected it," by the wise permission of God, determining to draw eternal good out of this temporary evil. 2. But in what respect was "the creature," every creature, then "made subject to vanity" What did the meaner creatures suffer, when man rebelled against God It is probable they sustained much loss, even in the lower faculties; their vigour, strength, and swiftness. But undoubtedly they suffered far more in their understanding; more than we can easily conceive. Perhaps insects and worms had then as much understanding as the most intelligent brutes have now: Whereas millions of creatures have, at present, little more understanding than the earth on which they crawl, or the rock to which they adhere. They suffered still more in their will, in their passions; which were then variously distorted, and frequently set in flat opposition to the little understanding that was left them. Their liberty, likewise, was greatly impaired; yea, in many cases, totally destroyed. They are still utterly enslaved to irrational appetites, which have the full dominion over them. The very foundations of their nature are out of course; are turned upside down. As man is deprived of his perfection, his loving obedience to God; so brutes are deprived of their perfection, their loving obedience to man. The far greater part of them flee from him; studiously avoid his hated presence. The most of the rest set him at open defiance; yea, destroy him, if it be in their power. A few only, those we commonly term domestic animals, retain more or less of their original disposition, (through the mercy of God,) love him still, and pay obedience to him.

6. During this season of vanity, not only the feebler creatures are continually destroyed by the stronger; not only the strong are frequently destroyed by those that are of equal strength; but both the one and the other are exposed to the violence and cruelty of him that is now their common enemy, -- man. And if his swiftness or strength is not equal to theirs, yet his art more than supplies that defect. By this he eludes all their force, how great soever it be; by this he defeats all their swiftness; and, notwithstanding their various shifts and contrivances, discovers all their retreats. He pursues them over the widest plains, and through the thickest forests. He overtakes them in the fields of air, he finds them out in the depths of the sea. Nor are the mild and friendly creatures who still own his sway, and are duteous to his commands, secured thereby from more than brutal violence; from outrage and abuse of various kinds. Is the generous horse, that serves his master's necessity or pleasure with unwearied diligence, -- is the faithful dog, that waits the motion of his hand, or his eye, exempt from this What returns for their long and faithful service do many of these poor creatures find And what a dreadful difference is there, between What they suffer from their fellow-brutes, and what they suffer from the tyrant man! The lion, the tiger, or the shark, gives them pain from mere necessity, in order to prolong their own life; and puts them out of their pain at once: But the human shark, without any such necessity, torments them of his free choice; and perhaps continues their lingering pain till, after months or years, death signs their release.

4. Thus, in that day, all the vanity to which they are now helplessly subject will be abolished; they will suffer no more, either from within or without; the days of their groaning are ended. At the same time, there can be no reasonable doubt, but all the horridness of their appearance, and all the deformity of their aspect, will vanish away, and be exchanged for their primeval beauty. And with their beauty their happiness will return; to which there can then be no obstruction. As there will be nothing within, so there will be nothing without, to give them any uneasiness: No heat or cold, no storm or tempest, but one perennial spring. In the new earth, as well as in the new heavens, there will be nothing to give pain, but everything that the wisdom and goodness of God can create to give happiness. As a recompence for what they once suffered, while under the "bondage of corruption," when God has "renewed the face of the earth," and their corruptible body has put on incorruption, they shall enjoy happiness suited to their state, without alloy, without interruption, and without end. 5. But though I doubt not that the Father of All has a tender regard for even his lowest creatures, and that, in consequence of this, he will make them large amends for all they suffer while under their present bondage; yet I dare not affirm that he has an equal regard for them and for the children of men. I do not believe that He sees with equal eyes, as Lord of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall. By no means. This is exceeding pretty; but it is absolutely false. For though Mercy, with truth and endless grace, O'er all his works doth reign, Yet chiefly he delights to bless His favourite creature, man.

8. "But what end does it answer to dwell upon this subject, which we so imperfectly understand" To consider so much as we do understand, so much as God has been pleased to reveal to us, may answer that excellent end -- to illustrate that mercy of God which "is over all his works." And it may exceedingly confirm our belief that, much more, he "is loving to every man." For how well may we urge our Lord's words, "Are not ye much better than they" If, then, the Lord takes such care of the fowls of the air, and of the beasts of the field, shall he not much more take care of you, creatures of a nobler order If "the Lord will save," as the inspired writer affirms, "both man and beast," in their several degrees, surely "the children of men may put their trust under the shadow of his wings!" 9. May it not answer another end; namely, furnish us with a full answer to a plausible objection against the justice of God, in suffering numberless creatures that never had sinned to be so severely punished They could not sin, for they were not moral agents. Yet how severely do they suffer! -- yea, many of them, beasts of burden in particular, almost the whole time of their abode on earth; So that they can have no retribution here below. But the objection vanishes away, if we consider that something better remains after death for these poor creatures also; that these, likewise, shall one day be delivered from this bondage of corruption, and shall then receive an ample amends for all their present sufferings.

12. So much more let all those who are of a nobler turn of mind assert the distinguishing dignity of their nature. Let all who are of a more generous spirit know and maintain their rank in the scale of beings. Rest not till you enjoy the privilege of humanity -- the knowledge and love of God. Lift up your heads, ye creatures capable of God! Lift up your hearts to the Source of your being! Know God, and teach your souls to know The joys that from religion flow. Give your hearts to Him who, together with ten thousand blessings, has given you his Son, his only Son! Let your continual "fellowship be with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ!" Let God be in all your thoughts, and ye will be men indeed. Let him be your God and your All, -- the desire of your eyes, the joy of your heart, and your portion for ever.

24. And if the state of the Church in the very first century was so bad, we cannot suppose it was any better in the second. Undoubtedly it grew worse and worse. Tertullian, one of the most eminent Christians of that age, has given us an account of it in various parts of his writings, whence we learn that real, internal religion was hardly found; nay, that not only the tempers of the Christians were exactly the same with those of their heathen neighbours, (pride, passion, love of the world reigning alike in both,) but their lives and manners also. The bearing a faithful testimony against the general corruption of Christians, seems to have raised the outcry against Montanus; and against Tertullian himself, when he was convinced that the testimony of Montanus was true. As to the heresies fathered upon Montanus, it is not easy to find what they were. I believe his grand heresy was, the maintaining that "without" inward and outward "holiness no man shall see the Lord." 25. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in every respect an unexceptionable witness, who flourished about the middle of the third century, has left us abundance of letters, in which he gives a large and particular account of the state of religion in his time. In reading this, one would be apt to imagine, he was reading an account of the present century: So totally void of true religion were the generality both of the laity and clergy, so immersed in ambition, envy, covetousness, luxury, and all other vices, that the Christians of Africa were then exactly the same as the Christians of England are now. 26. It is true, that during this whole period, during the first three centuries, there were intermixed longer or shorter seasons wherein true Christianity revived. In those seasons the justice and mercy of God let loose the Heathens upon the Christians. Many of these were then called to resist unto blood. And "the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church." The apostolic spirit returned; and many "counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so they might finish their course with joy." Many others were reduced to happy poverty; and being stripped of what they had loved too well, they "remembered from whence they were fallen, and repented, and did their first works."

35. We may learn hence, Fourthly, how great watchfulness they need who desire to be real Christians; considering what a state the world is in! May not each of them well say, Into a world of ruffians sent, I walk on hostile ground: Wild human bears, on slaughter bent, And ravening wolves surround They are the more dangerous, because they commonly appear in sheep's clothing. Even those who do not pretend to religion, yet make fair professions of good-will, of readiness to serve us, and, perhaps, of truth and honesty. But beware of taking their word! Trust not any man, until he fears God! It is a great truth, He that fears no God, can love no friend: Therefore stand upon your guard against every one that is not earnestly seeking to save his soul. We have need to keep both our heart and mouth as "with a bridle, while the ungodly are in our sight." Their conversation, their spirit, is infectious, and steals upon us unawares, we know not how. "Happy is the man that feareth always," in this sense also, lest he should partake of other men's sins. O "keep thyself pure!" "Watch and pray, that thou enter not into temptation!"

How exactly agreeing with the words of the Apostle: (Personating a man convinced of sin, but not yet conquering it:) "The good that I would, I do not; but the evil I would not, that I do!" The impotence of the human mind, even the Roman philosopher could discover: "There is in every man," says he, "this weakness;" (he might have said, this sore disease;) "gloriae sitis, -- thirst for glory. Nature points out the disease; but nature shows us no remedy." 3. Nor is it strange, that though they sought for a remedy, yet they found none. For they sought it where it never was and never will be found, namely, in themselves; in reason, in philosophy: Broken reeds, bubbles, smoke! They did not seek it in God, in whom alone it is possible to find it. In God! No; they totally disclaim this; and that in the strongest terms. For although Cicero, one of their oracles, once stumbled upon that strange truth, Nemo unquam vir magnus sine afflatu divino fuit, -- "There never was any great man who was not divinely inspired;" yet in the very same tract he contradicts himself, and totally overthrows his own assertion, by asking, Quis pro virtute aut sapientia gratias dedit Deis unquam -- "Who ever returned thanks to God for his virtue or wisdom" The Roman poet is, if possible, more express still; who, after mentioning several outward blessings, honestly adds, -- Haec satis est orare Jovem, qui donat et aufert; Det vitam, det opes: aequum mi animum ipse parabo. We ask of God, what we can give or take, -- Life, wealth; but virtuous I myself will make. 4. The best of them either sought virtue partly from God and partly from themselves, or sought it from those gods who were indeed but devils, and so not likely to make their votaries better than themselves. So dim was the light of the wisest of men, till "life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel;" till "the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil!" But what are "the works of the devil," here mentioned How was "the Son of God manifested" to destroy them And how, in what manner, and by what steps, does he actually "destroy" them These three very important points we may consider in their order.

9. "Having great wrath," and perhaps envy, at the happiness of the creatures whom God had newly created, it is not strange that he should desire and endeavour to deprive them of it. In order to this, he concealed himself in the serpent, who was the most subtle, or intelligent, of all the brute creatures; and, on that account, the least liable to raise suspicion. Indeed, some have (not improbably) supposed that the serpent was then endued with reason and speech. Had not Eve known he was so, would she have admitted any parley with him Would she not have been frightened rather than deceived as the Apostle observes she was. To deceive her, Satan mingled truth with falsehood: -- "Hath God said, Ye may not eat of every tree of the garden" -- and soon after persuaded her to disbelieve God, to suppose his threatening should not be fulfilled. She then lay open to the whole temptation: -- To "the desire of the flesh;" for the tree was "good for food:" To "the desire of the eyes;" for it was "pleasant to the eyes:" And to "the pride of life;" for it was "to be desired to make one wise," and consequently honoured. So unbelief begot pride: She thought herself wiser than God; capable of finding a better way to happiness than God had taught her. It begot self-will: She was determined to do her own will, not the will of Him that made her. It begot foolish desires; and completed all by outward sin: "She took of the fruit, and did eat."

2. How the Son of God was manifested to our first parents in paradise it is not easy to determine. It is generally, and not improbably, supposed that he appeared to them in the form of a man, and conversed with them face to face. Not that I can at all believe the ingenious dream of Dr. Watts concerning "the glorious humanity of Christ," which he supposes to have existed before the world began, and to have been endued with I know not what astonishing powers. Nay, I look upon this to be an exceeding dangerous, yea, mischievous hypothesis; as it quite excludes the force of very many scriptures which have been hitherto thought to prove the Godhead of the Son. And I am afraid it was the grand means of turning that great man aside from the faith once delivered to the saints; -- that is, if he was turned aside; if that beautiful soliloquy be genuine which is printed among his Posthumous Works, wherein he so earnestly beseeches the Son of God not to be displeased because he cannot believe him to be co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. 3. May we not reasonably believe it was by similar appearances that He was manifested, in succeeding ages, to Enoch, while he "walked with God;" to Noah, before and after the deluge; to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, on various occasions; and, to mention no more, to Moses This seems to be the natural meaning of the word: "My servant Moses is faithful in all my house. -- With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of Jehovah shall he behold;" namely, the Son of God. 4. But all these were only types of his grand manifestation. It was in the fulness of time (in just the middle age of the world, as a great man largely proves) that God "brought his first-begotten into the world, made of a woman," by the power of the Highest overshadowing her. He was afterwards manifested to the shepherds; to devout Simeon; to Anna, the Prophetess; and to "all that waited for redemption in Jerusalem."

2. At the same time the Son of God strikes at the root of that grand work of the devil, -- pride; causing the sinner to humble himself before the Lord, to abhor himself, as it were, in dust and ashes. He strikes at the root of self-will; enabling the humbled sinner to say in all things, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." He destroys the love of the world; delivering them that believe in him from "every foolish and hurtful desire;" from the "desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life." He saves them from seeking, or expecting to find, happiness in any creature. As Satan turned the heart of man from the Creator to the creature; so the Son of God turns his heart back again from the creature to the Creator. Thus it is, by manifesting himself, he destroys the works of the devil; restoring the guilty outcast from God, to his favour, to pardon and peace; the sinner in whom dwelleth no good thing, to love and holiness; the burdened, miserable sinner, to joy unspeakable, to real, substantial happiness. 3. But it may be observed, that the Son of God does not destroy the whole work of the devil in man, as long as he remains in this life. He does not yet destroy bodily weakness, sickness, pain, and a thousand infirmities incident to flesh and blood. He does not destroy all that weakness of understanding, which is the natural consequence of the soul's dwelling in a corruptible body; so that still, Humanum est errare et nescire: "Both ignorance and error belong to humanity." He entrusts us with only an exceeding small share of knowledge, in our present state; lest our knowledge should interfere with our humility, and we should again affect to be as gods. It is to remove from us all temptation to pride, and all thought of independency, (which is the very thing that men in general so earnestly covet under the name of liberty.) that he leaves us encompassed with all these infirmities, particularly weakness of understanding; till the sentence takes place, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return!"

25. And so all Israel too shall be saved. For "blindness has happened to Israel," as the great Apostle observes, (Rom. 11:25, &c.,) till the fullness of the "Gentiles be come in." Then "the Deliverer that cometh out of Sion shall turn away iniquity from Jacob." "God hath now concluded them all in unbelief, that he may have mercy upon all." Yea, and he will so have mercy upon all Israel, as to give them all temporal with all spiritual blessings. For this is the promise: "For the Lord thy God will gather thee from all nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul." (Deut. 30:3, &c.,) Again: "I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them: And I will bring them again to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. And I will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart and with my whole soul." (Jer. 32:37, &c.) Yet again: "I will take you from among the Heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." (Ezek. 36:24, &c.)

13. But it seems, a greater change will be wrought in the earth, than even in the air and water. Not that I can believe that wonderful discovery of Jacob Behmen, which many so eagerly contend for; that the earth itself with all its furniture and inhabitants, will then be transparent as glass. There does not seem to be the least foundation for this, either in Scripture or reason. Surely not in Scripture: I know not one text in the Old or New Testament which affirms any such thing. Certainly it cannot be inferred from that text in the Revelation: (Rev. 4:6:), "And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal." And yet, if I mistake not, this is the chief, if not the only Scripture which has been urged in favour of this opinion! Neither can I conceive that it has any foundation in reason. It has indeed been warmly alleged, that all things would be far more beautiful if they were quite transparent. But I cannot apprehend this: Yea, I apprehend quite the contrary. Suppose every part of a human body were made transparent as crystal, would it appear more beautiful than it does now Nay, rather it would shock us above measure. The surface of the body, and in particular "the human face divine," is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful objects that can be found under heaven; but could you look through the rosy cheek, the smooth, fair forehead, or the rising bosom, and distinctly see all that lies within, you would turn away from it with loathing and horror! 14. Let us next take a view of those changes which we may reasonably suppose will then take place in the earth. It will no more be bound up with intense cold, nor parched up with extreme heat; but will have such a temperature as will be most conducive to its fruitfulness. If, in order to punish its inhabitants, God did of old Bid his angels turn askance This oblique lobe, thereby occasioning violent cold on one part, and violent heat on the other; he will, undoubtedly, then order them to restore it to its original position: So that there will be a final end, on the one hand, of the burning heat which makes some parts of it scarce habitable; and, on the other of

I. 1. Let us consider, First, What is the duty that is here enjoined What is it we are to rebuke or reprove And what is it to reprove What is it to reprove To tell anyone of his faults; as clearly appears from the following words: "Thou shalt not suffer sin upon him." Sin is therefore the thing we are called to reprove, or rather him that commits sin. We are to do all that in us lies to convince him of his fault, and lead him into the right way. 2. Love indeed requires us to warn him, not only of sin, (although of this chiefly,) but likewise of any error which, if it were persisted in, would naturally lead to sin. If we do not "hate him in our heart," if we love our neighbour as ourselves, this will be our constant endeavour; to warn him of every evil way, and of every mistake which tends to evil. 3. But if we desire not to lose our labour, we should rarely reprove anyone for anything that is of a disputable nature, that will bear much to be said on both sides. A thing may possibly appear evil to me; therefore I scruple the doing of it; and if I were to do it while that scruple remains, I should be a sinner before God. But another is not to be judged by my conscience: To his own master he standeth or falleth. Therefore I would not reprove him, but for what is clearly and undeniably evil. Such, for instance, is profane cursing and swearing; which even those who practise it most will not often venture to defend, if one mildly expostulates with them. Such is drunkenness, which even a habitual drunkard will condemn when he is sober. And such, in the account of the generality of people, is the profaning of the Lord's day. And if any which are guilty of these sins for a while attempt to defend them, very few will persist to do it, if you look them steadily in the face, and appeal to their own conscience in the sight of God.

II. 1. Let us, in the Second place, consider, Who are those that we are called to reprove It is the more needful to consider this, because it is affirmed by many serious persons, that there are some sinners whom the Scripture itself forbids us to reprove. This sense has been put on that solemn caution of our Lord, in his Sermon on the Mount: "Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot, and turn again and rend you." But the plain meaning of these words is, Do not offer the pearls, the sublime doctrines or mysteries of the Gospel, to those whom you know to be brutish men, immersed in sins, and having no fear of God before their eyes. This would expose those precious jewels to contempt, and yourselves to injurious treatment. But even those whom we know to be, in our Lord's sense, dogs and swine, if we saw them do, or heard them speak, what they themselves know to be evil, we ought in any wise to reprove them; else we "hate our brother in our heart." 2. The persons intended by "our neighbour" are, every child of man, everyone that breathes the vital air, all that have souls to be saved. And if we refrain from performing this office of love to any, because they are sinners above other men, they may persist in their iniquity, but their blood will God require at our hands. 3. How striking is Mr. Baxter's reflection on this head, in his "Saints' Everlasting Rest! "Suppose thou wert to meet one in the lower world, to whom thou hadst denied this of fice of love, when ye were both together under the sun; what answer couldst thou make to his upbraiding `At such a time and place, while we were under the sun, God delivered me into thy hands. I then did not know the way of salvation, but was seeking death in the error of my life; and therein thou sufferedst me to remain, without once endeavouring to awake me out of sleep! Hadst thou imparted to me thy knowledge, and warned me to flee from the wrath to come, neither I nor thou need ever have come into this place of torment.'"

The fact cannot be denied: we can point out the persons, with their names and places of abode. And yet the wise men of the world, the men of eminence, the men of learning and renown, "cannot imagine what we mean by talking of any extraordinary work of God!" They cannot discern the signs of these times! They can see no sign at all of God's arising to maintain his own cause, and set up his kingdom over the earth! 5. But how may this be accounted for How is it, that they cannot discern the signs of these times We may account for their want of discernment on the same principle we accounted for that of the Pharisees and Sadducees; namely, that they likewise are, what those were, an "adulterous and sinful generation." If their eye was single, their whole body would be full of light: but suppose their eye be evil, their whole body must be full of darkness. Every evil temper darkens the soul; every evil passion clouds the understanding. How then can we expect, that those should be able to discern the signs of the times who are full of all disorderly passions, and slaves to every evil temper But this is really the case. They are full of pride: They think of themselves far more highly than they ought to think. They are vain: They "seek honour one of another, and not the honour that cometh of God only." They cherish hatred and malice in their hearts: they give place to anger, to envy, to revenge: They return evil for evil, and railing for railing. Instead of overcoming evil with good, they make no scruple of demanding an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. They "savour not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men." They set their affections, not on things above, but on things that are of the earth. They "love the creature more than the Creator:" They are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." How then should they discern the signs of the times The god of this world, whom they serve, has blinded their hearts, and covered their minds with a veil of thick darkness. Alas, what have these "souls of flesh and blood," (as one speaks) to do with God, or the things of God

They pretended, (and do so at this day,) to do the work whereunto they are sent; to do just what the Lord pleases. And if it be his pleasure, to throw down the walls of Jericho, the strong-holds of Satan, not by the engines of war, but by the blasts of rams' horns, who shall say unto him, "What dost thou!" 11. Meantime, "blessed are your eyes, for they see: many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear, and have not heard them." You see and acknowledge the day of your visitation; such a visitation as neither you nor your fathers had known. You may well say, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad therein." You see the dawn of that glorious day, whereof all the prophets have spoken. And how shall you most effectually improve this day of your visitation 12. The first point is, see that you yourselves receive not the blessing of God in vain. Begin at the root, if you have not already. Now repent and believe the gospel! If you have believed, "look to yourselves, that ye lose not what you have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward!" Stir up the gift of God that is in you! Walk in the light, as he is in the light. And while you "hold fast that which you have attained, go on unto perfection." Yea, and when you are "made perfect in love," still, "forgetting the that are behind, press on to the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

13. It behoves you, in the next place to help your neighbours. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." As you have time, do good unto all men, but especially unto them that are of the household of faith. Proclaim the glad tidings of salvation ready to be revealed, not only to those of your own household, not only to your relations, friends, and acquaintance, but to all whom God providentially delivers into your hands! "Ye," who already know in whom you have believed, "are the salt of the earth." Labour to season, with the knowledge and love of God, all that you have any intercourse with! "Ye are as a city set upon a hill;" ye cannot, ye ought not to be hid. "Ye are the light of the world: men do not light a candle, and put it under a bushel;" how much less the all wise God! No; let it shine to all that are in the house; all that are witnesses of your life and conversation. Above all, continue instant in prayer, both for yourselves, for all the Church of God, and for all the children of men, that they may remember themselves, and be turned unto our God, that they likewise may enjoy the gospel blessing on earth, and the glory of God in heaven!

15. Only he that can do all things else cannot deny himself: He cannot counteract himself, or oppose his own work. Were it not for this, he would destroy all sin, with its attendant pain in a moment. He would abolish wickedness out of his whole creation, and suffer not trace of it remain. But in so doing he would counteract himself; he would altogether overturn his own work, and undo all that he has been doing since he created man upon the earth. For he created man in his own image: A spirit like himself; a spirit endued with understanding, with will or affections, and liberty; without which, neither his understanding nor his affections could have been of any use, neither would he have been capable either or vice or virtue. He could not be a moral agent, any more than a tree or a stone. If, therefore, God were thus to exert his power, there would certainly be no more vice; but it is equally certain, neither could there be any virtue in the world. Were human liberty taken away, men would be as incapable of virtue as stones. Therefore,(with reverence be it spoken,) the Almighty himself cannot do this thing. He cannot thus contradict himself, or undo what he has done. He cannot destroy out of the soul of man that image of himself wherein he make him: And without doing this, he cannot abolish sin and pain out of the world. But were it to be done, it would imply no wisdom at all; but barely a stroke of omnipotence. Whereas all the manifold wisdom of God (as well as all his power and goodness) is displayed in governing man as man; not as a stock or stone, but as an intelligent and free spirit, capable of choosing either good or evil. Herein appears the depth of the wisdom of God, in his adorable providence; in governing men, so as not to destroy either their understanding, will, or liberty. He commands all things, both in heaven and earth, to assist man in attaining the end of his being, in working out his won salvation, so far as it can be done without compulsion, without over-ruling his liberty.

He commands all things, both in heaven and earth, to assist man in attaining the end of his being, in working out his won salvation, so far as it can be done without compulsion, without over-ruling his liberty. An attentive inquirer may easily discern, the whole frame of divine providence is so constituted as to afford man every possible help, in order to his doing good and eschewing evil, which can be done without turning man into a machine; without making him incapable of virtue or vice, reward or punishment. 16. Meantime, it has been remarked by a pious writer, that here is, as he expresses it, a three-fold circle of divine providence, over and above that which presides over the whole universe. We do not now speak of that over-ruling hand which governs the inanimate creation, which sustains the sun, moon, and stars in their stations, and guides their motions; we do not refer to his care of the animal creation, every part of which we know is under His government, "who giveth food unto the cattle, and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him;" but we here speak of that superintending providence which regards the children of men. each of these is easily distinguished from the other, by those who accurately observe the ways of God. The outermost circle includes the whole race of mankind, all the descendants of Adam, all the human creatures that are dispersed over the face of the earth. This comprises not only the Christian world, those that name the name of Christ, but the Mahometans also, who considerably out-number even the nominal Christians; yea, and the Heathens likewise, who very far out-number the Mahometans and Christians put together. "Is he the God of the Jews," says the Apostle, "and not of the Gentiles also" And so we may say, Is he the God of the Christians, and not of the Mahometans and Heathens Yea, doubtless of the Mahometans and Heathens also. His love is not confined: "The Lord is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works." He careth for the very outcasts of men: It may truly be said, Free as the air thy bounty streams O'er all thy works: Thy mercies' beams Diffusive as they sun's arise.

10. But to return: When iniquity had overspread the Church as a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard against it. He raised up a poor monk, without wealth, without power, and, at that time, without friends, to declare war, as it were, against all the world; against the Bishop of Rome and all his adherents. But this little stone being chosen of God, soon grew into a great mountain; and increased more and more, till it had covered a considerable part of Europe. Yet even before Luther was called home, the love of many was waxed cold. Many, that had once run well, turned, back from the holy commandment delivered to them; yea, the greater part of those that once experienced the power of faith, made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. The observing this was supposed to be the occasion of that illness (a fit of the stone) whereof Luther died; after uttering these melancholy words: "I have spent my strength for nought! Those who are called by my name, are, it is true, reformed in opinions and modes of worship; but in their hearts and lives, in their tempers and practice, they are not a jot better than the Papists!"

20. Hear ye this, all ye Preachers who have not the same life, the same communion with God, the same zeal for his cause, the same burning love to souls, that you had once! "Take heed unto yourselves, that ye lose not the things ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward." Beware lest God swear in his wrath, that ye shall bear his standard no more! Lest he be provoked to take the word of his grace utterly out of your mouth! Be assured, the Lord hath no need of you; his work doth not depend upon your help. As he is able "out of stones to raise up children to Abraham;" so he is able out of the same to raise up Preachers after his own heart! O make haste! Remember from whence you are fallen; and repent and do the first works! 21. Would it not provoke the Lord of the harvest to lay you altogether aside, if you despised the labourers he had raised up, merely because of their youth This was commonly done to us, when we were first sent out, between forty and fifty years ago. Old, wise men asked, "What will these young heads do" So the then Bishop of London in particular. But shall we adopt their language God forbid! Shall we teach Him whom he shall send; whom He shall employ in his own work Are we then the men, and shall wisdom die with us Does the work of God hang upon us O humble yourselves before God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver!

24. But have all that have sunk under manifold temptations, so fallen that they can rise no more Hath the Lord cast them all off for ever, and will he be no more entreated Is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore God forbid that we should affirm this! Surely He is able to heal all their backslidings: For with God no word is impossible. And is he not willing too He is "God, and not man; therefore his compassions fail not." Let no backslider despair. "Return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon you; unto our God, and he will abundantly pardon." Meantime, thus saith the Lord to you that now supply their place: "Be not high-minded, but fear!" If "the Lord spared not" thy elder brethren, "take heed lest he spare not thee!" Fear, though not with a servile, tormenting fear, lest thou fall by any of the same temptations; by either the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the desire of other things. Tempted you will be in ten thousand different ways, perhaps as long as you remain in the body; but as long as you continue to watch and pray, you will not "enter into temptations." His grace has been hitherto sufficient for you; and so it will be unto the end. 25. You see here, brethren, a short and general sketch of the manner wherein God works upon earth, in repairing this work of grace, wherever it is decayed through the subtlety of Satan, and the unfaithfulness of men, giving way to the fraud and malice of the devil. Thus he is now carrying on his own work, and thus he will do to the end of time. And how wonderfully plain and simple is His way of working, in the spiritual as well as the natural world! that is, his general plan of working, of repairing whatsoever is decayed. But as to innumerable particulars, we must still cry out, "O the depth! How unfathomable are his counsels, and his paths past tracing out!"

13. Well; but if we know nothing else, do not we now ourselves our bodies and our souls What is our soul It is a spirit, we know. But what is a spirit Here we are at a full stop. And where is the soul lodged in the pineal gland, in the whole brain, in the heart, in the blood, in any single part of the body, or (if any one can understand those terms) "all in all, and all in every part" How is the soul united to the body a spirit or a clod What is the secret, imperceptible chain that couples them together Can the wisest of men give a satisfactory answer to any one of these plain questions And as to our body itself, how little do we know! During a night's sleep, a healthy man perspires one part in four less when he sweats, than when he does not. Who can account for this What is flesh that of the muscles in particular Are the fibres that compose it of a determinate size, so that they can be divided only so far Or are they resolvable in infintum How does a muscle act by being inflated, and consequently shortened But what is it inflated with If whit blood, how and whence comes that blood And whither does it go, the moment the muscle is relaxed Are the nerves pervious or solid How do they act by vibration or transmission of the animal spirits Who knows what the animal spirits are Are they electric fire What is sleep Wherein does it consist What is dreaming How can we know dreams from waking thoughts I doubt no man knows. O how little do we know even concerning the whole creation of God

8. Is there not something equally mysterious in the divine dispensation with regard to Christianity itself Who can explain why Christianity is not spread as far as sin Why is not the medicine sent to every place where the disease is found But alas! It is not: "The sound of it is" not now "gone forth into all lands." The poison is diffused over the whole globe; the antidote is not known in a sixth part of it. Nay, and how is it that the wisdom and goodness of God suffer the antidote itself to be so grievously adulterated, not only in Roman Catholic countries, but almost in every part of the Christian world So adulterated by mixing it frequently with useless, frequently with poisonous ingredients, that it retains none, or at least a very small part of its original virtue. Yea, it is so thoroughly adulterated by many of those very persons whom he has sent to administer it that it adds tenfold malignity to the disease which it was designed to cure! In consequence of this there is little more mercy or truth to be found among Christians than among pagans. Nay, it has been affirmed and I am afraid truly, that many called Christians are far worse than the heathens that surround them: more profligate, more abandoned to all manner of wickedness, neither fearing God, nor regarding man! O who can comprehend this! Doth not he who is higher than the highest regard it 9. Equally incomprehensible to us are many of the divine dispensations with regard to particular families. We cannot at all comprehend why he raises some to wealth, honour, and power and why in the meantime he depresses others with poverty and various afflictions. Some wonderfully prosper in all they take in hand, and the world pours in upon them; while others with all their labour and toil can scarce procure daily bread. And perhaps prosperity and applause continue with the former to their death; while the latter drink the cup of adversity to their life's end -- although no reason appears to us either for the prosperity of the one or the adversity of the other.

III. 1. Are we able to search out his works of grace any more than his works of providence Nothing is more sure than that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Why is it then that so vast a majority of mankind are, so far as we can judge, cut off from all means, all possibility of holiness, even from their mother's womb For instance: what possibility is there that a Hottentot, a New-Zealander, or an inhabitant of Nova-Zembla, if he lives and dies there, should ever know what holiness means Or consequently ever attain it Yea, but one may say: "He sinned before he was born, in a pre-existent state. Therefore he was placed here in so unfavourable a situation. And it is mere mercy that he should have a second trial." I answer: supposing such a pre-existent state, this which you call a second trial is really no trial at all. As soon as he is born into the world he is absolutely in the power of his savage parents and relations, who from the first dawn of reason train him up in the same ignorance, atheism, and barbarity with themselves. He has no chance, so to speak; he has no possibility of any better education. What trial has he then From the time he comes into the world till he goes out of it again he seems to be under a dire necessity of living in all ungodliness lo and unrighteousness. But how is this How can this be the case with so many millions of the souls that God has made Art thou not the God "of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea" 2. I desire it may be observed that if this be improved into an objection against revelation it is an objection that lies full as much against natural as revealed religion. If it were conclusive it would not drive us into Deism, but into flat Atheism. It would conclude not only against the Christian revelation but against the being of a God. And yet I see not how we can avoid the force of it but by resolving all into the unsearchable wisdom of God, together with a deep conviction of our ignorance and inability to fathom his counsels.

3. Even among us who are favoured far above these, -- to whom are entrusted the oracles of God, whose word is a lantern to our feet, and a light in all our paths, -- there are still many circumstances in his dispensations which are above our comprehension. We know not why he suffered us so long to go on in our own ways before we were convinced of sin. Or why he made use of this or the other instrument, and in this or the other manner. And a thousand circumstances attended the process of our conviction which we do not comprehend. We know not why he suffered us to stay so long before he revealed his Son in our hearts; or why this change from darkness to light was accompanied with such and such particular circumstances. 4. It is doubtless the peculiar prerogative of God to reserve the "times and seasons in his own power." And we cannot give any reason, why, of two persons equally athirst for salvation one is presently taken into the favour of God, and the other left to mourn for months or years. One, as soon as he calls upon God, is answered, and filled with peace and joy in believing; another seeks after him, and, it seems, with the same degree of sincerity and earnestness, and yet cannot find him, or any consciousness of his favour, for weeks, or months, or years. We know well this cannot possibly be owing to any absolute decree, consigning, one before he was born to everlasting glory, and the other to everlasting fire; but we do not know what is the reason for it: It is enough that God knoweth.

5. There is, likewise, great variety in the manner and time of God's bestowing his sanctifying grace, whereby he enables his children to give him their whole heart, which we can in no wise account for. We know not why he bestows this on some even before they ask for it; (some unquestionable instances of which we have seen;) on some after they have sought it but a few days; and yet permits other believers to wait for it perhaps twenty, thirty, or forty years; nay, and others, till a few hours, or even minutes, before their spirits return to him. For the various circumstances also which attend the fulfilling of that great promise, "I will circumcise thy heart, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul," God undoubtedly has reasons; but those reasons are generally hid from the children of men. Once more: some of those who are enabled to love God with all their heart and with all their soul, retain the same blessing, without any interruption, till they are carried to Abraham's bosom; others do not retain it, although they are not conscious of having grieved the Holy Spirit of God. This also we do not understand: We do not herein "know the mind of the Spirit." IV. Several valuable lessons we may learn from a deep consciousness of this our own ignorance. First, we may learn hence a lesson of humility; not "to think of ourselves," particularly with regard to our understanding, "more highly than we ought to think;" but "to think soberly;" being thoroughly convinced that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think one good thought; that we should be liable to stumble at every step, to err every moment of our lives, were it not that we have "an anointing from the Holy One," which abideth "with us;" were it not that He who knoweth what is in man helpeth our infirmities; that "there is a spirit in man which giveth wisdom," and the inspiration of the Holy One which "giveth understanding."

From hence we may learn, Secondly, a lesson of faith, of confidence in God. A full conviction of our own ignorance may teach us a full trust in his wisdom. It may teach us (what is not always so easy as one would conceive it to be) to trust the invisible God farther than we can see him! It may assist us in learning that difficult lesson, to "cast down" our own "imaginations" (or reasonings rather, as the word properly signifies), to "cast down every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." There are at present two grand obstructions to our forming a right judgment of the dealings of God with respect to men. The one is, there are innumerable facts relating to every man which we do not and cannot know. They are, at present, hid from us, and covered from our search by impenetrable darkness. The other is, we cannot see the thoughts of men, even when we know their actions. Still we know not their intentions; and without this we can but ill judge of their outward actions. Conscious of this, "judge nothing before the time" concerning his providential dispensations; till he shall bring to light "the hidden things of darkness," and manifest "the thoughts and intent of the heart." From a consciousness of our ignorance we may learn, Thirdly, a lesson of resignation. We may be instructed to say at all times and in all instances, "Father, not as I will; but as thou wilt." This was the last lesson which our blessed Lord (as man) learnt while he was upon earth. He could go no higher than, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt," till he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Let us also herein be made conformable to his death, that we may know the full "power of his resurrection!" [Preached at Bristol, March 5, 1784]

The Case of Reason Impartially Considered "Brethren, be not children in understanding: Howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." 1 Cor. 14:20. 1. It is the true remark of an eminent man, who had made many observations on human nature, "If reason be against a man, a man will always be against reason." This has been confirmed by the experience of all ages. Very many have been the instances of it in the Christian as well as the heathen world; yea, and that in the earliest times. Even then there were not wanting well-meaning men who, not having much reason themselves, imagined that reason was of no use in religion; yea, rather, that it was a hinderance to it. And there has not been wanting a succession of men who have believed and asserted the same thing. But never was there a greater number of these in the Christian Church, at least in Britain, than at this day. 2. Among them that despise and vilify reason, you may always expect to find those enthusiasts who suppose the dreams of their own imagination to be revelations from God. We cannot expect that men of this turn will pay much regard to reason. Having an infallible guide, they are very little moved by the reasonings of fallible men. In the foremost of these we commonly find the whole herd of Antinomians; all that, however they may differ in other respects, agree in "making void the law through faith." If you oppose reason to these, when they are asserting propositions ever so full of absurdity and blasphemy, they will probably think it a sufficient answer to say, "O, this is your reason;" or "your carnal reason:" So that all arguments are lost upon them: They regard them no more than stubble or rotten wood.

The foundation of true religion stands upon the oracles of God. It is built upon the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles! And how is it possible without it to understand the essential truths contained therein a beautiful summary of which we have in that which is called the Apostles' Creed. Is it not reason (assisted by the Holy Ghost) which enables us to understand what the Holy Scriptures declare concerning the being and attributes of God -- concerning his eternity and immensity; his power, wisdom, and holiness It is by reason that God enables us in some measure to comprehend his method of dealing with the children of men; the nature of his various dispensations, of the old and new covenant, of the law and the gospel. It is by this we understand (his Spirit opening and enlightening the eyes of our understanding) what that repentance is, not to be repented of; what is that faith whereby we are saved; what is the nature and the condition of justification; what are the immediate and what the subsequent fruits of it. By reason we learn what is that new birth, without which we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven; and what that holiness is without which no man shall see the Lord. By the due use of reason we come to know what are the tempers implied in inward holiness; and what it is to be outwardly holy -- holy in all manner of conversation: In other words, what is the mind that was in Christ; and what it is to walk as Christ walked.

7. Many particular cases will occur with respect to several of the foregoing articles, in which we shall have occasion for all our understanding, if we would keep a conscience void of offence. Many cases of conscience are not to be solved without the utmost exercise of our reason. The same is requisite in order to understand and to discharge our ordinary relative duties; -- the duties of parents and children, of husbands and wives, and (to name no more) of masters and servants. In all these respects, and in all the duties of common life, God has given us our reason for a guide. And it is only by acting up to the dictates of it, by using all the understanding which God hath given us, that we can have a conscience void of offense towards God and towards man. 8. Here, then, there is a large field indeed, wherein reason may expatiate and exercise all its powers. And if reason can do all this, both in civil and religious things, what is it that it cannot do We have hitherto endeavoured to lay aside all prejudice, and to weigh the matter calmly and impartially. The same course let us take still: Let us now coolly consider, without prepossession on any side, what it is, according to the best light we have, that reason cannot do. II. 1. And, First, reason cannot produce faith. Although it is always consistent with reason, yet reason cannot produce faith, in the scriptural sense of the word. Faith, according to Scripture, is "an evidence," or conviction, "of things not seen." It is a divine evidence, bringing a full conviction of an invisible eternal world. It is true, there was a kind of shadowy persuasion of this, even among the wiser Heathens; probably from tradition, or from some gleams of light reflected from the Israelites. Hence many hundred years before our Lord was born, the Greek Poet uttered that great truth,-- Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth Unseen, whether we wake, or if we sleep. But this was little more than faint conjecture: It was far from a firm conviction; which reason, in its highest state of improvement, could never produce in any child of man.

2. Many years ago I found the truth of this by sad experience. After carefully heaping up the strongest arguments which I could find, either in ancient or modern authors, for the very being of a God, and (which is nearly connected with it) the existence of an invisible world, I have wandered up and down, musing with myself: "What, if all these things which I see around me, this earth and heaven, this universal frame, has existed from eternity What, if that melancholy supposition of the old Poet be the real case, -- oih per jullvn geneh, toih de kai andrvn; What, if `the generation of men be exactly parallel with the generation of leaves' if the earth drops its successive inhabitants, just as the tree drops its leaves What, if that saying of a great man be really true, -- Post mortem nihil est; ipsaque mors nihil Death is nothing, and nothing is after death How am I sure that this is not the case; that I have not followed cunningly devised fables" -- And I have pursued the thought, till there was no spirit in me, and I was ready to choose strangling rather than life. 3. But in a point of so unspeakable importance, do not depend upon the word of another; but retire for awhile from the busy world, and make the experiment yourself. Try whether your reason will give you a clear satisfactory evidence of the invisible world. After the prejudices of education are laid aside, produce your strong reasons for the existence of this. Set them all in array; silence all objections; and put all your doubts to flight alas! you cannot, with all your understanding. You may repress them for a season. But how quickly will they rally again, and attack you with redoubled violence! And what can poor reason do for your deliverance The more vehemently you struggle, the more deeply you are entangled in the toils; and you find no way to escape. 4. How was the case with that great admirer of reason, the author of the maxim above cited I mean the famous Mr. Hobbes. None will deny that he had a strong understanding. But did it produce in him a full and satisfactory conviction of an invisible world Did it open the eyes of his understanding, to see

Beyond the bounds of this diurnal sphere O no! far from it! His dying words ought never to be forgotten. "Where are you going, Sir" said one of his friends. He answered, "I am taking a leap in the dark!" and died. Just such an evidence of the invisible world can bare reason give to the wisest of men! 5. Secondly. Reason alone cannot produce hope in any child of man: I mean scriptural hope, whereby we "rejoice in hope of the glory of God:" That hope which St. Paul in one place terms, "tasting the powers of the world to come;" in another, the "sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" That which enables us to say, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope; -- to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away; which is reserved in heaven for us." This hope can only spring from Christian faith: Therefore, where there is not faith, there is not hope. Consequently, reason, being unable to produce faith, must be equally unable to produce hope. Experience confirms this likewise. How often have I laboured, and that with my might, to beget this hope in myself! But it was lost labour: I could no more acquire this hope of heaven, than I could touch heaven with my hand. And whoever of you makes the same attempt will find it attended with the same success. I do not deny, that a self-deceiving enthusiast may work in himself a kind of hope: He may work himself up into a lively imagination; into a sort of pleasing dream: He may "compass himself about, "as the Prophet speaks, "with sparks of his own kindling:" But this cannot be of long continuance; in a little while the bubble will surely break. And what will follow "This shall ye have at my hand, saith the Lord, ye shall lie down in sorrow."

Permit me to add a few words to you, likewise, who over-value reason. Why should you run from one extreme to the other Is not the middle way best Let reason do all that reason can: Employ it as far as it will go. But, at the same time, acknowledge it is utterly incapable of giving either faith, or hope, or love; and, consequently, of producing either real virtue, or substantial happiness. Expect these from a higher source, even from the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Seek and receive them, not as your own acquisition, but as the gifts of God. Lift up your hearts to Him who "giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." He alone can give that faith, which is "the evidence" and conviction "of things not seen." He alone can "beget you unto a lively hope" of an inheritance eternal in the heavens; and He alone can "shed his love abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost given unto you." Ask, therefore, and it shall be given you! Cry unto him, and you shall not cry in vain! How can you doubt "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Ghost unto them that ask him!" So shall you be living witnesses, that wisdom, holiness, and happiness are one; are inseparably united; and are, indeed, the beginning of that eternal life which God hath given us in his Son.

6. And how often does God deliver us from evil men by the ministry of his angels! overturning whatever their rage, or malice, or subtlety had plotted against us. These are about their bed, and about their path, and privy to all their dark designs; and many of them, undoubtedly, they brought to nought, by means that we think not of. Sometimes they blast their favourite schemes in the beginning; sometimes, when they are just ripe for execution. And this they can do by a thousand means that we are not aware of. They can check them in their mid-career, by bereaving them of courage or strength; by striking faintness through their loins, or turning their wisdom into foolishness. Sometimes they bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and show us the traps that are laid for our feet. In these and various other ways, they hew the snares of the ungodly in pieces. 7. Another grand branch of their ministry is, to counterwork evil angels; who are continually going about, not only as roaring lions, seeking whom they may devour, but, more dangerously still, as angels of light, seeking whom they may deceive. And how great is the number of these! Are they not as the stars of heaven for multitude How great is their subtlety! matured by the experience of above six thousand years. How great is their strength! Only inferior to that of the angels of God. The strongest of the sons of men are but as grasshoppers before them. And what an advantage have they over us by that single circumstance, that they are invisible! As we have not strength to repel their force, so we have not skill to decline it. But the merciful Lord hath not given us up to the will of our enemies: "His eyes," that is, his holy angels, "run to and fro over all the earth." And if our eyes were opened, we should see, "they are more that are for us, than they that are against us." We should see, A convoy attends, A ministering host of invisible friends. And whenever those assault us in soul or in body, these are able, willing, ready, to defend us; who are at least equally strong, equally wise, and equally vigilant. And who can hurt us while we have armies of angels, and the God of angels, on our side

4. From the time that they shook off their allegiance to God, they shook off all goodness, and contracted all those tempers which are most hateful to him, and most opposite to his nature. And ever since they are full of pride, arrogance, haughtiness, exalting themselves above measure; and although so deeply depraved through their inmost frame, yet admiring their own perfections. They are full of envy, if not against God himself, (and even that is not impossible, seeing they formerly aspired after his throne,) yet against all their fellow-creatures; against the angels of God, who now enjoy the heaven from which they fell; and much more against those worms of the earth who are now called to "inherit the kingdom." They are full of cruelty, of rage against all the children of men, whom they long to inspire with the same wickedness with themselves, and to involve in the same misery. 5. In the prosecution of this infernal design, they are diligent in the highest degree. To find out the most effectual means of putting it into execution, they apply to this end the whole force of their angelical understanding; and they second it with their whole strength, so far as God is pleased to permit. But it is well for mankind that God hath set them bounds which they cannot pass. He hath said to the fiercest and strongest of the apostate spirits, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther." Otherwise, how easily and how quickly might one of them overturn the whole frame of nature! How soon would they involve all in one common ruin, or, at least, destroy man from the face of the earth! And they are indefatigable in their bad work: They never are faint or weary. Indeed, it seems no spirits are capable of weariness but those that inhabit flesh and blood.

7. To effect these ends, he is continually labouring, with all his skill and power, to infuse evil thoughts of every kind into the hearts of men. And certainly it is as easy for a spirit to speak to our heart, as for a man to speak to our ears. But sometimes it is exceeding difficult to distinguish these from our own thoughts; those which he injects so exactly resembling those which naturally arise in our own minds. Sometimes, indeed, we may distinguish one from the other by this circumstance: -- The thoughts which naturally arise in our minds are generally, if not always, occasioned by, or at least connected with, some inward or outward circumstance that went before. But those that are preternaturally suggested have frequently no relation to or connexion (at least, none that we are able to discern) with anything which preceded. On the contrary, they shoot in, as it were, across, and thereby show that they are of a different growth. 8. He likewise labours to awaken evil passions or tempers in our souls. He endeavours to inspire those passions and tempers which are directly opposite to "the fruit of the Spirit." He strives to instil unbelief, atheism, ill-will, bitterness, hatred, malice, envy, -- opposite to faith and love; fear, sorrow, anxiety, worldly care, -- opposite to peace and joy; impatience, ill nature, anger, resentment, -- opposite to long-suffering, gentleness, meekness; fraud, guile, dissimulation, -- contrary to fidelity; love of the world, inordinate affection, foolish desires, -- opposite to the love of God. One sort of evil desires he may probably raise or inflame by touching the springs of this animal machine. Endeavouring thus, by means of the body, to disturb or sully the soul.

11. For such is the malice of the wicked one, that he will torment whom he cannot destroy. If he cannot entice men to sin, he will, so far as he is permitted, put them to pain. There is no doubt but he is the occasion, directly or indirectly, of many of the pains of mankind, which those who can no otherwise account for them lightly pass over as nervous. And innumerable accidents, as they are called, are undoubtedly owing to his agency; such as the unaccountable fright or falling of horses; the overturning of carriages; the breaking or dislocating of bones; the hurt done by the falling or burning of houses, -- by storms of wind, snow, rain, or hail, -- by lightning or earthquakes. But to all these, and a thousand more, this subtle spirit can give the appearance of accidents, for fear the sufferers, if they knew the real agent, should call for help on One that is stronger than him. 12. There is little reason to doubt but many diseases likewise, both of the acute and chronical kind, are either occasioned or increased by diabolical agency; particularly those that begin in an instant, without any discernible cause; as well as those that continue, and perhaps gradually increase, in spite of all the power of medicine. Here, indeed, "vain men" that "would be wise" again call in the nerves to their assistance. But is not this explaining ignotum per ignotius "a thing unknown by what is more unknown" For what do we know of the nerves themselves Not even whether they are solid or hollow! 13. Many years ago I was asking an experienced physician, and one particularly eminent for curing lunacy, "Sir, have you not seen reason to believe that some lunatics are really demoniacs" He answered, "Sir, I have been often inclined to think that most lunatics are demoniacs. Nor is there any weight in that objection, that they are frequently cured by medicine: For so might any other disease occasioned by an evil spirit, if God did not suffer him to repeat the stroke by which that disease is occasioned."

1. And, First, as a general preservative against all the rage, the power, and subtlety of your great adversary, put on the panoply, "the whole armour of God," universal holiness. See that "the mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," and that ye "walk as Christ also walked;" that ye have a "conscience void of offence toward God and toward men." So shall ye be "able to withstand" all the force and all the stratagems of the enemy: So shall ye be able to "withstand in the evil day," in the day of sore temptation, and "having done all to stand," to remain in the posture of victory and triumph. 2. To his "fiery darts," -- his evil suggestions of every kind, blasphemous or unclean, though numberless as the stars of heaven, -- oppose "the shield of faith." A consciousness of the love of Christ Jesus will effectually quench them all. Jesus hath died for you! What can your faith withstand Believe, hold fast your shield! and who Shall pluck you from his hand 3. If he inject doubts whether you are a child of God, or fears lest you should not endure to the end; "take to you for a helmet the hope of salvation." Hold fast that glad word, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a living hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." You will never be overthrown, you will never be staggered by your adversary, if you "hold fast the beginning of" this "confidence steadfast unto the end." 4. Whenever the "roaring lion, walking about and seeking whom he may devour," assaults you with all his malice, and rage, and strength, "resist" him, "steadfast in the faith." Then is the time, having cried to the Strong for strength, to "stir up the gift of God that is in you;" to summon all your faith, and hope, and love; to turn the attack in the name of the Lord, and in the power of his might; and "he will" soon "flee from you."

II. 1. From the time that sentence was pronounced upon man, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return," it was the custom of all nations, so far as we can learn, to commit dust to dust: It seemed natural to restore the bodies of the dead to the general mother, earth. But in process of time another method obtained, chiefly among the rich and great, of burning the bodies of their relations, and frequently in a grand magnificent manner; for which purpose they erected huge funeral piles, with immense labour and expense. By either of these methods the body of man was soon restored to its parent dust. Either the worm or the fire soon consumed the well-wrought frame; after which the worm itself quickly died, and the fire was entirely quenched. But there is, likewise, a worm that belongs to the future state; and that is a worm that never dieth! and there is a fire hotter than that of the funeral pile; and it is a fire that will never be quenched!

2. The First thing intended by the worm that never dieth, seems to be a guilty conscience; including self-condemnation, sorrow, shame, remorse, and a sense of the wrath of God. May not we have some conception of this, by what is sometimes felt even in the present world Is it not of this, chiefly, that Solomon speaks, when he says, "The spirit of a man may bear his infirmities;" his infirmities, or griefs, of any other kind; "but a wounded spirit who can bear" Who can bear the anguish of an awakened conscience, penetrated with a sense of guilt, and the arrows of the Almighty sticking in the soul, and drinking up the spirit How many of the stout-hearted have sunk under it, and chose strangling rather than life! And yet what are these wounds, what is all this anguish of a soul while in this present world, in comparison of those they must suffer when their souls are wholly awakened to feel the wrath of an offended God! Add to these all unholy passions; fear, horror, rage; evil desires; desires that can never be satisfied. Add all unholy tempers; envy, jealousy, malice, and revenge; all of which will incessantly gnaw the soul, as the vulture was supposed to do the liver of Tityus. To these if we add hatred of God, and all his creatures; all these united together may serve to give us some little, imperfect idea of the worm that never dieth. 3. We may observe a remarkable difference in the manner wherein our Lord speaks concerning the two parts of the future punishment. He says, "Where their worm dieth not," of the one; "where the fire is not quenched," of the other. This cannot be by chance. What then is the reason for this variation of the expression

8. This is strongly illustrated by a fabulous story, taken from one of the eastern writers, concerning a Turkish King, who, after he had been guilty of all manner of wickedness, once did a good thing: For seeing a poor man falling into a pit, wherein he must have inevitably perished, and kicking him from it, he saved his life. The story adds, that when, for his enormous wickedness, he was cast into hell, that foot wherewith he had saved the man's life was permitted to lie out of the flames. But allowing this to be a real case, what a poor comfort would it be! What, if both feet were permitted to lie out of the flames, yea, and both hands, how little would it avail! Nay, if all the body were taken out, and placed where no fire touched it, and only one hand or one foot kept in a burning fiery furnace; would the man, meantime, be much at ease Nay, quite the contrary. Is it not common to say to a child, "Put your finger into that candle: Can you bear it even for one minute How then will you bear hell-fire" Surely it would be torment enough to have the flesh burnt off from only one finger. What then will it be, to have the whole body plunged into a lake of fire burning with brimstone! III. It remains now only to consider two or three circumstances attending the never-dying worm and the unquenchable fire.

1. And, First, consider the company wherewith everyone is surrounded in that place of torment. It is not uncommon to hear even condemned criminals, in our public prisons, say, "O I wish I was hanged out of the way, rather than to be plagued with these wretches that are round about me!" But what are the most abandoned wretches upon earth, compared to the inhabitants of hell None of these are, as yet, perfectly wicked, emptied of every spark of good; certainly not till this life is at an end; probably not till the day of judgment. Nor can any of these exert, without control, their whole wickedness on their fellow-creatures. Sometimes they are restrained by good men; sometimes even by bad. So even the tortures in the Romish Inquisition are restrained by those that employ them, when they suppose the sufferer cannot endure any more. They then order the executioners to forbear; because it is contrary to the rules of the house that a man should die upon the rack. And very frequently, when there is no human help, they are restrained by God, who hath set them their bounds which they cannot pass, and saith, "Hitherto shall ye come, and no farther." Yea, so mercifully hath God ordained, that the very extremity of pain causes a suspension of it. The sufferer faints away; and so, for a time at least, sinks into insensibility. But the inhabitants of hell are perfectly wicked, having no spark of goodness remaining. And they are restrained by none from exerting to the uttermost their total wickedness. Not by men; none will be restrained from evil by his companions in damnation: And not by God; for He hath forgotten them, hath delivered them over to the tormentors. And the devils need not fear, like their instruments upon earth, lest they should expire under the torture. They can die no more: They are strong to sustain whatever the united malice, skill, and strength of angels can inflict upon them. And their angelic tormentors have time sufficient to vary their torments a thousand ways. How infinitely may they vary one single torment, -- horrible appearances! Whereby, there is no doubt, an evil spirit, if permitted, could terrify the stoutest man upon earth to death.

NEVER! -- Where sinks the soul at that dread sound Into a gulf how dark, and how profound! Suppose millions of days, of years, of ages elapsed, still we are only on the threshold of eternity! Neither the pain of body nor of soul is any nearer an end, than it was millions of ages ago. When they are cast into to pur to asbeston, (How emphatical! "The fire, the unquenchable,") all is concluded: "Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched!" Such is the account which the Judge of all gives of the punishment which he has ordained for impenitent sinners. And what a counterbalance may the consideration of this be to the violence of any temptation! in particular, to the fear of man; the very use to which it is applied by our Lord himself: "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But fear Him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell." (Luke 12:4, 5) What a guard may these considerations be against any temptation from pleasure! Will you lose, for any of these poor, earthly pleasures, which perish in the using, (to say nothing of the present substantial pleasures of religion,) the pleasures of Paradise; such as "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into our hearts to conceive" yea, the pleasures of heaven, the society of angels, and of the spirits of just men made perfect; the conversing face to face with God your Father, your Saviour, your Sanctifier; and the drinking of those rivers of pleasure that are at God's right hand for evermore

Are you tempted by pain, either of body or mind O compare present things with future! What is the pain of body which you do or may endure, to that of lying in a lake of fire burning with brimstone What is any pain of mind; any fear, anguish, sorrow, compared to the "worm that never dieth" That never dieth! This is the sting of all! As for our pains on earth, blessed be God, they are not eternal. There are some intervals to relieve and there is some period to finish them. When we ask a friend that is sick, how he does; "I am in pain now," says he, "but I hope to be easy soon." This is a sweet mitigation of the present uneasiness. But how dreadful would his case be if he should answer, "I am all over pain, and I shall never be eased of it. I lie under exquisite torment of body, and horror of soul; and I shall feel it for ever!" Such is the case of the damned sinners in hell. Suffer any pain, then, rather than come into that place of torment!

I conclude with one more reflection, taken from Dr. Watts, -- "It demands our highest gratitude, that we who have long ago deserved this misery are not yet plunged into it. While there are thousands who have been adjudged to this place of punishment, before they had continued so long in sin as many of us have done, what an instance is it of divine goodness, that we are not under this fiery vengeance! Have we not seen many sinners, on our right and left, cut off in their sins And what but the tender mercy of God hath spared us week after week, month after month, and given us space for repentance What shall we render unto the Lord for all his patience and longsuffering even to this day How often have we incurred the sentence of condemnation by our repeated rebellion against God! And yet we are still alive in his presence, and are hearing the words of hope and salvation. O let us look back and shudder at the thoughts of that dreadful precipice, on the edge of which we have so long wandered! Let us fly for refuge to the hope that is set before us, and give a thousand thanks to the divine mercy, that we are not plunged into this perdition!"

4. The second place where the Apostle uses this word is in the eighteenth verse of the eleventh chapter of this Epistle: "When ye come together in the Church," the Christian congregation, " I hear that there are division" ( the original word here also is scismata, schisms) "among you." But what were these schisms The Apostle immediately tells you: (Verse 20:) "When you come together," professing you design is "to cat of the Lord's Supper, every on of you taketh before another his own supper," as if it were a common meal. What then was the schism It seems, in doing this, they divided into little parties, which cherished anger and resentment one against another, even at the solemn season. 5. May it not be observed, (to make a little digression here, for the sake of those who are troubled with needless scruples on this head,) that the sin which the Apostle charges on the communicants at Corinth in this chapter is usually quite misunderstood It was precisely this, and nothing else, "the taking one before another his own supper;'" and in such a shocking manner, that while "one was hungry, another was drunken." By doing this, he says, "ye eat and drink" (not "damnation:" a vile mistranslating of the word, but) judgment, temporal judgment, "to yourselves:" Which sometimes shortened their lives. "For this cause" -- for sinning in this vile manner -- "many are sick and weak among you." Observe here two things: First, What was the sin of the Corinthians Mark is well, and remember it. It was taking one before another his own supper; so that while one was hungry, another was drunken. Secondly, What was the punishment It was bodily weakness and sickness; which, without repentance, might end in death. But what is this to you Your cannot commit their sin: Therefore, you cannot incur their punishment.

6. But to return. It deserves to be seriously remarked, that in this chapter the Apostle uses the word "heresies" as exactly equivalent with the word "schisms." "I hear," says he, (verse 18.) "that there are schisms among you, and I partly believe it:" He then adds, (verse 19,) "for there must be heresies" (another word for the same thing) "among you, that they which are approved among you may be made manifest." As if he had said, "The wisdom of God permits it so to be, for this end, -- for the clear manifestation of those whose heart is right with him." This word, therefore, (heresy,) which has been so strangely distorted for many centuries, as if it meant erroneous opinions, opinions contrary to the faith delivered to the saints, -- which has been made a pretense for destroying cities, depopulation countries, and shedding seas of innocent blood, -- has not the least reference to opinions, whether right or wrong. It simply means, wherever it occurs in Scripture, divisions, or parties, in a religious community. 7. The third and the only remaining place in this Epistle, wherein the Apostle uses this word, is the twenty fifth verse of the twelfth chapter; where, speaking of the Church, he seems to mean the Church universal, the whole body of Christ,) he observes, "God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked, that there might be no schism in the body:" (Verse 24, 25:) He immediately fixes the meaning of his own words: "But that the members might have the same care one for another: And Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with is or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.: We may easily observe that the word Schism here, means the want of this tender care for each other. It undoubtedly means an alienation of affection in any of them toward their brethren; a division of heart, and parties springing therefrom, though they were still outwardly united together; though they still continued members of the same external society.

12, And as such a separation is evil in itself, being a breach of brotherly love, so it brings forth evil fruit; it is naturally productive of the most mischievous consequences. It opens a door to all unkind tempers, both in ourselves and others. It leads directly to a whole train of evil surmising, to severe and uncharitable judging of each other. It gives occasion to offense, to anger and resentment, perhaps in ourselves as well as in our brethren; which, if not presently stopped, may issue in bitterness, malice, and settled hatred; creating a present hell wherever they are found, as a prelude to hell eternal. 13. But the ill consequences of even this species of schism do not terminate in the heart. Evil tempers cannot log remain within, before they are productive of outward fruit. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. As he whose heart is full of love openeth his mouth with wisdom, and in his lips there is the law of kindness; so he whose heart is full of prejudice, anger, suspicion, or any unkind temper, will surely open his mouth in a manner corresponding with the disposition of his mind. And hence will arise, if not lying and slandering, (which yet will hardly be avoided,) bitter words, tale-bearing, backbiting, and evil-speaking of every kind. 14. From evil words, form tale-bearing, backbiting and evil-speaking, how many evil works will naturally flow! Anger, jealousy, envy, wrong tempers of every kind, do not vent themselves merely in words, but push men continually to all kind of ungodly and unrighteous actions. A plentiful harvest of ail the woks of darkness may be expected to spring from this source; whereby, in the end, thousands of souls, and not a few of those who once walked in the light of God's countenance, may be turned from the way of peace, and finally drowned in everlasting perdition.

On Perfection "Let us go on to perfection." Heb. 6:1. The whole sentence runs thus: "Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection: Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God;" which he had just before termed, "the first principles of the oracles of God," and "meat fit for babes," for such as have just tasted that the Lord is gracious. That the doing of this is a point of the utmost importance the Apostle intimates in the next words: "This will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance." As if he had said, If we do not "go on to perfection," we are in the utmost danger of "falling away;" And if we do fall away, it is "impossible" that is, exceeding hard, "to renew them again unto repentance." In order to make this very important scripture as easy to be understood as possible I shall endeavour, I. To show what perfection is; II. To answer some objections to it; and, III. To expostulate a little with the opposers of it. I. I will endeavour to show what perfection is.

3. The highest perfection which man can attain, while the soul dwells in the body, does not exclude ignorance, and error, and a thousand other infirmities. Now, from wrong judgments, wrong words and actions will often necessarily flow: And, in some cases, wrong affections also may spring from the same source. I may judge wrong of you: I may think more or less highly of you than I ought to think; and this mistake in my judgment may not only occasion something wrong in my behaviour, but it may have a still deeper effect; it may occasion something wrong in my affection. From a wrong apprehension, I may love and esteem you either more or less than I ought. Nor can I be freed from a likableness to such a mistake while I remain in a corruptible body. A thousand infirmities, in consequence of this, will attend my spirit, till it returns to God who gave it. And, in numberless instances, it comes short of doing the will of God, as Adam did in paradise. Hence the best of men may say from the heart, "Every moment, Lord, I need The merit of thy death, for innumerable violations of the Adamic as well as the angelic law." It is well, therefore, for us, that we are not now under these, but under the law of love. "Love is" now "the fulfilling of the law," which is given to fallen man. This is now, with respect to us, "the perfect law." But even against this, through the present weakness of our understanding, we are continually liable to transgress. Therefore every man living needs the blood of atonement, or he could not stand before God.

12. Thus you experience that He whose name is called Jesus does not bear that name in vain: That he does, in fact, "save his people from their sins;" the root as well as the branches. And this salvation from sin, from all sin, is another description of perfection; though indeed it expresses only the least, the lowest branch of it, only the negative part of the great salvation. II. I proposed, in the Second Place, to answer some objections to this scriptural account of perfection. 1. One common objection to it is, that there is no promise of it in the Word of God. If this were so, we must give it up; we should have no foundation to build upon: For the promises of God are the only sure foundation of our hope. But surely there is a very clear and full promise that we shall all love the Lord our God with all our hearts. So we read, (Deut. 30:6,) "Then will I circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Equally express is the word of our Lord, which is no less a promise, though in the form of a command: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matt. 22:37.) No words can be more strong than these; no promise can be more express. In like manner, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," is as express a promise as a command. 2. And indeed that general and unlimited promise which runs through the whole gospel dispensation, "I will put my laws in their minds, and write them in their hearts," turns all the commands into promises; and, consequently, that among the rest, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." The command here is equivalent to a promise, and gives us full reason to expect that he will work in us what he requires of us.

This you affirm. But it is a thing of so deep importance, that it cannot be allowed without clear and cogent proof. And where is the proof We know that, in general, "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." He does not repent of any gifts which he hath bestowed upon the children of men. And how does the contrary appear, with regard to this particular gift of God Why should we imagine, that he will make an exception with respect to the most precious of all his gifts on this side heaven Is he not as able to give it us always, as to give it once as able to give it for fifty years, as for one day And how can it be proved, that he is not willing to continue this his lovingkindness How is this supposition, that he is not willing, consistent with the positive assertion of the Apostle who, after exhorting the Christians at Thessalonica, and in them all Christians in all ages, "to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks," -- immediately adds, (as if on purpose to answer those who denied, not the power, but the will of God to work this in them,) "For this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus." Nay, and it is remarkable, that, after he had delivered that glorious promise (such it properly is,) in the twenty-third verse, "The very God of peace shall sanctify you wholly: And the whole of you" (so it is in the original,) "the spirit, the soul, and the body, shall be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ;" he adds again, "Faithful is he that hath called you, who also will do it." [1 Thess. 5:23-24] He will not only sanctify you wholly, but will preserve you in that state until he comes to receive you unto himself. 14. Agreeable to this is the plain matter of fact. Several persons have enjoyed this blessing, without any interruption, for many years. Several enjoy it at this day. And not a few have enjoyed it unto their death, as they have declared with their latest breath; calmly witnessing that God had saved them from all sin till their spirit returned to God.

9. Suffer me to ask one question more. Why should any man of reason and religion be either afraid of, or averse to, salvation from all sin Is not sin the greatest evil on this side hell And if so, does it not naturally follow that an entire deliverance from it is one of the greatest blessings on this side heaven How earnestly then should it be prayed for by all the children of God! By sin I mean a voluntary transgression of a known law. Are you averse to being delivered from this Are you afraid of such a deliverance Do you then love sin, that you are so unwilling to part with it Surely no. You do not love either the devil or his works. You rather wish to be totally delivered from them, to have sin rooted out both of your life and your heart. 10. I have frequently observed, and not without surprise, that the opposers of perfection are more vehement against it when it is placed in this view, than in any other whatsoever. They will allow all you say of the love of God and man; of the mind which was in Christ; of the fruit of the spirit; of the image of God; of universal holiness; of entire self-dedication; of sanctification in spirit, soul, and body; yea, and of the offering up all our thoughts, words, and actions, as a sacrifice to God; -- all this they will allow so we will allow sin, a little sin, to remain in us till death. 11. Pray compare this with that remarkable passage in John Bunyan's "Holy War." "When Immanuel," says he, "had driven Diabolus and all his forces out of the city of Mansoul, Diabolus preferred a petition to Immanuel, that he might have only a small part of the city. When this was rejected, he begged to have only a little room within the walls. But Immanuel answered, "He should have no place at all; no, not to rest the sole of his foot. Had not the good old man forgot himself Did not the force of truth so prevail over him here as utterly to overturn his own system -- to assert perfection in the clearest manner For if this is not salvation from sin, I cannot tell what is.

7. Are not you a living proof of this Do not you still wander to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none -- pursuing happiness, but never overtaking it And who can blame you for pursuing it It is the very end of your being. The great Creator made nothing to be miserable, but every creature to be happy in its kind. And upon a general review of the works of his hands he pronounced them all very good; which they would not have been, had not every intelligent creature, yea, everyone capable of pleasure and pain, been happy in answering the end of its creation. If you are now unhappy, it is because you are in an unnatural state: And shall you not sigh for deliverance from it "The whole creation," being now "subject to vanity," "groaneth and travaileth in pain together." I blame you only, or pity you rather, for taking a wrong way to a right end; for seeking happiness where it never was, and never can be, found. You seek happiness in your fellow-creatures, instead of your Creator. But these can no more make you happy than they can make you immortal. If you have ears to hear, every creature cries aloud, "Happiness is not in me." All these are, in truth, "broken cisterns, that can hold no water." O turn unto your rest! Turn to Him in whom are hid all the treasures of happiness! Turn unto him "who giveth liberally unto all men;" and he will give you "to drink of the water of life freely." 8. You cannot find your long-sought happiness in all the pleasures of the world. Are they not "deceitful upon the weights" Are they not lighter than vanity itself How long will ye "feed upon that which is not bread" -- which may amuse, but cannot satisfy You cannot find it in the religion of the world; either in opinions or a mere round of outward duties. Vain labour! Is not God a spirit, and therefore to be "worshipped in spirit and in truth" In this alone can you find the happiness you seek; in the union of your spirit with the Father of spirits; in the knowledge and love of Him who is the fountain of happiness, sufficient for all the souls he has made.

I. 1. We are, First to consider, What are the idols of which the Apostle speaks I do not conceive him to mean, at least not principally, the idols that were worshipped by the Heathens. They to whom he was writing, whether they had been Jews or Heathens, were not in much danger from these. There is no probability that the Jews now converted had ever been guilty of worshipping them: As deeply given to this gross idolatry as the Israelites had been for many ages, they were hardly ever entangled therein after their return from the Babylonish captivity. From that period the whole body of Jews had shown a constant, deep abhorrence of it: And the Heathens, after they had once turned to the living God, had their former idols in the utmost detestation. They abhorred to touch the unclean thing; yea, they chose to lay down their lives rather than turn to the worship of those gods whom they now knew to be devils. 2. Neither can we reasonably suppose, that he speaks of those idols that are now worshipped in the Church of Rome; whether angels, or the souls of departed saints, or images of gold, silver, wood or stone. None of these idols were known in the Christian Church till some centuries after the time of the Apostles. Once, indeed, St. John himself "fell down to worship before the face of an angel" that spake unto him; probably mistaking him, from his glorious appearance, for the Great Angel of the Covenant; but the strong reproof of the angel, which immediately followed, secured the Christians from imitating that bad example: " 'See thou do it not.' As glorious as I appear, I am not thy Master. 'I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets: Worship God.'" (Rev. 22:9.)

3. When you are thoroughly convinced of this, I advise you, Secondly, stand and consider what you are about. Will you be a fool and a madman all your days Is it not high time to come to your senses! At length, awake out of sleep, and shake yourself from the dust! Break loose from this miserable idolatry, and "choose the better part!" Steadily resolve to seek happiness where it may be found; where it cannot be sought in vain. Resolve to seek it in the true God, the fountain of all blessedness; and cut off all delay! Straightway put in execution what you have resolved! Seeing "all things are ready," "acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace." 4. But do not either resolve, or attempt to execute your resolution, trusting in your own strength. If you do, you will be utterly foiled. You are not able to contend with the evil world, much less with your own evil heart; and least of all, with the powers of darkness. Cry, therefore, to the Strong for strength. Under a deep sense of your own weakness and helplessness, trust thou in the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength. I advise you to cry to him for repentance in particular; not only for a full consciousness of your own impotence, but for a piercing sense of the exceeding guilt, baseness, and madness of the idolatry that has long swallowed you up. Cry for a thorough knowledge of yourself; of all your sinfulness and guiltiness. Pray that you may be fully discovered to yourself; that you may know yourself as also you are known. When once you are possessed of this genuine conviction, all your idols will lose their charms. And you will wonder, how you could so long lean upon those broken reeds, which had so often sunk under you. 5. What should you ask for next "Jesus, now I have lost my all, Let me upon thy bosom fall! Now let me see thee in thy vesture dipped in blood! Now stand in all thy wounds confest, And wrap me in thy crimson vest!

14. A plain consequence of these observations is, (what some may esteem a paradox,) that dissipation, in the full, general meaning of the word, is the very same thing with ungodliness. The name is new; but the thing is, undoubtedly almost as old as the creation. And this is, at present, the peculiar glory of England, wherein it is not equalled by any nation under heaven. We therefore speak an unquestionable truth when we say, there is not on the face of the earth another nation (at least, that we ever heard of) so perfectly dissipated and ungodly; not only so totally "without God in the world," but so openly setting him at defiance. There never was an age that we read of in history, since Julius Caesar, since Noah, since Adam, wherein dissipation or ungodliness did so generally prevail, both among high and low, rich and poor. 15. But still, blessed be God! -- All are not lost: There be who faith Prefer, and piety to God! There are some, I trust more than seven thousand, yea, or ten times that number, in England, who have not yet bowed either their knee or their heart to the god of this world; who, cleaving close to the God of heaven, are not borne away by the flood, by the general, the almost universal, torrent of dissipation or ungodliness. They are not of the mind of gentle Crispus, -- Qui nunquam direxit brachia contra Torrentem, -- "who never attempted to swim against the stream." They dare swim against the stream. Each of them can truly say, Nec me, qui caetera, vincit Impetus, et rapido contrarius evehor orbi. [The following is Addison's translation of this quotation from Ovid: -- "I steer against their motions; nor am I Borne back by all the current of the sky." -- Edit.] If they cannot turn the tide back, they can at least bear an open testimony against it. They are therefore free from the blood of their ungodly countrymen: It must be upon their own head.

18. It is with great judgment, therefore, that great and good Bishop Taylor, in his "Rules of Holy Living and Dying," (of whom Bishop Warburton, a person not very prone to commend, used to say, "I have no conception of a greater genius on earth than Dr. Jeremy Taylor,") premises to all his other rules those concerning purity of intention. And has he not the authority of our Lord himself so to do who lays it down as an universal maxim, "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." Singly aim at God. In every step thou takest, eye Him alone. Pursue one thing: Happiness in knowing, in loving, in serving God. Then shall thy soul be full of light: Full of the light of the glory of God; of his glorious love, shining upon thee from the face of Jesus Christ. 19. Can anything be a greater help to universal holiness, than the continually seeing the light of his glory It is no wonder, then, that so many wise and good men have recommended, to all who desire to be truly religious, the exercise of the presence of God. But in doing this, some of those holy men seem to have fallen into one mistake: (Particularly, an excellent writer of our own country, in his letters concerning "The Spirit of Prayer:") They put men, wholly unawakened, unconvinced of sin, upon this exercise, at their very entrance into religion; whereas this certainly should not be the first, but rather one of the last things. They should begin with repentance; the knowledge of themselves; of their sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness. They should be instructed next, to seek peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Then let them be taught to retain what they have received; to "walk in the light of his countenance;" yea, to "walk in the light, as he is in the light," without any darkness at all; till "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth" them "from all sin."

20. It was from a full conviction of the absolute necessity there is of a Christian's setting the Lord always before him that a set of young gentlemen in Oxford, who, many years ago, used to spend most of their evenings together, in order to assist each other in working out their salvation, placed that question first in their scheme of daily self-examination: "Have I been simple and recollected in all I said or did" Have I been simple -- That is, setting the Lord always before me, and doing everything with a single view of pleasing him -- Recollected -- that is, quickly gathering in my scattered thoughts; recovering my simplicity, if I had been in any wise drawn from it by men, or devils, or my own evil heart By this means they were preserved from dissipation, and were enabled, each of them, to say, "By the grace of God, this one thing I do: (at least, it is my constant aim:) I see God, I love God, I serve God. I glorify him with my body and with my spirit." 21. The same thing seems to be intended by two uncommon words which are frequently found in the writings of those pious men who are usually styled Mystics. I mean, Introversion, and Extroversion. "Examine yourselves," says St. Paul to the Corinthians, and in them to the Christians of all ages; "know ye not that Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates" that is, unbelievers, unable to bear the touchstone of God's word. Now, the attending to the voice of Christ within you is what they term Introversion. The turning the eye of the mind from him to outward things they call Extroversion. By this your thoughts wander from God, and you are properly dissipated: Whereas by introversion you may be always sensible of his loving presence; you continually hearken to whatever it pleases your Lord to say to your heart: And if you continually listen to his inward voice, you will be kept from all dissipation.

On Friendship With The World "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore desireth to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God." Jam. 4:4. 1. There is a passage in St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which has been often supposed to be of the same import with this: "Be not conformed to this world:" (Rom. 12:2:) But it has little or no relation to it; it speaks of quite another thing. Indeed the supposed resemblance arises merely from the use of the word world in both places. This naturally leads us to think that St. Paul means by conformity to the world, the same which St. James means by friendship with the world: whereas they are entirely different things, as the words are quite different in the original: for St. Paul's word is aivn St. James's is kosmos. However, the words of St. Paul contain an important direction to the children of God. As if he had said, "Be not conformed to either the wisdom, or the spirit, or the fashions of the age; of either the unconverted Jews, or the Heathens, among whom ye live. You are called to show, by the whole tenor of your life and conversation, that you are 'renewed in the spirit of your mind', after the image of him that created you;' and that your rule is not the example or will of man, but 'the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.'" 2. But it is not strange, that St. James's caution against friendship with the world should be so little understood, even among Christians. For I have not been able to learn that any author, ancient or modern, has wrote upon the subject: No, not (so far as I have ever observed) for sixteen or seventeen hundred years. Even that excellent writer, Mr. Law, who has treated so well many other subjects, has not, in all his practical treatises, wrote one chapter upon it; no, nor said one word, that I remember, or given one caution, against it. I never heard one sermon preached upon it either before the University or elsewhere. I never was in any company where the conversation turned explicitly upon it even for one hour.

But can this reasonably be supposed Is it not a notorious truth, that men of the world (exceeding few excepted) eagerly desire to make their companions like themselves yea and use every means, with their utmost skill and industry, to accomplish their desire. Therefore, fly for your life! Do not play with the fire, but escape before the flames kindle upon you. 18. But how many are the pleas for friendship with the world! And how strong are the temptations to it! Such of these as are the most dangerous, and, at the same time, most common, we will consider. To begin with one that is the most dangerous of all others, and, at the same time, by no means uncommon. "I grant," says one, "the person I am about to marry is not a religious person. She does not make any pretensions to it. She has little thought about it. But she is a beautiful creature. She is extremely agreeable, and, I think, will make me a lovely companion." This is a snare indeed! Perhaps one of the greatest that human nature is liable to. This is such a temptation as no power of man is able to overcome. Nothing less than the mighty power of God can make a way for you to escape from it. And this can work a complete deliverance: His grace is sufficient for you. But not unless you are a worker together with him: Not unless you deny yourself, and take up your cross. And what you do, you must do at once! Nothing can be done by degrees. Whatever you do in this important case must be done at one stroke. If it is to be done at all, you must at once cut off the right hand, and cast it from you! Here is no time for conferring with flesh and blood! At once, conquer or perish! 19. Let us turn the tables. Suppose a woman that loves God is addressed by an agreeable man; genteel, lively, entertaining; suitable to her in all other respects, though not religious: What should she do in such a case What she should do, if she believes the Bible, is sufficiently clear. But what can she do Is not this A test for human frailty too severe

22. It may be, the persons who are desirous of your acquaintance, though they are not experienced in religion, yet understand it well, so that you frequently reap advantage from their conversation. If this be really the case, (as I have known a few instances of the kind,) it seems you may converse with them; only very sparingly and very cautiously; Otherwise you will lose more of your spiritual life than all the knowledge you gain is worth. 23. "But the persons in question are useful to me, in carrying on my temporal business. Nay, on many occasions, they are necessary to me; so that I could not well carry it on without them." Instances of this kind frequently occur. And this is doubtless a sufficient reason for having some intercourse, perhaps frequently, with men that do not fear God. But even this is by no means a reason for your contracting an intimate acquaintance with them. And you here need to take the utmost care, "lest even by that converse with them which is necessary, while your fortune in the world increases, the grace of God should decrease in your soul." 24. There may be one more plausible reason given for some intimacy with an unholy man. You may say, "I have been helpful to him. I have assisted him when he was in trouble. And he remembers it with gratitude. He esteems and loves me, though he does not love God. Ought I not then to love him Ought I not to return love for love Do not even Heathens and publicans so" I answer, You should certainly return love for love; but it does not follow that you should have any intimacy with him. That would be at the peril of your soul. Let your love give itself vent in constant and fervent prayer Wrestle with God for him. But let not your love for him carry you so far as to weaken, if not destroy, your own soul.

4. But although this direction relates only to our Christian brethren (such, at least, by outward profession;) that in the text is of a far wider extent: it unquestionably relates to all mankind. It clearly requires us to keep at a distance, as far as is practicable, from all ungodly men. Indeed it seems the word which we render unclean thing, tou akaqartou, might rather be rendered unclean person; probably alluding to the ceremonial law which forbade touching one that was legally unclean. But even here, were we to understand the expression literally, were we to take the words in the strictest sense, the same absurdity would follow; we must needs, as the Apostle speaks, "go out of the world:" We should not be able to abide in those callings which the providence of God has assigned us. Were we not to converse at all with men of those characters, it would be impossible to transact our temporal business. So that every conscientious Christian would have nothing to do, but to flee into the desert. It would not suffice to turn recluses, to shut ourselves up in monasteries or nunneries; for even then we must have some intercourse with ungodly men, in order to procure the necessaries of life. 5. The words therefore, must necessarily be understood with considerable restriction. They do not prohibit our conversing with any man, good or bad, in the way of worldly business. A thousand occasions will occur, whereon we must converse with them in order to transact those affairs which cannot be done without them. And some of these may require us to have frequent intercourse with drunkards, or fornicators: Yea, sometimes it may be requisite for us to spend a considerable time in their company: Otherwise we should not be able to fulfil the duties of our several callings. Such conversation therefore with men, holy or unholy, is no way contrary to the Apostle's advice.

10. By the same degrees all needless intercourse with unholy men will weaken our divine evidence and conviction of things unseen: It will dim the eyes of the soul whereby we see Him that is invisible, and weaken our confidence in him. It will gradually abate our "taste of the powers of the world to come;" and deaden that hope which before made us "sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus." It will imperceptibly cool that flame of love which before enabled us to say, "Whom have I in heaven but thee And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee!" Thus it strikes at the root of all vital religion; of our fellowship with the Father and with the Son. 11. By the same degrees, and in the same secret and unobserved manner, it will prepare us to "measure back our steps to earth again". It will lead us softly, to relapse into the love of the world from which we were clean escaped; to fall gently into the desire of the flesh; the seeking happiness in the pleasures of sense; -- the desire of the eye; the seeking happiness in the pleasure of imagination; -- and the pride of life; the seeking it in pomp, in riches, or in the praise of man. And all this may be done by the assistance of the spirit who "beguiled Eve through his subtlety," before we are sensible of his attack, or are conscious of any loss. 12. And it is not only the love of the world in all its branches which necessarily steals upon us, while we converse with men of a worldly spirit farther than duty requires, but every other evil passion and temper of which the human soul is capable; in particular pride, vanity, censoriousness, evil surmising, proneness to revenge: While, on the other hand levity, gaiety, and dissipation steal upon us and increase continually. We know how all these abound in the men that know not God. And it cannot be but they will insinuate themselves into all who frequently and freely converse with them: They insinuate most deeply into those who are not apprehensive of any danger; and most of all, if they have any particular affection, if they have more love than duty requires, for those who do not love God, with whom they familiarly converse.

17. And if you go thus far in conformity to the world, it is hardly to be expected you will stop here. You will go farther in a short time: Having once lost your footing and begun to slide down, it is a thousand to one, you will not stop till you come to the bottom of the hill; till you fall yourself into some of those outward sins which your companions commit before your eyes or in your hearing. Hereby the dread and horror which struck you at first will gradually abate, till at length you are prevailed upon to follow their example. But suppose they do not lead you into outward sin, if they infect your spirit with pride, anger, or love of the world,it is enough: It is sufficient, without deep repentance, to drown your soul in everlasting perdition; seeing, (abstracted from all outward sin,) "to be carnally-minded is death." 18. But as dangerous as it is to converse familiarly with men that know not God, it is more dangerous still for men to converse with women of that character; as they are generally more insinuating than men, and have far greater power of persuasion; particularly if they are agreeable in their persons, or pleasing in their conversation. You must be more than man, if you can converse with such and not suffer any loss. If you do not feel any foolish or unholy desire; (and who can promise that you shall not) yet it is scarce possible that you should not feel more or less of an improper softness, which will make you less willing and less able to persist in that habit of denying yourself, and taking up your cross daily, which constitute the character of a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And we know that not only fornicators and adulterers, but even "the soft and effeminate," the delicate followers of a self-denying Master, "shall have no part in the kingdom of Christ and of God."

21. Secondly: On no account accept any invitation from an unholy person. Never be prevailed upon to pay a visit, unless you wish it to be repaid. It may be, a person desirous of your acquaintance will repeat the visit twice or thrice. But if you steadily refrain from returning it, the visitant will soon be tired. It is not improbable, he will be disobliged; and perhaps he will show marks of resentment. Lay your account with this, that when anything of the kind occurs you may neither be surprised nor discouraged. It is better to please God and displease man, than to please man and displease God. 22. Thirdly: it is probable, you were acquainted with men of the world before you yourself knew God. What is best to be done with regard to these How may you most easily drop their acquaintance First, allow a sufficient time to try whether you cannot by argument and persuasion, applied at the soft times of address, induce them to choose the better part. Spare no pains! Exert all your faith and love, and wrestle with God in their behalf. If, after all, you cannot perceive that any impression is made upon them, it is your duty gently to withdraw from them, that you be not entangled with them. This may be done in a short time, easily and quietly, by not returning their visits. But you must expect they will upbraid you with haughtiness and unkindness, if not to your face, yet behind your back. And this you can suffer for a good conscience. It is, properly, the reproach of Christ.

23. When it pleased God to give me a settled resolution to be, not a nominal, but a real Christian, (being then about twenty-two years of age,) my acquaintance were as ignorant of God as myself. But there was this difference: I knew my own ignorance; they did not know theirs. I faintly endeavoured to help them; but in vain. Meantime I found, by sad experience, that even their harmless conversation, so called, damped all my good resolutions. But how to get rid of them was the question, which I resolved in my mind again and again. I saw no possible way, unless it should please God to remove me to another College. He did so, in a manner utterly contrary to all human probability. I was elected Fellow of a College where I knew not one person. I foresaw, abundance of people would come to see me, either out of friendship, civility, or curiosity; and that I should have offers of acquaintance new and old: But I had now fixed my plan. Entering now, as it were, into a new world, I resolved to have no acquaintance by chance, but by choice; and to choose such only as I had reason to believe would help me on in my way to heaven. In consequence of this, I narrowly observed the temper and behaviour of all that visited me. I saw no reason to think that the greater part of these truly loved or feared God. Such acquaintance, therefore, I did not choose: I could not expect they would do me any good. Therefore, when any of these came to see me, I behaved as courteously as I could. But to the question, "When will you come to see me" I returned no answer. When they had come a few times, and found I still declined returning the visit, I saw them no more. And I bless God, this has been my invariable rule for about threescore years. I knew many reflections would follow: But that did not move me; as I knew full well, it was my calling to go "through evil report and good report".

24. I earnestly advise all of you who resolve to be, not almost, but altogether Christians, to adopt the same plan, however contrary it may be to flesh and blood. Narrowly observe, which of those that fall in your way are like-minded with yourself: Who among them have you reason to believe fears God and works righteousness. Set them down as worthy of your acquaintance: Gladly and freely converse with them at all opportunities. As to all who do not answer that character, gently and quietly let them drop. However good-natured and sensible they may be, they will do you no real service. Nay, if they did not lead you into outward sin, yet they would be a continual clog to your soul, and would hinder your running with vigour and cheerfulness the race that is set before you. And if any of your friends that did once run well "turn back from the holy commandment once delivered to them", first use every method that prudence can suggest, to bring them again into the good way. But if you cannot prevail, let them go, only still commending them unto God in prayer. Drop all familiar intercourse with them, and save your own soul. 25. I advise you, Fourthly, walk circumspectly with regard to your relations. With your parents, whether religious or not, you must certainly converse, if they desire it; and with your brothers and sisters; more especially, if they want your service. I do not know that you are under any such obligation with respect to your more distant relations. Courtesy, indeed, and natural affection, may require that you should visit them sometimes. But if they neither know nor seek God, it should certainly be as seldom as possible. And when you are with them, you should not stay a day longer than decency requires. Again: Whichsoever of them you are with at any time, remember that solemn caution of the Apostle, "Let no corrupt communication" (conversation) "come out of your mouth; but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers." You have no authority to vary from this rule; otherwise, you "grieve the Holy Spirit of God." And if you keep closely to it, those who have no religion will soon dispense with your company.

4. Consider, Thirdly, what is the present situation of even those that fear God. They dwell in the ruins of a disordered world, among men that know not God, that care not for him, and whose heart is fully set in them to do evil. How many are forced to cry out, "Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech; to have my habitations among the tents of Kedar!" among the enemies of God and man. How immensely out-numbered are those that would do well, by them that neither fear God nor regard man! And how striking is Cowley's observation: "If a man that was armed cap-a-pie was closed in by a thousand naked Indians, their number would have them such advantage over him that it would be scarce possible for him to escape. What hope then would there be for a naked, unarmed man to escape, who was surrounded by a thousand armed men" Now, this is the case of every good man. He is not armed either with force or fraud, and is turned out, naked as he is, among thousands that are armed with the whole armour of Satan, and provided with all the weapons which the prince of this world can supply out of the armory of hell. If then he is not destroyed, yet how must a good man be tempted in the midst of this evil world!

7. But besides evil men, do not evil spirits also continually surround us on every side Do not Satan and his angels continually go about seeking whom they may devour Who is out of reach of their malice and subtlety Not the wisest or the best of the children of men. "The servant is not above his Master." If then they tempted him, will not they tempt us also Yea, it may be, should God see good to permit, more or less, to the end of our lives. "No temptation," therefore, "hath taken us," which we had not reason to expect, either from our body or soul; either from evil spirits or evil men; yea, or even from good men, till our spirits return to God that gave them. II. 1. Meantime, what a comfort it is to know, with the utmost certainty, that "God is faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able." He knoweth what our ability is, and cannot be mistaken. "He knoweth" precisely "whereof we are made: He remembereth that we are but dust." [Ps. 103:14] And we will suffer no temptation to befal us but such as is proportioned to our strength. Not only his justice requires this, which could not punish us for not resisting any temptation if it were so disproportioned to our strength that it was impossible for us to resist it; not only his mercy, -- that tender mercy which is over us, as well as over all his works, -- but, above all, his faithfulness: Seeing all his words are faithful and true: and the whole tenor of his promises altogether agrees with that declaration, "As thy days, so thy strength shall be." [Deut. 33:25]

2. Either he makes a way to escape out of the temptation, by removing the occasion of it, or in the temptation; that is, the occasion remaining as it was, it is a temptation no longer. First, He makes a way to escape out of the temptation, by removing the occasion of it. The histories of mankind, of the Church in particular, afford us numberless instances of this. And many have occurred in our own memory, and within the little circle of our acquaintance. One of many I think it worth while to relate, as a memorable instance of the faithfulness of God, in making a way to escape out of temptation: -- Elizabeth Chadsey, then living in London, (whose daughter is living at this day, and is no dishonour to her parent,) was advised to administer to her husband, who was supposed to leave much substance behind him. But when a full inquiry into his circumstances was made, it appeared that this supposition was utterly destitute of foundation; and that he not only left nothing at all behind him, but also was very considerably in debt. It was not long after his burial, that a person came to her house, and said, "Mrs. Chadsey, you are much indebted to your landlord, and he has sent me to demand the rent that is due to him." She answered, "Sir, I have not so much money in the world: Indeed I have none at all!" "But," said he, "have you nothing that will fetch money" She replied, "Sir, you see all that I have. I have nothing in the house by these six little children." "Then," said he, "I must execute my writ, and carry you to Newgate. But it is a hard case. I will leave you here till to-morrow, and will go and try if I cannot persuade your landlord to give you time." He returned the next morning, and said, "I have done all I can, I have used all the arguments I could think of, but your landlord is not to be moved. He vows, if I do not carry you to prison without delay, I shall go thither myself." She answered, "You have done your part.

4. Very nearly related to patience is meekness, if it be not rather a species of it. For may it not be defined, patience of injuries; particularly affronts, reproach, or unjust censure This teaches not to return evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing. Our blessed Lord himself seems to place a peculiar value upon this temper. This he peculiarly calls us to learn of him, if we would find rest for our souls. 5. But what may we understand by the work of patience "Let patience have its perfect work." It seems to mean, let it have its full fruit or effect. And what is the fruit which the Spirit of God is accustomed to produce hereby, in the heart of a believer One immediate fruit of patience is peace: A sweet tranquillity of mind; a serenity of spirit, which can never be found, unless where patience reigns. And this peace often rises into joy. Even in the midst of various temptations, those that are enabled "in patience to possess their souls," can witness, not only quietness of spirit, but triumph and exultation. This both Lays the rough paths of peevish nature even, And opens in each breast a little heaven. 6. How lively is the account which the Apostle Peter gives not only of the peace and joy, but of the hope and love, which God works in those patient sufferers "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation!" Indeed he appears herein to have an eye to this very passage of St. James: "Though ye are grieved for a season, with manifold temptations," (the very word poikilois peirasmois,) "that the trial of your faith" (the same expression which was used by St. James) "may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." See here the peace, the joy, and the love, which, through the mighty power of God, are the fruit or "work of patience!"

Every one that is born of God, though he be as yet only a "babe in Christ," has the love of God in his heart; the love of his neighbour; together with lowliness, meekness, and resignation. But all of these are then in a low degree, in proportion to the degree of his faith. The faith of a babe in Christ is weak, generally mingled with doubts or fears; with doubts, whether he has not deceived himself; or fear, that he shall not endure to the end. And if, in order to prevent those perplexing doubts, or to remove those tormenting fears, he catches hold of the opinion that a true believer cannot make shipwreck of the faith, experience will sooner or later show that it is merely the staff of a broken reed, which will be so far from sustaining him, that it will only enter into his hand and pierce it. But to return: In the same proportion as he grows in faith, he grows in holiness; he increases in love, lowliness, meekness, in every part of the image of God; till it pleases God, after he is thoroughly convinced of inbred sin, of the total corruption of his nature, to take it all away; to purify his heart and cleanse him from all unrighteousness; to fulfil that promise which he make first to his ancient people, and in them to the Israel of God in all ages: "I will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul."

II. 1. The next point we have to consider is what is implied in a man's losing his own soul. But here we draw a deeper scene, and have need of a more steady attention. For it is easy to sum up all that is implied in a man's "gaining the whole world." but it is not easy to understand all that is implied in his "losing his own soul." Indeed none can fully conceive this, until he has passed through time into eternity. 2. The first thing which it undeniably implies is, the losing all the present pleasures of religion; all those which it affords to truly religious men, even in the present life. "If there be any consolation Christ; if any comfort of love," -- in the love of God, and of all mankind; if any "joy in the Holy Ghost;" if there be a peace of God, -- a peace that passeth all understanding; if there be any rejoicing in the testimony of a good conscience toward God; it is manifest, all this is totally lost by the man that loses his own soul. 3. But the present life will soon be at an end: We know it passes away like a shadow. The hour is at hand, when the spirit will be summoned to return to God that gave it. In that awful moment, Leaving the old, both worlds at once they view, Who stand upon the threshold of the new.

And whether he looks backward or forward, how pleasing is the prospect to him that saves his soul! If he looks back, he has "the calm remembrance of the life well spent." If he looks forward, there is an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away; and he sees the convoy of angels ready to carry him into Abraham's bosom. But how is it in that solemn hour, with the man that loses his soul Does he look back What comfort is there in this He sees nothing but scenes of horror, matter of shame, remorse, and self-condemnation; a foretaste of "the worm that never dieth." If he looks forward, what does he see No joy, no peace! No gleam of hope from any point of heaven! Some years since, one who turned back as a dog to his vomit was struck in his mid-career of sin. A friend visiting him, prayed, "Lord, have mercy upon those who are just stepping out of the body, and know not which shall meet them at their entrance into the other world, an angel or a fiend!" The sick man shrieked out with a piercing cry, "A fiend! a fiend!" and died. Just such an end, unless he die like an ox, may any man expect who loses his own soul. 4. But in what situation is the spirit of a good man, at his entrance into eternity See, The convoy attends, The ministering host of invisible friends. They receive the new-born spirit, and conduct him safe into Abraham's bosom, into the delights of Paradise; the garden of God, where the light of his countenance perpetually shines. It is but one of a thousand commendations of this antechamber of heaven that "there the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest." For there they have numberless sources of happiness which they could not have upon earth. There they meet with "the glorious dead of ancient days." They converse with Adam, first of men; with Noah, first of the new world; with Abraham, the friend of God; with Moses and the Prophets; with the Apostles of the Lamb; with the saints of all ages; and, above all, they are with Christ.

4. Nothing can so directly tend to hide pride from man as a deep, lasting conviction of this. For if we are thoroughly sensible that we have nothing which we have not received, how can we glory as if we had not received it If we know and feel that the very first motion of good is from above, as well as the power which conducts it to the end; if it is God that not only infuses every good desire, but that accompanies and follows it, else it vanishes away; then it evidently follows, that "he who glorieth" must "glory in the Lord."

II. 1. Proceed we now to the Second point: If God worketh in you, then work out your own salvation. The original word rendered, work out, implies the doing a thing thoroughly. Your own; for you yourselves must do this, or it will be left undone forever. Your own salvation: Salvation begins with what is usually termed (and very properly) preventing grace; including the first wish to please God, the first dawn of light concerning his will, and the first slight transient conviction of having sinned against him. All these imply some tendency toward life; some degree of salvation; the beginning of a deliverance from a blind, unfeeling heart, quite insensible of God and the things of God. Salvation is carried on by convincing grace, usually in Scripture termed repentance; which brings a larger measure of self-knowledge, and a farther deliverance from the heart of stone. Afterwards we experience the proper Christian salvation; whereby, "through grace," we "are saved by faith;" consisting of those two grand branches, justification and sanctification. By justification we are saved from the guilt of sin, and restored to the favour of God; by sanctification we are saved from the power and root of sin, and restored to the image of God. All experience, as well as Scripture, shows this salvation to be both instantaneous and gradual. It begins the moment we are justified, in the holy, humble, gentle, patient love of God and man. It gradually increases from that moment, as "a grain of mustard-seed, which, at first, is the least of all seeds," but afterwards puts forth large branches, and becomes a great tree; till, in another instant, the heart is cleansed, from all sin, and filled with pure love to God and man. But even that love increases more and more, till we "grow up in all things into him that is our Head;" till we attain "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

(2). "Consider, Secondly," say they, "those terrible passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews; one of which occurs in the sixth chapter, the other in the tenth. To begin with the latter "If we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no other sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of grace For we know him that hath said, Vengeance is mine; I will recompense, saith the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!' (Heb. 6:26-31.) Now, is it not here expressly declared by the Holy Ghost, that our case is desperate Is it not declared, that `if, after we have received the knowledge of the truth,' after we have experimentally known it, 'we sin wilfully,' -- which we have undoubtedly done, and that over and over, -- 'there remaineth no other sacrifice for sin; but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries' (3.) "And is not that passage in the sixth chapter exactly parallel with this `It is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, -- if they fall away,' (literally,and have fallen away,) `to renew them again unto repentance: Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.' (Heb. 6:4-6.)

(4.) "It is true, some are of opinion, that those words, it is impossible, are not to be taken literally as denoting absolute impossibility; but only a very great difficulty. But it does not appear that we have any sufficient reason to depart from the literal meaning; as it neither implies any absurdity, nor contradicts any other Scriptures. Does not this then," say they, "cut off all hope; seeing we have undoubtedly, `tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost' How is it possible to `renew us again to repentance;' to an entire change both of heart and life Seeing we have crucified to ourselves `the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame"' (5.) "A yet more dreadful passage, if possible, than this, is that in the twelfth chapter of St. Matthew: `All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men: And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.' (Matt. 12:31, 32.) Exactly parallel to these are those words of our Lord, which are recited by St. Mark: `Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, but is in danger of eternal damnation.' (Mark 3:28, 29.) (6.) It has been the judgment of some, that all these passages point at one and the same sin; that not only the words of our Lord, but those of St. John, concerning the `sin unto death,' and those of St. Paul concerning `crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, treading underfoot the Son of God, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace, `all refer to the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; the only sin that shall never be forgiven. Whether they do or no, it must be allowed that this blasphemy is absolutely unpardonable; and that, consequently, for those who have been guilty of this, God `will be no more entreated.'

3. To confirm those arguments, drawn from reason and Scripture, they appeal to matter of fact. They ask, "Is it not a fact, that those who fall away from justifying grace, who make `shipwreck of the faith,' that faith whereof cometh present salvation, perish without mercy How much less can any of those escape, who fall away from sanctifying grace! who make shipwreck of that faith whereby they are cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit! Has there ever been an instance of one or the other of these being renewed again to repentance If there be any instances of that, one would be inclined to believe that thought of our poet not to be extravagant: -- "E'en Judas struggles his despair to quell, Hope almost blossoms in the shades of hell." II. These are the principal arguments drawn from reason, from Scripture, and from fact, whereby backsliders are wont to justify themselves in casting away hope; in supposing that God hath utterly "shut up his lovingkindness in displeasure." I have proposed them in their full strength, that we may form the better judgment concerning them, and try whether each of them may not receive a clear, full, satisfactory answer. 1. I begin with that argument which is taken from the nature of the thing: "If a man rebel against an earthly prince, he may possibly be forgiven the first time. But if, after a full and free pardon, he should rebel again, there is no hope of obtaining a second pardon: He must expect to die without mercy. Now, if he that rebels again against an earthly king, can look for no second pardon, how can he look for mercy who rebels a second time against the great King of heaven and earth"

2. I answer: This argument, drawn from the analogy between earthly and heavenly things, is plausible, but it is not solid; and that for this plain reason: Analogy has no place here: There can be no analogy or proportion between the mercy of any of the children of men, and that of the most high God. "Unto whom will ye liken me, saith the Lord" Unto whom either in heaven or earth Who, "what is he among the gods, that shall be compared unto the Lord" "I have said, Ye are gods," saith the Psalmist, speaking to supreme magistrates. Such is your dignity and power compared to that of common men. But what are they to the God of heaven As a bubble upon the wave. What is their power in comparison of his power What is their mercy compared to his mercy Hence that comfortable word, "I am God, and not man, therefore the house of Israel is not consumed." Because he is God, and not man, "therefore his compassions fail not." None then can infer, that because an earthly king will not pardon one that rebels against him a second time, therefore the King of heaven will not. Yea, he will; not until seven times only, or until seventy times seven. Nay, were your rebellions multiplied as the stars of heaven; were they more in number than the hairs of your head; yet "return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon you; and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon." 3. "But does not St. John cut us off from this hope, by what he says of the `sin unto death' Is not, `I do not say that he shall pray for it,' equivalent with, `I say he shall not pray for it' And does not this imply, that God has determined not to hear that prayer that he will not give life to such a sinner, no, not through the prayer of a righteous man" 4. I answer: "I do not say that he shall pray for it," certainly means, he shall not pray for it. And it doubtless implies that God will not give life unto them that have sinned this sin; that their sentence is passed, and God has determined it shall not be revoked. It cannot be altered even by that "effectual fervent prayer" which, in other cases, "availeth much."

6. "But what say you to that other scripture, namely, the tenth of the Hebrews Does that leave any hope to notorious backsliders, that they shall not die eternally; that they can ever recover the favour of God, or escape the damnation of hell "If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no other sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and done despite unto the Spirit of grace" 7. "And is not the same thing, namely, the desperate, irrecoverable state of wilful backsliders, fully confirmed by that parallel passage in the sixth chapter "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and partakers of the Holy Ghost, -- and have fallen away," -- so it is in the original, -- "to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.'" 8. These passages do seem to me parallel to each other, and deserve our deepest consideration. And in order to understand them it will be necessary to know, (1.) Who are the persons here spoken of; and (2.) What is the sin they had committed, which made their case nearly, if not quite, desperate. (1.) As to the First, it will be clear to all who impartially consider and compare both these passages, that the persons spoken of herein are those, and those only, that have been justified; that the eyes of their understanding were opened and "enlightened," to see the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. These only "have tasted of the heavenly gift," remission of sins, eminently so called. These "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," both of the witness and the fruit of the Spirit. This character cannot, with any propriety, be applied to any but those that have been justified.

(1.) This is a point which may exactly be determined, and that with the utmost certainty. If it be asked, "Do any real apostates find mercy from God Do any that have `made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience,' recover what they have lost Do you know, have you seen, any instance of persons who found redemption in the blood of Jesus, and afterwards fell away, and yet were restored, -- `renewed again to repentance'" Yea, verily; and not one, or an hundred only, but, I am persuaded, several thousands. In every place where the arm of the Lord has been revealed, and many sinners converted to God, there are several found who "turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them." For a great part of these "it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness." It only increases their damnation, seeing they die in their sins. But others there are who "look unto him they have pierced, and mourn," refusing to be comforted. And, sooner or later, he surely lifts up the light of his countenance upon them; he strengthens the hands that hang down, and confirms the feeble knees; he teaches them again to say, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour." Innumerable are the instances of this kind, of those who had fallen, but now stand upright. Indeed, it is so far from being an uncommon thing for a believer to fall and be restored, that it is rather uncommon to find any believers who are not conscious of having been backsliders from God, in a higher or lower degree, and perhaps more than once, before they were established in faith. (2.) "But have any that had fallen from sanctifying grace been restored to the blessing they had lost" This also is a point of experience; and we have had the opportunity of repeating our observations, during a considerable course of years, and from the one end of the kingdom to the other.

(6.) But let not any man infer from this longsuffering of God, that he hath given any one a license to sin. Neither let any dare to continue in sin, because of these extraordinary instanced of divine mercy. This is the most desperate, the most irrational presumption, and leads to utter, irrecoverable destruction. In all my experience, I have not known one who fortified himself in sin by a presumption that God would save him at the last, that was not miserably disappointed, and suffered to die in his sins. To turn the grace of God into an encouragement to sin is the sure way to the nethermost hell! (7.) It is not for these desperate children of perdition that the preceding considerations are designed; but for those who feel " the remembrance of their sins is grievous unto them, the burden of them intolerable." We set before these an open door of hope: Let them go in and give thanks unto the Lord; let them know that "the Lord is gracious and merciful, longsuffering, and of great goodness." "Look how high the heavens are from the earth! so far will he set their sins from them." "He will not always be chiding; neither keepeth he his anger for ever." Only settle it in your heart, I will give all for all, and the offering shall be accepted. Give him all your heart! Let all that is within you continually cry out, "Thou art my God, and I will thank thee; thou art my God, and I will praise thee." "This God is my God for ever and ever! He shall be my guide even unto death."

19. And by so doing, in the same proportion as they prevail, they "pierce men through with many sorrows;" sorrows from remorse, from a guilty conscience; sorrows flowing from all the evil tempers which they inspire or increase; sorrows inseparable from those desires themselves, as every unholy desire is an uneasy desire; and sorrows from the contrariety of those desires to each other, whence it is impossible to gratify them all. And, in the end, "they drown" the body in pain, disease, "destruction," and the soul in everlasting "perdition." II. 1. I am, in the Second place, to apply what has been said. And this is the principal point. For what avails the clearest knowledge, even of the most excellent things, even of the things of God, if it go no farther than speculation, if it be not reduced to practice He that hath ears to hear, let him hear! And what he hears, let him instantly put in practice. O that God would give me the thing which I long for! that, before I go hence and am no more seen, I may see a people wholly devoted to God, crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them; a people truly given up to God, in body, soul, and substance! How cheerfully should I then say, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace!" 2. I ask, then, in the name of God, Who of you "desire to be rich" Which of you (ask your own hearts in the sight of God) seriously and deliberately desire (and perhaps applaud yourselves for so doing, as no small instance of your prudence) to have more than food to eat, and raiment to put on, and a house to cover you Who of you desires to have more than the plain necessaries and conveniences of life Stop! Consider! What are you doing Evil is before you! Will you rush upon the point of a sword By the grace of God, turn and live!

I fear not. And if your love of God is in any wise decayed, so is also your love of your neighbour. You are then hurt in the very life and spirit of your religion! If you lose love, you lose all. 14. Are not you hurt with regard to your humility If you are increased in goods, it cannot well be otherwise. Many will think you a better, because you are a richer, man; And how can you help thinking so yourself especially considering the commendations which some will give you in simplicity, and many with a design to serve themselves of you. If you are hurt in your humility it will appear by this token: You are not so easy to be teachable as you were, not so advisable; you are not so easy to be convinced, not so easy to be persuaded; you have a much better opinion of your own judgment and are more attached to your own will. Formerly one might guide you with a thread; now one cannot turn you with a cart-rope. You were glad to be admonished or reproved; but that time is past. And you now account a man your enemy because he tells you the truth. O let each of you calmly consider this, and see if it be not your own picture! 15. Are you not equally hurt with regard to your meekness You had once learned an excellent lesson of him that was meek as well as lowly in heart. When you were reviled, you reviled not again. You did not return railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing. Your love was not provoked, but enabled you on all occasions to overcome evil with good. Is this your case now I am afraid not. I fear you cannot "bear all things." Alas, it may rather be said, you can bear nothing; no injury, nor even affront! How quickly are you ruffled! How readily does that occur, "What! to use me so! What insolence is this! How did he dare to do it! I am not now what I was once. Let him know, I am now able to defend myself." You mean, to revenge yourself. And it is much if you are not willing, as well as able; if you do not take your fellow servant by the throat.

16. And are you not hurt in your patience too Does your love now "endure all things" Do you still "in patience possess your soul," as when you first believed O what a change is here! You have again learnt to be frequently out of humour. You are often fretful; you feel, nay, and give way to peevishness. You find abundance of things go so cross that you cannot tell how to bear them. Many years ago I was sitting with a gentleman in London, who feared God greatly, and generally gave away, year by year, nine tenths of his yearly income. A servant came in and threw some coals on the fire. A puff of smoke came out. The baronet threw himself back in his chair and cried out, "O Mr. Wesley, these are the crosses I meet with daily!" Would he not have been less impatient, if he had had fifty, instead of five thousand, pounds a year 17. But to return. Are not you who have been successful in your endeavours to increase in substance, insensibly sunk into softness of mind, if not of body too You no longer rejoice to "endure hardship, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ." You no longer "rush into the kingdom of heaven, and take it as by storm." You do not cheerfully and gladly "deny yourselves, and take up your cross daily." You cannot deny yourself the poor pleasure of a little sleep, or of a soft bed, in order to hear the word that is able to save your souls! Indeed, you "cannot go out so early in the morning: besides it is dark, nay, cold, perhaps rainy too. Cold, darkness, rain, all these together, -- I can never think of it." You did not say so when you were a poor man. You then regarded none of these things. It is the change of circumstances which has occasioned this melancholy change in your body and mind; You are but the shadow of what you were! What have riches done for you "But it cannot be expected I should do as I have done. For I am now grown old." Am not I grown old as well as you Am not I in my seventy-eighth year Yet by the grace of God, I do not slack my pace yet. Neither would you, if you were a poor man still.

7. Yea, it may be doubted, whether any part of Scripture forbids (at least I know not any) those in any nation that are invested with supreme authority, to be arrayed in gold and costly apparel; or to adorn their immediate attendants, or magistrates, or officers, with the same. It is not improbable, that our blessed Lord intended to give countenance to this custom when he said, without the least mark of censure or disapprobation, "Behold, those that wear gorgeous," splendid, "apparel are in kings' courts." (Luke 7:25.) 8. What is then the meaning of these scriptures What is it which they forbid They manifestly forbid ordinary Christians, those in the lower or middle ranks of life, to be adorned with gold, or pearls, or costly apparel. But why What harm is there therein This deserves our serious consideration. But it is highly expedient, or rather absolutely necessary, for all who would consider it to any purpose, as far as is possible to divest themselves of all prejudice, and to stand open to conviction: Is it not necessary, likewise, in the highest degree, that they should earnestly beseech the Father of Lights, that, "by his holy inspiration, they may think the things that are right, and, by his merciful guidance, perform the same" Then they will not say, no, not in their hearts, (as I fear too many have done.) what the famous Jew said to the Christian, "Thou shalt not persuade me, though thou hast persuaded me." 9. The question is, What harm does it do, to adorn ourselves with gold, or pearls, or costly array, suppose you can afford it; that is, suppose it does not hurt or impoverish your family The first harm it does, is, it engenders pride, and, where it is already, increases it. Whoever narrowly observes what passes in his own heart will easily discern this. Nothing is more natural than to think ourselves better because we are dressed in better clothes; and it is scarce possible for a man to wear costly apparel, without, in some measure, valuing himself upon it. One of the old Heathens was so well apprized of this, that, when he had a spite to a poor man, and had a mind to turn his head, he made him a present of a suit of fine clothes. Eutrapelus, cuicunque nocere voiebat, Vestimenta dabat pretiosa.

[The following is Boscawen's translation of this quotation from Horace: -- Eutrapelus, whome'er he chose To ruin, deck'd in costly clothes." -- EDIT.] He could not then but imagine himself to be as much better as he was finer than his neighbour. And how many thousands, not only lords and gentlemen, in England, but honest tradesmen, argue the same way! inferring the superior value of their persons from the value of their clothes! 10. "But may not one man be as proud, though clad in sackcloth, as another is, though clad in cloth of gold" As this argument meets us at every turn, and is supposed to be unanswerable, it will be worth while to answer it once for all, and to show the utter emptiness of it. "May not, then, one clad in sackcloth," you ask, "be as proud as he that is clad in cloth of gold" I answer, Certainly he may: I suppose no one doubts of it. And what inference can you draw from this Take a parallel case. One man that drinks a cup of wholesome wine, may be as sick as another that drinks poison: But does this prove that the poison has no more tendency to hurt a man than the wine Or does it excuse any man for taking what has a natural tendency to make him sick Now, to apply: Experience shows that fine clothes have a natural tendency to make a man sick of pride; plain clothes have not. Although it is true, you may be sick of pride in these also, yet they have no natural tendency either to cause or increase this sickness. Therefore, all that desire to be clothed with humility, abstain from that poison.

13. Fourthly. Gay and costly apparel directly tends to create and inflame lust. I was in doubt whether to name this brutal appetite; or, in order to spare delicate ears, to express it by some gentle circumlocution. (Like the Dean, who, some years ago, told his audience at Whitehall, "If you do not repent, you will go to a place which I have too much manners to name before this good company.") But I think it best to speak out; since the more the word shocks your ears, the more it may arm your heart. The fact is plain and undeniable; it has this effect both on the wearer and the beholder. To the former, our elegant poet, Cowley, addresses those fine lines: -- The' adorning thee with so much art Is but a barbarous skill; 'Tis like the poisoning of a dart, Too apt before to kill. That is, (to express the matter in plain terms, without any colouring,) "You poison the beholder with far more of this base appetite than otherwise he would feel." Did you not know this would be the natural consequence of your elegant adorning To push the question home, Did you not desire, did you not design it should And yet, all the time, how did you Set to public view A specious face of innocence and virtue! Meanwhile you do not yourself escape the snare which you spread for others. The dart recoils, and you are infected with the same poison with which you infected them. You kindle a flame which, at the same time, consumes both yourself and your admirers. And it is well, if it does not plunge both you and them into the flames of hell!

24. "Nay, I think," say some, "I could bear the contempt or reproach of all the world beside. I regard none but my own relations, those especially that are of my own household. My father, my mother, my brothers and sisters, (and perhaps one that is nearer than them all,) are teasing me continually." This is a trial indeed; such as very few can judge of, but those that bear it. "I have not strength to bear it." No, not of your own: Certainly you have not. But there is strength laid up for you on "One that is mighty!" His grace is sufficient for you; and he now sees your case, and is just ready to give it you. Meantime, remember his awful declaration, touching them that regard man more than God: "He that loveth father or mother, brother or sister, husband or wife, more than me, is not worthy of me." 25. But are there not some among you that did once renounce this conformity to the world, and dress, in every point, neat and plain, suitable to your profession Why then did you not persevere therein Why did you turn back from the good way Did you contract an acquaintance, perhaps a friendship, with some that were still fond of dress It is no wonder then that you was, sooner or later, moved to "measure back your steps to earth again." No less was to be expected, than that one sin would lead you on to another. It was one sin to contract a friendship with any that knew not God: For "know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God" And this led you back into another, into that conformity to the world from which ye had clean escaped. But what are you to do now Why, if you are wise, escape for your life: No delay: Look not behind you! Without loss of time, renounce the cause and the effect together! Now, to-day, before the heart is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, cut off, at one stroke, that sinful friendship with the ungodly, and that sinful conformity to the world! Determine this day! Do not delay till to-morrow, lest you delay for ever. For God's sake, for your own soul's sake, fix your resolution now!

26. I conjure you all who have any regard for me, show me before I go hence, that I have not laboured, even in this respect, in vain, for near half a century. Let me see, before I die, a Methodist congregation, full as plain dressed as a Quaker congregation. Only be more consistent with yourselves. Let your dress be cheap as well as plain; otherwise you do but trifle with God, and me, and your own souls. I pray, let there be no costly silks among you, how grave soever they may be. Let there be no Quaker-linen, -- proverbially so called, for their exquisite fineness; no Brussels lace, no elephantine hats or bonnets, -- those scandals of female modesty. Be all of a piece, dressed from head to foot as persons professing godliness; professing to do every thing, small and great, with the single view of pleasing God. 27. Let not any of you who are rich in this world endeavour to excuse yourselves from this by talking nonsense. It is stark, staring nonsense to say, "Oh, I can afford this or that." If you have regard to common sense, let that silly word never come out of your mouth. No man living can afford to waste any part of what God has committed to his trust. None can afford to throw any part of that food and raiment into the sea, which was lodged with him on purpose to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. And it is far worse than simple waste, to spend any part of it in gay or costly apparel. For this is no less than to turn wholesome food into deadly poison. It is giving so much money to poison both yourself and others, as far as your example spreads, with pride, vanity, anger, lust, love of the world, and a thousand "foolish and hurtful desires," which tend to "pierce them through with many sorrows." And is there no harm in all this O God, arise and maintain thy own cause! Let not men or devils any longer put out our eyes, and lead us blindfold into the pit of destruction!

28. I beseech you, every man that is here present before God, every woman, young or old, married or single, yea, every child that knows good from evil, take this to yourself. Each of you, for one, take the Apostle's advice; at least, hinder not others from taking it. I beseech you, O ye parents, do not hinder your children from following their own convictions, even though you might think they would look prettier if they were adorned with such gewgaws as other children wear! I beseech you, O ye husbands, do not hinder your wives! You, O ye wives, do not hinder your husbands, either by word or deed, from acting just as they are persuaded in their own minds! Above all, I conjure you, ye half-Methodists, you that trim between us and the world, you that frequently, perhaps constantly, hear our preaching, but are in no farther connexion with us; yea, and all you that were once in full connexion with us, but are not so now; whatever ye do yourselves, do not say one word to hinder others from receiving and practising the advice which has been now given! Yet a little while, and we shall not need these poor coverings; for this corruptible body shall put on incorruption. Yet a few days hence, and this mortal body shall put on immortality. In the mean time, let this be our only care, "to put off the old man," -- our old nature, -- "which is corrupt," -- which is altogether evil, -- and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." In particular, "put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, longsuffering." Yea, to sum up all in one word, "put on Christ;" that "when he shall appear, ye may appear with him in glory."

2. It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the church for more than two or three centuries We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian, and from a vain imagination of promoting the Christian cause thereby heaped riches, and power, and honour, upon the Christians in general; but in particular upon the Christian clergy. From this time they almost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind were found. The cause of this was not (as has been vulgarly supposed,) "because there was no more occasion for them," because all the world was become Christian. This is a miserable mistake; not a twentieth part of it was then nominally Christian. The real cause was, "the love of many," almost of all Christians, so called, was "waxed cold." The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the other Heathens. The Son of Man, when he came to examine his Church, could hardly "find faith upon earth." This was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian Church -- because the Christians were turned Heathens again, and had only a dead form left. 3. However, I would not at present speak of these, of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, but of the ordinary; and these likewise we may "covet earnestly," in order to be more useful in our generation. With this view we may covet "the gift of convincing speech," in order to "sound the unbelieving heart;" and the gift of persuasion, to move the affections, as well as enlighten the understanding. We may covet knowledge, both of the word and of the works of God, whether of providence or grace. We may desire a measure of that faith which, on particular occasions, wherein the glory of God or the happiness of men is nearly concerned, goes far beyond the power of natural causes. We may desire an easy elocution, a pleasing address, with resignation to the will of our Lord; yea, whatever would enable us, as we have opportunity, to be useful wherever we are. These gifts we may innocently desire: but there is "a more excellent way."

3. Yet again: in what spirit do you go through your business In the spirit of the world, or the Spirit of Christ I am afraid thousands of those who are called good Christians do not understand the question. If you act in the Spirit of Christ you carry the end you at first proposed through all your work from first to last. You do everything in the spirit of sacrifice, giving up your will to the will of God; and continually aiming, not at ease, pleasure, or riches; not at anything "this short enduring world can give;" but merely at the glory of God. Now can anyone deny that this is the most excellent way of pursuing worldly business IV. 1. But these tenements of clay which we bear about us require constant reparation, or they will sink into the earth from which they were taken, even sooner than nature requires. Daily food is necessary to prevent this, to repair the constant decays of nature. It was common in the heathen world when they were about to use this, to take meat or even drink, libare pateram Jovi; "to pour out a little to the honour of their god;" although the gods of the Heathens were but devils, as the Apostle justly observes. "It seems," says a late writer, "there was once some such custom as this in our own country. For we still frequently see a gentleman before he sits down to dinner in his own house, holding his hat before his face, and perhaps seeming to say something; though he generally does it in such a manner that no one can tell what he says." Now what if instead of this, every head of a family, before he sat down to eat and drink, either morning, noon, or night, (for the reason of the thing is the same at every hour of the day,) was seriously to ask a blessing from God on what he was about to take yea, and afterward, seriously to return thanks to the Giver of all his blessings Would not this be "a more excellent way" than to use that dull farce which is worse than nothing; being, in reality, no other than mockery both of God and man

3. The time of taking our food is usually a time of conversation also, as it is natural to refresh our minds while we refresh our bodies. Let us consider a little in what manner the generality of Christians usually converse together. What are the ordinary subjects of their conversation If it is harmless (as one would hope it is), if there be nothing in it profane, nothing immodest, nothing untrue, or unkind; if there be no talebearing, backbiting, or evil-speaking, they have reason to praise God for his restraining grace. But there is more than this implied in "ordering our conversation aright." In order to this it is needful, First, that "your communication," that is, discourse or conversation, "be good;" that it be materially good, on good subjects; not fluttering about anything that occurs; for what have you to do with courts and kings It is not your business to Fight over the wars, reform the state; unless when some remarkable event calls for the acknowledgment of the justice or mercy of God. We must indeed sometimes talk of worldly things; otherwise we may as well go out of the world. But it should only be so far as is needful: Then we should return to a better subject. Secondly, let your conversation be "to the use of edifying;" calculated to edify either the speaker or the hearers, or both; to build them up, as each has particular need, either in faith, or love, or holiness. Thirdly, see that it not only gives entertainment, but, in one kind or other, "ministers grace to the hearers." Now, is not this "a more excellent way" of conversing than the harmless way above-mentioned V. 1. We have seen what is the "more excellent way" of ordering our conversation, as well as our business. But we cannot be always intent upon business: Both our bodies and minds require some relaxation. We need intervals of diversion from business. It will be necessary to be very explicit upon this head, as it is a point which has been much misunderstood.

6. But who is it, concerning whom our blessed Lord gives this glorious testimony Who is this Nathanael, of whom so remarkable an account is given in the latter part of the chapter before us [John 1] Is it not strange that he is not mentioned again in any part of the New Testament He is not mentioned again under this name; but probably he had another, whereby he was more commonly called. It was generally believed by the ancients, that he is the same person who is elsewhere termed Bartholomew; one of our Lord's Apostles, and one that, in the enumeration of them, both by St. Matthew and St. Mark, is placed immediately after St. Philip, who first brought him to his Master. It is very probable, that his proper name was Nathanael, -- a name common among the Jews; and that his other name, Bartholomew, meaning only the son of Ptolemy, was derived from his father, a custom which was then exceeding common among the Jews, as well as the Heathens. 7. By what little is said of him in the context he appears to have been a man of an excellent spirit; not hasty of belief, and yet open to conviction, and willing to receive the truth, from whencesoever it came. So we read, (John 1:45,) "Philip findeth Nathanael," (probably by what we term accident,) "and saith unto him, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth." "Nathanael saith unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth" Has Moses spoke, or did the Prophets write, of any prophet to come from thence "Philip saith unto him, Come and see;" and thou wilt soon be able to judge for thyself. Nathanael took his advice, without staying to confer with flesh and blood. "Jesus saw Nathanael coming, and saith, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" "Nathanael saith," doubtless with surprise enough, "Whence knowest thou me" Jesus saith, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee." "Nathanael answered and said unto him," -- so soon was all prejudice gone! -- "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." But what is implied in our Lord's character of him "In whom is no guile." It may include all that is contained in that advice, --

several Bishops attacked Bishop Atterbury at once, then Bishop of Rochester, and asked, "My Lord, why will you not suffer your servants to deny you, when you do not care to see company It is not a lie for them to say your lordship is not at home; for it deceives no one: Every one knows it means only, your lordship is busy." He replied, "My Lords, if it is (which I doubt) consistent with sincerity, yet I am sure it is not consistent with that simplicity which becomes a Christian Bishop." 10. But to return. The sincerity and simplicity of him in whom is no guile have likewise an influence on his whole behaviour: They give a colour to his whole outward conversation; which, though it be far remote from everything of clownishness and ill-breeding, of roughness and surliness, yet is plain and artless, and free from all disguise, being the very picture of his heart. The truth and love which continually reign there, produce an open front, and a serene countenance; such as leave no pretence to say, with that arrogant King of Castile, "When God made man, he left one capital defect: He ought to have set a window in his breast;" -- for he opens a window in his own breast, by the whole tenor of his words and actions. 11. This then is real, genuine, solid virtue. Not truth alone, nor conformity to truth. This is a property of real virtue, not the essence of it. Not love alone; though this comes nearer the mark: For love, in one sense, "is the fulfilling of the law." No: Truth and love united together, are the essence of virtue or holiness. God indispensably requires "truth in the inward parts," influencing all our words and actions. Yet truth itself, separate from love, is nothing in his sight. But let the humble, gentle, patient love of all mankind, be fixed on its right foundation, namely, the love of God springing from faith, from a full conviction that God hath given his only Son to die for my sins; and then the whole will resolve into that grand conclusion, worthy of all men to be received: "Neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love."

3. But it may be asked, "If there be no true love of our neighbour, but that which springs from the love of God; and if the love of God flows from no other fountain than faith in the Son of God; does it not follow, that the whole heathen world is excluded from all possibility of salvation Seeing they are cut off from faith; for faith cometh by hearing; and how shall they hear without a preacher" I answer, St. Paul's words, spoken on another occasion, are applicable to this: "What the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are under the law." Accordingly, that sentence, "He that believeth not shall be damned," is spoken of them to whom the Gospel is preached. Others it does not concern; and we are not required to determine any thing touching their final state. How it will please God, the Judge of all, to deal with them, we may leave to God himself. But this we know, that he is not the God of the Christians only, but the God of the Heathens also; that he is "rich in mercy to all that call upon him," according to the light they have; and that "in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him." 4. But to return. This is the nature of that love whereof the Apostle is here speaking. But what are the properties of it, -- the fruits which are inseparable from it The Apostle reckons up many of them; but the principal of them are these. First. "Love is not puffed up." As is the measure of love, so is the measure of humility. Nothing humbles the soul so deeply as love: It casts out all "high conceits, engendering pride;" all arrogance and overweaning; makes us little, and poor, and base, and vile in our own eyes. It abases us both before God and man; makes us willing to be the least of all, and the servants of all, and teaches us to say, "A mote in the sun-beam is little, but I am infinitely less in the presence of God."

6. Would not any one think, on reading these words, that they were both equally sharp That Paul was just as hot as Barnabas, and as much wanting in love as he But the text says no such thing; as will be plain, if we consider first the occasion. When St. Paul proposed, that they should "again visit the brethren in every city where they had preached the word," so far they were agreed. "And Barnabas determined to take with them John," because he was his sister's son, without receiving or asking St. Paul's advice. "But Paul thought not good to take him with them who had departed from them from Pamphylia," -- whether through sloth or cowardice, -- "went not with them to the work." And undoubtedly he thought right; he had reason on his side. The following words are, egento oun paroxusmos, literally, "and there was a fit of anger." It does not say, in St. Paul: Probably it was in Barnabas alone; who thus supplied the want of reason with passion; "so that they parted asunder." And Barnabas, resolved to have his own way, did as his nephew had done before, "departed from the work," -- "took Mark with him, and sailed to Cyprus." But Paul went on his work, "being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God;" which Barnabas seems not to have stayed for. "And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches." From the whole account, it does not appear that St. Paul was in any fault; that he either felt any temper, or spoke any word, contrary to the law of love. Therefore, not being in any fault, he does not need any excuse. 7. Certainly he who is full of love is "gentle towards all men." He "in meekness instructs those that oppose themselves;" that oppose what he loves most, even the truth of God, or that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord: Not knowing but "God, peradventure, may bring them to the knowledge of the truth." However provoked, he does "not return evil for evil, or railing for railing." Yea, he "blesses those that curse him, and does good to them that despitefully use him and persecute him." He "is not overcome of evil, but" always "overcomes evil with good.

6. It is proper to observe here, First, what a beautiful gradation there is, each step rising above the other, in the enumeration of those several things which some or other of those that are called Christians, and are usually accounted so, really believe will supply the absence of love. St. Paul begins at the lowest point, talking well, and advances step by step; every one rising higher than the preceding, till he comes to the highest of all. A step above eloquence is knowledge: Faith is a step above this. Good works are a step above that faith; and even above this, is suffering for righteousness' sake. Nothing is higher than this, but Christian love; the love of our neighbour, flowing from the love of God. 7. It may be proper to observe, Secondly, that whatever passes for religion in any part of the Christian world, (whether it be a part of religion, or no part at all, but either folly, superstition, or wickedness,) may with very little difficulty be reduced to one or other of these heads. Every thing which is supposed to be religion, either by Protestants or Romanists, and is not, is contained under one or another of these five particulars. Make trial as often as you please, with anything that is called religion, but improperly so called, and you will find the rule to hold without any exception. III. 1. I am now, in the Third place, to demonstrate, to all who have ears to hear, who do not harden themselves against conviction, that neither any one of these five qualifications, nor all of them together, will avail anything before God, without the love above described.

A little before the conclusion of the late war in Flanders, one who came from thence gave us a very strange relation. I knew not what judgment to form of this, but waited till John Haime should come over, of whose veracity I could no more doubt than of his understanding. The account he gave was this: "Jonathan Pyrah was a member of our Society in Flanders. I knew him some years, and knew him to be a man of unblamable character. One day he was summoned to appear before the Board of General Officers. One of them said, `What is this which we hear of you We hear you are turned prophet, and that you foretel the downfal of the bloody house of Bourbon, and the haughty house of Austria. We should be glad if you were a real prophet, and if your prophecies came true. But what sign do you give, to convince us you are so, and that your predictions will come to pass' He readily answered, `Gentlemen, I give you a sign: To-morrow, at twelve o'clock, you shall have such a storm of thunder and lightning as you never had before since you came into Flanders. I give you a second sign: As little as any of you expect any such thing, as little appearance of it as there is now, you shall have a general engagement with the French within three days. I give you a third sign: I shall be ordered to advance in the first line. If I am a false prophet, I shall be shot dead at the first discharge; but if I am a true prophet, I shall only receive a musket-ball in the calf of my left leg.' At twelve the next day there was such thunder and lightning as they never had before in Flanders. On the third day, contrary to all expectation, was the general battle of Fontenoy. He was ordered to advance in the first line; and, at the very first discharge, he did receive a musket-ball in the calf of his left leg."

4. And yet all this profited him nothing, either for temporal or eternal happiness. When the war was over, he returned to England; but the story was got before him: In consequence of which he was sent for by the Countess of St--s, and several other persons of quality, who were desirous to receive so surprising an account from his own mouth. He could not bear so much honour. It quite turned his brain. In a little time he ran stark mad. And so he continues to this day, living still, as I apprehend, on Wibsey Moorside, within a few miles of Leeds. [At the time of writing this sermon. He is since dead.] 5. And what would it profit a man to "have all knowledge," even that which is infinitely preferable to all other, -- the knowledge of the Holy Scripture I knew a young man about twenty years ago, who was so thoroughly acquainted with the Bible, that if he was questioned concerning any Hebrew word in the Old, or any Greek word in the New Testament, he would tell, after a little pause, not only how often the one or the other occurred in the Bible, but also what it meant in every place. His name was Thomas Walsh. [His Journal, written by himself, is extant.] Such a master of Biblic knowledge I never saw before, and never expect to see again. Yet if, with all his knowledge, he had been void of love; if he had been proud, passionate, or impatient; he and all his knowledge would have perished together, as sure as ever he was born.

3. Thirdly. If meekness be an inseparable property of zeal, what shall we say of those who call their auger by that name Why, that they mistake the truth totally; that they, in the fullest sense, put darkness for light, and light for darkness. We cannot be too watchful against this delusion, because it spreads over the whole Christian world. Almost in all places, zeal and anger pass for equivalent terms; and exceeding few persons are convinced, that there is any difference between them. How commonly do we hear it said, "See how zealous the man is!" Nay, he cannot be zealous; that is impossible, for he is in a passion; and passion is as inconsistent with zeal, as light with darkness, or heaven with hell! It were well that this point were thoroughly understood. Let us consider it a little farther. We frequently observe one that bears the character of a religious man vehemently angry at his neighbour. Perhaps he calls his brother Raca, or Thou fool. He brings a railing accusation against him. You mildly admonish him of his warmth. He answers, "It is my zeal!' No: it is your sin, and, unless you repent of it, will sink you lower than the grave. There is much such zeal as this in the bottomless pit. Thence all zeal of this kind comes; and thither it will go, and you with it, unless you are saved from it before you go hence! 4. Fourthly. If patience, contentedness, and resignation are the properties of zeal, then murmuring, fretfulness, discontent, impatience are wholly inconsistent with it. And yet how ignorant are mankind of this! How often do we see men fretting at the ungodly, or telling you they are out of patience with such or such things, and terming all this their zeal! O spare no pains to undeceive them! If it be possible, show them what zeal is; and convince them that all murmuring, or fretting at sin, is a species of sin, and has no resemblance of, or connexion with, the true zeal of the Gospel.

3. Do you really desire to know what harm there is in not redeeming all the time you can from sleep suppose in spending therein an hour a day more than nature requires Why, First, it hurts your substance; it is throwing away six hours a week which might turn to some temporal account. If you can do any work, you might earn something in that time, were it ever so small. And you have no need to throw even this away. If you do not want it yourself, give it to them that do; you know some of them that are not far off. If you are of no trade, still you may so employ the time that it will bring money, or money's worth, to yourself, or others. 4. The not redeeming all the time you can from sleep, the spending more time therein than your constitution necessarily requires, in the Second place, hurts your health. Nothing can be more certain than this, though it is not commonly observed, because the evil steals on you by slow and insensible degrees. In this gradual and almost imperceptible manner it lays the foundation of many diseases. It is the chief real (though unsuspected) cause of all nervous diseases in particular. Many inquiries have been made, why nervous disorders are so much more common among us than among our ancestors. Other causes may frequently concur; but the chief is, we lie longer in bed. Instead of rising at four, most of us who are not obliged to work for our bread lie till seven, eight, or nine. We need inquire no farther. This sufficiently accounts for the large increase of these painful disorders. 5. It may be observed, that most of these arise, not barely from sleeping too long, but even from what we imagine to be quite harmless, the lying too long in bed. By soaking (as it is emphatically called) so long between warm sheets, the flesh is, as it were, parboiled, and becomes soft and flabby." The nerves, in the mean time, are quite unstrung, and all the train of melancholy symptoms -- faintness, tremors, lowness of spirits, (so called,) come on, till life itself is a burden.

"We conceive an abhorrence of a man that is in bed when he should be at his labour. We cannot think good of him, who is such a slave to drowsiness as to neglect his business for it. "Let this, therefore, teach us to conceive how odious we must appear to God, if we are in bed, shut up in sleep, when we should be praising God; and are such slaves to drowsiness as to neglect our devotions for it. "Sleep is such a dull, stupid state of existence, that, even among mere animals, we despise them most which are most drowsy. He, therefore, that chooses to enlarge the slothful indolence of sleep, rather than be early at his devotions, chooses the dullest refreshment of the body, before the noblest enjoyments of the soul. He chooses that state which is a reproach to mere animals, before that exercise which is the glory of angels. 10. "Besides, he that cannot deny himself this drowsy indulgence, is no more prepared for prayer when he is up, than he is prepared for fasting or any other act of self-denial. He may indeed more easily read over a form of prayer, than he can perform these duties; but he is no more disposed for the spirit of prayer, than he is disposed for fasting. For sleep thus indulged gives a softness to all our tempers, and makes us unable to relish any thing but what suits an idle state of mind, as sleep does. So that a person who is a slave to this idleness is in the same temper when he is up. Every thing that is idle or sensual pleases him. And every thing that requires trouble or self-denial, is hateful to him, for the same reason that he hates to rise. 11. "It is not possible for an epicure to be truly devout. He must renounce his sensuality, before he can relish the happiness of devotion. Now, he that turns sleep into an idle indulgence, does as much to corrupt his soul, to make it a slave to bodily appetites, as an epicure does. It does not disorder his life, as notorious acts of intemperance do; but, like any more moderate course of indulgence, it silently, and by smaller degrees, wears away the spirit of religion, and sinks the soul into dullness and sensuality.

I advise all of you who are thoroughly convinced of the unspeakable importance of it, suffer not that conviction to die away, but instantly begin to act suitably to it. Only do not depend on your own strength; if you do, you will be utterly baffled. Be deeply sensible that as you are not able to do anything good of yourselves, so here, in particular, all your strength, all your resolution, will avail nothing. Whoever trusts in himself will be confounded. I never found an exception. I never knew one who trusted in his own strength that could keep this resolution for a twelve-month. 2. I advise you, Secondly, cry to the Strong for strength. Call upon Him that hath all power in heaven and earth, and believe that he will answer the prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. As you cannot have too little confidence in yourself, so you cannot have too much in him. Then set out in faith; and surely his strength shall be made perfect in your weakness. 3. I advise you, Thirdly, add to your faith, prudence: Use the most rational means to attain your purpose. Particularly begin at the right end, otherwise you will lose your labour. If you desire to rise early, sleep early; secure this point at all events. In spite of the most dear and agreeable companions, in spite of their most earnest solicitations, in spite of entreaties, railleries, or reproaches, rigorously keep your hour. Rise up precisely at your time, and retire without ceremony. Keep your hour, notwithstanding the most pressing business: Lay all things by till the morning. Be it ever so great a cross, ever so great self-denial, keep your hour, or all is over. 4. I advise you, Fourthly, be steady. Keep your hour of rising without intermission. Do not rise two mornings, and lie in bed the third; but what you do once, do always. "But my head aches." Do not regard that. It will soon be over. "But I am uncommonly drowsy; my eyes are quite heavy." Then you must not parley; otherwise it is a lost case; but start up at once. And if your drowsiness does not go off, lie down for awhile an hour or two after. But let nothing make a breach upon this rule, rise and dress yourself at your hour.

II. 1. I proceed to inquire, in the Second place, How are we to visit them In what manner may this labour of love be most effectually performed How may we do this most to the glory of God, and the benefit of our neighbour But before ever you enter upon the work, you should be deeply convinced that you are by means sufficient for it; you have neither sufficient grace, nor sufficient understanding, to perform it in the most excellent manner. And this will convince you of the necessity of applying to the Strong for strength; and of flying to the Father of Lights, the Giver of every good gift, for wisdom; ever remembering, "there is a Spirit in man that giveth wisdom; and the inspiration of the Holy One that giveth understanding." Whenever, therefore, you are about to enter upon the work, seek his help by earnest prayer. Cry to him for the whole spirit of humility, lest if pride steal into your heart, if you ascribe anything to yourself, while you strive to save others you destroy your own soul. Before and through the work, from the beginning to the end, let your heart wait upon him for a continual supply of meekness and gentleness, of patience and longsuffering, that you may never be angry or discouraged at whatever treatment, rough or smooth, kind or unkind, you may meet with. Be not moved with the deep ignorance of some, the dullness, the amazing stupidity of others; marvel not at their peevishness or stubbornness, at their non-improvement after all the pains that you have taken; yea, at some of them turning back to perdition, and being worse than they were before. Still your record is with the Lord, and your reward with the Most High.

4. These little labours of love will pave your way to things greater importance. Having shown that you have a regard for their bodies, you may proceed to inquire concerning their souls. And here you have a large field before you; you have scope for exercising all the talents which God has given you. May you not begin with asking, "Have you ever considered, that God governs the world; -- that his providence is over all, and over you in particular -- Does any thing then befall you without his knowledge, -- or without his designing it for your good He knows all you suffer; he knows all your pains; he sees all your wants. He sees not only your affliction in general, but every particular circumstance of it. Is he not looking down from heaven, and disposing all these things for your profit You may then inquire, whether he is acquainted with the general principles of religion. And afterwards, lovingly and gently examine, whether his life has been agreeable thereto: whether he has been an outward, barefaced sinner, or has had a form of religion. See next, whether he knows anything of the power; of worshipping God "in spirit and in truth." If he does not, endeavour to explain to him, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" and "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." When he begins to understand the nature of holiness, and the necessity of the new birth, then you may press upon him "repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 5. When you find any of them begin to fear God, it will proper to give them, one after another, some plain tracts, as the "Instructions for Christians," "Awake, thou that sleepest," and the "Nature and Design of Christianity." At the next visit you may inquire, what they have read -- what they remember, -- and what they understand. And then will be the time to enforce what they understand, and, if possible, impress it on their hearts. Be sure to conclude every meeting with prayer. If you cannot yet pray without a form, you may use some of those composed by Mr. Spinckes, or any other pious writer. But the sooner you breakthrough this backwardness the better. Ask of God, and he will open your mouth.

As you have lived many years, it may be hoped you have attained such knowledge as may be of use to others. You have certainly more knowledge of men, which is commonly learned by dear-bought experience. With what strength you have left, employ the few moments you have to spare, in ministering to those who are weaker than yourselves. Your grey hairs will not fail to give you authority, and add weight to what you speak. You may frequently urge, to increase their attention, Believe me, youth; for I am read in cares, And groan beneath the weight of more than threescore years. You have frequently been a sufferer yourself; perhaps you are so still. So much the more give them all the assistance you can, both with regard to their souls and bodies, before they and you go to the place whence you will not return. 6. On the other hand, you that are young have several advantages that are almost peculiar to yourselves. You have generally a flow of spirits, and a liveliness of temper, which, by the grace of God, make you willing to undertake, and capable of performing, many good works, at which others would be discouraged. And you have your health and strength of body, whereby you are eminently qualified to assist the sick and those that have no strength. You are able to take up and carry the crosses, which may be expected to lie in the way. Employ then your whole vigour of body and mind in ministering to your afflicted brethren. And bless God that you have them to employ in so honourable a service; like those heavenly "servants of his that do his pleasure," by continually ministering to the heirs of salvation.

9. Seeing then this is a duty to which we are called, rich and poor, young and old, male and female, (and it would be well parents would train up their children herein, as well as in saying their prayers and going to church,) let the time past suffice that almost all of us have neglected it, as by general consent. O what need has every one of us to say, "Lord, forgive me my sins of omission!" Well, in the name of God, let us now from this day set about it with general consent. And I pray, let it never go out of your mind that this is a duty which you cannot perform by proxy; unless in one only case, -- unless you are disabled by your own pain or weakness. In that only case, it suffices to send the relief which you would otherwise give. Begin, my dear brethren, begin now; else the impression which you now feel will wear off; and, possibly, it may never return! What then will be the consequence Instead of hearing that word, "Come, ye blessed! -- For I was sick, and ye visited me;" you must hear that awful sentence, "Depart, ye cursed! -- For I was sick, and ye visited me not!"

The Rich Man And Lazarus "If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 16:31. 1. How strange a paradox is this! How contrary to the common apprehension of men! Who is so confirmed in unbelief as not to think, "If one came to me from the dead, I should be effectually persuaded to repent" But this passage affords us a more strange saying: (Luke 16:13:) "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." "No! Why not Why cannot we serve both" will a true servant of mammon say. Accordingly, the Pharisees, who supposed they served God, and did cordially serve mammon, derided him: exemukthrizon. A word expressive of the deepest contempt. But he said, (Luke 16:15,) "Ye are they who justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: And that which is highly esteemed among men, is (very commonly) an abomination before God:" A terrible proof of which our Lord subjoins in the remaining part of the chapter. 2. But is the subsequent account merely a parable, or a real history It has been believed by many, and roundly asserted, to be a mere parable, because of one or two circumstances therein, which are not easy to be accounted for. In particular, it is hard to conceive, how a person in hell could hold conversation with one in paradise. But, admitting we cannot account for this, will it overbalance an express assertion of our Lord: "There was," says our Lord, "a certain rich man." -- Was there not Did such a man never exist "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus."- -Was there, or was there not Is it not bold enough, positively to deny what our blessed Lord positively affirms Therefore, we cannot reasonably doubt, but the whole narration, with all its circumstances, is exactly true. And Theophylact (one of the ancient commentators on the Scriptures) observes upon the text, that, "according to the tradition of the Jews, Lazarus lived at Jerusalem." I purpose, with God's assistance, First, to explain this history; Secondly, to apply it; and, Thirdly, to prove the truth of that weighty sentence with which it is concluded, namely, "If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

10. Then he said, "I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." (Luke 16:27, 28.) Two entirely different motives have been assigned for this extraordinary request. Some ascribe it wholly to self-love, to a fear of the bitter reproaches which, he might easily suppose, his brethren would pour upon him, if, in consequence of his example, and perhaps advice, they came to the same place of torment. Others have imputed it to a nobler motive. They suppose, as the misery of the wicked will not be complete till the day of judgment, so neither will their wickedness. Consequently, they believe that, till that time, they may retain some sparks of natural affection; and they, not improbably, imagine that this may have occasioned his desire to prevent their sharing his own torment. 11. "Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets: let them hear them." (Luke 16:29.) "And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent." Who would not be of the same opinion Might not any one reasonably suppose that a message solemnly delivered by one that came from the dead must have an irresistible force Who would not think, "I myself could not possibly withstand such a preacher of repentance" II. This I conceive to be the meaning of the words. I will now endeavour, with the help of God, to apply them. And I beseech you, brethren. while I am doing this, "to suffer the word of exhortation." The more closely these things are applied to your souls, the more ye may profit thereby.

1. "There was a certain rich man:" -- And it is no more sinful to be rich than to be poor. But it is dangerous beyond expression. Therefore, I remind all of you that are of this number, that have the conveniences of life, and something over that ye walk upon slippery ground. Ye continually tread on snares and deaths. Ye are every moment on the verge of hell! "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for you to enter in the kingdom of heaven." -- "Who was clothed in purple and fine linen." And some may have a plea for this. Our Lord mentions them that "dwell in kings' houses," as wearing gorgeous, that is, splendid, apparel, and does not blame them for it. But certainly this is no plea for any that do not dwell in kings' houses. Let all of them, therefore, beware how they follow his example who is "lifting up his eyes in hell!" Let us follow the advice of the Apostle, being "adorned with good works, and with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit." 2. "He fared sumptuously every day." -- Reconcile this with religion who can. I know how plausibly the prophets of smooth things can talk in favour of hospitality; of making our friends welcome: of keeping a handsome table, to do honour to religion; of promoting trade, and the like. But God is not mocked: He will not be put off with such pretences as these. Whoever thou art that sharest in the sin of this rich man, were it no other than "faring sumptuously every day," thou shalt as surely be a sharer in his punishment, except thou repent, as if thou wert already crying for a drop of water to cool thy tongue!

3. "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." (Luke 16:20, 21.) But it seems both the rich man and his guests were too religious to relieve common beggars! -- a sin of which pious Mr. H. so earnestly warns his readers; and an admonition of the same kind I have read on the gate of the good city of Winchester! I wish the gentlemen who placed it there had seen a little circumstance which occurred some years since. At Epworth, in Lincolnshire, the town where I was born, a beggar came to a house in the market-place, and begged a morsel of bread, saying she was very hungry. The master bid her be gone, for a lazy jade. She called at a second, and begged a little small beer, saying she was very thirsty. She had much the same answer. At a third door she begged a little water; saying she was very faint. But this man also was too conscientious to encourage common beggars. The boys, seeing a ragged creature turned from door to door, began to pelt her with snow-balls. She looked up, lay down, and died! Would you wish to be the man who refused that poor wretch a morsel of bread, or a cup of water -- "Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores:" Being more compassionate than their master. -- "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried of angels into Abraham's bosom." Hear this, all ye that are poor in this world. Ye that, many times, have not food to eat, or raiment to put on; ye that have not a place where to lay your head, unless it be a cold garret, or a foul and damp cellar! Ye are now reduced to "solicit the cold hand of charity." Yet lift up your load; it shall not always be thus. I love you, I pity you, I admire you, when "in patience ye possess your souls." Yet I cannot help you. But there is One that can, -- the Father of the fatherless, and the Husband of the widow.

But there is One that can, -- the Father of the fatherless, and the Husband of the widow. "The poor crieth unto the Lord; and he heareth him, and delivereth him out of all his troubles." Yet a little while, if ye truly turn to him, his angels shall carry you into Abraham's bosom. There ye shall "hunger no more, and thirst no more;" ye shall feel no more sorrow or pain; but "the Lamb shall wipe away all tears from your eyes, and lead you forth beside fountains of living waters." 4. But see, the scene is changed! "The rich man also died." What In spite of his riches Probably sooner than he desired. For how just is that word, "O death, how bitter art thou to a man that is at rest in the midst of his possessions!" However, if that would be a comfort, "he was buried." But how little did it signify, whether he was laid under a lofty monument, or among Graves with bending osier bound, That nameless heave the crumbled ground! And what followed "In hell he lifted his eyes." This, it is certain, ye need not do. God does not require it of you: "He willeth not that any should perish." Ye cannot, unless by your own wilful choice, -- intruding into those regions of woe, which God did not prepare for you, but for "the devil and his angels." 5. See the scene change again! "He seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." And he knew him; although, perhaps, he had only cast a glance at him while he "lay at his gates." Is any of you in doubt whether we shall know one another in the other world Here your doubts may receive a full solution. If a soul in hell knew Lazarus in paradise, as far off as he was, certainly those that are together in paradise will perfectly know each other.

But, blessed be God, your die is not cast yet. You are not passed the great gulf, but have it still in your power to choose whether you will be attended by angels or fiends when your soul quits its earthly mansion. Now stretch out your hand to eternal life or eternal death! And God says, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt!" 9. Being repulsed in this, he makes another request: "I pray thee, send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify to them." It is not impossible that other unhappy spirits may wish well to the relations they have left behind them. But this is the accepted time for them, as well as for us. Let us then address them ourselves; and let us beg our living friends to give us all the help they can, without waiting for assistance from the inhabitants of another world. Let us earnestly exhort them to use the helps they have; to "hear Moses and the Prophets." We are indeed apt to think, like that unhappy spirit, "If one went to them from the dead, they will repent." "But Abraham said, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." III. 1. I am, in the Third place, to prove the truth of this weighty sentence; which I will do, First, briefly, and then more at large. And, First, to express the matter briefly: It is certain that no human spirit, while it is in the body, can persuade another to repent; can work in him an entire change, both of heart and life; a change from universal wickedness, to universal holiness. And suppose that spirit discharged from the body, it is no more able to do this than it was before: No power less than that which created it at first can create any soul anew. No angel, much less any human spirit, whether in the body or out of the body, can bring one soul "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." It might very possibly fright him to death, or to the belief of any speculative truth; but it could not frighten him into spiritual life. God alone can raise those that are "dead in trespasses and sins."

2. In order to prove more at large, that if men "hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be" effectually "persuaded" to repent, "though one rose from the dead," I will propose a case of this kind, with all the advantages that can be conceived. Suppose, then, one that does not "hear Moses and the Prophets," that does not believe the Scripture to be of God, to be fast asleep in his bed, and suddenly to awake while the clock was just striking one. He is surprised to observe the chamber as light as if it were noon-day. He looks up, and sees one whom he perfectly knew standing at his bed-side. Though a little surprised at first, he quickly recollects himself, and has the courage to ask, "Are not you my friend, who died at such a time" He answers, "I am. I am come from God, with a message to you. You have often wished you could see one risen from the dead; and said, then you would repent. You have your wish; and I am ordered to inform you, you are seeking death in the error of your life. If you die in the state you are in now, you will die eternally. I warn you, in His name, that the Scriptures are the real word of God; that from the moment you die, you will be remarkably happy, or unspeakably miserable; that you cannot be happy hereafter, unless you are holy here; which cannot be, unless you are born again. Receive this call from God! Eternity is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel!" Having spoken these words, he vanishes away; and the room is dark as it was before. 3. One may easily believe, it would be impossible for him not to be convinced for the present. He would sleep no more that night; and would, as soon as possible, tell his family what he had seen and heard. Not content with this, he would be impatient to tell it to his former companions. And, probably, observing the earnestness with which he spoke, they would not then contradict him. They would say to each other, "Give him time to cool; then he will be a reasonable man again."

4. Now, it is constantly found, that impressions made on the memory gradually decay; that they grow weaker and weaker in process of time, and the traces of them fainter and fainter. So it must be in this case; which his companions observing, would not fail to seize the opportunity. They would speak to this effect: "It was a strange account you gave us some time since; the more so,because we know you to be a sensible man, and not inclined to enthusiasm. But, perhaps, you have not fully considered, how difficult it is, in some cases, to distinguish our dreams from our waking thoughts. Has anyone yet been able to find out an infallible criterion between them Is it not then possible, that you may have been asleep when this lively impression was made on your mind" When he had been brought to think, possibly it might be a dream; they would soon persuade him, probably it was so; and not long after, to believe, it certainly was a dream. So little would it avail, that one came from the dead! 5. It could not be expected to be otherwise. For what was the effect which was wrought upon him (1.) He was exceedingly frightened: (2.) This fright made way for a deeper conviction of the truth then declared: But (3.) his heart was not changed. None but the Almighty could effect this. Therefore (4.) the bias of his soul was still set the wrong way; he still loved the world, and, consequently, wished that the Scripture was not true. How easily then, as the fright wore off, would he again believe what he wished! The conclusion then is plain and undeniable. If men "hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded" to repent and believe the gospel, "though one rose from the dead." 6. We may add one consideration more, which brings the matter to a full issue. Before, or about the same time, that Lazarus was carried into Abraham's bosom, another Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, was actually raised from the dead. But were even those who believed the fact persuaded to repent So far from it, that "they took counsel to kill Lazarus," as well as his Master! Away then with the fond imagination, that those who "hear not Moses and the Prophets, would be persuaded, though on from the dead!"

7. From the whole we may draw this general conclusion. That standing revelation is the best means of rational conviction; far preferable to any of those extraordinary means which some imagine would be more effectual. It is therefore our wisdom to avail ourselves of this; to make full use of it; so that it may be a lantern to our feet, and a light in all our paths. Let us take care that our whole heart and life be conformable thereto; that it be the constant rule of all our tempers, all our words, and all our actions. So shall we preserve in all things the testimony of a good conscience toward God; and when our course is finished, we too shall be "carried by angels into Abraham's bosom." Birmingham, March 25, 1788.

On The Wedding Garment "How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment Matt. 22:12. 1. In the verses preceding the text we read, "After these things, Jesus spake to them again in parables, and said, A certain king made a supper for his son. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw one who had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 2. Upon this parable one of our most celebrated expositors comments in the following manner: -- "The design of this parable is to set forth that gracious supply made by God to men in and by the preaching of the gospel. To invite them to this, God sent forth his servants, the Prophets and Apostles." -- And on these words, -- "Why camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment" he proceeds thus: "The punishment of whom ought not to discourage us, or make us turn our backs upon the holy ordinances." Certainly it ought not; but nothing of this kind can be inferred from this parable, which has no reference to the ordinances, any more than to baptism and marriage. And probably we should never have imagined it, but that the word supper occurred therein. 3. However, most of the English annotators have fallen into the same mistake with Mr. Burkitt. And so have thousands of their readers. Yet a mistake it certainly is; and such a mistake as has not any shadow of foundation in the text. It is true, indeed, that none ought to approach the Lord's table without habitual, at least, if not actual, preparation; that is, a firm purpose to keep all the commandments of God, and a sincere desire to receive all his promises. But that obligation cannot be inferred from this text, though it may from many other passages of Scripture. But there is no need of multiplying texts; one is as good as a thousand: There needs no more to induce any man of a tender conscience to communicate at all opportunities, than that single commandment of our Lord, "Do this in remembrance of me."

Sermon 128: Free Grace Preached at Bristol, in the year 1740 Text: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things" Rom. 8:32 Nothing but the strongest conviction, not only that what is here advanced is "the truth as it is in Jesus," but also that I am indispensably obliged to declare this truth to all the world, could have induced me openly to oppose the sentiments of those whom I esteem for their work's sake: At whose feet may I be found in the day of the Lord Jesus! Should any believe it his duty to reply hereto, I have only one request to make, -- Let whatsoever you do, be done inherently, in love, and in the spirit of meekness. Let your very disputing show that you have "put on, as the elect of God, bowel of mercies, gentleness, longsuffering; "that even according to this time it may be said, "See how these Christians love one another!" 1. How freely does God love the world! While we were yet sinners, "Christ died for the ungodly." While we were "dead in our sin," God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And how freely with him does he "give us all things!" Verily, FREE GRACE is all in all! 2. The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL.

15. Now, this witness of the Spirit experience shows to be much obstructed by this doctrine; and not only in those who, Believing themselves reprobated, by this belief thrust it far from them, but even in them that have tasted of that good gift, who yet have soon lost it again, and fallen back into doubts, and fears, and darkness, -- horrible darkness, that might be felt! And I appeal to any of you who hold this doctrine, to say, between God and your own hearts, whether you have not often a return of doubts and fears concerning your election or perseverance If you ask, "Who has not" I answer, Very few of those that hold this doctrine; but many, very many, of those that hold it not, in all parts of the earth; -- many of these have enjoyed the uninterrupted witness of his Spirit, the continual light of his countenance, from the moment wherein they first believed, for many months or years, to this day. 16. That assurance of faith which these enjoy excludes all doubt and fear, It excludes all kinds of doubt and fear concerning their future perseverance; though it is not properly, as was said before, an assurance of what is future, but only of what now is. And this needs not for its support a speculative belief, that whoever is once ordained to life must live; for it is wrought from hour to hour, by the mighty power of God, "by the Holy Ghost which is given unto them." And therefore that doctrine is not of God, because it tends to obstruct, if not destroy, this great work of the Holy Ghost, whence flows the chief comfort of religion, the happiness of Christianity. 17. Again: How uncomfortable a thought is this, that thousands and millions of men, without any preceding offense or fault of theirs, were unchangeably doomed to everlasting burnings! How peculiarly uncomfortable must it be to those who have put on Christ! to those who, being filled with bowels of mercy, tenderness, and compassion, could even "wish themselves accursed for their brethren's sake!"

22. If you ask, "Why then are not all men saved" the whole law and the testimony answer, First, Not because of any decree of God; not because it is his pleasure they should die; for, As I live, saith the Lord God," I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth." (Ezek. 18:3, 32.) Whatever be the cause of their perishing, it cannot be his will, if the oracles of God are true; for they declare, "He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance;" (2 Pet. 3:9;) "He willeth that all men should be saved." And they, Secondly, declare what is the cause why all men are not saved, namely, that they will not be saved: So our Lord expressly, "Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life." (John 5:40.) "The power of the Lord is present to heal" them, but they will not be healed. "They reject the counsel," the merciful counsel, "of God against themselves," as did their stiff-necked forefathers. And therefore are they without excuse; because God would save them, but they will not be saved: This is the condemnation, "How often would I have gathered you together, and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37.) 23. Thus manifestly does this doctrine tend to overthrow the whole Christian Revelation, by making it contradict itself; by giving such an interpretation of some texts, as flatly contradicts all the other texts, and indeed the whole scope and tenor of Scripture; -- an abundant proof that it is not of God. But neither is this all: For, Seventhly, it is a doctrine full of blasphemy; of such blasphemy as I should dread to mention, but that the honour of our gracious God, and the cause of his truth, will not suffer me to be silent.

24. This premised, let it be observed, that this doctrine represents our blessed Lord, "Jesus Christ the righteous," "the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth," as an hypocrite, a deceiver of the people, a man void of common sincerity. For it cannot be denied, that he everywhere speaks as if he was willing that all men should be saved. Therefore, to say he was not willing that all men should be saved, is to represent him as a mere hypocrite and dissembler. It cannot be denied that the gracious words which came out of his mouth are full of invitations to all sinners. To say, then, he did not intend to save all sinners, is to represent him as a gross deceiver of the people. 25. Such blasphemy this, as one would think might make the ears of a Christian to tingle! But there is yet more behind; for just as it honours the Son, so doth this doctrine honour the Father. It destroys all his attributes at once: It overturns both his justice, mercy, and truth; yea, it represents the most holy God as worse than the devil, as both more false, more cruel, and more unjust. More false; because the devil, liar as he is, hath never said, "He willeth all men to be saved:" More unjust; because the devil cannot, if he would, be guilty of such injustice as you ascribe to God, when you say that God condemned millions of souls to everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, for continuing in sin, which, for want of that grace he will not give them, they cannot avoid: And more cruel; because that unhappy spirit "seeketh rest and findeth none;" so that his own restless misery is a kind of temptation to him to tempt others. But God resteth in his high and holy place; so that to suppose him, of his own mere motion, of his pure will and pleasure, happy as he is, to doom his creatures, whether they will or no, to endless misery, is to impute such cruelty to him as we cannot impute even to the great enemy of God and man. It is to represent the high God (he that hath ears to hear let him hear!) as more cruel, false, and unjust than the devil!

29. Yea, the decree is past; and so it was before the foundation of the world. But what decree Even this: "I will set before the sons of men 'life and death, blessing cursing.' And the soul that chooseth life shall live, as the soul that chooseth death shall die." This decree whereby "whom God did foreknow, he did predestinate," was indeed from everlasting; this, whereby all who suffer Christ to make them alive are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God," now standeth fast, even as the moon, and as the faithful witnesses in heaven; and when heaven and earth shall pass away, yet this shall not pass away; for it is as unchangeable and eternal as is the being of God that gave it. This decree yields the strongest encouragement to abound in all good works and in all holiness; and it is a well-spring of joy, of happiness also, to our great and endless comfort. This is worthy of God; it is every way consistent with all the perfections of his nature. It gives us the noblest view both of his justice, mercy, and truth. To this agrees the whole scope of the Christian Revelation, as well as all the parts thereof. To this Moses and all the Prophets bear witness, and our blessed Lord and all his Apostles Thus Moses, in the name of his Lord: "I call heaven and earth to record against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live." Thus Ezekiel: (To cite one Prophet for all:) "The soul that sinneth, it shall die: The son shall not bear" eternally, "the iniquity of the father. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." (18:20.) Thus our blessed Lord: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." (John 7:37.) Thus his great Apostle, St. Paul: (Acts 17:30:) "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent; -- "all men everywhere;" every man in every place, without any exception either of place or person. Thus St. James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." (James 1:5.) Thus St. Peter: (2 Pet.

Peter: (2 Pet. 3:9:) "The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." And thus St. John: " If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father; and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1, 2.) 30. O hear ye this, ye that forget God! Ye cannot charge your death upon him! "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die' saith the Lord God." (Ezek. 18:23ff.) "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions where by ye have transgressed, -- for why will ye die, O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. Wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. -- Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel"

4. From this time Slavery was nearly extinct, till the commencement of the sixteenth century, when the discovery of _America_, and of the Western and Eastern coasts of _Africa_, gave occasion to the revival of it. It took its rise from the _Portuguese_, who to supply the _Spaniards_ with men, to cultivate their new possessions in _America_, procured Negroes from _Africa_, whom they sold for Slaves to the _American_ Spaniards. This began in the year 1508, when they imported the first Negroes into _Hispaniola_. In 1540, _Charles_ the fifth, then King of _Spain_, determined to put an end to _Negro-Slavery_: giving positive orders, That all the Negro-Slaves in the _Spanish_ dominions should be set free. And this was accordingly done by _Lagasca_, whom he sent and impowered to free them all, on condition of continuing to labour for their masters. But soon after _Lagasca_ returned to _Spain_, Slavery returned and flourished as before. Afterwards other nations, as they acquired possessions in _America_, followed the examples of the _Spaniards_; and Slavery has taken deep root in most of our _American_ colonies. II. Such is the nature of Slavery: such the beginning of Negro-Slavery in _America_. But some may desire to know, what country it is, from which the Negroes are brought? What sort of men, of what temper and behaviour are they in their own country? And in what manner they are generally procured, carried to, and treated in _America_? 1. And first, What kind of country is that from whence they are brought? Is it so remarkably horrid, dreary and barren, that it is a kindness to deliver them out of it? I believe many have apprehended so: but it is an entire mistake, if we may give credit to those who have lived many years therein, and could have no motive to misrepresent it. 2. That part of _Africa_ whence the Negroes are brought, commonly known by the name of _Guinea_, extends along the coast, in the whole, between three and four thousand miles. From the river _Senegal_, (seventeen degrees North of the line) to Cape _Sierra Leona_, it contains seven hundred miles. Thence it runs Eastward about fifteen hundred miles, including the _Grain-coast_, the _Ivory-coast_, the _Gold-coast_, and the _Slave-coast_, with the large kingdom of _Benin_. From thence it runs Southward, about twelve hundred miles, and contains the kingdoms of _Congo_ and _Angola_.

7. The _Mandingos_, says Mons. _Brue_, are right _Mahometans_, drinking neither wine nor brandy. They are industrious and laborious, keeping their ground well cultivated, and breeding a good stock of cattle. Every town has a Governor, and he appoints the labour of the people. The men work the ground designed for corn; the women and girls, the rice-ground. He afterwards divides the corn and rice, among them: and decides all quarrels, if any arise. All the Mahometan Negroes constantly go to public prayers thrice a day: there being a Priest in every village, who regularly calls them together: and it is surprising to see the modesty, attention and reverence which they observe during their worship--These three nations practise several trades; they have Smiths, Sadlers, Potters and Weavers. And they are very ingenious at their several occupations. Their Smiths not only make all the instruments of iron, which they have occasion to use, but likewise work many things neatly in gold and silver. It is chiefly the women and children who weave fine cotton cloth, which they dye blue and black. 8. It was of these parts of _Guinea_, that Mons. _Adanson_, Correspondent of the Royal Academy of Sciences at _Paris_, from 1749, to 1753, gives the following account, both as to the country and people, “Which way soever I turned my eyes, I beheld a perfect image of pure nature: an agreeable solitude, bounded on every side by a charming landscape; the rural situation of cottages, in the midst of trees; the ease and quietness of the Negroes, reclined under the shade of the spreading foliage, with the simplicity of their dress and manners: the whole revived in my mind the idea of our first parents, and I seemed to contemplate the world in its primitive state. They are, generally speaking, very good natured, sociable and obliging. I was not a little pleased with my first reception, and it fully convinced me, that there ought to be a considerable abatement made, in the accounts we have of the savage character of the _Africans_.” He adds, “It is amazing that an illiterate people should reason so pertinently concerning the heavenly bodies. There is no doubt, but that with proper instruments, they would become excellent astronomers.”

12. The natives of the kingdom of _Benin_ are a reasonable and good-natured people. They are sincere and inoffensive, and do no injustice either to one another or to strangers. They are eminently civil and courteous: if you make them a present, they endeavour to repay it double. And if they are trusted, till the ship returns the next year, they are sure honestly to pay the whole debt. Theft is punished among them, although not with the same severity as murder. If a man and woman of any quality, are taken in adultery, they are certain to be put to death, and their bodies thrown on a dunghill, and left a prey to wild beasts. They are punctually just and honest in their dealings; and are also very charitable: the King and the great Lords taking care to employ all that are capable of any work. And those that are utterly helpless they keep for God’s sake; so that here also are no beggars. The inhabitants of _Congo_ and _Angola_ are generally a quiet people. They discover a good understanding, and behave in a friendly manner to strangers, being of a mild temper and an affable carriage.----Upon the whole therefore the Negroes who inhabit the coast of _Africa_, from the river _Senegal_ to the Southern bounds of _Angola_, are so far from being the stupid, senseless, brutish, lazy barbarians, the fierce, cruel, perfidious Savages they have been described, that on the contrary, they are represented by them who have no motive to flatter them, as remarkably sensible, considering the few advantages they have for improving their understanding: as industrious to the highest degree, perhaps more so than any other natives of so warm a climate: as fair, just and honest in all their dealings, unless where white men have taught them to be otherwise: and as far more mild, friendly and kind to strangers, than any of our forefathers were. Our forefathers! Where shall we find at this day, among the fair-faced natives of _Europe_, a nation generally practising the justice, mercy, and truth, which are found among these poor _Africans_? Suppose the preceding accounts are true, (which I see no reason or pretence to doubt of,) and we may leave _England_ and _France_, to seek genuine honesty in _Benin_, _Congo_, or _Angola_.

11. But the law of _Barbadoes_ exceeds even this, “If any negro under punishment, by his master, or his order, for running away, or any other crime or misdemeanor, shall suffer _in life or member, no person whatsoever shall be liable to any fine therefore_. But if any man, of wantonness, or only of bloody-mindedness or cruel intention, _wilfully kill_ a negro of his own” (Now observe the severe punishment!) “He shall pay into the public treasury fifteen pounds sterling! And not be liable to any other punishment or forfeiture for the same!” Nearly allied to this is that law of _Virginia_: “After proclamation is issued against slaves that run away, it is lawful for any person whatsoever to kill and destroy such slaves, by such ways and means as he shall think fit.” We have seen already some of the ways and means which have been _thought fit_ on such occasions. And many more might be mentioned. One Gentleman, when I was abroad, _thought fit_ to roast his slave alive! But if the most natural act of “running away” from intolerable tyranny, deserves such relentless severity, what punishment have these _Law-makers_ to expect hereafter, on account of their own enormous offences? IV. 1. This is the plain, unaggravated matter of fact. Such is the manner wherein our _African_ slaves are procured: such the manner wherein they are removed from their native land, and wherein they are treated in our plantations. I would now enquire, whether these things can be defended, on the principles of even heathen honesty? Whether they can be reconciled (setting the Bible out of the question) with any degree of either justice or mercy? 2. The grand plea is, “They are authorized by law.” But can law, Human Law, change the nature of things? Can it turn darkness into light, or evil into good? By no means. Notwithstanding ten thousand laws, right is right, and wrong is wrong still. There must still remain an essential difference between justice and injustice, cruelty and mercy. So that I still ask, who can reconcile this treatment of the negroes, first and last, with either mercy or justice?

6. Perhaps you will say, “I do not _buy_ any Negroes: I only _use_ those left by my father.” So far is well: but is it enough to satisfy your own conscience? Had your father, have _you_, has any man living, a right to use another as a slave? It cannot be, even setting revelation aside. It cannot be that either war, or contract, can give any man such a property in another as he has in his sheep and oxen. Much less is it possible, that any child of man, should ever be _born a slave_. Liberty is the right of every human creature, as soon as he breathes the vital air. And no human law can deprive him of that right, which he derives from the law of nature. If therefore you have any regard to justice, (to say nothing of mercy, nor the revealed law of God) render unto all their due. Give liberty to whom liberty is due, that is to every child of man, to every partaker of human nature. Let none serve you but by his own act and deed, by his own voluntary choice. Away with all whips, all chains, all compulsion! Be gentle toward all men, and see that you invariably do unto every one, as you would he should do unto _you_. 7. O thou God of love, thou who art loving to every man, and whose mercy is over all thy works; thou who art the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and who art rich in mercy unto all; thou who has mingled of one blood, all the nations upon the earth; have compassion upon these outcasts of men, who are trodden down as dung upon the earth! Arise and help these that have no helper, whose blood is spilt upon the ground like water! Are not these also the work of thine own hands, the purchase of thy Son’s blood? Stir them up to cry unto thee in the land of their captivity; and let their complaint come up before thee; let it enter into thy ears! Make even those that lead them away captive to pity them, and turn their captivity as the rivers in the South. O burst thou all their chains in sunder; more especially the chains of their sins: Thou, Saviour of all, make them free, that they may be free indeed!

Arise, my soul, arise, Shake off thy guilty fears; The bleeding sacrifice In my behalf appears; Before the throne my surety stands; My name is written on his hands. 2. He ever lives above For me to intercede; His all-redeeming love His precious blood to plead; His blood atoned for all our race And sprinkles now the throne of grace. 3. Five bleeding wounds he bears, Received on Calvary; They pour effectual prayers, They strongly speak for me; Forgive him, oh forgive, they cry, Nor let that ransomed sinner die. 4. The Father hears him pray, His dear Anointed One; He cannot turn away The presence of his Son; His Spirit answers to the blood And tells me I am born of God. 5. My God is reconciled, His pard’ning voice I hear; He owns me for his child; I can no longer fear; With confidence I now draw nigh, And Father, Abba Father, cry!

Arise, my soul, arise, Shake off thy guilty fears; The bleeding sacrifice In my behalf appears; Before the throne my surety stands; My name is written on his hands.

4. The Father hears him pray, His dear Anointed One; He cannot turn away The presence of his Son; His Spirit answers to the blood And tells me I am born of God.

1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true and only Light, Sun of righteousness, arise, triumph o'er the shade of night; Day-spring from on high, be near; Day-star, in my heart appear. 2 Dark and cheerless is the morn unaccompanied by Thee; joyless is the day's return, till Thy mercy's beams I see, till they inward light impart, glad my eyes, and warm my heart. 3 Visit then this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief; fill me, radiancy divine, scatter all my unbelief; more and more Thyself display, shining to the perfect day.

1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true and only Light, Sun of righteousness, arise, triumph o'er the shade of night; Day-spring from on high, be near; Day-star, in my heart appear.

2 Dark and cheerless is the morn unaccompanied by Thee; joyless is the day's return, till Thy mercy's beams I see, till they inward light impart, glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

7. And here I beg- leave to mention a thought which has been long upon my mind, and which T should long ago have inserted in the public papers, had I not been unwilling to stir up a nest of hornets. Many gentlemen have done my brother and me (though without naming us) the honour to reprint many of our hymns. Now they are perfectly welcome so to do, provided they print them just as they are. But I desire, they would not attempt to mend them : for they really are not able. None of them is able to mend either the sense or the verse. Therefore, I must beg of them one of these two favours : either to let them stand just as they are, to take them for better for worse; or to add the true reading in the margin, or at the bottom of the page ; that we may no longer be accountable either for the nonsense or for the doggerel of other men. 8. But to return. That which is of infinitely more moment than the spirit of poetry, is the spirit of piety. And I trust, all persons of real judgment will find this breathing through the whole Collection. It is in this view chiefly, that I would -ecommend it to every truly pious reader, as a means of raising or quickening the spirit of devotion ; of confirmino" his faith ; of enlivening his hope ; and of kindling and increasing his love to God and man. When Poetry thus keeps its place, as the handmaid of Piety, it shall attain, not a poor perishable wreath, but a crown that fadeth not away. London, Oct. 20, 1779. JOHN WESLEY. N. B. The Additional Hymns at the end of this book, and a few others distinguished by the prefix of an asterisk, which are inserted in this edition, were not in the editions published during the life of Mr. Wesley. SECTION I. Exhorting Sinners to return to God II. Describing, 1. The Pleasantness of Religion 2. The Goodness of God 3. Death 4. Judgment 5. Heaven 6. Hell . 111. Praying for a Blessing SECTION I. Describing Formal Religion . II. Inward Religion . SECTION I. Praying for Repentance II. For Mourners convinced of Sin III. For Persons convinced of Backsliding IV. For Backsliders recovered

S ! .( T [ON I . For Believers Rejoicing II. Fighting III. Praying IV. Watching V. . Working VI. Suffering VII. Seeking for full Redemption VIII. Saved .... IX. Interceding for the World SECTION I. For the Society Meeting Giving Thanks Praying Parting On Divine Worship ...... On the Lord's Supper ..... On the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, &e. Miscellaneous Hymns ...... SECTION I. Hymns of Adoration .... II. On the Incarnation, Sufferings, &c.,of Christ III. On the Holy Spirit .... IV. Penitential Hvmns .... V. The Experience and Privileges of Believers VI. The Kingdom of Christ Page 90 . 98 . 106 . 165 . 177 . 185 . 253 . 283 . 294 . 307 . 313 . 322 . 390 . 414 . 447 - 455 . 468 593 VI 1 Time, Death, Judgment, and the Future State 641 VIII. Miscellaneous Hymns . . 665 Section I. -- Mochorting Sinners. HYMN 1. c. m. 1 f\ FOR a thousand tongues to sing ^^ My great Redeemer's praise ! The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace ! 2 My gracious Master, and my God, Assist me to proclaim, To spread through all the earth abroad The honours of thy Name. 3 Jesus ! the Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease ; 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'Tis life, and health, and peace. 4 He breaks the power of cancell'd sin, He sets the prisoner free ; His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood avail'd for me. 5 He speaks, -- and listening to his voice, New life the dead receive ; The mournful, broken hearts rejoice ; The humble poor believe. 8 Exhorting Sinners to return to God. 6 Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, Your loosen'd tongues employ; Ye blind, behold your Saviour come, And leap, ye lame, for joy. 7 Look unto him, ye nations ; own Your God, ye fallen race ; Look, and be saved through faith alone. Be justified by graee 8 See all your sins on Jesus laid : The Lamb of God was slain : His soul was once an offering made For every soul of man. 9 Awake from guilty nature's sleep, And Christ shall give you light, Cast all your sins into the deep, And wash the iEthiop white.

10 With me, your chief, ye then shall know, Shall feel, your sins forgiven; Anticipate your heaven below, And own that love is heaven. HYMN 2. l. m. 1 /^OME, sinners, to the gospel feast ; ^-^ Let every soul be Jesu's guest ; Ye need not one be left behind, For God hath bidden all mankind. 2 Sent by my Lord, on you I call ; The invitation is to all : Come, all the world ; come, sinner, thou ; All things in Christ are ready now. 3 Come, all ye souls by sin opprest, Ye restless wanderers after rest, Ye poor, and maini'd, and halt, and blind. In Christ a hearty welcome find. Exhorting Sinners to return to God. 9 4 Come, and partake the gospel feast ; Be saved from sin ; in Jesus rest : O taste the goodness of your God, And eat his flesh, and drink his blood ! 5 Ye vagrant souls, on you I call ; (O that my voice could reach you all !) Ye all may now be justified ; Ye all may live, for Christ hath died. 6 My message as from God receive ; Ye all may come to Christ, and live ; O let his love your hearts constrain, Nor suffer him to die in vain ! 7 His love is mighty to compel ; His conquering love consent to feel ; Yield to his love's resistless power, And fight against your God no more. 8 See him set forth before your eyes, That precious, bleeding Sacrifice ! His offer'd benefits embrace, And freely now be saved by grace. 9 This is the time ; no more delay ; This is the acceptable day; Come in, this moment, at his call, And live for him who died for all. HYMN 3. 10's §■ IVs. 1 f~\ ALL that pass by, To Jesus draw near , ^S He utters a cry, Ye sinners, give ear ! From hell to retrieve you, He spreads out his hands ; Now, now to receive you, He graciously stands. 2 If any man thirst, And happy would be, The vilest and worst May come unto me ; May drink of my Spirit, Excepted is none, Lay claim to my merit, And take for his own. JO Exhorting Si 'liners to return to God.

3 Whoever receives The life-giving word, In Jesns believes, His God and his Lord ; In him a pure river Of life shall arise ; Shall, in the believer, Spring up to the skies. 4 My God and my Lord ! Thy call I obey ; M v soul on thy Word Of promise I stay : Thy kind invitation I gladly embrace, Athirst for salvation, Salvation by grace. 5 O hasten the hour, Send down from above The Spirit of power, Of health, and of love : Of filial fear, Of knowledge and grace ; Of wisdom and prayer, Of joy and of praise : 6 The Spirit of faith, Of faith in thy blood, [God; Which saves us from wrath, And brings us to Removes the huge mountain Of indwelling sin, And opens a fountain, That washes us clean. HYMN 4. l. m. v/ 1 " TTO! every one that thirsts, draw nigh;" A i- ('Tis God invites the fallen race ;) " Mercy and free salvation buv ; Buy wine, and milk, and gospel grace 2 " Come to the living waters, come ! Sinners, obey your Maker's call ; Return, ye weary wanderers, home ; And find my grace is free for all. 3 " See from the Rock a fountain rise ! For you in healing streams it rolls ; Money ye need not bring, nor price, Ye labouring, burden'd, sin-sick souls. 4 " Nothing ye in exchange shall give, Leave all you have and are behind ; Frankly the gift of God receive, Pardon and peace in Jesus find. Exhorting Sinners to return to God. 1 J 5 " Why seek ye that which is not bread, Nor can your hungry souls sustain ? On ashes, husks, and air ye feed ; Ye spend your little all in vain. 6 " In search of empty joys below, Ye toil with unavailing strife : Whither, ah ! whither would ye go ? I have the words of endless life. 7 " Hearken to me with earnest care, And freely eat substantial food ; The sweetness of my mercy share, And taste that I alone am good. 8 " I bid you all my goodness prove : My promises for all are free : Come, taste the manna of my love, And let your souls delight in me. 9 " Your willing ear and heart incline,

My words believingly receive ; Quicken'd your souls by faith divine, An everlasting life shall live." HYMN 5. WstflVs. 1 nr^HY faithfulness, Lord, Each moment we find, -*- So true to thy word, So loving and kind ; Thy mercy so tender To all the lost race, The vilest offender May turn and find grace. 2 The mercy I feel, To others I show, 1 set to my seal That Jesus is true : Ye all may find favour, Who come at his call ; O come to my Saviour, His grace is for all. 3 To save what was lost, From heaven he came \ Come, sinners, and trust In Jesus's name ! He ofTers you pardon; He bids you be free : " If sin be your burden, O come unto me!" J~ Exhorting Sinners to return to God. '& 4 () let me commend My Saviour to you ; The Publican's Friend, And Advocate too : For you lie is pleading His merits and deatli ; With God interceding For sinners beneath. 5 Then let us submit His grace to receive; Fall down at his feet, And gladly believe: We all are forgiven, For Jesus's sake : Our title to heaven, His merits we take. HYMN 6. Ts. 1 CINXERS, turn, why will ye die? ^ God, your Maker, asks you why : God, who did your being give, Made yon with himself to live ; He the fatal cause demands, Asks the work of his own hands, Why, ye thankless creatures, why Will ye cross his love, and die ? 2 Sinners, turn, why will ye die? God, your Saviour, asks you why : God, who did your souls retrieve, Died himself, that ye might live. Will you let him die in vain ? Crucify your Lord again ? Why, ye ransom'd sinners, why Will you slight his grace, and die ? 3 Sinners, turn, why will ye die ? God, the Spirit, asks you why : He who all your lives hath strove, Woo'd you to embrace his love : Will you not his grace receive? Will you still refuse to live? Why, ye long-sought sinners, win Will you grieve your God, and die? Exhorting Sinners to return to God. id vs

4 Dead already, dead within, Spiritually dead in sin: Dead to God, while here you breathe, Pant ye after second death ? Will you still in sin remain, Greedy of eternal pain ? O, ye dying sinners, why, Why will you for ever die ? HYMN 7. 7's. 1 ET the beasts their breath resign, -*--* Strangers to the life divine ; Who their God can never know, Let their spirit downward go. You for higher ends were born : You may all to God return ; Dwell with him above the sky : Why will you for ever die ? 2 You, on whom he favours showers ; You, possest of nobler powers ; You, of Reason's powers possest ; You, with Will and Memory blest ; You, with finer sense endued, Creatures capable of God : Noblest of his creatures, why, Why will you for ever die ? 3 You, whom he ordain'd to be Transcripts of the Deity ; You, whom he in life doth hold ; You, for whom himself was sold ; You, on whom he still doth wait, Whom he would again create : Made by him and purchased, why, Why will you for ever die ? 4 You, who own his record true ; You, his chosen people, you ; 14 Exhorting Sinners to return to God. "6 You, who call the Saviour, Lord ; You, who read his written Word ; You, who see the gospel light ; Claim a crown in Jesu's right : Why will you, ye Christians, why Will the house of Israel die? HYMN 8. 7's. 1 ^^THAT could your Redeemer do, * * More than he hath done for you ? To procure your peace with God, Could he more than shed his blood ? After all his waste of love, All his drawings from above, Why will you your Lord deny ? Why will you resolve to die ? 2 Turn, he cries, ye sinners, turn ; By his life your God hath sworn, He would have you turn and live, He would all the world receive. If your death were his delight, Would he you to life invite ? Would he ask, obtest, and cry, Why will you resolve to die ?

3 Sinners, turn, while God is near : Dare not think him insincere : Now, even now, your Saviour stands All day long he spreads his hands ; Cries, " Ye will not happy be ! No, ye will not come to me ! Me, who life to none deny : Why will you resolve to die?" 4 Can you doubt if God is Love ? If to all his bowels move ? Exhorting Shiners to return to God. lO Will you not his IVord receive ? Will you not his Oath believe ? See ! the suffering God appears ! Jesus weeps ; believe his tears ! Mingled with his blood, they cry, " Why will you resolve to die ?" HYMN 9. l. m. 1 OINNERS, obey the gospel word ; ^ Haste to the Supper of my Lord ; Be wise to know your gracious day ; All things are ready, come away ! 2 Ready the Father is to own And kiss his late-returning son: Ready your loving Saviour stands, And spreads for you his bleeding hands. 3 Ready the Spirit of his Love, Just now the stony to remove ; To' apply and witness with the blood, And wash and seal the sons of God. 4 Ready for you the angels wait, To triumph in your blest estate : Tuning their harps, they long to praise The wonders of redeeming grace. 5 The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Is ready, with their shining host : All heaven is ready to resound, " The dead's alive ! the lost is found V* 6 Come, then, ye sinners, to your Lord, In Christ to paradise restored ; His proffer'd benefits embrace, The plenitude of gospel grace : 7 A pardon written with his blood, The favour and the peace of God ; 1 O E / horttng Sinners to return to God. The seeing eye, the feeling sense, The mystic joys of penitence : tS The godly grief, the pleasing smart The meltings of a broken heart ; The tears that tell your sins forgiven, The sighs that waft your souls to heaven : 9 The guiltless shame, the sweet distress ; The' unutterable tenderness ; The genuine, meek humility ; The wonder, " Why such love to me ! "

" Thy prayer is heard ; it shall be so ! ' The word hath pass'd thy lips, and I Shall with thy people live and die. HYMN 18. 7's Sf 6's 1 A /FAKER, Saviour of mankind, 1VL Who hast on me bestow'd An immortal soul, design'd To be the house of God : 24- The Pleasantness of Religion. Come, and now reside in me, Never, never to remove ; Make me just, and good, like thee, And full of power and love. 2 Bid me in thy image rise, A saint, a creature new ; True, and merciful, and wise, And pure, and happy too : This thy primitive design, That 1 should in thee be blest ; Should, within the arms divine. For ever, ever rest. ^ 3 Let thy will on me be done ; Fullil my heart's desire, Thee to know and love alone, And rise in raptures higher : Thee, descending on a cloud, When with ravish 'd eyes I see, Then I shall be mTd with God To all eternity ! HYMN 19. HTaS-ir*. 1 TD EJOICE evermore With angels above, J-*~ In Jesus's power, In Jesus's love : With glad exultation, Your triumph proclaim, Ascribing salvation To God and the Lamb. 2 Thou, Lord, our. relief In trouble hast been; Hast saved us from grief, Hast saved us from sin; The power of thy Spirit Hath set our hearts free, And now we inherit All fulness in thee : .'> All fulness of peace, All fulness of joy, And spiritual bliss That never shall cloy : To us it is given In Jesus to know A kingdom of heaven, A heaven below. - The Pleasantness of Religion. ^O 4 No longer we join, While sinners invite ; Nor envy the swine Their brutish delight ; Their joy is all sadness, Their mirth is all vain, Their laughter is madness, Their pleasure is pain 5 O might they at last With sorrow return, The pleasures to taste, For which they were born ; Our Jesus receiving, Our happiness prove, The joy of believing, The heaven of love ! HYMN 20. 6-Ts. 1 ^\^TEARY souls, that wander wide * * From the central point of bliss, Turn to Jesus crucified, Fly to those dear wounds of his : Sink into the purple flood : Rise into the life of God

2 Find in Christ the way of peace, Peace unspeakable, unknown : By his pain he gives you ease, Life by his expiring groan : Rise, exalted by his fall ; Find in Christ your all in all 3 O believe the record true, God to you his Son hath given ! Ye may now be happy too ; Find on earth the life of heaven : " [love. Live the life of heaven above : All the life of glorious 4 This the universal bliss, Bliss for every soul design' d ; God's original promise this, God's great gift to all mankind ; Blest in Christ this moment be ! Blest to all eternity ! 1 XTE simple souls that stray -*■ Far from the path of peace, (That lonely, unfrequented way To life and happiness,) *2o The Pleasantness of Religion* Why will ye folly love, And throng the downward road, And hate the wisdom from above, And mock the sons of God ? 2 Madness and misery Ye count our life beneath ; And nothing great or good can see, Or glorious, in our death : As only born to grieve, Beneath your feet we lie ; And utterly contemn'd we live, And unlamented die. 3 So wretched and obscure, The men whom ye despise, So foolish, impotent, and poor, -- Above your scorn we rise : We, through the Holy Ghost, Can witness better things ; For He, whose blood is all our boast, Hath made us Priests and Kings. 4 Riches unsearchable In Jesu's love we know ; And pleasures, springing from the well Of life, our souls o'erflow ; The Spirit we receive Of wisdom, grace, and power ; And always sorrowful we live, Rejoicing evermore. 5 Angels our servants are, And keep in all our ways ; And in their watchful hands they bear The sacred sons of grace : Unto that heavenly bliss They all our steps attend ; And God himself our Father is, And Jesus is our Friend. The Goodness of God. 2>7 6 With him we walk in white ; We in his image shine ; Our robes are robes of glorious light, Our righteousness divine : On all the kings of earth With pity we look down ; /£*_*, And claim, in virtue of our birth, A never-fading crown. 2. Descrihing the Goodness of God. HYMN 22. c. m.

And, sure as he hath died, Thy debt is paid, thy soul is free, And thou art justified. The Goodness of God. 1 TESUS, the Name high over all, ** In hell, or earth, or sky, Angels and men before it fall, And devils fear and fly. 2 Jesus, the Name to sinners dear, The Name to sinners given ; It scatters all their guilty fear : It turns their hell to heaven. 3 Jesus the prisoner's fetters breaks, And bruises Satan's head ; Power into strengthless souls it speaks, And life into the dead. 4 O that the world might taste and see The riches of his grace ! The arms of love that compass me, Would all mankind embrace. 5 His only righteousness I show, His saving truth proclaim : 'Tis all my business here below To cry, " Behold the Lamb !" 6 Happy, if with my latest breath 1 may but gasp his Name ; Preach him to all, and cry in death, " Behold, behold the Lamb !" 6-8'*. OGOD, of good the' unfathom'd Sea! Who would not give his heart to thee ? Who would not love thee with his might, O Jesu, Lover of mankind ? Who would not his whole soul and mind, With all his strength, to thee unite? The Goodness of God. 41 2 Thou shin'st with everlasting rays : Before the' insufferable blaze Angels with both wings veil their eyes ; Yet, free as air thy bounty streams On all thy works ; thy mercy's beams Diffusive, as thy sun's, arise. 3 Astonish'd at thy frowning brow, Earth, hell, and heaven's strong pillars bow ; Terrible majesty is thine ! Who then can that vast love express, Which bows thee down to me, who less Than nothing am, till thou art mine ! 4 High throned on heaven's eternal hill, In number, weight, and measure still Thou sweetly orderest all that is : And yet thou deign'st to come to me, And guide my steps, that I, with thee Enthroned, may reign in endless bliss. 5 Fountain of good, all blessing flows From thee ; no want thy fulness knows : What but thyself canst thou desire ? Yet, self-sufficient as thou art, Thou dost desire my worthless heart : This, only this, dost thou require. 6 Primeval Beauty ! in thy sight, The first-born fairest sons of light

See all their brightest glories fade : What then to me thine eyes could turn ? In sin conceived, of woman born, A worm, a leaf, a blast, a shade ! 7 Hell's armies tremble at thy nod, And, trembling, own the' Almighty God, Sovereign of earth, hell, air, and sky : But who is this that comes from far, Whose garments roll'd in blood appear? 'Tis God made man, for man to die. 4^ The Good) i ess of God. 8 O God, of good the' unfathom'd Sea! Who would not give his heart to thee ? Who would not love thee with his might, O Jesu, Lover of mankind ? Who would not his whole soul and mind, With all his strength, to thee unite ? * HYMN 39. l. m. 1 T^ATHER, whose everlasting Love *- Thy only Son for sinners gave ; Whose grace to all did freely move, And sent him down the world to save : 2 Help us thy mercy to extol, Immense, unfathom'd, unconfined ; To praise the Lamb who died for all, • The general Saviour of mankind. 3 Thy un distinguishing regard Was cast on Adam's fallen race : For all thou hast in Christ prepared Sufficient, sovereign, saving grace. 4 The world he suffer'd to redeem : For all he hath the' atonement made • For those that will not come to him, The ransom of his life was paid. o Why then, thou universal Love, Should any of thy grace despair ? To all, to all, thy bowels move, But straiten' d in our own we are. 6 Arise, O God, maintain thy cause ] The fulness of the Gentiles call : Lift up the standard of thy cross, And all shall own thou diedst for all The Goodness of God, 4o HYMN 40. WsfylVs. 1 A/'E neighbours and friends, To Jesus draw J- near ; His love condescends, By titles so dear, To call and invite you His triumph to prove, And freely delight you In Jesus's love. "2 The Shepherd who died His sheep to redeem, On every side Are gather'd to him The weary and burden'd, The reprobate race ; And wait to be pardon'd Through Jesus's grace. 3 The blind are restored Through Jesus's Name ; They see their dear Lord, And follow the Lamb ; The halt they are walking, And running their

The breath that first it gave ; Whate'er we do, where'er we be, We're travelling to the grave. 4 Dangers stand thick through all the ground To push us to the tomb ; And fierce diseases wait around, To hurry mortals home. 5 Great God ! on what a slender thread Hang everlasting things ! The' eternal states of all the dead Upon life's feeble strings ! 6 Infinite joy, or endless woe, Attends on every breath ; And yet how unconcern'd we go Upon the brink of death ! 7 Waken, O Lord, our drowsy sense, To walk this dangerous road ! And if our souls be hurried hence, May they be found with God. HYMN 43. s. m. 1 A ND am I born to die ? ■^*- To lay this body down ? And must my trembling spirit fly Into a world unknown ? -- A land of deepest shade, Unpierced by human thought ; The dreary regions of the dead, Where all things are forgot. 4b Describing Deutli. 2 Soon as from earth I go, What will become of me ? Eternal happiness or woe Must then my portion be : Waked by the trumpet's sound, I from my grave shall rise, And see the Judge with glory crown'd, And see the flaming skies. 3 How shall I leave my tomb ? With triumph or regret ? A fearful, or a joyful doom, A curse or blessing meet ? Will angel- bands convey Their brother to the bar ? Or devils drag my soul away, To meet its sentence there ? 4 Who can resolve the doubt, That tears my anxious breast ? Shall I be with the damn'd cast out, Or number'd with the blest ? I must from God be driven, Or with my Saviour dwell ; Must come at his command to heaven, Or else -- depart to hell. 5 O thou that would' st not have One wretched sinner die ; Who diedst thyself, my soul to save From endless misery ! Show me the way to shun Thy dreadful wrath severe ; That when thou comest on thy throne I may with joy appear ! 6 Thou art thyself the Way ; Thyself in me reveal : So shall I spend my life's short day Obedient to thy will : Describing Death. 47 So shall I love my God,

Givest us the victory; True and faithful to thy word, Thou hast glorified thy Son, Jesus Christ, our dying Lord, He for us the fight hath won. 2 Lo ! the prisoner is released, Lighten'd of his fleshly load ; Where the wearv are at rest, He is gather' d into God ! Lo ! the pain of life is past, All his warfare now is o'er ; Death and hell behind are cast, Grief and suffering are no more. Describing Death. &0 vs Yes, the Christian's course is run, Ended is the glorious strife ; Fought the light, the work is done Death is swallovv'd up of life ! Borne by angels on their wings, Far from earth the spirit flies, Finds his God, and sits, and sings, Triumphing in Paradise. Join we then, with one accord, In the new, the joyful song : Absent from our loving Lord We shall not continue long : We shall quit the house of clay, We a better lot shall share ; We shall see the realms of day, Meet our happy brother there. Let the world bewail their dead, Fondly of their loss complain ; Brother, friend, by Jesus freed, Death to thee, to us, is gain ; Thou art enter' d into joy : Let the unbelievers mourn ; We in songs our lives employ, Till we all to God return. HYMN 51. 7's. 1 TTARK ! a voice divides the sky, -*- -*- Happy are the faithful dead ! In the Lord who sweetly die, They from all their toils are freed Them the Spirit hath declared Blest, unutterably blest : Jesus is their great Reward, Jesus is their endless Rest £>4 Describing Death. 2 Follow'd by their works, they go Where their Head hath gone before ; Reconciled by grace below, Grace had open'd Mercy's door ; Justified through faith alone, Here they knew their sins forgiven ; Here they laid their burden down, Hallovv'd, and made meet for heaven. 3 Who can now lament the lot Of a saint in Christ deceased : Let the world, who know us not, Call us hopeless and unbless'd • When from flesh the spirit freed, Hastens homeward to return, Mortals cry, " A man is dead ! " Angels sing, " A child is born ! " 4 Born into the world above,

They our happy brother greet ; Bear him to the throne of Love, Place him at the Saviour's feet : Jesus smiles, and says, " Well done, Good and faithful servant thou ; Enter, and receive thy crown ; Reign with me triumphant now." 5 Angels catch the' approving sound, Bow, and bless the just award ; Hail the heir with glory crown'd, Now rejoicing with his Lord : Fuller joys ordain'd to know, Waiting for the general doom, When the' Archangel's trump shall blow, " Rise, ye dead, to judgment come! " Describing Death. OO HYMN. 52. 2-6's, g- 4-7's. 1 A GAIN we lift our voice, ■^-*- And shout our solemn joys ; Cause of highest raptures this, Raptures that shall never fail ; See a soul escaped to bliss, Keep the Christian Festival. 2 Our friend is gone before To that celestial shore ; He hath left his mates behind, He hath all the storms outrode ! Found the rest we toil to find, Landed in the arms of God 3 And shall we mourn to see Our fellow -prisoner free ? -- Free from doubts, and griefs, and fears, In the haven of the skies ? Can we weep to see the tears Wiped for ever from his eyes ? 4 No, dear companion, no; We gladly let thee go, From a suffering church beneath, To a reigning church above : Thou hast more than conquer'd death ; Thou art crown'd with life and love. Thou, in thy youthful prime, Hast leap'd the bounds of time : Suddenly from earth released, Lo ! we now rejoice for thee ; Taken to an early rest, Caught into eternity. &v Describing Death. (> Thither may we repair, That glorious bliss to share ; We shall see the welcome clay, We shall to the summons bow : Come, Redeemer, come away : Now prepare, and take us now ! On the Death of a Widow. 1 f^ 1VE glory to Jesus our Head, ^Jr With all that encompass his throne ; A widow, a widow indeed, A mother in Israel is gone ! The winter of trouble is past ; The storms of affliction are o'er ; Her struggle is ended at last, And sorrow and death are no more. 2 The soul hath o'ertaken her mate,

And, restless to behold thy face, Swift to our heavenly country move, Our everlasting home above. 3 We have no 'biding city here, But seek a city out of sight ; Thither our steady course we steer. Aspiring to the plains of light, 74 Describing Heaven. Jerusalem, the saints' abode, Whose founder is the living God. 4 Patient the' appointed race to run, This weary world we cast behind ; From strength to strength we travel on. The New Jerusalem to find : Our labour this, our only aim, To find the New Jerusalem. 5 Through thee, who all our sins hast borne, Freely and graciously forgiven, With songs to Sion we return, Contending for our native heaven ; That palace of our glorious King, We find it nearer while we sing. 6 Raised by the breath of Love Divine, We urge our way with strength renew' d ; The church of the first-born to join, We travel to the mount of God ; With joy upon our heads arise, And meet our Captain in the skies. HYMN 72. 6-8\j. 1 O AVIOUR, on me the grace bestow, ^ To trample on my mortal foe ; Conqueror of death with thee to rise, And claim my station in the skies, Fix'd as the throne which ne'er can move. A pillar in thy church above. 2 As beautiful as useful there, May I that weight of glory bear, With all who finally o'ercome, Supporters of the heavenly dome ; Of perfect holiness possess'd, For ever in thy presence bless'd. Describing Heaven. iO 3 Write upon me the Name divine, And let thy Father's nature shine, His image visibly exprest, His glory pouring from my breast, O'er all my bright humanity, Transform'd into the God I see ! 4 Inscribing with the city's name, The heavenly New Jerusalem, To me the victor's title give, Among thy glorious saints to live, And all their happiness to know, A citizen of heaven below. 5 When thou hadst all thy foes o'ercome, Returning to thy glorious home, Thou didst receive the full reward, That I might share it with my Lord ; And thus thy own new name obtain, And one with thee for ever reign. HYMN 73. 8's. 1 \ WAY with our sorrow and fear, -£"*- We soon shall recover our home, The city of saints shall appear ;

The day of eternity come : From earth we shall quickly remove, And mount to our native abode ; The house of our Father above, The palace of angels and God. 2 Our mourning is all at an end, When, raised by the life-giving word, We see the new city descend, Adorn'd as a bride for her Lord : The city so holy and clean, No sorrow can breathe in the air : No gloom of affliction or sin, No shadow of evil is there ! /u Describing Heaven. 3 By faith we already behold That lovely Jerusalem here ; Her walls are of jasper and gold, As crystal her buildings are clear : Immovably founded in grace, She stands, as she ever hath stood, And brightly her Builder displays, And flames with the glory of God. 4 No need of the sun in that day, Which never is followed by night, Where Jesus's beauties display A pure and a permanent light : The Lamb is their Light and their Sun, And, lo ! by reflection they shine, With Jesus ineffably one, And bright in effulgence divine ! 5 The saints in his presence receive Their great and eternal reward ; In Jesus, in heaven they live ; They reign in the smile of their Lord : The flame of angelical love Is kindled at Jesus's face ; And all the enjoyment above Consists in the rapturous gaze. HYMN 74. s. m. A^7E know, by faith we know, ** If this vile house of clay, This tabernacle, sink below In ruinous decay, We have a house above, Not made with mortal hands ; And firm, as our Redeemer's love, That heavenly fabric stands. Describing Heaven. • * 2 It stands securely high, Indissolubly sure ; Our glorious mansion in the sky Shall evermore endure : O were we enter'd there, To perfect heaven restored ! O were we all caught up to share The triumph of our Lord ! 3 For this in faith we call, For this we weep and pray : O might the tabernacle fall ; O might we 'scape away ! Full of immortal hope, We urge the restless strife, And hasten to be swallow' d up Of everlasting life. 4 Absent, alas ! from God, We in the body mourn, And pine to quit this mean abode, And languish to return. Jesus, regard our vows,

And change our faith to sight ; And clothe us with our nobler house Of empyrean light ! 5 O let us put on thee In perfect holiness, And rise prepared thy face to see, Thy bright, unclouded face ! Thy grace with glory crown, Who hast the earnest given ; And now triumphantly come down, And take oui souls to heaven ! S® Describing Heaven. HYMN 75. 7fs. \ IFT your eyes of faith, and see J-^ Saints and angels join'd in one What a countless company Stand before yon dazzling throne ! Each before his Saviour stands ; All in milk-white robes array'd, Palms they carry in their hands, Crowns of glory on their head. 2 Saints begin the endless song, Cry aloud in heavenly lays, Glory doth to God belong ; God, the glorious Saviour, praise : All salvation from him came ; Him, who reigns enthroned on high : Glory to the bleeding Lamb, Let the morning stars reply. 3 Angel-powers the throne surround, Next the saints in glory they ; Lull'd with the transporting sound, They their silent homage pay ; Prostrate on their face before God and his Messiah fall ; Then in hymns of praise adore, Shout the Lamb that died for all ! 4 Be it so, they all reply, Him let all our orders praise ; Him that did for sinners die, Saviour of the favour' d race ! Render we our God his right, Glory, wisdom, thanks, and power, Honour, majesty, and might ; Praise him, praise him evermore ! HYMN 76. 7's. 1 ^ITITHAT are these array'd in white, * * Brighter than the noon -day sun ? Describing Heaven. 7*j Foremost of the sons of light, Nearest the eternal throne ? These are they that bore the cross, Nobly for their Master stood ; Sufferers in his righteous cause, Followers of the dying God Out of great distress they came, Wash'd their robes by faith below In the blood of yonder Lamb, Blood that washes white as snow : Therefore are they next the throne, Serve their Maker day and night : God resides among his own, God doth in his saints delight. More than conquerors at last, Here they find their trials o'er ; They have all their sufferings past, Hunger now and thirst no more : No excessive heat they feel

1 HPERRIBLE thought ! shall I alone, J- Who may be saved -- shall I -- Of all, alas ! whom I have known, Through sin, for ever die ? 2 While all my old companions dear, With whom I once did live, Joyful at God's right hand appear, A blessing to receive : 3 Shall I, -- amidst a ghastly band, -- Dragg'd to the judgment-seat, Far on the left with horror stand, My fearful doom to meet ? 4 Ah, no : -- I still may turn and live, For still his wrath delays ; He now vouchsafes a kind reprieve, And offers me his grace. 5 I will accept his offers now, From every sin depart, o2 Praying for a Blessing. Perform my oft-repeated vow, And render him my heart. 6 I will improve what I receive, The grace through Jesus given ; Sure, if with God on earth 1 live, To live with him in heaven. Praying for a Blessing. 1 T7ATHER of omnipresent grace ! *- We seem agreed to seek thy face ; But every soul assembled here Doth naked in thy sight appear : Thou know'st who only bows the knee ; And who in heart approaches thee. 2 Thy Spirit hath the difference made Betwixt the living and the dead ; Thou now dost into some inspire , The pure, benevolent desire : O that even now thy powerful call May quicken and convert us all ! 3 The sinners suddenly convince, O'erwhelm'd beneath their load of sins : To-day, while it is cali'd to-day, Awake, and stir them up to pray, Their dire captivity to own, And from the iron furnace groan. 4 Then, then acknowledge, and set free The people bought, O Lord, by thee, The sheep for whom their Shepherd bled, For whom we in thy Spirit plead : Let all in thee redemption find, And not a soul be left behind. Praying for a Blessing. oo HYMN 82. l. m. 1 O HEPHERD of souls, with pitying eye ^ The thousands of our Israel see : To thee in their behalf we cry, Ourselves but newly found in thee. 2 See where o'er desert wastes they err, And neither food nor feeder have, Nor fold, nor place of refuge near ; For no man cares their souls to save. 3 Wild as the untaught Indian's brood,

1 r^OME, O thou all-victorious Lord, ^--/ Thy power to us make known ; Strike with the hammer of thy word, And break these hearts of stone ! 2 O that we all might now begin Our foolishness to mourn ; And turn at once from every sin, And to our Saviour turn ! 3 Give us ourselves and thee to know, In this our gracious day ; Repentance unto life bestow, And take our sins away. 4 Conclude us first in unbelief, And freely then release ; Fill every soul with sacred grief, And then with sacred peace. 5 Impoverish, Lord, and then relieve, And then enrich the poor ; The knowledge of our sickness give ; The knowledge of our cure. 6 That blessed sense of guilt impart, And then remove the load ; Trouble, and wash the troubled heart In the atoning blood. 7 Our desperate state through sin declare, And speak our sins forgiven ; By perfect holiness prepare, And take us up to heaven. Hb Praying for a Blessing. HYMN 85. s. m. 1 OPIR1T of Faith, come down, ^ Reveal the things of God ; And make to us the Godhead known, And witness with the blood : 'Tis thine the blood to' apply, And give us eyes to see, Who did for every sinner die, Hath surely died for me. 2 No man can truly say That Jesus is the Lord, Unless thou take the veil away, And breathe the living word : Then, only then, we feel Our interest in his blood, And cry, with joy unspeakable, " Thou art my Lord, my God ! ' 3 O that the world might know The all-atoning Lamb ! Spirit of faith ! descend, and show The virtue of his name : The grace which all may find, The saving power, impart ; And testify to all mankind, And speak in every heart. 4 Inspire the living faith, Which whosoe'er receives, The witness in himself he hath, And consciously believes ; The faith that conquers all, And doth the mountain move, And saves whoe'er on Jesus call, And perfects them in love. Praying for a Blessing. 87 HYMN 86. 2-6** §■ 4-7's. 1 DINNERS, your hearts lift up, ^ Partakers of your hope ! This, the day of Pentecost ; Ask, and ye shall all receive ; Surely now the Holy Ghost

My form without the power; The sin-convincing Spirit blew, And blasted every flower : My mouth was stopp'd, and shame Cover' d my guilty face : I fell on the atoning Lamb, And I was saved by grace. HYMN 94. ' c. m. 1 HPHE men who slight thy faithful word, *■ In their own lies confide, These are the temple of the Lord, , And Heathens all beside ! 2 The temple of the Lord are these, The only church and true, Who live in pomp, and wealth, and ease, And Jesus never knew. 3 O would'st thou, Lord, reveal their sins, And turn their joy to grief; The world, the Christian world, convince Of damning unbelief! 4 The formalists confound, convert, And to thy people join ; And break, and fill the broken heart With confidence divine ! Describing Inward Religion. HYMN 95. l. m. 1 A UTHOR of faith, eternal Word, -^ Whose Spirit breathes the active flame ; Faith, like its Finisher and Lord, To-day, as yesterday the same : 2 To thee our humble hearts aspire, And ask the gift unspeakable : Increase in us the kindled fire, In us the work of faith fulfil. 3 By faith we know thee strong to save : (Save us, a present Saviour thou !) Whate'er we hope, by faith we have, Future and past subsisting now. 4 To him that in thy name believes, Eternal life with thee is given ; Into himself he all receives, Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. 5 The things unknown to feeble sense, Unseen by reason's glimmering ray, With strong, commanding evidence, Their heavenly origin display. 6 Faith lends its realizing light, The clouds disperse, the shadows flv ; The' Invisible appears in sight, And God is seen by mortal eye. HYMN 96. s. m. OW can a sinner know His sins on earth forgiven ? How can my gracious Saviour show My name inscribed in heaven ? What we have felt and seen, With confidence we tell ; And publish to the sons of men The signs infallible. •vO Describing Inward Religion. 2 We who in Christ believe That he for us hath died, We all his unknown peace receive, And feel his blood applied ; Exults our rising soul, Disburden'd of her load, And swells unutterably full Of glory and of God. 3 His love, surpassing far

The love of all beneath, We find within our hearts, and dare The pointless darts of death. Stronger than death and hell, The mystic power we prove ; And, conquerors of the world, we dwell In heaven, who dwell in Love. 4 Wre by his Spirit prove And know the things of God, The things which freely of his love He hath on us bestow'd : His Spirit to us he gave, And dwells in us, we know : The witness in ourselves we have, And all its fruits we show. 5 The meek and lowly heart That in our Saviour was, To us his Spirit doth impart, And signs us with his cross : Our nature 's turn'd, our mind Transform'd in all its powers ; And both the Witnesses are join'd, The Spirit of God with ours. 6 Wrhate'er our pardoning Lord Commands, we gladly do ; And, guided by his sacred Word, We all his steps pursue : Describing Inward Religion. «^7 His glory our design, We live our God to please ; And rise, with filial fear divine, To perfect holiness. * HYMN 97. 8'* §• &s. 1 r I ^HOU great mysterious God unknown, -*- Whose love hath gently led me on, Even from my infant days ; Mine inmost soul expose to view, And tell me, if I ever knew Thy justifying grace. 2 If I have only known thy fear, And follow'd, with a heart sincere, Thy drawings from above ; Now, now the further grace bestow, And let my sprinkled conscience know Thy sweet forgiving love. 3 Short of thy love I would not stop, A stranger to the gospel hope, The sense of sin forgiven ; I would not, Lord, my soul deceive, Without the inward witness live, That antepast of heaven. 4 If now the witness were in me, Would he not testify of thee In Jesus reconciled ? And should I not with faith draw nigh, And boldly, Abba, Father, cry, And know myself thy child ? 5 Whate'er obstructs thy pardoning love, -- Or sin, or righteousness,-- remove, Thy glory to display ; Mine heart of unbelief convince, And now absolve me from my sins, And take them all away. <JO Praying for Repentance. 6 Father, in me reveal thy Son, And to my inmost soul make known

How merciful thou art : The secret of thy love reveal, And by thine hallowing Spirit dwell For ever in my heart ! HYMN 98. 7's & 6V 1 T TPRIGHT, both in heart and will, ^ We by our God were made ; But we turn'd from good to ill, And o'er the creature stray'd ; Multiplied our wandering thought, Which first was fix'd on God alone ; In ten thousand objects sought The bliss we lost in one. 2 From our own inventions vain Of fancied happiness, Draw us to thyself again, And bid our wanderings cease ; Jesus, speak our souls restored, By Love's divine simplicity ; Re-united to our Lord, And wholly lost in thee ! Praying for Repentance. 1 LEATHER of lights, from whom proceeds *■ Whate'er thy every creature needs ; Whose goodness, providently nigh, Feeds the young ravens when they cry ; To thee I look : my heart prepare ; Suggest, and hearken to my prayer. Praying for Repentance. && Since by thy light myself I see Naked, and poor, and void of thee, Thy eyes must all my thoughts survey, Preventing what my lips would say ; Thou see' st my wants, for help they call, And, ere I speak, thou know'st them all. Thou know'st the baseness of my mind, Wayward, and impotent, and blind ; Thou know'st how unsubdued my will, Averse from good, and prone to ill ; Thou know'st how wide my passions rove, Nor check 'd by fear, nor charm'd by love ! Fain would I know, as known by thee, And feel the indigence I see ; Fain would I all my vileness own, And deep beneath the burden groan ; Abhor the pride that lurks within, Detest and loathe myself and sin. Ah ! give me, Lord, myself to feel ; My total misery reveal : Ah ! give me, Lord, (I still would say,) A heart to mourn, a heart to pray : My business this, my only care, My life, my every breath, be prayer ! HYMN 100. d. l. m.

JESUS, my Advocate above, My Friend before the Throne of Love ; If now for me prevails thy prayer, If now I find thee pleading there ; If thou the secret wish convey, And sweetly prompt my heart to pray ; Hear, and my weak petitions join, Almighty Advocate, to thine ! Fain would I know my utmost ill, And groan my nature's weight to feel : I 00 Praying for Repentance. To feel the elouds that round me roll, The night that hangs upon my soul, The darkness of my carnal mind, My will perverse, my passions Mind, Scatter'd o'er all the earth abroad, Immeasurably far from God ! 3 Jesu, my heart's desire obtain ; My earnest suit present, and gain ; My fulness of corruption show, The knowledge of myself bestow ; A deeper displacence at sin, A sharper sense of hell within, A stronger struggling to get free, A keener appetite for thee ! 4 O sovereign Love, to thee I cry ; Give me thyself, or else I die ; Save me from death ; from hell set free ! Death, hell, are but the want of thee. Quicken'd by thy imparted flame, Saved, when possess'd of thee, I am ; My life, my only heaven thou art ; O might I feel thee in my heart ! HYMN 101. 6-7' s. 1 O AVIOUR, Prince of Israel's race, ^ See me from thy lofty throne ; Give the sweet relenting grace, Soften this obdurate stone ! Stone to flesh, O God, convert; Cast a look, and break my heart ! 2 By thy Spirit, Lord, reprove, All my inmost sins reveal ; Sins against thy light and love Let me see, and let me feel ; Sins that crucified my God, Spilt again thy precious blood. Praying for Repentance. 101 3 Jesu, seek thy wandering sheep, Make me restless to return ; Bid me look on thee, and weep, Bitterly as Peter mourn, Till I say, by grace restored, " Now, thou know'st I love thee, Lord ! " 4 Might I in thy sight appear, As the Publican distrest ; Stand, not daring to draw near ; Smite on my unworthy breast ; Groan the sinner's only plea, " God, be merciful to me ! " 5 O remember me for good, Passing through the mortal vale ; Show me the atoning blood,

When my strength and spirit fail ; Give my gasping soul to see Jesus crucified for me ! HYMN 102. s. m. 1 f~\ THAT I could repent, ^~J With all my idols part, And to thy gracious eyes present A humble, contrite heart : A heart with grief opprest, For having grieved my God, A troubled heart that cannot rest, Till sprinkled with thy blood. 2 Jesus, on me bestow The penitent desire ; With true sincerity of woe My aching breast inspire : With softening pity look, And melt my hardness down ; Strike with thy love's resistless stroke, And break this heart of stone ! 1\)*Z Praying for Repentance. HYMN 103. s.m. 1 /^V THAT I could revere " My much-offended God ! O that I could but stand in fear Of thy afflicting rod ! If mercy cannot draw, Thou by thy threatenings move ; And keep an abject soul in awe, That will not yield to love. 2 Show me the naked sword, Impending o'er my head : O let me tremble at thy word, And to my ways take heed ; With sacred horror fly From every sinful snare ; Nor ever, in my Judge's eye, My Judge's anger dare. 3 Thou great tremendous God, The conscious awe impart ; The grace be now on me bestow'd, The tender fleshly heart : For Jesu's sake alone, The stony heart remove ; And melt, at last, O melt me down, Into the mould of Love ! HYMN 104. c. m. 1 f\ FOR that tenderness of heart, ^^ Which bows before the Lord, Acknowledging how just thou art, And trembles at thy word ! O for those humble, contrite tears, Which from repentance flow ; That consciousness of guilt, which fears The long-suspended blow ! 2 Saviour, to me in pity give The sensible distress ; Praying for Repentance. ±03 The pledge thou wilt, at last, receive, And bid me die in peace : Wilt from the dreadful day remove, Before the evil come ; My spirit hide with saints above, My body in the tomb. HYMN 105. s. m. 1 r\ THAT I could repent; ^^ O that I could believe ! Thou by thy voice the marble rent, The rock in sunder cleave ! Thou, by thy two-edged sword, My soul and spirit part ; Strike with the hammer of thy word,

And break my stubborn heart ! K2 Saviour, and Prince of Peace, The double grace bestow : Unloose the bands of wickedness, And let the captive go : Grant me my sins to feel, And then the load remove ; Wound, and pour in, my wounds to heal, The balm of pardoning love. 3 For thy own mercy's sake, The cursed thing remove ; And into thy protection take The prisoner of thy love : In every trying hour, Stand by my feeble soul ; And screen me from my nature's power, Till thou hast made me whole. 4 This is thy will, I know, That I should holy be, Should let my sin this moment go, This moment turn to thee : 104 Praying for Repentance. O might I now embrace Thy all-sufficient power ; And never more to sin give place, And never grieve thee more. HYMN 106. 7's8f6's. 1 TESU, let thy pitying eye J Call back a wandering sheep ! False to thee, like Peter, I Would fain, like Peter, weep : Let me be by grace restored, On me be all long-suffering shown ; Turn, and look upon me, Lord, And break my heart of stone. 2 Saviour, Prince, enthroned above, Repentance to impart, Give me, through thy dying love, The humble, contrite heart : Give what I have long implored, A portion of thy grief unknown ; Turn, &c. 3 For thine own compassion's sake, The gracious wonder show ; Cast my sins behind thy back, And wash me white as snow : If thy bowels now are stirr'd, If now I would myself bemoan, Turn, &c. 4 See me, Saviour, from above, Nor suffer me to die : Life, and happiness, and love, Drop from thy gracious eye : Speak the reconciling word, And let thy mercy melt me down ; Turn, &c 5 Look, as when thine eye pursued The first apostate man, Saw him weltering in his blood, And bade him rise again : Praying for Repentance. ■» UO Speak my paradise restored, Redeem me by thy grace alone ; Turn, &c. 6 Look, as when thy pity saw Thine own, in a strange land, Forced to* obey the tyrant's law, And feel his heavy hand : Speak the soul-redeeming word, And out of Egypt call thy son ; Turn, &c. 7 Look, as when thy grace beheld

The harlot in distress, Dried her tears, her pardon seal'd, And bade her go in peace : Vile, like her, and self-abhorr'd, I at thy feet for mercy groan : Turn, &c. 8 Look, as when thy languid eye Was closed, that we might live ! " Father," (at the point to die, My Saviour gasp'd,) " forgive ! " Surely, with that dying word, He turns, and looks, and cries, " 'Tis done ! " O my bleeding, loving Lord, Thou break'st my heart of stone ! * HYMN 107. l. m. 1 HPHE Spirit of the Lord our God, -*■ (Spirit of Power, and Health, and Love, ) The Father hath on Christ bestow'd, And sent him from his throne above : 2 Prophet, and Priest, and King of Peace, Anointed to declare his will, To minister his pardoning grace, And every sin-sick soul to heal. l"t) For Mourners 3 Sinners, obey the heavenly call ; Your prison -doors stand open wide ; Go forth, for he hath ransom'd all, For every soul of man hath died. 4 'Tis his the drooping soul to raise, To rescue all by sin opprest, To clothe them with the robes of praise, And give their weary spirits rest : 5 To help their groveling unbelief, Beauty for ashes to confer, The oil of joy for abject grief, Triumphant joy for sad despair. 6 To make them trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord below, To spread the honour of his grace, And on to full perfection grow. For Mourners convinced of Sin. HYMN 108. cm. 1 T^NSLAVED to sense, to pleasure prone, -1-- ' Fond of created good ; Father, our helplessness we own, And trembling taste our food. 2 Trembling, we taste ; for, ah ! no more To thee the creatures lead : Changed, they exert a baneful power, And poison while they feed. 3 Cursed for the sake of wretched man, They now engross him whole ; With pleasing force on earth detain, And sensualize his soul. Convinced of Sin . 1 ( ' / 4 Grov'ling on earth we still must lie, Till Christ the curse repeal ; Till Christ, descending from on high, Infected nature heal. 5 Come, then, our heavenly Adam, come, Thy healing influence give : Hallow our food, reverse our doom, And bid us eat, and live !

6 The bondage of corruption break ; For this our spirits groan ; Thy only will we fain would seek, O save us from our own ! 7 Turn the full stream of nature's tide ; Let all our actions tend To thee their Source : thy love the guide, Thy glory be the end. 8 Earth then a scale to heaven shall be ; Sense shall point out the road ; The creatures all shall lead to thee, And all we taste be God. HYMN 109. 7's Sf 6's. 1 \1TRETCHED, helpless, and distrest, ▼ ▼ Ah ! whither shall I fly ? Ever gasping after rest, I cannot find it nigh : Naked, sick, and poor, and blind, Fast bound in sin and misery, Friend of sinners, let me find My help, my all, in thee ! 2 I am all unclean, unclean, Thy purity I want ; My whole heart is sick of sin, And my whole head is faint : ■IaJo For Mourners Full of putrefying- sores, Of bruises, and of wounds, my soul Looks to Jesus, help implores, And gasps to be made whole. 3 In the wilderness I stray, My foolish heart is blind ; Nothing do I know ; the way Of peace I cannot find : Jesu, Lord, restore my sight, And take, O take the veil away ; Turn my darkness into light, My midnight into day. 4 Naked of thine image, Lord, Forsaken, and alone, Unrenew'd, and unrestored, I have not thee put on : Over me thy mantle spread, Send down thy likeness from above ; Let thy goodness be display 'd, And wrap me in thy love. 5 Poor, alas ! thou know'st I am, And would be poorer still ; See my nakedness and shame, And all my vileness feel : No good thing in me resides, My soul is all an aching void, Till thy Spirit here abides, And I am fill'd with God. 6 Jesus, full of truth and grace, In thee is all I want ; Be the wanderer's resting-place, A cordial to the faint ; Make me rich, for I am poor ; In thee may I my Eden find ; To the dying health restore, And eye-sight to the blind ! Convinced of Sin. 109 7 Clothe me with thy holiness, Thy meek humility ; Put on me my glorious dress,

Convinced of Sin. Ill 5 Gladness and joy shall there be found, Thanksgiving, and the voice of praise ; The voice of melody shall sound, And every heart be fhTd with grace. 6 A law shall soon from him proceed, A living, life-infusing Word ; The truth that makes you free indeed, The' eternal Spirit of your Lord. 7 His mercy he will cause to rest, Where all may see their sins forgiven ; May rise, no more by guilt opprest, And bless the light that leads to heaven. HYMN 112. Ts Sf 6's. The Good Samaritan. Luke x. 30. 1 AylTOE is me ! what tongue can tell * * My sad afflicted state ! Who my anguish can reveal, Or all my woes relate ! Fallen among thieves I am, And they have robb'd me of my God ; Turn'd my glory into shame, And left me in my blood. 2 O thou good Samaritan ! In thee is all my hope ; Only thou canst succour man, And raise the fallen up : Hearken to my dying cry ; My wounds compassionately see ; Me, a sinner, pass not by, Who gasp for help to thee. 3 Still thou journey'st where I am, And still thy bowels move : 11^ For Mourners Pity is with thee the same, And all thy heart is love : Stoop to a poor sinner, stoop, And let thy healing grace abound ; Heal my bruises, and bind up My spirit's every wound. 4 Saviour of my soul, draw nigh, In mercy haste to me ; At the point of death I lie, And cannot come to thee ; Now thy kind relief afford, The wine and oil of grace pour in ; Good Physician, speak the word, And heal my soul of sin. 5 Pity to my dying cries Hath drawn thee from above ; Hovering over me, with eyes Of tenderness and love, Now, ev'n now, I see thy face ; The balm of Gilead I receive : Thou hast saved me by thy grace, And bade the sinner live. 6 Surely now the bitterness Of second death is past ; O my life, my righteousness ! On thee my soul is cast : Thou hast brought me to thine inn, And I am of thy promise sure ; Thou shalt cleanse me from all sin,

This, only this, is all my plea : I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me. 2 Happy they whose joys abound, Like Jordan's swelling stream, Who their heaven in Christ have found, And give the praise to him : Meanest follower of the Lamb, His steps I at a distance see ; I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me. Co n v in ced of Sin. 1 1 0 3 I, like Gideon's fleece, am found Unwater'd still, and dry, While the dew on all around Falls plenteous from the sky : Yet my Lord I cannot blame, The Saviour's grace for all is free ; I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me. Surely he will lift me up, For I of him have need ; I cannot give up my hope, Though I am cold and dead : To bring fire on earth he came ; O that it now might kindled be ! I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me. Jesus, thou for me hast died, And thou in me wilt live ; I shall feel thy death applied, I shall thy life receive : Yet, when melted in the flame Of love, this shall be all my plea : I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me. HYMN 116. 6-7' s. SAVIOUR, cast a pitying eye, Bid my sins and sorrows end : Whither should a sinner fly ? Art not thou the sinner's Friend ? Rest in thee I gasp to find, Wretched I, and poor, and blind. 116 For Mourners 2 Didst thou ever see a soul More in need of help than mine ? Then refuse to make me whole ; Then withhold the halm divine : But if I do want thee most, Come, and seek, and save the lost. 3 Haste, O haste, to my relief; From the iron furnace take ; Rid me of my sin and grief, For thy love and mercy's sake ; Set my heart at liherty, Show forth all thy power in me. 4 Me, the vilest of the race, Most unholy, most unclean ; Me, -- the farthest from thy face, Full of misery and sin ; Me with arms of love receive, Me, of sinners chief, forgive. 5 Jesus, on thine only name

For salvation I depend ! In thy gracious hands I am, Save me, save me to the end ; Let the utmost grace be given, Save me cpiite from hell to heaven. HYMN 117. cm. 1 /~^ OD is in this and every place ; ^J But, O, how dark and void To me ! -- 'Tis one great wilderness, This earth without my God. 2 Empty of Him who all things fills, Till he his light impart, Till he his glorious self reveals, The veil is on mv heart. Convinced of Sin. 117 3 O thou, who seest and knovv'st my grief, Thyself unseen, unknown, Pity my helpless unbelief, And take away the stone. 4 Regard me with a gracious eye, The long-sought blessing give ; And bid me, at the point to die, Behold thy face and live. 5 Now, Jesus, now, the Father's love Shed in my heart abroad ; The middle wall of sin remove, And let me into God. HYMN 118. 8'* Sf 6's. 1 A UTHOR of faith, to thee I cry, -**■ To thee, who would'st not have me die, But know the truth and live : Open mine eyes to see thy face, Work in my heart the saving grace, The life eternal give. 2 Shut up in unbelief I groan, And blindly serve a God unknown, Till thou the veil remove : The gift unspeakable impart, And write thy name upon my heart, And manifest thy Love. 3 I know the work is only thine, The gift of faith is all divine ; But, if on thee we call, Thou wilt the benefit bestow, And give us hearts to feel and know That thou hast died for all. Ho For Mourners 4 Thou bidd'st us knock and enter in, Come unto thee, and rest from sin, The blessing seek and find : Thou bidd'st us ask thy grace, and have : Thou canst, thou would'st, this moment save Both me and all mankind. 5 Be it according to thy word ! Now let me find my pardoning Lord ; Let what I ask be given ; The bar of unbelief remove, Open the door of faith and love, And take me into heaven ! *HYMN 119. c. m. Before Private Prayer. 1 RATHER of Jesus Christ, my Lord, -*- I humbly seek thy face ; Encouraged by the Saviour's word

Who, turning to that heavenly shrine, Through Jesus to thy throne apply, Through Jesus for acceptance cry ? 5 With all who for redemption groan, Father, in Jesu's name I pray ! And still we cry and wrestle on Till mercy take our sins away : Hear from thy dwelling-place in heaven, And now pronounce our sins forgiven. HYMN 122. 8's §■ 6V. 1 f\ THOU who hast our sorrows borne, ^S Help us to look on thee and mourn, On thee whom we have slain ; Have pierced a thousand, thousand times, And by reiterated crimes Renew'd thy mortal pain. 2 Vouchsafe us eyes of faith to see The man transiix'd on Calvary, To know thee, who thou art, The One Eternal God and True ! And let the sight affect, subdue, And break my stubborn heart. 3 Lover of souls, to rescue mine, lleveal the charity divine, That suffer' d in my stead ; Convinced of Sin. 1^1 That made thy soul a sacrifice, And quench' d in death those flaming eyes, And how'd that sacred head. The veil of unbelief remove, And by thy manifested love, And by thy sprinkled blood, Destroy the love of sin in me, And get thyself the victory, And bring me back to God. Now let thy dying love constrain My soul to love its God again, Its God to glorify : And, lo ! I come thy cross to share, Echo thy sacrificial prayer, And with my Saviour die ! HYMN 123. c. m. 1 ET the redeem' d give thanks and praise JL^ To a forgiving God ! My feeble voice I cannot raise, Till wash'd in Jesu's blood : 2 Till, at thy coming from above, My mountain-sins depart, And fear gives place to filial love, And peace o'erflows my heart. 3 Prisoner of Hope, I still attend The' appearance of my Lord, These endless doubts and fears to end, And speak my soul restored : 4 Restored by reconciling grace ; With present pardon blest ; And fitted by true holiness For my eternal rest. J ££ For Mourners 5 The peace which man can ne'er conceive, The love and joy unknown, Now, Father, to thy servant give, And claim me for thine own. 6 My God, in Jesus pacified, My God, thyself declare, And draw me to his open side, And plunge the sinner there !

Vouchsafe me now the victory : Weakness itself thou know'st I am, And cannot share the praise with thee. 4 Because I now can nothing do, Jesus, do all the work alone ; And bring my soul triumphant through, To wave its palm before thy throne. 5 Great God, unknown, invisible, Appear, my confidence to' abase ; To make me all my vileness feel, And blush at my own righteousness. 6 Thy glorious face in Christ display, That, silenced by thy mercy's power, My mouth I in the dust may lay, And never boast or murmur more. HYMN 127. l. m. 1 W HEREWITH, O God, shall I draw near, ' ^ And bow myself before thy face ? How in thy purer eyes appear ? What shall I bring to gain thy grace ? 2 Will gifts delight the Lord Most High ? Will multiplied oblations please ? Thousands of rams his favour buy, Or slaughter'd hecatombs appease ? 3 Can these avert the wrath of God ? Can these wash out my guilty stain ? Rivers of oil, and seas of blood, Alas ! they all must flow in vain. Convinced of Sin. 1.25 4 Whoe'er to thee themselves approve, Must take the path thy word hath show'd ; Justice pursue, and mercy love, And humbly walk by faith with God. 5 But though my life henceforth be thine, Present for past can ne'er atone : Though I to thee the whole resign, I only give thee back thine own. 6 What have I then wherein to trust ? I nothing have, I nothing am ; Excluded is my every boast, My glory swallow' d up in shame. 7 Guilty I stand before thy face ; On me I feel thy wrath abide ; 'Tis just the sentence should take place ; 'Tis just ; -- but, O, thy Son hath died ! 8 Jesus, the Lamb of God, hath bled ; He bore our sins upon the tree ; Beneath our curse he bow'd his head ; 'Tis finish' d ! he hath died for me ! 9 See where before the throne he stands, And pours the all -prevailing prayer ! Points to his side, and lifts his hands, And shows that I am graven there ! 10 He ever lives for me to pray ;

THOU God unsearchable, unknown, Who still conceal'st thyself from me ; Hear an apostate spirit groan, Broke off, and banish 'd far from thee ; But conscious of my fall I mourn, And fain I would to thee return. Send forth one ray of heavenly light, Of gospel hope, of humble fear, To guide me through the gulf of night, My poor desponding soul to cheer, Till thou my unbelief remove, And show me all thy glorious love. l^o For Mourners 3 A hidden God indeed thou art : Thy absence I this moment feel : Yet must I own it from my heart, Conceal'd, thou art a Saviour still ; And though thy face I cannot see, I know thine eye is fix'd on me. 4 My Saviour thou, not yet reveal'd, Yet will I thee my Saviour call ; Adore thy hand, from sin withheld ; Thy hand shall save me from my fall : Now, Lord, throughout my darkness shine, And show thyself for ever mine. HYMN 131. l. m. 1 ORD, I despair myself to heal : J-^ I see my sin, but cannot feel ; I cannot, till thy Spirit blow, And bid the' obedient waters flow. 2 'Tis thine a heart of flesh to give ; Thy gifts I only can receive ; Here, then, to thee I all resign ; To draw, redeem, and seal, -- is thine. 3 With simple faith on thee I call, My Light, my Life, my Lord, my all : I wait the moving of the pool ; I wait the word that speaks me whole. 4 Speak, gracious Lord, my sickness cure, Make my infected nature pure : Peace, righteousness, and joy impart, And pour thyself into my heart ! HYMN 132. i.. m. 1 TESUS, the Sinner's Friend, to thee, *J Lost and undone, for aid I flee, Weary of earth, myself, and sin ; Open thine arms, and take me in ! Convinced of Sin. 129 2 Pity, and heal my sin -sick soul ; 'Tis thou alone canst make me whole : Fallen, till in me thine image shine, And cursed I am, till thou art mine. 3 Awake, the Woman's conquering Seed, Awake, and bruise the serpent's head ! Tread down thy foes, with power control The beast and devil in my soul.

On all that hunger after thee ? I hunger now, I thirst for God ; See the poor fainting sinner, see, And satisfy with endless peace, And fill me with thy righteousness! Conv meed of Sin . I O J 4 Ah, Lord, if thou art in that sigh, Then hear thyself within me pray ; Hear in my heart thy Spirit's cry ; Mark what my labouring soul would say ; Answer the deep, unutter'd groan, And show that thou and I are one. 5 Shine on thy work, disperse the gloom ! Light in thy light I then shall see ; Say to my soul, " Thy light is come ; Glory divine is risen on thee : Thy warfare's past; thy mourning's o'er: Look up, for thou shalt weep no more.,, 6 Lord, I believe the promise sure, And trust thou wilt not long delay : Hungry, and sorrowful, and poor, Upon thy word myself I stay ; Into thine hands my all resign, And wait till all thou art is mine. HYMN 135. c. m. 1 T ESU, if still thou art to-day *J As yesterday the same, Present to heal, in me display The virtue of thy Name. 2 If still thou go'st about to do Thy needy creatures good, On me, that I thy praise may show, Be all thy wonders show'd. 3 Now, Lord, to whom for help I call, Thy miracles repeat ; With pitying eyes behold me fall A leper at thy feet. 4 Loathsome, and vile, and self-abhorr'd, I sink beneath my sin ; ' 2W For Mourners But, if thou wilt, a gracious word Of thine can make me clean. 5 Thou seest me deaf to thy command ; Open, O Lord, my ear : Bid me stretch out my wither'd hand, And lift it up in prayer. 6 Silent, (alas ! thou know'st how long,) My voice I cannot raise : But, O ! when thou shalt loose my tongue, The dumh shall sing thy praise. 7 Lame at the pool I still am found ; Give, and my strength employ : Light as a hart I then shall bound ; The lame shall leap for joy. 8 Blind from my birth to guilt and thee, And dark 1 am within : The love of God I cannot see, The sinfulness of sin.

9 But thou, they say, art passing by : O let me find thee near ; Jesu, in mercy hear my cry, Thou Son of David, hear ! 10 Behold me waiting in the way For thee, the heavenly Light ; Command me to be brought, and say, " Sinner, receive thy sight ! ' HYMN 136. cm. 1 A7LTHILE dead in trespasses I lie, ' * Thy quickening Spirit give : Call me, thou Son of God, that I May hear thy voice, and live. 2 While, full of anguish and disease. My weak distemper'd soul Convinced of Sin I 33 Thy love compassionately sees, 0 let it make me whole ! 3 Cast out thy foes, and let them still To Jesu's Name submit : Clothe with thy righteousness, and heal, And place me at thy feet. 4 To Jesu's Name if all things now A trembling homage pay ; O let my stubborn spirit bow, My stiff-neck'd will obey ! 5 Impotent, dumb, and deaf, and blind, And sick, and poor 1 am ; But sure a remedy to find For all in Jesu's Name. 6 I know in thee all fulness dwells, And all for wretched man : Fill every want my spirit feels, And break off every chain ! 7 If thou impart thyself to me, No other good I need : If thou, the Son, shalt make me free, 1 shall be free indeed. 8 I cannot rest, till in thy blood I full redemption have : But thou, through whom I come to God, Canst to the utmost save. 9 From sin, the guilt, the power, the pain, Thou wilt redeem my soul : Lord, I believe, and not in vain ; My faith shall make me whole. 10 I too, with thee, shall walk in white ; With all thy saints shall prove, What is the length, and breadth, and height, And depth of perfect love. it)4 For Mourners HYMN 137. s. m. J A^THEN shall thy love constrain ' * And force me to thy breast ? When shall my soul return again To her eternal rest ? 2 Ah ! what avails my strife, My wandering to and fro ? Thou hast the words of endless life Ah ! whither should I go ? 3 Thy condescending grace

To me did freely move ; It calls me still to seek thy face, And stoops to ask my love. 4 Lord, at thy feet I fall ; I groan to be set free ; I fain would now obey the call, And give up all for thee. 5 To rescue me from woe, Thou didst with all things part ; Didst lead a suffering life below, To gain my worthless heart. 6 My worthless heart to gain, The God of all that breathe Was found in fashion as a man, And died a cursed death. 7 And can I yet delay My little all to give ? To tear my soul from earth away, For Jesus to receive ? 8 Nay, but I yield, I yield ; 1 can hold out no more : 1 sink, by dying love compell'd, And own thee conqueror. Convinced of Sin. loO 9 Though late, I all forsake, My friends, my all resign ; Gracious Redeemer, take, O take, And seal me ever thine ! 10 Come, and possess me whole ; Nor hence again remove : Settle and fix my wavering soul With all thy weight of love. 11 My one desire be this, Thy only love to know ; To seek and taste no other bliss, No other good below. 12 My Life, my Portion thou, Thou all-sufficient art ; My Hope, my heavenly Treasure, now Enter, and keep my heart. HYMN 138. cm. 1 /~\ THAT thou would'st the heavens rent, ^^ In majesty come down ; Stretch out thine arm omnipotent, And seize me for thine own ! 2 Descend, and let thy lightning burn The stubble of thy foe ; My sins o'erturn, o'erturn, o'erturn, And make the mountains flow ! 3 Thou my impetuous spirit guide, And curb my headstrong will ; Thou only canst drive back the tide, And bid the sun stand still. 4 What though I cannot break mv chain, Or e'er throw oft' my load ? The things impossible to men, Are possible to God. *-o() r,,r Mourners 5 Is there a thing too hard for thee, Almighty Lord of all ; Whose threatening looks dry up the sea, And make the mountains fall ? 6 Who, who shall in thy presence stand, And match Omnipotence ? Ungrasp the hold of thy right hand, Or pluck the sinner thence ?

3 Thou, O Christ, art all I want ; More than all in thee I find : Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind : Just and holy is thy Name ; I am all unrighteousness : False and full of sin I am ; Thou art full of truth and grace. 4 Plenteous grace with thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin ; Let the healing streams abound, Make and keep me pure within : Thou of life the fountain art ; Freely let me take of thee ; Spring thou up within my heart, Rise to all eternity. HYMN 144. 8's §• Vs. 1 HHHEE, Jesu, thee, the Sinner's Friend, A I follow on to apprehend, Renew the glorious strife ; Divinely confident and bold, With faith's strong arm on thee lay hold, Thee, my eternal life. 2 Thy heart, I know, thy tender heart Doth in my sorrows feel its part, And at my tears relent ! 142 For Mourners My powerful sighs thou canst not bear Nor stand the violence of my prayer, My prayer omnipotent. 3 Give me the grace, the love I claim : Thy Spirit now demands thy Name ! Thou know'st the Spirit's will : He helps my soul's infirmity, And strongly intercedes for me With groans, unspeakable. 4 Answer, O Lord, thy Spirit's groan ! O make to me thy Nature known, Thy hidden Name impart ! (Thy Name and Nature is the same :) Tell me thy Nature, and thy Name, And write it on my heart. 5 Prisoner of hope, to thee I turn, And, calmly confident, I mourn, And pray, and weep for thee : Tell me thy love, thy secret tell ; Thy mystic name in me reveal, Reveal thyself in me. () Descend, pass by me, and proclaim, O Lord of Hosts, thy glorious Name,-- The Lord, the gracious Lord, Long-suffering, merciful, and kind, The God who always bears in mind His everlasting word. 7 Plenteous he is in truth and grace ; He wills that all the fallen race Should turn, repent, and live ; His pardoning grace for all is free ; Transgression, sin, iniquity, He freely doth forgive. Convinced of Sin. ' 4o 8 Mercy he doth for thousands keep ; He goes and seeks the one lost sheep,

1 ^VUT of the deep I cry, ^-^ Just at the point to die : Hastening to infernal pain, Jesus, Lord, I cry to thee ; Help a feeble child of man ; Show forth all thy power in me. 2 On thee I ever call, Saviour and Friend of all ; Well thou know'st my desperate case ; Thou my curse and sin remove ; Save me by thy richest grace, Save me by thy pardoning love. 3 How shall a sinner find The Saviour of mankind ? Canst thou not accept my prayer ? Not bestow the grace I claim ? Where are thy old mercies ? Where All the powers of Jesu's Name ? 4 What shall I say to move The bowels of thy love ? Are they not already stirr'd ? Have I in thy death no part ? Ask thy own compassions, Lord ! Ask the yearnings of thy heart 5 I will not let thee go, Till I thy mercy know : Conv in ced of Sin . 149 Let me hear the welcome sound ! Speak, if still thou canst forgive ; Speak, and let the lost he found ; Speak, and let the dying live. 6 Thy love is all my plea ; Thy passion speaks for me : By thy pangs and bloody sweat, By thy depth of grief unknown, Save me, gasping at thy feet ; Save, O save, thy ransom' d one ! 7 What hast thou done for me ! O, think on Calvary ! By thy mortal groans and sighs, By thy precious death, I pray, Hear my dying spirit's cries, Take, O take my sins away ! HYMN 152. s. m. 1 AH! whither should I go, -^*- Burden'd, and sick, and faint ; To whom should I my troubles show, And pour out my complaint ? My Saviour bids me come ; Ah ! why do I delay ? He calls the weary sinner home, And yet from him I stay ! 2 What is it keeps me back, From which I cannot part ? Which will not let my Saviour take Possession of my heart ? Some curbed thing unknown Must surely lurk within ; Some idol, which I will not own, Some secret bosom-sin. 3 Jesus, the hind'rance show, Which I have fear'd to see ; lOU For Mourners

Yet let me now consent to know What keeps me out of thee : Searcher of Hearts, in mine Thy trying power display ; Into its darkest corners shine, And take the veil away. 4 I now helieve, in thee Compassion reigns alone ; According to my faith, to me 0 let it, Lord, he done ! In me is all the bar, Which thou would' st fain remove ; Remove it, and I shall declare That God is only Love. HYMN 153. s.m. 1 T O ! in thy hand I lay, ■*--* And wait thy will to prove ; My Potter, stamp on me, thy clay, Thy only stamp of love ! Be this my whole desire ; 1 know that it is thine ; Then kindle in my soul a fire, Which shall for ever shine. 2 Thy gracious readiness To save mankind assert ; Thy image, love -- thy name impress, Thy nature on my heart. Bowels of mercy, hear ! Into my soul come down ! Let it throughout my life appear, That I have Christ put on. 3 O plant in me thy mind ; O fix in me thy home ; So shall I cry to all mankind, Come, to the waters come ! Convinced of Sin. lol Jesus is full of grace ; To all his bowels move ; Behold in me, ye fallen race, That God is only Love. 1 T^AIN would I leave the world below, -*- Of pain and sin the dark abode ; Where shadowy joy, or solid woe, Allures, or tears me from my God ! Doubtful and insecure of bliss, Since faith alone confirms me his. 2 Till then, to sorrow born, I sigh, And gasp, and languish after home ! Upward I send my streaming eye, Expecting, till the Bridegroom come : Come quickly, Lord ! thy own receive ; Now let me see thy face, and live. 3 Absent from thee, my exiled soul Deep in a fleshly dungeon groans : Around me clouds of darkness roll, And labouring silence speaks my moans : Come quickly, Lord ! thy face display, And look my darkness into day. 4 Sorrow, and sin, and death are o'er, If thou reverse the creature's doom ; Sad Rachel weeps her loss no more,

If thou, the God, the Saviour come ; Of thee possess'd, in thee we prove The light, the life, the heaven of love. HYMN 155. l. m. GOD of my life, what just return Can sinful dust and ashes give ! I only live my sin to mourn ; To love my God I only live. 152 For Mourners 2 To thee, benign and saving Power, I consecrate my lengthen' d clays ; While, mark'd with blessings, every hour Shall speak thy co-extended praise. 3 Be all my added life employ'd Thine image in my soul to see : Fill with thyself the mighty void : Enlarge my heart to compass thee. 4 O give me, Saviour, give me more : Thy mercies to my soul reveal : Alas ! I see their endless store ; But, O ! I cannot, cannot feel. 5 The blessing of thy love bestow : For this my cries shall never fail ; Wrestling, I will not let thee go, I will not, till my suit prevail. 6 I '11 weary thee with my complaint ; Here at thy feet for ever lie, With longing, sick ; with groaning, faint : O give me love, or else I die ! 7 Come then, my Hope, my Life, my Lord, And fix in me thy lasting home : Be mindful of thy gracious word ; Thou, with thy promised Father, come. 8 Prepare, and then possess, my heart ; O take me, seize me from above ; Thee may I love ; for God thou art ; Thee may I feel ; for God is Love. Co n v in ced of Sin . 1 OO HYMN 156. 6-J's. O DISCLOSE thy lovely face ; Quicken all my drooping; pow< Quicken all my drooping powers : Gasps my fainting soul for grace, As a thirsty land for showers : Haste, my Lord, no more delay, Come, my Saviour, come away. 2 Dark and cheerless is the morn, Unaccompanied by thee : Joyless is the day's return, Till thy mercy's beams I see ; Till thou inward light impart, Glad my eyes, and warm my heart. 3 Visit, then, this soul of mine, Pierce the gloom of sin and grief ; Fill me, Radiancy Divine ; Scatter all my unbelief: More and more thyself display, Shining to the perfect day. HYMN 157. l. m.

1 A /FY sufferings all to thee are known, iy±. Tempted in every point like me ; Regard my grief, regard thy own ; Jesus, remember Calvary ! 2 O call to mind thy earnest prayers, Thy agony, and sweat of blood, Thy strong and bitter cries and tears. Thy mortal groan, " My God ! my God ! " 3 For whom didst thou the cross endure ? Who nail'd thy body to the tree ? Did not thy death my life procure ? O let thy bowels answer me ! 1 54- For Mourners 4 Art thou not toueh'd with human woe ? Hath pity left the Son of Man ? Dost thou not all my sorrows know, And claim a share in all my pain ? 5 Have I not heard, have I not known, That thou, the everlasting Lord, Whom heaven and earth their Maker own, Art always faithful to thy word ? 6 Thou wilt not break a bruised reed, Or quench the smallest spark of grace, Till through the soul thy power is spread, Thy all-victorious righteousness. 7 The day of small and feeble things I know thou never wilt despise ; I know, with healing in his wings, The Sun of Righteousness shall rise. 8 With labour faint, thou wilt not fail, Or, wearied, give the sinner o'er, Till in this earth thy judgments dwell, And, born of God, I sin no more. 1 r\ MY God, what must I do ? ^^ Thou alone the way canst show Thou canst save me in this hour ; I have neither will nor power : God if over all thou art, Greater than my sinful heart, All thy power on me be shown, Take away the heart of stone. 2 Take away my darling sin, Make me willing to be clean : Convinced of Sin. lOO Make me willing to receive All thy goodness waits to give : Force me, Lord, with all to part ; Tear these idols from my heart ; Now thy love almighty show, Make even me a creature new. Jesus, mighty to renew, Work in me to will and do ; Turn my nature's rapid tide, Stem the torrent of my pride ; Stop the whirlwind of my will ; Speak, and bid the sun stand still ; Now thy love almighty show, Make even me a creature new.

Thy all-redeeming love. Convinced of Sin. lo9 HYMN 163. l. m. 1 A7E7HEN, gracious Lord, when shall it be, ▼ ▼ That 1 shall find my all in thee ? The fulness of thy promise prove ; The seal of thine eternal Love ? 2 A poor, blind child, I wander here, If haply I may feel thee near ! 0 dark ! dark ! dark ! I still must say, Amid the blaze of gospel day ! 3 Thee, only thee, I fain would find, And cast the world and flesh behind ; Thou, only thou, to me be given, Of all thou hast in earth or heaven. 4 Whom man forsakes, thou wilt not leave, Ready the outcasts to receive ; Though all my simpleness I own, And all my faults to thee are known. 5 Ah, wherefore did I ever doubt ! Thou wilt in no wise cast me out, A helpless soul that comes to thee, With only sin and misery. 6 Lord, I am sick, -- my sickness cure ; 1 want, -- do thou enrich the poor ; Under thy mighty hand I stoop, O lift the abject sinner up ! 7 Lord, I am blind, -- be thou my sight ; Lord, I am weak, -- -be thou my might : A helper of the helpless be, And let me find my all in thee ! lbU For Mourners HYMN 164. 7's Sf 6's. The Woman of Canaan. Matt. xv. 22--28 1 ORD, regard my earnest cry ; -L' A potsherd of the earth, A poor guilty worm, am I, A Canaanite by birth : Save me from this tyranny ; From all the power of Satan save ; Mercy, mercy upon me, Thou Son of David, have ! 2 To the sheep of Israel's fold Thou in thy flesh wast sent ; Yet the Gentiles now behold In thee their Covenant : See me then, with pity see, A sinner whom thou cam'st to save f Mercy, mercy upon me, Thou Son of David, have! 3 Still I cannot part with thee ! I will not let thee go : Mercy, mercy upon me, Thou Son of David, show ! Vilest of the sinful race, On thee, importunate, I call : Help me, Jesus, show thy grace ; Thy grace is free for all. 4 Nothing am I in thy sight ;

Nothing have I to plead ; Unto dogs it is not right To cast the children's bread : Yet the dogs the crumbs may eat, That from the master's table fall : Let the fragments be my meat ; Thy grace is free for all. 5 Give me, Lord, the victory, My heart's desire fulfil : Conv in ced of Sin . Jul Let it now be done to me According to my will ! Give me living bread to eat, And say, in answer to my call, " Canaanite, thy faith is great ! My grace is free for all." 6 If thy grace foi all is free, Thy call now let me hear ; Show this token upon me, And bring salvation near : Now the gracious word repeat, The word of healing to my soul ct Canaanite, thy faith is great ! Thy faith hath made thee whole. } J^OME, holy, celestial Dove, ^^ To visit a sorrowful breast, My burden of guilt to remove, And bring me assurance and rest ! Thou only hast power to relieve A sinner o'erwhehn'd with his load ; The sense of acceptance to give, And sprinkle his heart with the blood 2 With me if of old thou hast strove, And strangely withheld from my sin, And tried, by the lure of thy love, My worthless affections to win, -- The work of thy mercy revive ; Thy uttermost mercy exert ; And kindly continue to strive, And hold, till I yield thee my heart 3 Thy call if I ever have known, And sigh'd from myself to get free, And groan'd the unspeakable groan, And long'd to be happy in thee,--- » o2 For Mourners Fulfil the imperfect desire ; Thy peace to my conscience reveal ; The sense of thy favour inspire, And give me my pardon to feel ! 4 If when I had put thee to grief, And madly to folly return 'd, Thy pity hath been my relief, And lifted me up as I mourn' d, -- Most pitiful Spirit of Grace, Relieve me again and restore ; My spirit in holiness raise, To fall and to suffer no more ! 5 If now I lament after God, And gasp for a drop of thy love, If Jesus hath bought thee with blood, For me to receive from above, -- Come, heavenly Comforter, come,

True Witness of mercy divine, And make me thy permanent home, And seal me eternally thine ! HYMN 166. 7's$G*. The Pool of Bethesda. John v. 2 -- 9< 1 TESUS, take my sins away, ** And make me know thy name ! Thou art now as yesterday, And evermore the same : Thou my true Bethesda be ; I know within thine arms is room : All the world may unto thee, Their House of Mercy, come. 2 See me lying at the pool, And waiting for thy grace ; O come down into my soul, Disclose thy angel -face ! If to me thy bowels move, If now thou dost my sickness feel, Con i nn ced of Sin . 1 63 Let the Spirit of thy Love The helpless sinner heal. 3 Persons thou dost not respect ; Whoe'er for mercy call, Thou in no wise wilt reject ; Thy mercy is for all : Thou would'st freely all restore, Would all the gracious season find, Fill with goodness, love, and power, And with a healthful mind. 4 Mercy then there is for me, (Away my doubts and fears !) Plagued with an infirmity For many tedious years. Jesus, cast a pitying eye ! Thou long hast known my desperate case : Poor and helpless here I lie, And wait the healing grace. 5 Long hath thy good Spirit strove With my distemper'd soul ; But I still refused thy love, And would not be made whole : Hardly now at last I yield, I yield with all my sins to part ; Let my soul be fully heal'd, And throughly cleansed my heart, 6 Pain, and sickness, at thy word, And sin, and sorrow flies : Speak to me, Almighty Lord, And bid my spirit rise ; Bid me bear the hallow' d cross, Which thou, my Lord, hast borne before ; Walk in all thy righteous laws. And go and sin no more. 164 For Mourners, Sfc. HYMN 167. J'sfyG's. 1 AMB of God, for sinners slain, -■-- ' To thee I feebly pray : Heal me of my grief and pain, O take my sins away ! From this bondage, Lord, release ; No longer let me be opprest : Jesus, Master, seal my peace, And take me to thy breast ! 2 Wilt thou cast a sinner out,

Who humbly comes to thee ? No, my God, I cannot doubt, Thy mercy is for me : Let me then obtain the grace, And be of paradise possest : Jesus, Master, seal my peace, And take me to thy breast ! 3 Worldly good I do not want, Be that to others given ; Only for thy love I pant, My all in earth and heaven ; This the crown I fain would seize, The good wherewith I would be blest Jesus, Master, seal my peace, And take me to thy breast ! 4 This delight I fain would prove, And then resign my breath : Join the happy few whose love Was mightier than death ! Let it not my Lord displease, That I would die to be thy guest ! Jesus, Master, seal my peace, And take me to thy breast ! For Persons convinced of Backsliding. HYMN 168. Ts. 1 P^EPTH of mercy, can there be -*-^ Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God his wrath forbear ? Me, the chief of sinners, spare? I have long withstood his grace, Long provoked him to his face ; Would not hearken to his calls ; Grieved him by a thousand falls. 2 I have spilt his precious blood, Trampled on the Son of God ; FilPd with pangs unspeakable! I, who yet am not in hell ! Whence to me this waste of love? Ask my Advocate above ; See the cause in Jesu's face, Now before the throne of grace. 3 Lo ! I cumber still the ground : Lo ! an advocate is found ! " Hasten not to cut him down ; Let this barren soul alone : " Jesus speaks, and pleads his blood ! He disarms the wrath of God ! Now my Father's bowels move ; Justice lingers into love. 4 Kindled his relentings are ; Me he now delights to spare ; Cries, " How shall I give thee up ? " Lets the lifted thunder drop. There for me the Saviour stands ; Shows his wounds, and spreads his hands ! God is love! I know, I feel ; Jesus weeps, and loves me still ! I *}^> ]?0r Persons 5 Jesus, answer from above : Is not all thy nature love ? Wilt thou not the wrong forget ? Suffer me to kiss thy feet ?

If I rightly read thy heart, If thou all compassion art, Bow thine ear, in mercy bow ! Pardon and accept me now. 6 Pity from thine eye let fall ; By a look my soul recall ; Now the stone to flesh convert, Cast a look, and break my heart. Now incline me to repent ; Let me now my fall lament ; Now my foul revolt deplore ; Weep, believe, and sin no more * HYMN 169. c. m. 1 TESUS, the all-restoring Word, *J My fallen spirit's hope, After thy lovely likeness, Lord, Ah, when shall I wake up ? 2 Thou, O my God, thou only art The Life, the Truth, the Way : Quicken my soul, instruct my heart My sinking footsteps stay. 3 Of all thou hast in earth below, In heaven above, to give, Give me thy only love to know, In thee to walk and live. 4 Fill me with all the life of love ; In mystic union join Me to thyself, and let me prove The fellowship divine. Convinced of Backsliding. 1 O / 5 Open the intercourse between My longing soul and thee, Never to be broke off again To all eternity. HYMN 170. 6-8's. 1 (~\ 'TIS enough, my God, my God ! ^-* Here let me give my wanderings o'er ; No longer trample on thy blood, And grieve thy gentleness no more ; No more thy lingering anger move, Or sin against thy light and love. 2 O Lord, if mercy is with thee, Now let it all on me be shown ; On me, the chief of sinners, me, Who humbly for thy mercy groan : Me to thy Father's grace restore ; Nor let me ever grieve thee more ! 3 Fountain of unexhausted love, Of infinite compassions, hear ! My Saviour and my Prince above, Once more in my behalf appear ; Repentance, faith, and pardon give ; O let me turn again and live ! 1 f\ GOD, if thou art love indeed, ^-^ Let it once more be proved in me, That I thy mercy's praise may spread, For every child of Adam free : O let me now the gift embrace ; O let me now be saved by grace ! 2 If all long-suffering thou hast shown On me, that others may believe, Now make thy lovingkindness known,

Now the all-conquering Spirit give. Spirit of victory and power,. Thai I may never grieve thee more. 1 Oo For Persons 3 Grant my importunate request ; It is not my desire, but thine ; Since thou would" st have the sinner blest, Now let me in thine image shine, Nor ever from thy footsteps move, But more than conquer through thy love. 4 Be it according to thy will ! Set my imprison 'd spirit free ; The counsel of thy grace fulfil ; Into thy glorious liberty My spirit, soul, and flesh restore, And I shall never grieve thee more. HYMN 172. s. m. 1 /^\ unexhausted Grace ! ^-^ O Love unspeakable ! I am not gone to my own place ; I am not yet in hell ! Earth doth not open yet, My soul to swallow up ; And, hanging o'er the burning pit, I still am forced to hope. 2 I hope at last to find The kingdom from above ; The settled peace, the constant mind, The everlasting love ; The sanctifying grace, That makes me meet for home : 1 hope to see thy glorious face, Where sin can never come. 3 What shall I do to keep The blessed hope I feel ? Still let me pray, and watch, and weep, And serve thy pleasure still : O may 1 never grieve My kind, long-suffering Lord, But steadfastly to Jesus cleave, And answer all his word. Co) i vin ced of 13a cksliding. 1 69 4 Lord, if thou hast bestow'd On me the gracious fear, This horror of offending God, O keep it always here ! And that I never more May from thy ways depart, Enter with all thy mercy's power, And dwell within my heart. J TESUS, I believe thee near : *J Now my fallen soul restore ; Now my guilty conscience clear ; Give me back my peace and power ; Stone to flesh again convert; Write forgiveness on my heart. 2 1 believe thy pardoning grace, As at the beginning, free ; Open are thy arms to' embrace Me, the worst of rebels, me : In me all the hind'rance lies ; Call'd, -- I still refuse to rise. 3 Yet, for thy own mercy's sake, Patience with thy rebel have ; Me, thy mercy's witness make,

Thy grace is always nigh : Now, as yesterday, the same Thou art, and wilt for ever be ; Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb, Thy blood was shed for me. Nothing have I, Lord, to pay, Nor can thy grace procure ; Empty send me not away, For I, thou know'st, am poor : Dust and ashes is my name, My all is sin and misery ; Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb, Thy blood was shed for me. No good word, or work, or thought. Bring I to gain thy grace ; Pardon I accept unbought ; Thy proffer I embrace : Coming, as at first I came, To take, and not bestow on thee ; Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb, Thy blood was shed for me. 1 72 For Persons 5 Saviour, from thy wounded side I never will depart ; Here will I my spirit hide, When I am pure in heart. Till my place ahove I claim, This only shall be all my plea, Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb, Thy blood was shed for me. 1 f\ GOD, thy righteousness we own : ^•J Judgment is at thy house begun ! With humble awe thy rod we hear, And guilty in thy sight appear : We cannot in thy judgment stand, But sink beneath thy mighty hand. 2 Our mouth as in the dust we lay, And still for mercy, mercy, pray : Unworthy to behold thy face, Unfaithful stewards of thy grace, Our sin and wickedness we own, And deeply for acceptance groan. \\ We have not, Lord, thy gifts improved. But basely from thy statutes roved, And done thy loving Spirit despite, And sinn'd against the clearest light, Brought back thy agonizing pain, And nail'd thee to thy cross again 4 Yet do not drive us from thy face, A stiff-neck'd and hard-hearted race ; But, O ! in tender mercy break The iron sinew in our neck ; The softening power of love impart, And melt the marble of our heart. Convinced of Backsliding. 1 73 1 TESUS, thou know'st my sinfulness, «J My faults are not conceal'd from thee ; A sinner in my last distress, To thy dear wounds I fain would flee, And never, never thence depart, Close shelter' d in thy loving heart. 2 How shall I find the living way,

Lost, and confused, and dark, and blind ? Ah, Lord, my soul is gone astray : Ah, Shepherd, seek my soul, and find, And in thy arms of mercy take, And bring the weary wanderer back. 3 Weary and sick of sin I am , I hate it, Lord, and yet I love ! When wilt thou rid me of my shame ? When wilt thou all my load remove, Destroy the fiend that lurks within, And speak the word of power, " Be clean ? 4 O Lord, if I at last discern That I am sin, and thou art love, If now o'er me thy bowels yearn, Give me a token from above ; And conquer my rebellious will, And bid my murmuring heart be still. 5 Sin only let me not commit, (Sin never can advance thy praise,) And, lo ! I lay me at thy feet, And wait unwearied all my days, Till my appointed time shall come, And thou shult call thine exile home. 174 For Persons HYMN 178. 6-8's. 1 VTES, from this instant now, 1 will -*- To my offended Father cry ; My base ingratitude I feel, Vilest of all thy children, I, Not worthy to be call'd thy son ; Yet will I thee my Father own. 2 Guide of my life hast thou not been, And rescued me from passion's power ? Ten thousand times preserved from sin, Nor let the greedy grave devour ? And wilt thou now thy wrath retain, Nor ever love thy child again ? 3 Ah ! canst thou find it in thy heart To give me up, so long pursued ! Ah ! canst thou finally depart, And leave thy creature in his blood ! Leave me, -- out of thy presence cast, To perish in my sins at last ? 4 If thou hast will'd me to return, If weeping at thy feet I fall, The prodigal thou wilt not spurn, But pity, and forgive me all, In answer to my Friend above, In honour of his bleeding love ! HYMN 179. 7,s$6,s. 1 T^ATHER, if thou must reprove ^- For all that I have done, Not in anger, but in love Chastise thine humbled son ; Convinced of Backsliding. 1 75 Use the rod, and not the sword ; Correct with kind severity ; Bring me not to nothing, Lord !

Thy spirit sunk beneath its load ! Thy feeble flesh abhorr'd to bear The wrath of an Almighty God ! 3 Father, if I may call thee so, Regard my fearful heart's desire ; Remove this load of guilty woe, Nor let me in my sins expire ! For Backsliders Recovered. 177 4 I tremble lest the wrath divine, Which bruises now my sinful soul, Should bruise this wretched soul of mine Long as eternal ages roll. 5 To thee my last distress I bring ; The heighten' d fear of death I find : The tyrant, brandishing his sting, Appears, and hell is close behind ! 6 I deprecate that death alone, That endless banishment from thee ! O save, and give me to thy Son, Who trembled, wept, and bled for me For Backsliders Recovered. HYMN 182. 7*s §• 6's. 1 WILL hearken what the Lord A Will say concerning me ! Hast thou not a gracious word For one who waits on thee ? Speak it to my soul, that I May in thee have peace and power Never from my Saviour fly, And never grieve thee more. 2 How have I thy Spirit grieved, Since first with me he strove ! Obstinately disbelieved, And trampled on thy love ! I have sinn'd against the light ; I have broke from thy embrace ; No, I would not, when I might, Be freely saved by grace. 1 78 For Backsliders Recovered. 3 After all that I have done To drive thee from my heart, Still thou wilt not leave thine own, Thou wilt not yet depart ; Wilt not give the sinner o'er ; Ready art thou now to save ; Bidd'st me come, as heretofore, That I thy life may have. 4 O thou meek and gentle Lamh ! Furv is not in thee ; Thou continuest still the same, And still thy grace is free ; Still thine arms are open wide, Wretched sinners to receive : Thou hast once for sinners died, That all may turn and live. 5 Lo ! I take thee at thy word ; My foolishness I mourn ; Unto thee, my bleeding Lord, However late, I turn : Yes, I yield, I yield at last, Listen to thy speaking blood ; Me, with all my sins, I cast On my atoning God ! HYMN 183. 6-7 ys.

1 TESU, Shepherd of the sheep, «J Pity my unsettled soul ! Guide, and nourish me, and keep, Till thy love shall make me whole ; Give me perfect soundness, give, Make me steadfastly believe. 2 I am never at one stay, Changing every hour I am ; But thou art as yesterday, Now and evermore the same : For Backsliders Recovered. 179 Constancy to me impart, 'Stablish with thy grace my heart. 3 Lay thy weighty cross on me ; All my unbelief control ; Till the rebel cease to be, Keep him down within my soul : That I never more may move, Root and ground me fast in love. 4 Give me faith to hold me up, Walking over life's rough sea : Holy, purifying hope, Still my soul's sure anchor be : That I may be always thine, Perfect me in love divine. HYMN 184. c. m. 1 1V/TY God, my God, to thee I cry ; .It A Thee only would I know ; Thy purifying blood apply, And wash me white as snow. 2 Touch me, and make the leper clean, Purge my iniquity : Unless thou wash my soul from sin, I have no part in thee. 3 But art thou not already mine ? Answer, if mine thou art ! Whisper within, thou Love Divine, And cheer my drooping heart. 4 Tell me again my peace is made, And bid the sinner live : The debt's discharged, the ransom's paid, My Father must forgive. 5 Behold, for me the Victim bleeds, His wounds are open'd wide : For me the blood of sprinkling pleads, And speaks me justified. loU For Backsliders Recovered. 6 O why did I my Saviour leave, So soon unfaithful prove ! How could I thy good Spirit grieve, And sin against thy love ! 7 I forced thee first to disappear ; I turn'd thy face aside : Ah , Lord ! if thou hadst still heen here, Thy servant had not died. 8 But O, how soon thy wrath is o'er, And pardoning love takes place ! Assist me, Saviour, to adore The riches of thy grace. 9 O could I lose myself in thee, Thy depth of mercy prove, Thou vast, unfathomable sea Of unexhausted love ! 10 My humbled soul, when thou art near,

Implant, and root it deep within ; That 1 may dread thy gracious power, And never dare to' offend thee more. HYMN 187. Ts^&s. 1 CON of God, if thy free grace ^ Again hath raised me up, Call'd me still to seek thy face, And given me back my hope ; Still thy timely help afford, And all thy lovingkindness show : Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord, And never let me go ! 2 By me, O my Saviour, stand, In sore temptation's hour ; Save me with thine outstretch'd hand. And. show forth all thy power ; O be mindful of thy word ; Thy all-sufficient grace bestow ; Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord, And never let me go. 3 Give me, Lord, a holy fear, And fix it in my heart ; That I may from evil near With timely care depart : For JBacksliders Recovered. loo Sin be more than hell abhorr'd : Till thou destroy the tyrant foe, Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord, And never let me go. 4 Never let me leave thy breast, From thee, my Saviour, stray ; Thou art my Support and Rest, My true and living Way ; My exceeding great Reward, In heaven above, and earth below : Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord, And never let me go. HYMN 188. 7's$6's. 1 T ORD, and is thine anger gone ? JL^ And art thou pacified ? After all that I have done, Dost thou no longer chide ? Infinite thy mercies are ; Beneath the weight I cannot move : O ! 'tis more than I can bear, The sense of pardoning love. 2 Let it still my heart constrain, And all my passions sway ; Keep me, lest I turn again Out of the narrow way : Force my violence to be still, And captivate my every thought ; Charm, and melt, and change my will, And bring me down to nought. 3 If I have begun once more Thy sweet return to feel, lo4 J?qt Backsliders Recovered If even now I find thy power Present my soul to heal, -- Still and quiet may I lie, Nor struggle out of thine embrace ; Never more resist or fly From thy pursuing grace. 4 To the cross, thine altar, bind Me with the cords of love ; Freedom let me never find

From thee, my Lord, to move : That I never, never more, May with my much-loved Master part, To the posts of mercy's door O nail my willing heart ! 5 See my utter helplessness, And leave me not alone ; O preserve in perfect peace, And seal me for thine own : More and more thyself reveal, Thy presence let me always find : Comfort, and confirm, and heal My feeble, sin -sick mind. 6 As the apple of an eye Thy weakest servant keep ; Help me at thy feet to lie, And there for ever weep : Tears of joy mine eyes o'erflow, That I have any hope of heaven ; Much of love I ought to know, For I have much forgiven. Rejoicing HYMN 189. 6-8's. OW I have found the ground wherein Sure my soul's anchor may remain : The wounds of Jesus, for my sin Before the world's foundation slain ; Whose mercy shall unshaken stay, When heaven and earth are fled away. 2 Father, thine everlasting grace Our scanty thought surpasses far : Thy heart still melts with tenderness ; Thy arms of love still open are, Returning sinners to receive, That mercy they may taste and live. 3 O Love, thou bottomless abyss ! My sins are swallow'd up in thee ; Cover* d is my unrighteousness, Nor spot of guilt remains on me, While Jesu's blood, through earth and skies, Mercy, free, boundless mercy, cries ! 4 With faith I plunge me in this sea ; Here is my hope, my joy, my rest ; Hither, when hell assails, I flee ; I look into my Saviour's breast ; Away, sad doubt, and anxious fear ! Mercy is all that 's written there. 5 Though waves and storms go o'er my head, Though strength, and health, and friends be gone, Though joys be wither'd all and dead, Though every comfort be withdrawn ; 1 OO For Believers Rejoicing . On this my steadfast soul relies : Father, thy mercy never dies. 6 Fix'd on this around will I remain, Though my heart fail, and flesh decay ; This anchor shall my soul sustain, When earth's foundations melt away ; Mercy's full power I then shall prove, Loved with an everlasting love. HYMN 190. l. m.

1 T ESUS, thy Blood and Righteousness ** My beauty are, my glorious dress : 'Midst flaming worlds, in these array'd, With joy shall I lift up my head. 2 Bold shall I stand in thy great day, For who aught to my charge shall lay ? Fully absolved through these I am, From sin and fear, from guilt and shame. 3 The holy, meek, unspotted Lamb, Who from the Father's bosom came, Who died for me, even me, to' atone, Now for my Lord and God I own. 4 Lord, I believe thy precious blood, Which, at the mercy-seat of God, For ever doth for sinners plead, For me, even for my soul, was shed. 5 Lord, I believe were sinners more Than sands upon the ocean shore, Thou hast for all a ransom paid, For all a full atonement made. 6 When from the dust of death I rise, To claim my mansion in the skies, Even then, -- this shall be all my plea, Jesus hath lived, hath died for me. For Believers Rejoicing, lo7 7 Thus Abraham, the Friend of God, Thus all heaven's armies bought with blood. Saviour of sinners Thee proclaim ; Sinners, of whom the chief I am. 8 Jesus, be endless praise to thee, Whose boundless mercy hath for me, For me, and all thy hands have made, An everlasting ransom paid. 9 Ah ! give to all thy servants, Lord, With power to speak thy gracious word ; That all, who to thy wounds will flee, May find eternal life in thee. 10 Thou God of power, thou God of love, Let the whole world thy mercy prove ! Now let thy word o'er all prevail ; Now take the spoils of death and hell. THEE, O my God and King, My Father, thee I sing ! Hear, well-pleased, the joyous sound, Praise from earth and heaven receive ; Lost -- I now in Christ am found, Dead -- by faith in Christ I live. Father, behold thy son, In Christ I am thy own : Stranger long to thee, and rest, See the prodigal is come : Open wide thine arms and breast, Take the weary wanderer home. J OO For Believers Rejoicing. 3 Thine eye observed from far, Thy pity look'd me near ; Me thy bowels yearn'd to see ;

6 I stand, and admire Thine out-stretched arm ; I walk through the fire, And suffer no harm ; Assaulted by evil, I scorn to submit; The world and the devil Fall under my feet. For Believer's Rejoicing. 1J7 7 I wrestle not now, But trample on sin, For with me art thou, And shalt be within ; While stronger and stronger In Jesus's power, I go on to conquer, Till sin is no more. HYMN 201. 8's. 1 A ND can it be that I should gain -^*- An interest in the Saviour's blood ? Died he for me, who caused his pain ? For me, who him to death pursued ? Amazing love ! how can it be, That thou, my God, should'st die for me ! 2 'Tis mystery all ! The' Immortal dies ! Who can explore his strange design ! In vain the first-born Seraph tries To sound the depths of Love Divine ! 'Tis mercy all ; let earth adore, Let angel-minds inquire no more. 3 He left his Father's throne above ; (So free, so infinite his grace !) Emptied himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race : 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For, O my God, it found out me ! 4 Long my imprison'd spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature's night ; Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray ; I woke ; the dungeon flamed with light ; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and follow'd thee. 5 No condemnation now I dread ; Jesus, and all in him, is mine ! Alive in him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Ub For Believers Rejoicing. Bold I approach the' eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. HYMN 202. 6's §• 8's. 1 A RISE, my soul, arise, -f"*- Shake off thy guilty fears ; The bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears ; Before the throne my Surety stands ; My name is written on his hands. 2 He ever lives above, For me to intercede, His all-redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead ; His blood atoned for all our race, And sprinkles now the throne of grace. 3 Five bleeding wounds he bears, Received on Calvary ; They pour effectual prayers,

They strongly speak for me ; " Forgive him, O forgive,' ' they cry, " Nor let that ransom'd sinner die !" 4 The Father hears him pra\, His dear Anointed One ; He cannot turn away The presence of his Son : His Spirit answers to the blood, And tells me I am born of God. 5 My God is reconciled, His pardoning voice I hear, He owns me for his child, I can no longer fear ; With confidence 1 now draw nigh And, Father, Abba, Father, cry ! For Believers Rejoicing. 1 J.) HYMN 203. l. m. 1 f~^ LORY to God, whose sovereign grace ^-^ Hath animated senseless stones ; CalPd us to stand before his face, And raised us into Abraham's sons ! 2 The people that in darkness lay, In sin and error's deadly shade, Have seen a glorious gospel day, In Jesu's lovely face display'd. 3 Thou only, Lord, the work hast done, And bared thine arm in all our sight ; Hast made the reprobates thine own, And claim'd the outcasts as thy right 4 Thy single arm, Almighty Lord, To us the great salvation brought, Thy Word, thy all-creating Word, That spake at first the world from nought. 5 For this the saints lift up their voice. And ceaseless praise to thee is given ; For this the hosts above rejoice, -- We raise the happiness of heaven. 6 For this, (no longer sons of night,) To thee our thankful hearts we give ; To thee, who call'dst us into light, To thee we die, to thee we live. 7 Suffice that for the season past Hell's horrid language fill'd our tongues ; We all thy words behind us cast, And lewdly sang the drunkard's songs. 8 But, O the power of grace divine ! In hymns we now our voices raise, ^v'O For Believers Rejoicing. Loudly in strange hosannas join, And blasphemies are turn'd to praise ! HYMN 204. ■ &s §■ 6's. I will sing with the Spirit, fyc. 1 Cor. xiv. 15. 1 JESUS, thou soul of all our joys, ^ For whom we now lift up our voice, And all our strength exert, Vouchsafe the grace we humbly claim, Compose into a thankful frame, ., And tune thy people's heart. 2 While in the heavenly work we join, Thy glory be our whole design, --

Thy olorv, not our own : Still let us keep our end in view, And still the pleasing task pursue, To please our God alone. 3 The secret pride, the subtle sin, O let it never more steal in, To' offend thy glorious eyes ; To desecrate our hallow'd strain, And make our solemn service vain, And mar our sacrifice. 4 To magnify thy awful name, To spread the honours of the Lamb, Let us our voices raise ; Our souls' and bodies' powers unite, Regardless of our own delight, And dead to human praise. 5 Still let us on our guard be found, And watch against the power of sound, With sacred jealousy ; Lest, haply, sense should damp our zeal, And music's charms bewitch and steal Our hearts away from thee. For Believers Rejoicing. 20 1 6 That hurrying strife far off remove, That noisy burst of selfish love, Which swells the formal song ; The joy from out our hearts arise, And speak and sparkle in our eyes, And vibrate on our tongue. 7 Thee let us praise, our common Lord, And sweetly join with one accord Thy goodness to proclaim : Jesus, thyself in us reveal, And all our faculties shall feel Thy harmonizing name. 8 With calmly-reverential joy, O let us all our lives employ In setting forth thy love ; And raise in death our triumph higher, And sing, with all the heavenly choir, That endless song above ! HYMN 205. p. m. Y God, I am thine, What a comfort divine, What a blessing to know that my Jesus is mine ! In the heavenly Lamb Thrice happy I am, And my heart it doth dance at the sound of his name. 2 True pleasures abound In the rapturous sound ; And whoever hath found it, hath paradise found : My Jesus to know, And feel his blood flow, 'Tis life everlasting, 'tis heaven below. 3 Yet onward I haste To the heavenly feast : That, that is the fulness ; but this is the taste! And this I shall prove, Till with joy I remove To the heaven of heavens in Jesus's love. £yJ*Z For Believers liejoicing. HYMN 206. 8\v. 1 Aim AT am I, O thou glorious God ! ^ * And what my father's house to thee, That thou such mercies hast bestow'd

2 Thy mighty Name salvation is, And keeps my happy soul above ; 204 for Believers Rejoicing. Comfort it brings, and power, and peace, And joy, and everlasting love; To me, with thy dear Name, are given, Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. 3 Jesus, my all in all thou art ; My rest in toil ; my ease in pain ; The med'eine of my broken heart ; In war, my peace ; in loss, my gain ; My smile beneath the tyrant's frown ; In shame, my glory and my crown : 4 In want, my plentiful supply ; In weakness, my almighty power ; In bonds, my perfect liberty ; My light in Satan's darkest hour ; In grief, my joy unspeakable ; My life in death ; my heaven in hell. HYMN 210. 6-8's. 1 rT^HEE will I love, my strength, my tower ; -*- Thee, will I love, my joy, my crown ; Thee will I love, with all my power, In all thy works, and thee alone : Thee will 1 love, till the pure fire Fills my whole soul with chaste desire. 2 Ah, why did I so late thee know, Thee, lovelier than the sons of men ! Ah, why did I no sooner go To thee, the only ease in pain ! Ashamed I sigh, and inly mourn, That 1 so late to thee did turn. 3 In darkness willingly I stray'd ; I sought thee, yet from thee I roved ; Far wide my wand'ring thoughts were spread ; Thy creatures more than thee I loved : And now if more at length I see, 'Tis through thy light, and comes from thee. For Believers JRejoieing. 205 4 1 thank thee, uncreated Sun, That thy bright beams on me have shined ; I thank thee, who hast overthrown My foes, and heal'd my wounded mind ; I thank thee, whose enlivening* voice Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice. 5 Uphold me in the doubtful race, Nor suffer me again to stray ; Strengthen my feet with steady pace Still to press forward in thy way ; My soul and flesh, O Lord of might, Fill, satiate, with thy heavenly light. 6 Give to mine eyes refreshing tears ; Give to my heart chaste, hallow' d fires ; Give to my soul, with filial fears,

And anger and hatred be o'er ; And envy and malice shall die, And discord afflict us no more. 5 No horrid alarum of war Shall break our eternal repose ; No sound of the trumpet is there, Where Jesus's Spirit o'erflows : Appeased by the charms of thy grace, We all shall in amity join; And kindly each other embrace, And love with a passion like thine. HYMN 221. 7\s- $ 6's. 1 A/FEET and right it is to sing, -^-▼A In every time and place, Glory to our heavenly King, The God of Truth and Grace : Join we then with sweet accord, All in one thanksgiving join ! Holy, holy, holy Lord, Eternal praise be thine ! 2 Thee, the first-born sons of light, In choral symphonies, Praise by day, day without night, And never, never cease : For Believers Rejoicing. 2 ID Angels and archangels, all Praise the mystic Three in One ; Sing, and stop, and gaze, and fall O'erwhelm'd before thy throne! 3 Vying with that happy choir, Who chant thy praise above, We on eagles' wings aspire, The wings of faith and love : Thee they sing, with glory crown'd ; TVe extol the slaughter'd Lamb ; Lower if our voices sound, Our subject is the same. 4 Father, God, thy love we praise, Which gave thy Son to die ; Jesus, full of truth and grace, Alike we glorify ; Spirit, Comforter divine, Praise by all to thee be given, Till we in full chorus join, And earth is turn'd to heaven. HYMN 222. 8'.v£6Y ! ar thee, ] T TOW happy, gracious Lord ! are we, A A Divinely drawn to follow Whose hours divided are, Betwixt the mount and multitude : Our day is spent in doing good, Our night in praise and prayer 2 With us no melancholy void, No period lingers unemploy'd, Or unimproved, below : Our weariness of life is gone, Who live to serve our God alone, And onlv thee to know ^lo For Believers Rejoicing. 3 The winter's night, and summer's day, GJide imperceptibly away, Too short to sing thy praise : Too few we find the happy hours, And haste to join those heavenly powers, In everlasting lays. 4 With all who chant thy Name on high, And, " Holy, Holy, Holy," cry,

(A bright harmonious throng !) We long thy praises to repeat, And restless sing, around thy seat, The new, eternal song. J \\T HEN Israel out of Egypt came, * * And left the proud oppressor's land, Supported by the great I AM, Safe in the hollow of his hand, The Lord in Israel reign'd alone, And Judah was his favourite throne. 2 The sea beheld his power, and fled, Disparted by the wondrous rod ; Jordan ran backward to its head, And Sinai felt the' incumbent God ; The mountains skipp'd like frighted rams, The hills leap'd after them as lambs 1 3 What ail'd thee, O thou trembling sea ? What horror turn'd the river back ? Was nature's God displeased with thee ? And why should hills or mountains shake? Ye mountains huge, that skipp'd like rams ? Ye hills, that leap'd as frighted lambs ? 4 Earth! tremble on, with all thy sons, In presence of thy awful Lord, Whose power inverted nature owns ; Her only law his sovereign word For Believers Rejoicing. 217 He shakes the centre with his rod, And heaven bows down to Jacob's God. Creation, varied by his hand, The' omnipotent Jehovah knows ; The sea is turn'd to solid land, The rock into a fountain flows ; And all things, as they change, proclaim The Lord eternally the same. HYMN 224. 6-8's. 'LL praise my Maker while I 've breath ; And when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my nobler powers ; My days of praise shall ne'er be past, While life, and thought, and being last, Or immortality endures. 2 Happy the man whose hopes rely On Israel's God : he made the sky, And earth, and seas, with all their train ; His truth for ever stands secure ; He saves the' opprest, he feeds the poor, And none shall find his promise vain. 3 The Lord pours eye-sight on the blind ; The Lord supports the fainting mind ; He sends the labouring conscience peace ; He helps the stranger in distress, The widow, and the fatherless, And grants the prisoner sweet release. 4 I '11 praise him while he lends me breath ; And when my voice is lost in death,

8 Lo ! here thy wondrous skill arrays The earth in cheerful green ; A thousand herbs thy art displays, A thousand flowers between. 9 There the rough mountains of the deep Obey thy strong command : Thy breath can raise the billows steep. Or sink them to the sand. 10 Thy glories blaze all nature round, And strike the wondering sight, Through skies, and seas, and solid ground. With terror and delight. 1 1 Infinite strength and equal skill Shine through thy works abroad, Our souls with vast amazement fill, And speak the builder God. w^U For Believers Rejoicing. 12 But the mild glories of thy grace Our softer passions move ; Pity divine in Jesu's face We see, adore, and love ! HYMN 227. l. m. 1 T TOW do thy mercies close me round ! A -^ For ever be thy name adored ; I blush in all things to abound ; The servant is above his Lord ! 2 Inured to poverty and pain, A suffering life my Master led : The Son of God, the Son of Man, He had not where to lay his head. 3 But lo ! a place he hath prepared For me, whom watchful angels keep : Yea, he himself becomes my guard ; He smoothes my bed, and gives me sleep. 4 Jesus protects ; my fears, be gone ! What can the Rock of Ages move ? Safe in thy arms I lay me down, Thy everlasting arms of love. 5 While thou art intimately nigh, Who, who shall violate my rest ? Sin, earth, and hell I now defy ; I lean upon my Saviour's breast. 6 I rest beneath the' Almighty's shade ; My griefs expire, my troubles cease ; Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stay'd, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace. 7 Me for thine own thou lov'st to take, In time and in eternity : Thou never, never wilt forsake A helpless worm that trusts in thee. For Believers Rejoicing. 221 1 HPHOU Shepherd of Israel, and mine, A The joy and desire of my heart ; For closer communion I pine, I long to reside where thou art : The pasture I languish to find, Where all, who their Shepherd ohey, Are fed, on thy bosom reclined, And screen'd from the heat of the day

2 Ah ! show me that happiest place, The place of thy people's abode, Where saints in an ecstasy gaze, And hang on a crucified God : Thy love for a sinner declare, Thy passion and death on the tree ; My spirit to Calvary bear, To suffer and triumph with thee. 3 'Tis there, with the lambs of thy flock, There only, I covet to rest, To lie at the foot of the rock, Or rise to be hid in thy breast : 'Tis there I would always abide, And never a moment depart ; Conceal'd in the cleft of thy side, Eternally held in thy heart. 1 r> OD of my life, to thee ^J My cheerful soul I raise ! Thy goodness bade me be, And still prolongs my days ; I see my natal hour return, And bless the day that I was born. 2 A clod of living earth, I glorify thy name, "ZZZ For JBelievers Rejoicing. From whom alone my birth, And all my blessings, came ; Creating and preserving grace, Let all that is within me praise. 3 Long as I live beneath, To thee O let me live ! To thee my every breath In thanks and praises give ! Whate'er I have, whate'er I am, Shall magnify my Maker's name. 4 My soul, and all its powers, Thine, wholly thine, shall be ; All, all my happy hours I consecrate to thee : Me to thine image now restore, And I shall praise thee evermore. 5 I wait thy will to do, As angels do in heaven ; In Christ a creature new, Most graciously forgiven, I wait thy perfect will to prove, All sanctified by spotless love. 6 Then, when the work is done, The work of faith with power, Receive thy favour' d son, In death's triumphant hour ; Like Moses to thyself convey, And kiss my raptured soul away. HYMN 230. 6-8's. 1 FOUNTAIN of life and all my joy, *- Jesus, thy mercies I embrace ; The breath thou giv'st, for thee employ, And wait to taste thy perfect grace ; No more forsaken and forlorn, I bless the day that I was born. For Believers Rejoicing. 223 Preserved, through faith, by power divine, A miracle of grace I stand ! I prove the strength of Jesus mine !

Jesus, upheld by thy right hand, Though in the flesh I feel the thorn, I bless the day that I was born. Weary of life, through inbred sin, I was, but now defy its power ; When as a flood the foe comes in, My soul is more than conqueror ; I tread him down with holy scorn, And bless the day that I was born. Come, Lord, and make me pure within, And let me now be fill'd with God ! Live to declare I 'm saved from sin : And if I seal the truth with blood, My soul, from out the body torn, Shall bless the day that I was born ! HYMN 231. p.m. 1 A WAY with our fears ! The glad morning £*- appears, When an heir of salvation was born ! From Jehovah I came, For his glory I am, And to him I with singing return. 2 Thee, Jesus, alone, The fountain I own Of my life and felicity here ; And cheerfully sing My Redeemer and King, Till his sign in the heavens appear. 3 With thanks I rejoice In thy fatherly choice Of my state and condition below ; If of parents I came Who honour'd thy name, 'Twas thy wisdom appointed it so. 224 For Believers Rejoicing. 4 1 sing of thy grace, From my earliest days Ever near to allure and defend ; Hitherto thou hast been My preserver from sin, And I trust thou wilt save to the end. 5 O the infinite cares, And temptations, and snares Thy hand hath conducted me through ! O the blessings bestovv'd By a bountiful God, And the mercies eternally new ! 6 What a mercy is this, What a heaven of bliss, How unspeakably happy am I ! Gather'd into the fold, With thy people enrol I'd, With thy people to live and to die ! 7 O the goodness of God, Employing a clod His tribute of glory to raise ! His standard to bear, And with triumph declare His unspeakable riches of grace ! 8 O the fathomless love, That has deign'd to ap- prove And prosper the work of my hands ! With my pastoral crook I went over the brook, And, behold, I am spread into bands ! 9 Who, I ask in amaze, Hath begotten me these ?

And inquire, from what quarter they came ? My full heart it replies, They are born from the skies, And gives glory to God and the Lamb. 10 All honour and praise To the Father of grace, To the Spirit, and Son, I return ! The business pursue, He hath made me to do, And rejoice that I ever was born. For Relievers Rejoicing. 22o 11 In a rapture of joy My life I employ, The God of my life to proclaim ; 'Tis worth living for this, To administer bliss And salvation in Jesus's name. 12 My remnant of days ] spend in his praise, Who died the whole world to redeem : Be they many or few, My days are his due, And they all are devoted to him. 1 VTOUNG men and maidens, raise A Your tuneful voices high ; Old men and children, praise The Lord of earth and sky ; Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 2 The universal King Let all the world proclaim ; Let every creature sing His attributes and name ! Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 3 In his great name alone All excellencies meet, Who sits upon the throne, And shall for ever sit : Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 4 Glory to God belongs ; Glory to God be given, Above the noblest songs Of all in earth or heaven ! Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. ^I2o For Believers Rejoicing. HYMN 233. 7's. 1 TTAPPY man whom God cloth aid ! -*■ -*- God our souls and bodies made ; God on us, in gracious showers, Blessings every moment pours ; Compasses with angel-bands, Bids them bear us in their hands ; Parents, friends, 'twas God bestow'd ; Life, and all, descend from God. 2 He this flowery carpet spread, Made the earth on which we tread ; God refreshes in the air ; Covers with the clothes we wear ; Feeds us with the food we eat ; Cheers us by his light and heat ; Makes his sun on us to shine ; All our blessings are divine !

And every comfort here, Thee, my most indulgent God, I thank, with heart sincere ; For the blessings numberless, Which thou hast already given ; For thy smallest spark of grace, And for my hope of heaven. 3 Gracious God, my sins forgive, And thy good Spirit impart ! Then I shall in thee believe, With all my loving heart : Always unto Jesus look, Him in heavenly glory see, Who my cause hath undertook, And ever prays for me. 4 Grace, in answer to his prayer, And every grace bestow, That I may with zealous care Perform thy will below : Rooted in humility, Still in every state resign'd, Plant, almighty Lord, in me A meek and lowly mind. 5 Poor and vile in my own eyes, With self-abasing shame Still I would myself despise. And magnify thy name : For Believers Rejoicing. 237 Thee let every creature bless ; Praise to God alone be given : God alone deserves the praise Of all in earth and heaven. HYMN 244. 7's §■ 6Y 1 ^HOU, the great, eternal God, ■*■ Art hiffh above our thought Worthy to be fear'd, adored, By all thy hands have wrought : None can with thyself compare ; Thy glory fills both earth and sky ; We, and all thy creatures, are As nothing in thine eye. 2 Of thy great unbounded power To thee the praise we give, -- Infinitely great, and more Than heart can e'er conceive : When thou wilt to work proceed, Thy purpose firm none can withstand, Frustrate the determined deed, Or stay the' Almighty Hand. 3 Thou, O God, art wise alone ; Thy counsel doth excel ; Wonderful thy works we own, Thy ways unsearchable : Who can sound the mystery, Thy judgments' deep abyss explain, Thine, whose eyes in darkness see, And search the heart of man ! HYMN 245. 7's §• 6's. 1 /^ OOD thou art, and good thou dost ; ^J Thy mercies reach to all, 2oo For Believers Rejoicing. Chiefly those who on thee trust, And for thy mercy call : New they every morning are ; As fathers when their children cry, Us thou dost in pity spare, And all our wants supply. 2 Mercy o'er thy works presides ; Thy providence display'd Still preserves, and still provides For all thy hands have made ; Keeps, with most distinguished care,

Who form'd me man, forbids my fear The Lord hath call'd me by my name ; The Lord protects, for ever near ; His blood for me did once atone, And still he loves and guards his own. 2 When passing through the watery deep, I ask in faith his promised aid, The waves an awful distance keep, And shrink from my devoted head ; Fearless their violence I dare ; They cannot harm, for God is there ! 3 To him mine eye of faith I turn, And through the fire pursue my way ; The fire forgets its power to burn, The lambent flames around me play ; I own his power, accept the sign, And shout to prove the Saviour mine. 4 Still nigh me, O my Saviour, stand ! And guard in fierce temptation's hour ; Hide in the hollow of thy hand ; Show forth in me thy saving power ; Still be thy arms my sure defence : Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence. 5 Since thou hast bid me come to thee, (Good as thou art, and strong to save,) I '11 walk o'er life's tempestuous sea, Upborne by the unyielding wave, Dauntless, though rocks of pride be near, And yawning whirlpools of despair. 6 When darkness intercepts the skies, And sorrow's waves around me roll, When high the storms of passion rise, And half o'erwhelm my sinking soul, 200 For Believers Fighting. My soul a sudden calm shall feel, And hear a whisper, " Peace ; he still ! M 7 Though in affliction's furnace tried, Unhurt on snares and death 1 '11 tread ; Though sin assail, and hell, thrown wide, Pour all its flames upon my head, Like Moses' hush, I '11 mount the higher, And flourish, unconsumed, in fire. HYMN 273. 10's^m. OMNIPOTENT Lord, My Saviour and King, Thy succour afford, Thy righteousness bring : Thy promises bind thee Compassion to have ; Now, now let me find thee Almighty to save. k2 Rejoicing in hope, And patient in grief, To thee I look up For certain relief ; I fear no denial, No danger I fear, Nor start from the trial, While Jesus is near. 3 I every hour In jeopardy stand ; But thou art my power, And holdest my hand : While yet I am calling, Thy succour I feel;

It saves me from falling, Or plucks me from hell 4 O who can explain This struggle for life ! This travail and pain, This trembling and strife! Plague, earthquake, and famine, And tumult, and war, The wonderful coming Of Jesus declare ! 5 For every fight Is dreadful and loud ! The warrior's delight Is slaughter and blood, His foes overturning, Till all shall expire, -- But this is with burning, And fuel of fire. b* Yet God is above Men, devils, and sin ; My Jesus's love The battle shall win : So terribly glorious His coming shall be, His love all-victorious Shall conquer for me. For Believers Fighting Zv)\ 7 He all shall break through ; His truth and his grace Shall bring me into The plentiful place, Through much tribulation, Through water and fire, Through floods of temptation, And flames of desire. 8 On Jesus, my power, Till then I rely ; All evil before His presence shall fly : When I have my Saviour, My sin shall depart, And Jesus for ever Shall reign in my heart. - HYMN 274. Ts&f&s. 1 f~\ MY old, my bosom-foe, *^-J Rejoice not over me ! Oft-times thou hast laid me low, And wounded mortally ; Yet thy prey thou could' st not keep Jesus, when I lowest fell, Heard me cry out of the deep. And brought me up from hell. 2 Foolish world, thy shouts forbear, Till thou hast won the day ; Could thy wisdom keep me there, When in thy hands I lay ? If my heart to thee incline, Christ again shall set it free ! I am his, and he is mine To all eternity. 3 Satan, cease thy empty boast,' And give thy triumphs o'er ; Still thou seest I am not lost, While Jesus can restore : Though through thy deceit I fall, Surely I shall rise again : Christ my King is over all, And I with him shall reign. 262 Tbr Believers Fighting. 4 O my three-fold enemy ! To whom I long did bow, See your lawful captive, see, No more your captive now ! Now before my face ye fly ; More than conqueror now I am ; Sin, the world, and hell defy, In Jesu's powerful name. HYMN 2/5. c. m. 1 r I ^HE Lord unto my Lord hath said,

Of him that sits upon the throne ; And earth and heaven conspire to praise Jehovah, and his conquering Son. HYMN 281. 8's&f6's. ARE there not in the labourer's day Twelve hours, in which he safely may His calling's work pursue ? Though sin and Satan still are near, Nor sin nor Satan can 1 fear, With Jesus in my view. *27\) For Believers Fighting. 2 Not all the powers of hell can fright A soul that walks with Christ in light : He walks, and cannot fall ; Clearly he sees, and wins his way, Shining unto the perfect day, And more than conquers all. 3 Light of the world ! thy beams I bless ! On thee, bright Sun of Righteousness, My faith hath fix'd its eye ; Guided by thee, through all I go, Nor fear the ruin spread below, For thou art always nigh. 4 Ten thousand snares my paths beset ; Yet will I, Lord, the work complete, Which thou to me hast given ; Regardless of the pains I feel, Close by the gates of death and hell, I urge my way to heaven. 5 Still will I strive, and labour still With humble zeal, to do thy will, And trust in thy defence : My soul into thy hands I give ; And, if he can obtain thy leave, Let Satan pluck me thence ! HYMN 282. 8's8f6's. BUT can it be, that I should prove For ever faithful to thy love, From sin for ever cease ? I thank thee for the blessed hope ; It lifts my drooping spirits up, It gives me back my peace. For Believers Fighting. £1\ 2 In thee, O Lord, I put my trust, Mighty, and merciful, and just ; Thy sacred word is past ; And I, who dare thy word receive, Without committing sin shall live, Shall live to God at last. 3 I rest in thine almighty power ; The name of Jesus is a tower, That hides my life above : Thou canst, thou wilt my Helper be ; My confidence is all in thee, The faithful God of Love. 4 While still to thee for help I call, Thou wilt not suffer me to fall, Thou canst not let me sin ; And thou shalt give me power to pray, Till all my sins are purged away,

From inbred sin to fly : Stronger than love, I fondly thought, Death, only death, can cut the knot, Which love cannot untie. But thou, O Lord, art full of grace ; Thy love can find a thousand ways To foolish man unknown : My soul upon thy love I cast ; I rest me, till the storm is past, Upon thy love alone. Thy faithful, wise, and mighty love Shall every stumbling-block remove, And make an open way : Thy love shall burst the shades of death, And bear me, from the gulf beneath, To everlasting day. HYMN 289. l. m. GOD of my life, whose gracious power Through varied deaths my soul hath led, Or turn'd aside the fatal hour, Or lifted up my sinking head ; Zl b For lie lie vers Fighting. 2 In all my ways thy hand I own, Thy ruling Providence I see : Assist me still my course to run, And still direct my paths to thee. 3 Oft hath the sea confess 'd thy power, And given me back at thy command ; It could not, Lord, my life devour, Safe in the hollow of thine hand. 4 Oft from the margin of the grave Thou, Lord, hast lifted up my head ; Sudden, I found thee near to save ; The fever own'd thy touch, and fled. 5 Whither, O whither should I fly, But to my loving Saviour's breast ? Secure within thine arms to lie, And safe beneath thy wings to rest. 6 I have no skill the snare to shun, But thou, O Christ, my Wisdom art ; I ever into ruin run, But thou art greater than my heart. 7 Foolish, and impotent, and blind, Lead me a way I have not known ; Bring me, where I my heaven may And, The heaven of loving thee alone. 8 Enlarge my heart to make thee room ; Enter, and in me ever stay ; Tbe crooked then shall straight become ; The darkness shall be lost in day. Foi' Believers Fighting. 27 V HYMN 290. l. m. 1 ]\/TY GOD, if I may call thee mine, •!■▼ A From heaven and thee removed so far ; Draw nigh ; thy pitying ear incline, And cast not out my languid prayer. 2 Gently the weak thou lov'st to lead,

To persevering prayer : Till we see the perfect day, And each wakes up a sinless saint, Pray we, every moment pray, And never, never faint. For Believers Praying. 285 5 Pray we on when all renew'd, And perfected in love ! Till we see the Saviour God Descending from above, All his heavenly charms survey, Beyond what angel minds can paint, Pray we, every moment pray, And never, never faint. HYMN 296. s. m. 1 HHHE praying Spirit breathe, ■*■ The watching power impart ; From all entanglements beneath Call off my peaceful heart : My feeble mind sustain, By worldly thoughts opprest ; Appear, and bid me turn again To my eternal rest. 2 Swift to my rescue come, Thy own this moment seize ; Gather my wand'ring spirit home, And keep in perfect peace : Suffer' d no more to rove O'er all the earth abroad, Arrest the prisoner of thy love, And shut me up in God. HYMN 297- c. m. 1 OHEPHERD Divine, our wants relieve. ^ In this our evil clay : To all thy tempted followers give The power to watch and pray. 2 Long as our fiery trials last, Long as the cross we bear, O let our souls on thee be cast In never-ceasing prayer. 2ov For Relievers Praying. 3 The Spirit of interceding grace Give us in faith to claim ; To wrestle till we see thy face, And know thy hidden name. 4 Till thou thy perfect love impart, Till thou thyself bestow, Be this the cry of every heart, " I will not let thee go. 5 "I will not let thee go, unless Thou tell thy name to me ; With all thy great salvation bless, And make me all like thee. 6 " Then let me on the mountain-top Behold thy open face ; Where faith in sight is swallow'd up, And prayer in endless praise. " 1 f~\ Wondrous power of faithful prayer ! ^-* What tongue can tell the' almighty grace ? God's hands or bound or open are, As Moses or Elijah prays : Let Moses in the spirit groan, And God cries out, "Let me alone! 2 " Let me alone, that all my wrath May rise the wicked to consume ! While justice hears thy praying faith,

It cannot seal the sinner's doom : My Son is in my servant's prayer, And Jesus forces me to spare.' ' 3 O blessed word of gospel grace ! Which now we for our Israel plead ; A faithless and backsliding race, Whom thou hast out of Egypt freed : For Believers Praying. 287 0 do not then in wrath chastise, Nor let thy whole displeasure rise. Father, we ask in Jesu's name ; In Jesu's power and spirit pray ! Divert thy vengeful thunder's aim ! O turn thy threat' ning wrath away ! Our guilt and punishment remove, And magnify thy pardoning love. Father, regard thy pleading Son ! Accept his all-availing prayer ; And send a peaceful answer down, In honour of our Spokesman there ; Whose blood proclaims our sins forgiven, And speaks thy rebels up to heaven. HYMN 299. 7,x8f6,s. 1 TESUS, thou hast bid us pray, ** Pray always, and not faint ; With the word a power convey To utter our complaint : Quiet shalt thou never know, Till we from sin are fully freed ; O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the Serpent's head ! 2 We have now begun to cry, And we will never end, Till we find salvation nigh, And grasp the Sinner's Friend : Day and night we '11 speak our woe, With thee importunately plead : O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the Serpent's head ! 3 Speak the word, and we shall be From all our bands released ; Only thou canst set us free, By Satan long oppress'd : .^oa Jfor Believers Praying. Now thy power almighty show ; Arise, the Woman's conquering Seed O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the Serpent's head ! 4 To destroy his work of sin, Thyself in us reveal ; Manifest thyself within Our flesh, and fully dwell With u», in us, here below ; Enter, and make us free indeed : O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the Serpent's head ! 5 Stronger than the strong man, thou His fury canst control : Cast him out, by entering now, And keep our ransom'd soul ; Satan's kingdom overthrow, On all the powers of darkness tread ; O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the Serpent's head ! 6 To the never-ceasing cries

Till faith shall make us whole ; Till thou shalt all things new create, In each believing soul. Who can resist thy will? Speak, and it shall be done ! Thou shalt the work of faith fuliil, And perfect us in one. For Believers Praying. 2v3 HYMN 304. 8's §■ 6's. The Beatitudes. Matt. v. 1--12. 1 O AViOUR, on me the want bestow, 0 Which all that feel shall surely know Their sins on earth forgiven ; Give me to prove the kingdom mine, And taste, in holiness divine, The happiness of heaven. 2 Meeken my soul, thou heavenly Lamb, That I in the new earth may claim My hundred-fold reward ; My rich inheritance possess, Co-heir with the great Prince of Peace, Co-partner with my Lord. 3 Me with that restless thirst inspire, That sacred, infinite desire ; And feast my hungry heart : Less than thyself cannot suffice : My soul for all thy fulness cries, For all thou hast, and art. 4 Mercy who show shall mercy find ; Thy pitiful and tender mind Be, Lord, on me bestowal ; So shall 1 still the blessing gain, And to eternal life retain The mercy of my God. 5 Jesus, the crowning grace impart , Bless me with purity of heart, That, now beholding thee, 1 soon may view thy open face, On all thy glorious beauties gaze, And God for ever- see ! 2v^± For Believers Watching. 6 Not for my fault or folly's sake, The name, or mode, or form, I take, -- But for true holiness, Let me be vvrong'd, reviled, abhorr'd ; And thee, my sanctifying Lord, In life and death confess 7 Call'd to sustain the hallow'd cross, And suffer for thy righteous cause, Pronounce me doubly blest : And let thy glorious Spirit, Lord, Assure me of my great reward, In heaven's eternal feast. For Believers TVatehing. HYMN 305. s. m. 1 f^ RACIOUS Redeemer, shake ^--J" This slumber from my soul ! Say to me now, " Awake, awake ! And Christ shall make thee whole." Lay to thy mighty hand ; Alarm me in this hour ; And make me fully understand The thunder of thy power ! 2 Give me on thee to call, Always to watch and pray, Lest I into temptation fall, And cast my shield away. For each assault prepared

And ready may I be ; For ever standing on my guard, And looking up to thee. 3 O do thou always warn My soul of evil near ! When to the right or left I turn, Thy voice still let me hear : For Believers Watching. 295 £> " Come back ! this is the way ; Come back, and walk herein ! *' O may I hearken and obey, And shun the paths of sin ! Thou seest my feebleness ; Jesus, be thou my power, My help and refuge in distress, My fortress and my tower. Give me to trust in thee ! Be thou my sure abode ; My horn, and rock, and buckler be, My Saviour, and my God. Myself I cannot save, Myself I cannot keep : But strength in thee I surely have, Whose eye-lids never sleep : My soul to thee alone Now therefore I commend ; Thou, Jesus, love me as thy own, And love me to the end. 1 T^ATHER, to thee I lift mine eyes, JL My longing eyes, and restless heart Before the morning watch I rise, And wait to taste how good thou art, To' obtain the grace I humbly claim, The saving power of Jesu's name. 2 This slumber from my soul, O shake ! Warn by thy Spirit's inward call ; Let me to righteousness awake, And pray that I no more may fall, Or give to sin or Satan place, But walk in all thy righteous ways. ^*yb For Believers Watching. s 3 O would'st thou, Lord, thy servant guard, 'Gainst every known or secret foe ; A mind for all assaults prepared, A sober, vigilant mind bestow, Ever apprized of danger nigh, And when to light, and when to fly. 4 O never suffer me to sleep Secure within the verge of hell , But still my watchful spirit keep In lowly awe and loving zeal ; And bless me with a godly fear, And plant that guardian -angel here ! 5 Attended by the sacred dread, And wise from evil to depart, Let me from strength to strength proceed, And rise to purity of heart ; Through all the paths of duty move, From humble faith to perfect love. HYMN 307. c. m. d.

1 /^ OD of all grace and majesty, ^J Supremely great and good ! If I have mercy found with thee, Through the atoning blood ; The guard of all thy mercies give, And to my pardon join A fear lest 1 should ever grieve The gracious Spirit Divine. 2 If mercy is indeed with thee, May I obedient prove ; Nor e'er abuse my liberty. Or sin against thy love : This choicest fruit of faith bestow On a poor sojourner ; And let me pass my days below In humbleness and fear. For Believers IVatching. 2^7 Rather I would in darkness mourn The absence of thy peace, Than e'er by light irreverence turn Thy grace to wantonness : Rather I would, in painful awe. Beneath thine anger move, Than sin against the gospel law Of liberty and love. But, O ! thou would'st not have me live In bondage, grief, or pain ; Thou dost not take delight to grieve The helpless sons of men : Thy will is my salvation, Lord ; And let it now take place ! And let me tremble at the word Of reconciling grace. Still may I walk as in thy sight, My strict observer see ; And thou by reverent love unite My child-like heart to thee : Still let me, till my days are past. At Jesu's feet abide ; So shall he lift me up at last, And seat me by his side. HYMN 308. cm d. I WANT a principle within Of jealous, godly fear ; A sensibility of sin, A pain to feel it near. I want the first approach to feel Of pride, or fond desire ; To catch the wand'ring of my will, And quench the kindling fire. 298 For Believer* If \i telling. 2 That I from thee no more may part, No more thy goodness grieve, The filial awe, the fleshly heart, The tender conscience, give. Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make ! Awake my soul, when sin is nigh, And keep it still awake. 3 If to the right or left I stray, That moment, Lord, reprove ; And let me weep my life away, For having grieved thy love. O may the least omission pain My well-instructed soul ; And drive me to the blood again, Which makes the wounded whole !

1 TTELP, Lord, to whom for help I fly, •1 -■- And still my tempted soul stand by, Throughout the evil day : The sacred watchfulness impart, And keep the issues of my heart. And stir me up to pray. 2 My soul with thy whole armour arm ; In each approach of sin alarm, And show the danger near ; Surround, sustain, and strengthen me, And fill with godly jealousy, And sanctifying fear. 3 Whene'er my careless hands hang down, O let me see thy gathering frown, And feel thy warning eye ; For Believers Watching. 299 And starting cry, from ruin's brink, Save, Jesus, or I yield, I sink, O save me, or 1 die ! 4 Tf near the pit I rashly stray, Before I wholly fall away, The keen conviction dart ! Recal me by that pitying look, That kind, upbraiding glance, which broke Unfaithful Peter s heart. 5 In me thine utmost mercy show, And make me like thyself below, Unblamable in grace ; Ready prepared, and fitted here, By perfect holiness, to' appear Before thy glorious face. HYMN 310. c. m 1 TNTO a world of ruffians sent, ■*- I walk on hostile ground ; While human bears on slaughter bent, And ravening wolves, surround. 2 The lion seeks my soul to slay, In some unguarded hour ; And waits to tear his sleeping prey, And watches to devour. 3 But worse than all my foes I find The enemy within, The evil heart, the carnal mind, Mine own insidious sin. 4 My nature every moment waits, To render me secure, And all my paths with ease besets, To make my ruin sure. oOO For Believers Watching. 5 But thou hast given a loud alarm ; And thou shalt still prepare My soul for all assaults, and arm With never-ceasing prayer. 6 O do not suffer me to sleep, Who on thy love depend ; But still thy faithful servant keep, And save me to the end ! HYMN 311. s.M. 1 DID me of men beware, -A-J And to my ways take heed ; Discern their every secret snare, And circumspectly tread O may I calmly wait Thy succours from above ; And stand against their open hate And well-dissembled love ! 2 My spirit, Lord, alarm, When men and devils join ; 'Gainst all the powers of Satan aim,

In panoply divine : O may I set my face His onsets to repel ; Quench all his fiery darts, and chase The fiend to his own hell ! 3 But, above all, afraid Of my own bosom -foe, Still let me seek to thee for aid. To thee my weakness show ; Hang on thy arm alone, With self-distrusting care, And deeply in the Spirit groan The never-ceasing prayer. For Believers Watching. 301 4 Give me a sober mind, A quick-discerning eye, The first approach of sin to Hud, And all occasions fly. Still may I cleave to thee, And never more depart, But watch with godly jealousy Over my evil heart. 5 Thus may I pass my days Of sojourning beneath, And languish to conclude my race, And render up my breath ; In humble love and fear, Thine image to regain, And see thee in the clouds appear, And rise with thee to reign ! I TESU, my Saviour, Brother, Friend, *^ On whom I cast my every care, On whom for all things I depend ; Inspire, and then accept, my prayer. *2 If I have tasted of thy grace, The grace that sure salvation brings ; If with me now thy Spirit stays, And hovering hides me in his wings ; 3 Still let him with my weakness stay, Nor for a moment's space depart ; Evil and danger turn away, And keep till he renews my heart. 4 When to the right or left I stray, His voice behind me may I hear : " Return, and walk in Christ thy way ; Fly back to Christ ; for sin is near/' oi/2 For Be lie vers Watching. 5 His sacred unction from above Be still my comforter and guide; Till all the stony he remove, And in my loving heart reside 6 Jesus, I fain would walk in thee, From nature's every path retreat ; Thou art my Way, my Leader be, And set upon the rock my feet. 7 Uphold me, Saviour, or I fall ; O reach me out thy gracious hand ! Only on thee for help I call : Only by faith in thee I stand. HYMN 313. l.m. 1 T3IERCE, fill me with an humble fear : A My utter helplessness reveal ! Satan and sin arc always near ; Thee may I always nearer feel.

2 O that to thee my constant mind Might with an even flame aspire, Pride in its earliest motions find, And mark the risings of desire ! 3 O that my tender soul might fly The first abhorr'd approach of ill ; Quick, as the apple of an eye, The slightest touch of sin to feel ! 4 Till thou anew my soul create, Still may I strive, and watch, and pray, Humbly and confidently wait, And Jong to see the perfect day. For Believers Watching. 303 HYMN 314. s. m. J TYARK, how the watchmen cry, 11 Attend the trumpet's sound ! Stand to your arms, the foe is nigh, The powers of hell surround : Who how to Christ's command, Your arms and hearts prepare ; The day of battle is at hand ! Go forth to glorious war ! 2 See, in the mountain top, The standard of your God ! In Jesu's name I lift it up, All stain'd with hallow'd blood. His standard-bearer, I To all the nations call : Let all to Jesu's cross draw nigh ! He bore the cross for all. 3 Go up with Christ your Head ; Your Captain's footsteps see ; Follow your Captain, and be led To certain victory. All power to him is given ; He ever reigns the same ; Salvation, happiness, and heaven Are all in Jesu's name. 4 Only have faith in God ; In faith your foes assail ; Not wrestling against ilesh and blood, But all the powers of hell : From thrones of glory driven, By flaming vengeance hurl'd, They throng the air, and darken heaven, And rule the lower world. o04 For .Believers Watching, HYMN 315. s. m 1 A NGELS your march oppose, ^ Who still in strength excel, Your secret, sworn, eternal foes, Countless, invisible : With rage that never ends, Their hellish arts they try, Legions of dire, malicious fiends, And spirits enthroned on high. 2 On earth the' usurpers reign, Exert their baneful power ; O'er the poor fallen sons of men They tyrannize their hour : But shall believers fear ? But shall believers fly ? Or see the bloody cross appear, And all their powers defy ? 3 Jesu's tremendous name Puts all our foes to flight : Jesus, the meek, the angry Lamb, A Lion is in fight. By all hell's host withstood,

Are all laid up above : Far above all earthly things, While yet my hands are here employ 'd, Sees my soul the King of kings, And freely talks with God. For Believers Working. oil O that all the art might know Of living thus to thee ! Find their heaven begun below, And here thy glory see ! Walk in all the works prepared By thee to exercise their grace, Till they gain their full reward, And see thy glorious face ! 1 /^APTAIN of Israel's host, and Guide ^^ Of all who seek the land above, Beneath thy shadow we abide, The cloud of thy protecting love : Our strength, thy grace ; our rule, thy word ; Our end, the glory of the Lord. 2 By thine unerring Spirit led, We shall not in the desert stray ; We shall not full direction need, Nor miss our providential way ; As far from danger as from fear, While love, almighty love, is near. THOU who earnest from above, The pure celestial fire to' impart, Kindle a flame of sacred love On the mean altar of my heart. 2 There let it for thy glory burn, With inextinguishable blaze ; And trembling to its source return, In humble prayer and fervent praise. oi.2 For Believers Working. 3 Jesus, confirm my heart's desire To work, and speak, and think for thee ; Still let me guard the holy fire, And still stir up thy gift in me. 4 Ready for all thy perfect will, My acts of faith and love repeat, Till death thy endless mercies seal, And make the sacrifice complete. A^THEN quiet in my house I sit, * * Thy book be my companion still ; My joy thy sayings to repeat, Talk o'er the records of thy will, And search the oracles divine, Till every heart -felt word be mine. 2 O may the gracious words divine Subject of all my converse be : So will the Lord his follower join, And walk and talk himself with me ; So shall my heart his presence prove, And burn with everlasting love. 3 Oft as I lay me down to rest, O may the reconciling word Sweetly compose my weary breast ! While, on the bosom of my Lord, 1 sink in blissful dreams away, And visions of eternal day. 4 Rising to sing my Saviour's praise,

Through all its latent mazes there : Make me thy duteous child, that I Ceaseless may, " Abha, Father," cry! / Ah no ! ne'er will I backward turn ; Thine wholly, thine alone, I am ; Thrice happy he who views with scorn Earth's toys, for thee his constant flame O help, that I may never move From the blest footsteps of thy love. 8 Each moment draw from earth away My heart, that lowly waits thy call ; Speak to my inmost soul, and say, " I am thy Love, thy God, thy All ! " To feel thy power, to hear thy voice, To taste thy love, be all my choice. HYMN 345. 4-6'* §• 2-8\s I ^T'E ransom'd sinners, hear, ■*- The prisoners of the Lord, And wait till Christ appear, According to his word : Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. k2 Let others hug their chains, For sin and Satan plead, And say, from sin's remains They never can be fvca] : Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. Seeking for full Redemption. 327 3 In God we put our trust ; If we our sins confess, Faithful he is, and just, From all unrighteousness To cleanse us all, both you and me j We shall from all our sins be free. 4 Surely in us the hope Of glory shall appear ; Sinners, your heads lift up, And see Redemption near : Again I say, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. 5 Who Jesu's sufferings share, My fellow-prisoners now, Ye soon the wreath shall wear On your triumphant brow : Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. 6 The word of God is sure, And never can remove ; We shall in heart be pure, And perfected in love : Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. 7 Then let us gladly bring Our sacrifice of praise ; Let us give thanks, and sing, And glory in his grace : Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me, We shall from all our sins be free. HYMN 346. cm.

2 Jesu, see my panting breast ! See I pant in thee to rest ! Gladly would I now be clean : Cleanse me now from every sin 3 Fix, O fix my wavering mind ; To thy cross my spirit bind ; Earthly passions far remove ; Swallow up my soul in love. 4 Dust and ashes though we be, Full of sin and misery, Thine we are, thou Son of God ! Take the purchase of thy blood ! Oo2 Seeking for full Redemption. 5 Who in heart on thee believes, He the' atonement now receives ; He with joy beholds thy face, Triumphs in thy pardoning grace. 6 See, ye sinners, see ! the flame, Rising from the slaughter'd Lamb, Marks the new, the living way, Leading to eternal day 7 Jesus, when this light we see, All our soul 's athirst for thee ; When thy quick'ning power we prove, All our heart dissolves in love. 8 Boundless wisdom, power divine, Love unspeakable, are thine : Praise by all to thee be given, Sons of earth, and hosts of heaven ! HYMN 351. 6-8'*, second metre. I pOME, Holy Ghost, all-quick'ning fire ! ^-^ Come, and my hallow'd heart inspire, Sprinkled with the atoning blood : Now to my soul thyself reveal ; Thy mighty working let me feel, And know that I am born of God. "2 Thy witness with my spirit bear, That God, my God, inhabits there, Thou, with the Father, and the Son, Eternal light's co-eval beam : -- Be Christ in me, and I in him, Till perfect we are made in one. 3 When wilt thou my whole heart subdue ? Come, Lord, and form my soul anew, Emptied of pride, and wrath, and hell: Seeking for full Redemption. 333 Less than the least of all thy store Of mercies, I myself abhor : All, all my vileness may I feel. 4 Humble, and teachable, and mild, 0 may I, as a little child, My lowly Master's steps pursue ! Be anger to my soul unknown ; Hate, envy, jealousy, be gone ; In love create thou all things new. 5 Let earth no more my heart divide ; With Christ may I be crucified, To thee with my whole soul aspire ; Dead to the world and all its toys, Its idle pomp, and fading joys,

Be thou alone my one desire ! 6 Be thou my joy, be thou my dread ; In battle cover thou my head : Nor earth, nor hell I then shall fear; 1 then shall turn my steady face, -- Want, pain defy, -- enjoy disgrace, -- Glory in dissolution near. 7 My will be swallow'd up in thee ; Light in thy light still may I see, Beholding thee with open face ; Call'd the full power of faith to prove, Let all my hallow'd heart be love, And all my spotless life be praise. 8 Come, Holy Ghost, all-quickening fire ! My consecrated heart inspire, Sprinkled with the atoning blood ; Still to my soul thyself reveal ; Thy mighty working may I feel, And know that 1 am one with God. oo4 Seeking far full 'Redemption. HYMN 352 2-6'« fr 4-7'*. I TESUS, thou art our King ! *J To mc thy succour bring ; Christ, the mighty One, art thou ; Help for all on thee is laid ; This the word ; I claim it now ; Send ine now the promised aid. 2 High on thy Father's throne, O look with pity down ! Help, O help, attend my call, Captive lead captivity : King of glory, Lord of all, Christ, he Lord, he King to me ! 3 I pant to feel thy sway, And only thee to' obey ; Thee my spirit gasps to meet ; This my one, my ceaseless prayer, Make, O make my heart thy seat, O set up thy kingdom there ! 4 Triumph and reign in me, And spread thy victory ; Hell, and death, and sin control, Pride, and wrath, and every foe, All subdue ; through all my soul Conquering, and to conquer, go. HYMN 353. 6-8'*, second metre. OJESU, source of calm repose, Thy like nor man nor angel knows ; Fairest among ten thousand fair ! Even those whom death's sad fetters bound, Whom thickest darkness compass'd round, Find light and life, if thou appear. Seeking for full Redemption. Sou 2 Effulgence of the Light Divine, Ere rolling planets knew to shine, Ere time its ceaseless course began ; Thou, when the' appointed hour was come, Didst not abhor the virgin's womb, But, God with God, wast man with man.

Still impotently near ; Earth and hell their wars may wage ; Calm I mark their vain design, Smile to see them idly rage Against a child of thine. 3 Unto thee, my Help, my Hope, My Safeguard, and my Tower, Confident 1 still look up, And still receive thy power : All the alien's hosts I chase, Blast and scatter with mine eyes ; Satan comes ; I turn my face, And, lo ! the Tempter flies ! 4 Sin in me, the inbred foe, Awhile subsists in chains ; But thou all thy power shalt show, And slay its last remains : Thou hast conquer'd my desire, Thou shalt quench it with thy blood, Fill me with a purer fire, And make me all like God. HYMN 360 cm. Rom. iv. 13, &c. 1 l^ATHER of Jesus Christ, my Lord *- My Saviour, and my Head, I trust in thee, whose powerful word Hath raised him from the dead. o44 Seeking for full Redemption. 2 Thou know'st for my offence he died, And rose again for me, Fully and freely justified, That 1 might live to thee. 3 Eternal life to all mankind Thou hast in Jesus given ; And all who seek, in him shall find The happiness of heaven. 4 O God ! thy record I believe, In Abraham's footsteps tread ; And wait, expecting to receive The Christ, the promised Seed. 5 Faith in thy power thou seest I have, For thou this faith hast wrought ; Dead souls thou callest from their grave. And speakest worlds from nought. 6' Things that are not, as though they were, Thou callest by their name ; Present with thee the future are, With thee, the great I AM. 7 In hope, against all human hope, Self-desperate, I believe ; Thy quick'ning word shall raise me up, Thou shalt thy Spirit give. 8 The thing surpasses all my thought ; But faithful is my Lord ; Through unbelief 1 stagger not, For God hath spoke the word. 9 Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees. And looks to that alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries, " It shall be done ! " Seeking for full Redemption. o4o 10 To thee the glory of thy power And faithfulness I give ; I shall in Christ, at that glad hour, And Christ in me shall live.

Seeking for full Redemption. 3oi Saviour, to thee I still look up ; I see an open door of hope ; And wait thy fulness to receive. 9 How shall I thank thee for the grace, The trust I have to see thy face, When sin shall all he purged away ! The night of doubts and fears is past ; The Morning- Star appears at last, And I shall see the perfect day. I SOON shall hear thy quick'ning voi< Shall always pray, give thanks, rejoi< oice, joice (This is thy will and faithful word ;) My spirit meek, my will resign' d ; Lowly as thine shall be my mind ; The servant shall be as his Lord. 2 Already, Lord, I feel thy power ; Preserved from evil every hour, My great Preserver 1 proclaim : Safety and strength in thee I have ; I find, I find thee strong to save, And know that Jesus is thy name. 3 By faith I every moment stand, Strangely upheld by thy right hand ; I my own wickedness eschew ; A sinner, I am kept from sin ; And thou shalt make me pure within, And thou shalt form my soul anew. 4 Come, then, and loose my stamm 'ring tongue, Teach me the new, the joyful song, And perfect in a babe thy praise : 002 Seeking for full Redemption. 1 want a thousand lives to' employ In publishing the sounds of joy, The gospel of thy general grace. 5 Come, Lord, thy Spirit bids thee come Give me thyself, and take me home ; Be now the glorious earnest given ! The counsel of thy grace fulfil ; Thy kingdom come, thy perfect will Be done on earth, as 'tis in heaven. HYMN 367. s. m. COME, and dwell in me, Spirit of power within ! And bring the glorious liberty From sorrow, fear, and sin. The seed of sin's disease, Spirit of health, remove, Spirit of finish'd holiness, Spirit of perfect love. 2 Hasten the joyful day, Which shall my sins consume, When old things shall be pass'd away, And all things new become. The' original offence Out of my soul erase ; Enter thyself, and drive it hence, And take up all the place. 3 I want the witness, Lord, That all 1 do is right, According to thy will and word,

The man f sin consume ; Slay him with thy Spirit, Lord ; Reign thou in my heart alone ; Speak the sanctifying word, And seal me all thine own. HYMN 384. c. m. 1 KNOW that my Redeemer lives, A And ever prays for me ; A token of his love he gives, A pledge of liberty. 2 I find him lifting up my head, He brings salvation near ; His presence makes me free indeed, And he will soon appear. t)()o Seeking for fall Redemption. 3 He wills that I should holy he ; What can withstand his will ? The counsel of his grace in me He surely shall fulfil. 4 Jesus, I hang upon thy word ; I steadfastly believe Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord, And to thyself receive. 5 Joyful in hope, my spirit soars To meet thee from above, Thy goodness thankfully adores ; And sure I taste thy love. 6 Thy love I soon expect to find, In all its depth and height ; To comprehend the' Eternal Mind, And grasp the Infinite. 7 When God is mine, and I am his, Of paradise possest, I taste unutterable bliss, And everlasting rest. 8 The bliss of those that fully dwell, Fully in thee believe, 'Tis more than angel-tongues can tell, Or angel -minds conceive. 9 Thou only know'st, who didst obtain, And die to make it known ; The great salvation now explain, And perfect us in one ! HYMN 385. 8's§ 7's. I OVE Divine, all loves excelling, -" Joy of heaven, to earth come down ; Seeking for full Redemption. 369 Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown : Jesus, thou art all compassion ; Pure, unbounded love thou art ; Visit us with thy salvation ; Enter every trembling heart. 2 Come, almighty to deliver, Let us all thy grace receive ; Suddenly return, and never, Never more, thy temples leave : Thee we would be always blessing ; Serve thee as thy hosts above ; Pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, Glory in thy perfect love. 3 Finish, then, thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be ; Let us see thy great salvation, Perfectly restored in thee : Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee,

Lost in wonder, love, and praise ! HYMN 386. l, h. 1 A RM of the Lord, awake, awake ! -^"*- Thine own immortal strength put on ! With terror clothed, hell's kingdom shake, And cast thy foes with fury down ! 2 As in the ancient days appear ; The sacred annals speak thy fame : Be now omnipotently near, To endless ages still the same o/U Seeking for fu II Redemption . 3 Thy arm, Lord, is not shorten 'd now ; Jt wants not now the power to save ; Still present with thy people, thou Bear'st them through life's disparted wave. 4 By death and hell pursued in vain, To thee the ransom'd seed shall come ; Shouting, their heavenly Sion gain, And pass through death triumphant home. 5 The pain of life shall there he o'er, The anguish and distracting care ; There sighing grief shall weep no more, And sin shall never enter there. 6 Where pure, essential joy is found, The Lord's redeem'd their heads shall raise, With everlasting gladness crown'd, And hll'd with love, and lost in praise. HYMN 387. s. m. PRISONERS of hope, arise, And see your Lord appear : Lo ! on the wings of love he flies, And brings redemption near. Redemption in his blood He calls you to receive : " Look unto me, the pardoning God ; Believe," he cries, " believe !" 2 The reconciling word We thankfully embrace ; Rejoice in our redeeming Lord, A blood-besprinkled race. Seeking for full Redemption. 371 We yield to be set free ; Thy counsel we approve ; Salvation, praise, ascribe to thee, And glory in thy love. 3 Jesus, to thee we look, Till saved from sin's remains ; Reject the inbred tyrant's yoke, And cast away his chains. Our nature shall no more O'er us dominion have ; By faith we apprehend the power Which shall for ever save ! HYMN 388. l. m. 1 f\ THAT my load of sin were gone ! ^^ O that 1 could at last submit At Jesu's feet to lay it down, To lay my soul at Jesu's feet ! 2 When shall mine eyes behold the Lamb ? The God of my salvation see ? Weary, O Lord, thou know'st I am ; Yet still I cannot come to thee.

Feeble, and faint, and blind, and poor ; Weary, I come to thee for rest, And sick of sin, implore a cure. 4 My sin's incurable disease Thou, Jesus, thou alone, canst heal ; Inspire me with thy power and peace, And pardon on my conscience Seal. 5 A touch, a word, a look from thee, Can turn my heart, and make it clean ; Purge the foul, inbred leprosy, And save me from my bosom-sin. 6 Lord, if thou wilt, I do believe Thou canst the saving grace impart ; Thou canst this instant now forgive, And stamp thine image on my heart. 7 My heart, which now to thee I raise, I know thou canst this moment cleanse ; The deepest stains of sin efface, And drive the evil spirit hence. 8 Be it according to thy word ; Accomplish now thy work in me ; And let my soul, to health restored, Devote its little all to thee. HYMN 396. l. m. 1 /^\ THOU, whom once they fiock'd. to hear, ^-^ Thy words to hear, thy power to feel ; Suffer the sinners to draw near, And graciously receive us still. 2 They that be whole, thyself hast said, No need of a physician have ; But I am sick, and want thine aid, And want thine utmost power to save. »i7o Seeking for full Redemption. 3 Thy power, and truth, and love divine, The same from age to age endure ; A word, a gracious word of thine, The most inveterate plague can cure. 4 Helpless howe'er my spirit lies, And long hath languished at the pool, A word of thine shall make me rise, And speak me in a moment whole. 5 Eighteen, or eight and thirty, years, Or thousands, are alike to thee : Soon as thy saving grace appears, My plague is gone, my heart is free. b Make this the acceptable hour ! Come, O my soul's Physician, thou! Display thy sanctifying power, And show me thy salvation now. i HYMN 397. l. m. TESU, thy far-extended fame My drooping soul exults to hear ; Thy name, thy all-restoring name, Is music in a sinner's ear. 2 Sinners of old thou didst receive, With comfortable words and kind, Their sorrows cheer, their wants relieve Heal the diseased, and cure the blind. 3 And art thou not the Saviour still,

Take possession of my heart : If thou canst so greatly bow, Friend of sinners, why not now ? 2 God of love, in this my day, For thyself to thee I cry ; Dying, -- if thou still delay, Must I not for ever die ? Enter now thy poorest home ; Now, my utmost Saviour, come ! 3J2 Seeking for full Redemption, HYMN 412. i. m. 1 Kings xviii. 1 rTHHOU God that answerest by fire, ■*- On thee in Jesu's name we call ; Fulfil our faithful hearts' desire, And let on us thy Spirit fall. 2 Bound on the altar of thy cross, Our old often ding nature lies ; Now, for the honour of thy cause, Come, and consume the sacrifice ! 3 Consume our lusts as rotten wood, Consume our stony hearts within ! Consume the dust, the serpent's food, And dry up all the streams of sin. 4 Its body totally destroy ! Thyself The Lord, The God, approve i And fill our hearts with holy joy, And fervent zeal, and perfect love. 5 O that the fire from heaven might fall, Our sins its ready victims find, Seize on our sins, and burn up all, Nor leave the least remains behind ! 6 Then shall our prostrate souls adore, The Lord, He is the God, confess : He is the God of saving power ! He is the God of hallowing grace ! HYMN 413. Ts$Vs. 1 /^VNCE thou didst on earth appear, ^^ For all mankind to' atone ; Now be manifested here, And bid our sin be gone ! Come, and by thy presence chase Its nature with its guilt and power; Jesus, show thy open face, And sin shall be no more. Seeking for full Redemption. o,J3 2 Thou who didst so greatly stoop To a poor virgin's womb, Here thy mean abode take up ; To me, my Saviour, come ! Come, and Satan's works destroy, And let me all thy Godhead prove, Fill'd with peace, and heavenly joy, And pure eternal love. 3 Then my soul, with strange delight, Shall comprehend and feel What the length, and breadth, and height Of love unspeakable : Then I shall the secret know, Which angels would search out in vain ;-- God was man, and served below, That man with God might reign ! 4 Father, Son, and Spirit, come,

1 ET not the wise his wisdom boast ; -*-- ' The mighty glory in his might ; The rich in flattering riches trust, Which take their everlasting flight. The rush of numerous years bears down The most gigantic strength of man ; And where is all his wisdom gone, When dust he turns to dust again ! 2 One only gift can justify The boasting soul that knows his God ; When Jesus cloth his blood apply, I glory in his sprinkled blood. The Lord my Righteousness I praise ; I triumph in the love divine, The wisdom, wealth, and strength of grace, In Christ to endless ages mine. 400 For Believers Saved. HYMN 423. 7'sSfQ's. 1 ^\^7HO can worthily commend * * Thy love unsearchable ! Love that made thee condescend Our curse and death to feel : Thou, the great, eternal God, Who didst thyself our ransom pay, Hast, with thy own precious blood, Wash'd all our sins away. 2 By the Spirit of our Head Anointed priests and kings, Conquerors of the world, we tread On all created things ; Sit in heavenly places down, While yet we in the flesh remain : Now, partakers of thy throne, Before thy Father reign. 3 In thy members here beneath The Intercessor prays ; Here we in the Spirit breathe The quintessence of praise ; Offer up our all to God ; And God beholds, with gracious eyes, First the purchase of thy blood, And then our sacrifice. 4 Jesus, let thy kingdom come, (Inspired by thee we pray,) Previous to the general doom, The everlasting day : Take possession of thine own, And let us then our Saviour see Glorious on thy heavenly throne, To all eternity. For Believers Saved. 401 HYMN 424. Ts$&s. 1 JS, who climb thy holy hill, ^ A general blessing make : Let the world our influence feel, Our gospel grace partake : Grace, to help in time of need, Pour out on sinners from above ; All thy Spirit's fulness shed, In showers of heavenly love. 2 Make our earthly souls a field Which God delights to bless ; Let us in due season yield The fruits of righteousness : Make us trees of paradise, Which more and more thy praise may show. Deeper sink, and higher rise, And to perfection grow. HYMN 425. l. m.

Which longs to build thy house again ; Thy love let it my heart o'erpower, And all my simple soul devour. 2 I want an even, strong desire, I want a calmly-fervent zeal, To save poor souls out of the fire, To snatch them from the verge of hell, And turn them to a pardoning God, And quench the brands in Jesu's blood. 3 I would the precious time redeem, And longer live for this alone, To spend, and to be spent, for them Who have not yet my Saviour known ; Fully on these my mission prove, And only breathe, to breathe thy love. 4 My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord, Into thy blessed hands receive ; And let me live to preach thy word ; And let me to thy glory live ; My every sacred moment spend In publishing the Sinners' Friend. 5 Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart With boundless charity divine ! So shall I all my strength exert, And love them with a zeal like thine ; And lead them to thy open side, The sheep for whom their Shepherd died. 4Uo For Believers Saved. HYMN 434. 7's. 1 TESUS, all-atoning Lamb, *J Thine, and only thine, I am ; Take my body, spirit, soul ; Only thou possess the whole. 2 Thou my one thing needful be ; Let me ever cleave to thee ; Let me choose the better part ; Let me give thee all my heart. 3 Fairer than the sons of men, Do not let me turn again, Leave the fountain-head of bliss, Stoop to creature-happiness. 4 Whom have I on earth below ? Thee, and only Thee I know ; Whom have 1 in heaven but Thee ? Thou art all in all to me. 5 All my treasure is above ; All my riches is thy love : Who the worth of love can tell ? Infinite, unsearchable ! 6 Thou, O love, my portion art : Lord, thou know'st my simple heart ! Other comforts I despise ; Love be all my paradise. 7 Nothing else can I require ; Love fills up my whole desire ; All thy other gifts remove, Still thou giv'st me all in love ! For Believers Saved. 409 HYMN 435. c. k.

1 T^ATHER, to thee my soul I lift ; JL My soul on thee depends, Convinced that every perfect gift From thee alone descends. 2 Mercy and grace are thine alone, And power and wisdom too ; Without the Spirit of thy Son We nothing good can do. 3 We cannot speak one useful word, One holy thought conceive, Unless, in answer to our Lord, Thyself the blessing give. 4 His blood demands the purchased grace His blood's availing plea Obtain 'd the help for all our race, And sends it down to me. 5 Thou all our works in us hast wrought ; Our good is all divine ; The praise of every virtuous thought, And righteous word, is thine. 6 From thee, through Jesus, we receive The power on thee to call, In whom we are, and move, and live ; Our God is all in all ! HYMN 436. s. m. 1 TESU, my Truth, my Way, ** My sure, unerring Light, On thee my feeble steps I stay, Which thou wilt guide aright. 2 My Wisdom and my Guide, My Counsellor thou art ; O never let me leave thy side, Or from thy paths depart ! 410 For Believers Saved. 3 I lift my eyes to thee, Thou gracious, Weeding Lamh, That I may now enlighten'd be, And never put to shame. 4 Never will I remove Out of thy hands my cause ; But rest in thy redeeming love, And hang upon thy cross. 5 Teach me the happy art In all things to depend On thee ; O never, Lord, depart, But love me to the end ! 6 Still stir me up to strive With thee in strength divine ; And every moment, Lord, revive This fainting soul of mine. 7 Persist to save my soul Throughout the fiery hour, Till I am every whit made whole, And show forth all thy power. 8 Through fire and water bring Into the wealthy place ; And teach me the new song to sing, When perfected in grace ! 9 O make me all like thee, Before 1 hence remove ! Settle, confirm, and 'stablish me, And build me up in love. 10 Let me thy witness live, When sin is all destroy'd : And then my spotless soul receive, And take me home to God. For Believers Saved. 411 HYMN 437. l. m.

For the Mahometans 1 CUN of unclouded Righteousness, O With healing in thy wings arise, A sad benighted world to bless, Which now in sin and error lies, Wrapt in Egyptian night profound ; With chains of hellish darkness bound. 2 The smoke of the infernal cave, Which half the Christian world o'erspread, Disperse, thou heavenly Light, and save The souls by that Impostor led, That Arab-thief, as Satan bold, Who quite destroy'd thy Asian fold. 3 O might the blood of sprinkling cry For those who spurn the sprinkled blood ! Assert thv glorious Deitv, Stretch out thine arm, thou triune God ! The Unitarian fiend expel, And chase his doctrine back to hell. 4 Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Thou Three in One, and One in Three ! Resume thy own, for ages lost. Finish the dire apostasy ; For Believers Interceding. 417 Thy universal claim maintain, And Lord of the creation reign ! For the Heathens. 1 ORD over all, if thou hast made, J-- * Hast ransom'd, every soul of man, -- Why is the grace so long delay'd? Why unfulfill'd the saving plan ? The bliss, for Adam's race design'd, When will it reach to all mankind ? 2 Art thou the God of Jews alone, And not the God of Gentiles too ? To Gentiles make thy goodness known ; Thy judgments to the nations show ; Awake them by the gospel call : Light of the world, illumine all ! 3 The servile progeny of Ham Seize, as the purchase of thy blood ; Let all the Heathens know thy name ; From idols to the living God The dark Americans convert ; And shine in every Pagan heart ! 4 As lightning launch 'd from east to west, The coming of thy kingdom be ; To thee, by angel-hosts confest, Bow every soul and every knee ; Thy glory let all flesh behold ! And then fill up thy heavenly fold. HYMN 445. 6-8's. 1 r\ COME, thou radiant Morning Star, ^-J Again in human darkness shine ! Arise resplendent from afar ! Assert thy royalty divine ! Thy sway o'er all the earth maintain, And now begin thv glorious reign. 4Lo For Believers Interceding. s 2 Thy kingdom, Lord, we long to see : Thy sceptre o'er the nations shake ! To' erect that final monarchy,

Edom for thy possession take ; Take (for thou didst their ransom fiiul) The purchased souls of all mankind. 3 Now let thy chosen ones appear, And valiantly the truth maintain ! Dispread thy gracious kingdom here ; Fly on the rebel sons of men ! Seize them with faith divinely bold, And force the world into thy fold ! HYMN 446. cm. 1 TESU, the word of mercy give, J And let it swiftly run ; And let the priests themselves believe, And put salvation on. 2 Clothed with the Spirit of Holiness, May all thy people prove The plenitude of gospel grace, The joy of perfect love. 3 Jesus, let all thy lovers shine Illustrious as the sun ; And, bright with borrow'd rays divine* Their glorious circuit run : 4 Beyond the reach of mortals, spread Their light where'er they go ; And heavenly influences shed On all the world below. 5 As giants may they run their race, Exulting in their might ; As burning luminaries, chase The gloom of hellish night : For He lie vers Interceding. 41y 6 As the bright Sun of Righteousness, Their healing wings display ; And let their lustre still increase Unto the perfect day. HYMN 447. d. s. m. 1 A/f ESSIAH, Prince of Peace ! iy\. Where men each other tear, Where war is learn' d, they must confess, Thy kingdom is not there. Who, prompted by thy foe, Delight in human blood, Apollyon is their king, we know, And Satan is their god. 2 But shall he still devour The souls redeem'd by thee ? Jesus, stir up thy glorious power, And end the' apostasy ! Come, Saviour, from above, O'er all our hearts to reign ; And plant the kingdom of thy love In every heart of man. 3 Then shall we exercise The hellish art no more, While thou, our long-lost paradise Dost with thyself restore. Fightings and wars shall cease, And, in thy Spirit given, Pure joy and everlasting peace Shall turn our earth to heaven. 21)2 42U Far Believers Interceding . HYMN 448. 7'& ■ 8f6's. J T3RINCE of universal peace, ^ Destroy the enmity ; Bid our jars and discords cease ; Unite us all in thee : Cruel as wild beasts we are, Till vanquish'd by thy mercy's power ; Men, like wolves, each other tear, And their own flesh devour.

2 But if thou pronounce the word That forms our souls again, Love and harmony restored Throughout our earth shall reign : When thy wondrous love they feel, The human savages are tame ; Ravenous wolves and leopards dwell And stable with the lamb. 3 O that now, with pardon blest, We each might each embrace ; Quietly together rest, And feed upon thy grace ; Like our sinless parents live : Great Shepherd ! make thy goodness known ; All into thy fold receive, And keep us ever one. HYMN 449. 7's8f6's 1 TTAPPY day of union sweet ! -1 J- O when shall it appear! When shall all thy people meet In amity sincere ! Tear each other's flesh no more, But kindly think and speak the same ; All express the meekening power And spirit of the Lamb ! For Believers Interceding ■ 4^ J Visit us, bright Morning Star, And bring the perfect day ! Urged by faith's incessant prayer, No longer, Lord, delay : Now destroy the envious root ; The ground of nature's feuds remove ; Fill the earth with golden fruit, With ripe, millennial love. HYMN 450. s. m. For the Jews. 1 1V/TESSIAH, full of grace, JLtX Redeem'd by thee, we plead The promise made to Abraham's race, To souls for ages dead. 2 Their bones, as quite dried up, Throughout the vale appear : Cut off and lost their last faint hope To see thy kingdom here. .*> Open their graves, and bring The outcasts forth, to own Thou art their Lord, their God, their King, Their true Anointed One. 4 To save the race forlorn, Thy glorious arm display ! And show the world a nation born, A nation in a day ! f^ATHER of faithful Abraham, hear *- Our earnest suit for Abraham's seed ! Justly they claim the softest prayer From us, adopted in their stead, Who mercy through their fall obtain, And Christ by their rejection gain. 422 For Believers Interceding. 2 Outcasts from thee, and scatter'd wide Through every nation under heaven, Blaspheming whom they crucified, Unsaved, unpitied, unforgiven, Branded like Cain, they hear their load, Ahhorr'd of men, and cursed of God. 3 But hast thou finally forsook, For ever cast thy own away ? Wilt thou not hid the murd'rers look

Ye trembling slaves of sin, The Rock of your salvation, struck And cleft to take you in : To shelter the distrest, He did the cross endure , Enter into the clefts, and rest In Jesu's wounds secure. 3 Jesus, to thee we fly, From the devouring sword ; Our city of defence is nigh ; Our help is in the Lord. -- Or, if the scourge o'erflow, And laugh at innocence, Thine everlasting arms, we know, Shall be our souls' defence. 4 We in thy word believe, And on thy promise stay ; Our life, which still to thee we give, Shall be to us a prey : Our life with thee we hide, Above the furious blast, And shelter'd in thy wounds abide, Till all the storms are past. ] For Believers Interceding. 4:2 J 5 Believing against hope, We hang upon thy grace, Through every lowering cloud look up, And wait for happy days ; The days when all shall know Their sins in Christ forgiven, And walk awhile with God below, And then fly up to heaven. HYMN 454. l. m. Against Lukewarmness. -- Rev. iii. 14 -- 19. GOD of unspotted purity, Us and our works cans ist thou behold ! Justly we are abhorr'd by thee, For we are neither hot nor cold. 2 We call thee Lord, thy faith profess, But do not from our hearts obey ; In soft Laodicean ease We sleep our useless lives away. 3 We live in pleasure, and are dead, In search of fame and wealth we live : Commanded in thy steps to tread, We seek sometimes, but never strive. 4 A lifeless form we still retain ; Of this we make our empty boast, Nor know the name we take in vain ; The power of godliness is lost. 5 How long, great God, have we appear'd Abominable in thy sight ! Better that we had never heard Thy word, or seen the gospel light. 6 Better that we had never known The way to heaven through saving grace Than basely in our lives disown, And slight and mock thee to thy face. 4^0 J?or Believers Interceding. 7 Thou rather would'st that we were cold Than seem to serve thee without zeal ; Less guilty if, with those of old, We worshipp'd Thor and Woden still. 8 Less grievous wili the judgment-dav

To Sodom and Gomorrah prove, Than us, who cast our faith away, And trample on thy richer love. HYMN 455. l. m. 1 f\ LET us our own works forsake, ^^ Ourselves, and all we have deny ; Thy condescending counsel take, And come to thee pure gold to huy. i2 O might we, through thy grace, attain The faith thou never wilt reprove ; The faith that purges every stain, The faith that always works by love ! 3 O might we see in this our day, The things belonging to our peace, And timely meet thee in thy wav Of judgments, and our sins confess ! 4 Thy fatherly chastisements own ; With filial awe revere thy rod ; And turn, with zealous haste, and run Into the outstretch'd arms of God. HYMN 456. l. m. For the Promise of the Spirit. FATHER, if justly still we claim To us and ours the promise made, To us he graciously the same, And crown with living fire our head JFor Believers Interceding. 4:2/ s 2 Our claim admit, and from above Of holiness the Spirit shower, Of wise discernment, humble love ; And zeal, and unity, and power. 3 The Spirit of convincing speech, Of power demonstrative, impart ; Such as may every conscience reach, And sound the unbelieving heart : 4 The Spirit of refining fire, Searching the inmost of the mind, To purge all fierce and foul desire, And kindle life more pure and kind : 5 The Spirit of faith, in this thy day, To break the power of cancell'd sin, Tread down its strength, o'erturn its sway, And still the conquest more than win. 6 The Spirit breathe of inward life, Which in our hearts thy laws may write ; Then grief expires, and pain, and strife ; 'Tis nature all, and all delight. HYMN 457. l. m. 1 |^N all the earth thy Spirit shower ; ^^ The earth in righteousness renew ; Thy kingdom come, and hell's o'erpower, And to thy sceptre all subdue. 2 Like mighty winds, or torrents fierce, Let it opposers all o'errun ; And every law of sin reverse, That faith and love may make all one. 3 Yea, let thy Spirit in every place Its richer energy declare ; While lovely tempers, fruits of grace, The kingdom of thy Christ prepare. 4^o For Believers Interceding.

4 Giant this, O holy God and true! The ancient Seers thou didst inspire ; To us perform the promise due ; Descend, and crown us now with tire! HYMN 458. l. m. J A UTHOR of faith, we seek thy face ■^"a- For all who feel thy work begun ; Confirm and strengthen them in grace, And bring thy feeblest children on. 2 Thou seest their wants, thou know'st their names, Be mindful of thy youngest care ; Be tender of thy new-born lambs, And gently in thy bosom bear. 3 The lion roaring for his prey, With ravening wolves on every side, Watch over them to tear and slay, If found one moment from their guide. 4 Satan his thousand arts essays, His agents all their powers employ, To blast the blooming work of grace, The heavenly offspring to destroy. 5 Baffle the crooked Serpent's skill, And turn his sharpest dart aside ; Hide from their eyes the devilish ill, O save them from the demon, Pride ! 6 In safety lead thy little flock, From hell, the world, and sin secure ; And set their feet upon the rock, And make in thee their goings sure. HYMN 459. s. m. For the Fallen. 1 O HEPHERD of Israel, hear ^ Our supplicating cry ; And gather in the souls sincere, That from their brethren flv. For Be I ievei's Interceding. 429 2 Scatter'd through devious ways, Collect thy feeble flock ; And join by thine atoning grace, And hide them in the Rock. 3 O would'st thou end the storm, That keeps us still apart ! The thing impossible perform, And make us of one heart, -- 4 One spirit and one mind, The same that was in thee : O might we all again be join'd In perfect harmony ! 5 Jesus, at thy command, We know it shall be done ; Take the two sticks into thy hand, The two shall then be one. 6 One body and one fold, We then shall sweetly prove, And live in thee, like them of old, The life of spotless love. 1 f~^ OD of all power and grace, ^^ Set up the bloody sign ; And gather those that seek thy face, And by thy Spirit join. The few remaining sheep In Britain's pastures bred, United to each other keep, United to their Head.

2 The soul- transforming word In us, even us, fulfil ; Join to thyself, our common Lord, And all thy servants seal. 4-oU For Believers Tntercedins. s Confer the grace unknown, The mystic charity ; As thou art with the Father One, Unite us all in thee. 3 So shall the world believe Our record, Lord, and thine ; And all with thankful hearts receive The Messenger divine, Sent from his throne above, To Adam's offspring given, To join and perfect us in love, And take us up to heaven HYMN 461. 6-8' s. 1 C AVIOUR, to thee we humbly cry ! ^ The brethren we have lost restore ; Recall them by thy pitying eye ; Retrieve them from the Tempter's power ; By thy victorious blood cast down, Nor suffer him to take their crown. 2 Beguiled, alas ! by Satan's art, We see them now far off removed, The burden of our bleeding heart, The souls whom once in thee we loved ; Whom still we love with grief and pain, And weep for their return in vain. 3 In vain, till thou the power bestow, The double power of quick'ning grace, And make the happy sinners know Their Tempter, with his angel-face, Who leads them captive at his will, Captive, but happy sinners still ! 4 O would'st thou break the fatal snare Of carnal self-security ; And let them feel the wrath they bear, And let them groan their want of thee, For Believers Interceding. 431 s Robb'd of their false, pernicious peace, Stripp'd of their fancied righteousness. 5 The men of careless lives, who deem Thy righteousness accounted theirs, Awake out of the soothing dream ; Alarm their souls with humble fears : Thou jealous God, stir up thy power, And let them sleep in sin no more ! 6 Long as the guilt of sin shall last, Them in its misery detain ; Hold their licentious spirits fast, Bind them with their own nature's chain, Nor ever let the wand'rers rest, -- Till lodged again in Jesu's breast. HYMN 462. l. m. 1 /"^\ LET the pris'ners' mournful cries ^-^ As incense in thy sight appear ! Their humble wailings pierce the skies, If haply they may feel thee near. 2 The captive exiles make their moans,

From sin impatient to be free : Call home, call home thy banish'd ones ! Lead captive their captivity ! 3 Show them the blood that bought their peace, The anchor of their steadfast hope ; And bid their guilty terrors cease, And bring the ransom'd prisoners up. 4 Out of the deep regard their cries, The fallen raise, the mourners cheer ; O Sun of Righteousness, arise, And scatter all their doubt and fear ! 5 Pity the day of feeble things ; O gather every halting soul ! And drop salvation from thy wings, And make the contrite sinner whole. 4o2 For Believers Interceding. 6 Stand by them in the fiery hour, Their feebleness of mind defend ; And in their weakness show thy power, And make them patient to the end. 7 O satisfy their soul in drought ! Give them thy saving health to see ; And let thy mercy find them out ; And let thy mercy reach to me. 8 Hast thou the work of grace begun, And brought them to the birth, in vain ? 0 let thy children see the sun ! Let all their souls be born again ! 9 Relieve the souls whose cross we bear, For whom thy suff'ring members mourn • Answer our faith's effectual prayer ; Bid every struggling child be born ! 1 AMB of God, who bear'st away -L^ All the sins of all mankind, Bow a nation to thy sway ; -- While we may acceptance find, Let us thankfully embrace The last offers of thy grace. 2 Thou thy messengers hast sent, Joyful tidings to proclaim, Willing we should all repent, Know salvation in thy Name, Feel our sins by grace forgiven, Find in thee the way to heaven. 3 Jesus, roll away the stone ; Good Physician, show thy art ! Make thy healing virtue known ; Break the unbelieving heart : For Believers Interceding. ±33 By thy bloody cross subdue ; Tell them, " I have died for you ! " 4 Let thy dying love constrain Those who disregard thy frown ; Sink the mountain to a plain ; Bring the pride of sinners down ; Soften the obdurate crowd ; Melt the rebels with thy blood ! 1 TESUS, from thy heavenly place, y Thy dwelling in the sky, Fill our Church with righteousness.

Our want of faith supply : Faith our strong protection be : And godliness, with all its power, 'Stablish our posterity, Till time shall be no more. 2 Let the Spirit of grace o'erflow Our re-converted land : Let the least and greatest know And bow to thy command : Wisdom, pure religious fear, Our King's peculiar treasure prove, Blest with piety sincere, Inspired with humble love. HYMN 465. c. m. For the King, SOV REIGN of all ! whose Will ordains The powers on earth that be, By whom our rightful monarch reigns, Subject to none but thee ; 4o4 For Believers Intercedin & 2 Stir up thy power, appear, appear, And for thy servant fight ; Support thy great vicegerent here And vindicate his riffht. 3 Lo ! in the arms of faith and prayer We bear him to thy throne ; Receive thy' own peculiar care, The Lord's anointed one. 4 With favour look upon his face ; Thy love's pavilion spread, And watchful troops of angels place Around his sacred head. 5 Guard him from all who dare oppose Thy delegate and thee ; From open and from secret foes, From force and perfidy ! 6 Confound whoe'er his ruin seek, Or into friends convert : Give him his adversaries' neck ; Give him his people's heart. 7 Let us, for conscience' sake, revere The man of thy right hand ; Honour and love thine image here, And bless his mild command. 8 Thou only didst the blessing give j The glory, Lord, be thine : Let all with thankful joy receive The benefit divine. 9 To those, who thee in him obey, The Spirit of grace impart : His dear, his sacred burden lay On every loyal heart. 10 Still let us pray, and never cease, " Defend him, Lord, defend : 'Stablish his throne in glorious peace And save him to the end ! " For Believers Interceding . 435 s HYMN 466. 8'* §• 6's. 1 A NATION God delights to bless, •**- Can all our raging foes distress, Or hurt whom they surround ? Hid from the general scourge we are, Nor see the bloody waste of war, Nor hear the trumpet's sound. 2 O might we, Lord ! the grace improve, By labouring for the rest of love,

12 Wilt keep us tenderly discreet To guard what thou hast given ; And bring our child with us to meet At thy right hand in heaven. HYMN 470. l. m. For Masters. 1 A/T ASTER supreme, I look to thee -^▼-*- For grace and wisdom from above ; Vested with thy authority, Endue me with thy patient love r 2 That, taught according to thy will, To rule my family aright, 1 may the' appointed charge fulfil, With all my heart, and all my might. 3 Inferiors, as a sacred trust, I from the Sovereign Lord receive, That what is suitable and just, Impartial I to all may give : 4 O'erlook them with a guardian eye ; From vice and wickedness restrain , Mistakes and lesser faults pass by, And govern with a looser rein. 5 The servant faithfully discreet, Gentle to him, and good, and mild, Him would I tenderly entreat, And scarce distinguish from a child. () Yet let me not my place forsake, The' occasion of his stumbling prove, The servant to my bosom take, Or mar him by familiar love. 140 For Believers Interceding. 7 Order if some invert, confound, Their Lord's authority betray, -- I hearken to the gospel sound, And trace the providential way. 8 As far from abjectness as pride, With condescending dignity, Jesus, I make thy word my guide, And keep the post assign'd by thee. 9 O could I emulate the zeal Thou dost to thy poor servants bear ! The troubles, griefs, and burdens feel Of souls entrusted to my care : 10 In daily prayer to God commend The souls whom God expired to save ; And think how soon my sway may end, And all be equal in the grave ! HYMN 471. 8's8r6's. 1 TTOW shall I walk my God to please, A X And spread content and happiness O'er all beneath my care ? A pattern to my household give, And as a guardian angel live. As Jesu's messenger ? 2 The opposite extremes I see, -- Remissness and severity, -- And know not how to shun The precipice on either hand, While in the narrow path I stand, And dread to venture on. 3 Shall I, through indolence supine, Neglect, betray, my charge divine, My delegated power ? For Believers Liter ceding 441

^ Thy goodness we proclaim, Which brings us here to meet again, And triumph in thy name : Thy mighty name hath been Our safeguard and our tower ; Hath saved us from the world, and sin, And all the' Accuser's power. 2 Jesus, take all the praise, That still on earth we live, Unspotted in so foul a place, And innocently grieve ! We shall from Sodom flee, When perfected in love ; And haste to better company, Who wait for us above. 3 Awhile in flesh disjoin'd, Our friends that went before We soon in paradise shall find, And meet to part no more. For the Society on Meeting. 4ol In yoii thrice happy seat, Waiting for us they are ; And thou shalt there a husband meet ! And I a parent there ! 4 O ! what a mighty change Shall Jesu's suff'rers know, While o'er the happy plains they range, Incapable of woe ! No ill- requited love Shall there our spirits wound ; No base ingratitude above, No sin in heaven is found. 5 There all our griefs are spent ! There all our sorrows end ! We cannot there the fall lament Of a departed friend, -- A brother dead to God, By sin, alas ! undone : -- No father there, in passion loud, Cries, " O my son, my son ! " 6 No slightest touch of pain, Nor sorrow's least alloy, Can violate our rest, or stain Our purity of joy : In that eternal day No clouds nor tempests rise : There gushing tears are wiped away For ever from our eyes. JESU, to thee our hearts we lift, (May all our hearts with love o'erflow !) With thanks for thy continued gift, -- That still thy precious name we know, Retain our sense of sin forgiven, And wait for all our inward heaven. 4o'2 For (lie Society on Meeting. :? What mighty troubles hast thou shown Thy feeble, tempted followers here! We have through lire and water gone. But saw thee on the floods appear, But felt thee present in the flame, And shouted our Deliverer's name. 3 When stronger souls their faith forsook, And, lull'd in worldly, hellish peace, Leap'd desperate from their Guardian -rock, And headlong plunged in sin's abyss ; Thy strength was in our weakness shown, And still it guards and keeps thine own.

3 With us thou art assembled here ; But, O, thyself reveal ! Son of the living God, appear! Let us thy presence feel. 4 Breathe on us, Lord, in this our day, And these dry bones shall live ; Speak peace into our hearts, and say, " The Holy Ghost receive ! " 5 Whom now we seek, O may we meet ! Jesus, the Crucified, Show us thy bleeding hands and feet, Thou who for us hast died. 6 Cause us the record to receive : Speak, and the tokens show : "O be not faithless, but believe In me, who died for you !" HYMN 487. TsSf6's WO are better far than one For counsel or for fight : How can one be warm alone, Or serve his God aright ? Join we then our hearts and hands ; Each to love provoke his friend ; Run the way of his commands, And keep it to the end. 2 Woe to him whose spirits droop, To him who falls, alone ! He has none to lift him up, To help his weakness on : Happier we each other keep ; We each other's burdens bear ; For the Society giving Thanks. 455 Never need our footsteps slip, Upheld by mutual prayer. 3 Who of twain hath made us one, Maintains our unity ; Jesus is the Corner-Stone, In whom we all agree ; Servants of one common Lord, Sweetly of one heart and mind, Who can break a three-fold cord, Or part whom God hath join'd ? 4 O that all with us might prove The fellowship of saints ! Find supplied, in Jesu's love, What every member wants : Grasp we our high calling's prize, Feel our sins on earth forgiven, Rise, in his whole image rise, And meet our Head in heaven ! For the Society giving Thanks. HYMN 488. p. m. 1 TTOW happy are we, Who in Jesus agree A A To expect his return from above ! We sit under his vine, And delightfully join In the praise of his excellent love. 2 How pleasant and sweet, In his name when we meet, Is his fruit to our spiritual taste ! We are banqueting here On angelical cheer, And the joys that eternally last. 3 Invited by him, WTe drink of the stream

Ever flowing in bliss from the throne . Who in Jesus believe, We the Spirit receive That proceeds from the Father and Son. 45b For the Society giving Thanks. 4 The unspeakable grace He obtain'd for our race, And the spirit of faith he imparts : Then, then we conceive How in heaven they live, By the kingdom of God in our hearts. 5 True believers have seen The Saviour of men, As his head he on Calvary bow'd : We shall see him again, When, with all his bright train, He descends on the luminous cloud. 6 We remember the word Of our crucified Lord, When he went to prepare us a place ; " I will come in that day, And transport you away, And admit to a sight of my face." 7 With earnest desire After thee we aspire, And long thy appearing to see ; Till our souls thou receive In thy presence to live, And be perfectly happy in thee. 8 Come, Lord, from the skies, And command us to rise, Ready made for the mansions above ; With our Head to ascend, And eternity spend In a rapture of heavenly love. HOW good and pleasant 'tis to see, When brethren cordially agree, And kindly think and speak the same ; A family of faith and love, Combined to seek the things above, And spread the common Saviour's fame. The God of grace, who all invites, Who in our unity delights, For the Society giving Thcmks. 457 Vouchsafes our intercourse to bless ; Revives us with refreshing showers, The fulness of his blessing pours, And keeps our minds in perfect peace. Jesus, thou precious Corner-Stone, Preserve inseparably one, Whom thou didst by thy Spirit join : Still let us in thy Spirit live, And to thy church the pattern give Of unanimity divine ! Still let us to each other cleave, And from thy plenitude receive Constant supplies of hallowing grace ; Till to a perfect man we rise, O'ertake our kindred in the skies, And find prepared our heavenly place. *HYMN 490. 4-6's<Sf2-8\s. 1 T3EHOLD how good a thing ■U It is to dwell in peace ; How pleasing to our King, This fruit of righteousness ; When brethren all in one agree, Who knows the joys of unity ! 2 When all are sweetly join'd,

Though our bodies continue below ; The redeem'd of the Lord, We remember his word, And with singing to Paradise go. 3 With singing we praise The original grace, By our heavenly Father bestow'd ; Our being receive From his bounty, and live To the honour and glory of God. 4 For thy glory we are, Created to share Both the nature and kingdom divine ; Created again, That our souls may remain In time and eternity thine. 4bU For the Society giving Thanks. 5 With thanks we approve The design of thy love, Which hath join'd us in Jesus's name ; So united in heart, That we never can part, Till we meet at the feast of the Lamb. 6 There, there at his feet We shall suddenly meet, And be parted in body no more ! We shall sing to our lyres, With the heavenly choirs, And our Saviour in glory adore. 7 Hallelujah we sing, To our Father and King, And his rapturous praises repeat : To the Lamb that was slain, Hallelujah again, Sing all heaven, and fall at his feet ! 8 In assurance of hope, We to Jesus look up, Till his banner unfurl' d in the air From our graves we shall see, And cry out, M It is he!" And fly up to acknowledge him there. HYMN 492. l. m. 1 \^THAT shall we offer our good Lord, * » Poor nothings ! for his boundless grace ? Fain would we his great name record, And worthily set forth his praise. 2 Great Object of our growing love, To whom our more than all we owe, Open the Fountain from above, And let it our full souls o'erflow. .'J So shall our lives thy power proclaim, Thy grace for every sinner free ; Till all mankind shall learn thy name, Shall all stretch out their hands to thee. 4 Open a door which earth and hell May strive to shut, but strive in vain ; Let thy word richly in us dwell, And let our gracious fruit remain. For the Society giving Thanks. 4b I 5 O multiply the sower's seed ! And fruit we every hour shall bear, Throughout the world thy gospel spread. Thy everlasting truth declare. 6 We all, in perfect love renew'd,

3 The modest and meek The earth shall possess : The kingdom who seek Of Jesus's grace, The power of his Spirit Shall joyfully own, And all things inherit, In virtue of one. HYMN 497. 4-6'* 8f 2-8'*. 1 /^OME, all whoe'er have set ^-^ Your faces Sion-ward, In Jesus let us meet, And praise our common Lord ; In Jesus let us still go on, Till all appear before his throne. 2 Nearer, and nearer still, We to our country come : To that celestial hill, The weary pilgrim's home, The New Jerusalem above, The seat of everlasting love. 3 The ransom'd sons of God, All earthly things we scorn ; And to our high abode With songs of praise return : From strength to strength we still proceed y With crowns of joy upon our head. For the Society giving Thanks. 465 4 The peace and joy of faith Each moment may we feel : Redeem'd from sin and wrath, From earth, and death, and hell, We to our Father's house repair, To meet our elder Brother there. 5 Our Brother, Saviour, Head, Our all in all, is he ; And in his steps who tread, We soon his face shall see ; Shall see him with our glorious friends, And then in heaven our journey ends. 1 /^OME, let us anew Our journey pursue, ^^ With vigour arise, And press to our permanent place in the skies. 2 Of heavenly birth, Though wand'ring on earth, This is not our place ; But strangers and pilgrims ourselves we confess. 3 At Jesus's call, We gave up our all ; And still we forego, For Jesus's sake, our enjoyments below. 4 No longing we find For the country behind ; But onward we move, And still we are seeking a country above : 5 A country of joy, Without any alloy, We thither repair : Our hearts and our treasure already are there. 6 We march hand in hand To Immanuel's land ; No matter what cheer We meet with on earth ; for eternity 's near. 4t)0 Far the Society giving Thanks. 7 The rougher our way, The shorter our stay ; The tempests that rise Shall gloriously hurry our souls to the skies. 8 The fiercer the blast, The sooner 'tis past ; The troubles that come, Shall come to our rescue, and hasten us home.

2 Thee to laud in songs divine Angels and archangels join : We with them our voices raise, Echoing thine eternal praise. Additional Hymns. 507 3 Holy, holy, holy Lord, Live by heaven and earth adored ! Full of thee, they ever cry, << Glory be to God Most High ! " 1 OEING of Beings, God of Love ! -U To thee our hearts we raise ; Thy all-sustaining power we prove, And gladly sing thy praise. 2 Thine, only thine, we pant to be ; Our sacrifice receive ; Made, and preserved, and saved by thee, To thee ourselves we give. 3 Heavenward our every wish aspires ; For all thy mercies' store, The sole return thy love requires Is, that we ask for more. 4 For more we ask ; we open then Our hearts to' embrace thy will ; Turn, and beget us, Lord, again, With all thy fulness fill. 5 Come, Holy Ghost, the Saviour's love Shed in our hearts abroad ! So shall we ever live, and move, And be, with Christ in God. HYMN 544. c. m. On the Sabbath. 1 HPHE Lord of Sabbath let us praise, ■*■ In concert with the blest, Who, joyful, in harmonious lays Employ an endless rest. Mo Additional Hymns. Thus, Lord, while we remember Thee, We blest and pious grow ; By hymns of praise we learn to be Triumphant here below. 2 On this glad day a brighter scene Of glory was display'd, By God, the' eternal Word, than when This universe was made. He rises, who mankind has bought With grief and pain extreme : 'Twas great to speak a world from nought ; 'Twas greater to redeem ! On the Death of Christ. 1 r\ THOU eternal Victim, slain ^-J A sacrifice for guilty man, By the eternal Spirit made An offering in the sinner's stead ; Our everlasting Priest art thou, And plead'st thy death for sinners now. 2 Thy offering still continues new ; Thy vesture keeps its bloody hue ; Thou stand'st the ever-slaughter'd Lamb ; Thy priesthood still remains the same ; Thy years, O God, can never fail ; Thy goodness is unchangeable.

5 Weep o'er your desire and hope, With tears of humblest love : Sing, for Jesus is gone up, And reigns enthroned above : Lives our Head, to die no more; Power is all to Jesus given, -- Worshipp'd, as he was before, The' Immortal King of Heaven 6 Lord, we bless thee for thy grace And truth, which never fail : Hastening to behold thy face, Without a dimming veil, We shall see our heavenly King, All thy glorious love proclaim ; Help the angel -choirs to sing The dear triumphant Lamb- Additional Hymns. 515 HYMN 553. l. m. On the Resurrection of Christ. 1 T TE dies ! the Friend of sinners dies ! JL A Lo ! Salem's daughters weep around ! A solemn darkness veils the skies ; A sudden trembling shakes the ground : Come, saints, and drop a tear or two On the dear bosom of vour God : He shed a thousand drops for you, A thousand drops of richer blood. 2 Here 's love and grief beyond degree ; The Lord of glory dies for man ! But, lo! what sudden joys I see! Jesus, the dead, revives again ! The rising God forsakes the tomb ; The tomb in vain forbids his rise ! Cherubic legions guard him home, And shout him welcome to the skies ! 3 Break off your tears, ye saints, and tell How high your great Deliverer reigns ; Sing how he spoil'd the hosts of hell, And led the monster death in chains. Say, " Live for ever, wondrous King! Born to redeem, and strong to save ! " Then ask the monster, " Where 's thy sting ?" And, "Where 's thy victory, boasting grave ?" HYMN 554. l. m. On the Ascension of Christ. 1 /^VUR Lord is risen from the dead ; ^^ Our Jesus is gone up on high ! The powers of hell are captive led, Dragg'd to the portals of the sky ; There his triumphant chariot waits, And angels chant the solemn lay : Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates ; Ye everlasting doors, give way ! OlO Additional Hymns. 2 Loose all your bars of massy light, And wide unfold the' ethereal scene ; He claims these mansions as his right ;

3 For this my heart sighs : Nothing else can suffice ; How, Lord, can I purchase the pearl of great price ? It cannot be bought, And thou know'st I have nought, Not an action, a word, or a truly good thought. 4 But I hear a voice say, "Without money ye may Receive it, whoever have nothing to pay : Who on Jesus relies, without money or price, The pearl of forgiveness and holiness buys : 5 The blessing is free : " -- So, Lord, let it be ; 1 yield that thy love should be given to me. I freely receive What thou freely dost give, And consent in thy love, in thy Eden, to live. 6 The gift I embrace ; The Giver I praise ; And ascribe my salvation to Jesus's grace : It comes from above ; The foretaste 1 prove ; And I soon shall receive all the fulness of love. 520 Additional Hymns. 1 f^ OD moves in a mysterious way, ^-* His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. 2 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take ! The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace : Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. 3 His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour ; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain : God is his own Interpreter, And he will make it plain. HYMN 560. p.m. LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing ! Bid us now depart in peace ; Still on heavenly manna feeding, Let our faith and love increase : Fill each breast with consolation ; Up to thee our hearts we raise : When we reach yon blissful station, Then we'll give thee nobler praise! Hallelujah !

London-, Nov 9, 1830. HYMN 561. c. m. Hymn to God the Father'. 1 TTAIL, Father, whose creating call A ■*■ Unnumber'd worlds attend ; Jehovah, comprehending all, Whom none can comprehend ! 2 In light unsearchable enthroned, Whom angels dimly see ; The fountain of the Godhead own'd, And foremost of the Three. 3 From thee, through an eternal now, The Son, thine offspring, flow'd ; An everlasting Father thou, An everlasting God. 4 Nor quite display'd to worlds above, Nor quite on earth conceal'd ; By wondrous, unexhausted love, To mortal man reveal'd. 5 Supreme and all-sufficient God, When nature shall expire ; Hymns of Adoration. And worlds created by thy nod Shall perish by thy fire 6 Thy name, Jehovah, be adored By creatures without end ; Whom none but thy essential Wora And Spirit comprehend. HYMN 562. 2-6'* §• 4-7's. The Trinity in Unity. 1 TTAIL, co-essential Three, Al In mystic Unity ! Father, Son, and Spirit, hail ! God by heaven and earth adored, God incomprehensible ; One supreme, almighty Lord. 2 Thou sittest on the throne, Plurality in One : Saints behold thine open face, Bright, insufferably bright ; Angels tremble as they gaze, Sink into a sea of light. 3 Ah ! when shall we increase Their heavenly ecstasies ? Chant, like them, the Lord most high Fall like them who dare not move ; " Holy, holy, holy," cry, Breathe the praise of silent love ? 4 Come, Father, in the Son And in the Spirit down ; Glorious Triune Majesty, God through endless ages blest, Make us meet thy face to see, -- Then receive us to thy breast. Hymns of Adoration. 527 HYMN 563. fs §• 6V. %< TAe //o/y Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee." 1 /~^ RE AT is our redeeming Lord, ^J In power, and truth, and grace, Him, by highest heaven adored, His church on earth doth praise : In the city of our God, In his holy mount below, Publish, spread his name abroad, And all his greatness show. 2 For thy loving-kindness, Lord, We in thy temple stay ; Here thy faithful love record, Thy saving power display : With thy name thy praise is known, Glorious thy perfections shine ; Earth's remotest bounds shall own Thy works are all divine. 3 See the gospel church secure,

4 Whilst all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn, Confirm the tidings as they roll, And spread the truth from pole to pole. 5 What, though in solemn silence all Move round this dark terrestrial ball ; What, though no real voice or sound Amidst their radiant orbs be found ; f) In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice ; For ever singing as they shine, " The hand that made us is divine.'' HYMN 568. l. m. The Glory of God. 1 /^ OD is a name my soul adores, ^J The' almighty Three, the* eternal One ; Nature and grace, with all their powers, Confess the Infinite unknown. 2 Thy voice produced the sea and spheres, Bade the waves roar, the planets shine : But nothing like Thyself appears Through all these spacious works of thine. 3 Still restless nature dies and grows, From change to change the creatures run ; Thy Being no succession knows, And all thy vast designs are one. 4 A glance of thine runs through the globe, Rules the bright worlds, and moves their frame, Oo2 Hymns of Adoration. Of light thou form'st thy dazzling robe, Thy ministers are living flame. 5 How shall polluted mortals dare To sing thy glory or thy grace ? Beneath thy feet we lie afar, And see but shadows of thy face. 0 Who can behold the blazing light ? Who can approach consuming flame ? None but thy Wisdom knows thy might. None but thy Word can speak thy name. HYMN 569. 4-6's §• 2-8's. The Greatness arid Condescension of God. 1 HT^HE Lord Jehovah reigns, A His throne is built on high ; The garments he assumes Are light and majesty : His glories shine with beams so bright, No mortal eye can bear the sight. 2 The thunders of his hand Keep the wide world in awe ; His wrath and justice stand To guard his holy law ; And where his love resolves to bless, His truth confirms and seals the grace. 3 Through all his mighty works Amazing wisdom shines ; Confounds the powers of hell, And breaks their dark designs ; Strong is his arm, and shall fulfil His great decrees and sovereign will. 4 And will this sovereign King

When time and death shall be no more : And all eternity shall prove Too short to utter all his love. HYMN 577- i m. Public Worship. 1 r^ REAT God, attend, while Sion sings ^J The joy that from thy presence springs ; To spend one day with thee on earth Exceeds a thousand days of mirth. 2 Might I enjoy the meanest place Within thine house, O God of grace ; Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power, Should tempt my feet to leave thy door. 3 God is our sun, he makes our day ; God is our shield, he guards our way From all the' assaults of hell and sin ; From foes without, and foes within. 4 All needful grace will God bestow, And crown that grace with glory too ; He gives us all things, and withholds No real good from upright souls. 5 O God our King, whose sovereign sway The glorious hosts of heaven obey, And devils at thy presence flee, Blest is the man that trusts in thee. Hymns of Adoration. HYMN 578. l. m. The Sabbath a Delight. 1 O WEET is the work, my God, my King, ^ To praise thy name, give thanks, and sing; To show thy love by morning light, And talk of all thy truth at night. 2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest, No mortal cares disturb my breast ; O may my heart in tune be found, Like David's harp of solemn sound. 3 My heart shall triumph in the Lord, And bless his works, and bless his word : Thy works of grace, how bright they shine ! How deep thy counsels, how divine ! 4 Fools never raise their thoughts so high ; Like brutes they live, like brutes they die ; Like grass they flourish, till thy breath Dooms them to everlasting death. 5 But I shall share a glorious part, When grace has well refined my heart ; And fresh supplies of joy are shed Like holy oil to cheer my head. 6 Then shall I see, and hear, and know All I desired and wish'd below ; And every power find sweet employ In that eternal world of joy. HYMN 579. s. m. The Church the Honour and Safety of a Nation

4 No rude alarms of raging foes ; No cares to break the long repose ; No midnight shade, no clouded sun, But sacred, high, eternal noon. 5 O long-expected day, begin ; Dawn on these realms of woe and sin : Fain would we leave this weary road, And sleep in death, to rest with God. 542 Hymns of Adoration. HYMN 583. l. m. The same Subject. 1 A GAIN our weekly labours end, -*""*- And we the Sabbath's call attend ; Improve, our souls, the sacred rest, And seek to be for ever bless'd. 2 This day let our devotions rise To heaven, a grateful sacrifice ; And God that peace divine bestow, Which none but they who feel it know. 3 This holy calm within the breast Prepares for that eternal rest, Which for the sons of God remains ; The end of cares, the end of pains. 4 In holy duties, let the day, In holy pleasures, pass away : How sweet the Sabbath thus to spend, In hope of that which ne'er shall end! HYMN 584. l. m. " His mercy endureth for ever." 1 r\ RENDER thanks to God above, ^^ The fountain of eternal love, Whose mercy firm through ages past Hath stood, and shall for ever last. 2 Who can his mighty deeds express, Not only vast but numberless ? What mortal eloquence can raise His tribute of immortal praise ? 3 Extend to me that favour, Lord, Thou to thy chosen dost afford ; When thou return'st to set them free Let thy salvation visit me. 4 O may I worthy prove to see, Thy saints in full prosperity ; Hymns of Adoration. 543 That I the joyful choir may join, And count thy people's triumph mine. 5 Let Israel's God be ever bless'd, His name eternally confess'd ; Let all his saints with full accord In solemn hymns proclaim their Lord. The Goodness of God acknowledged. 1 T^AR as creation's bounds extend, -*- Thy mercies, heavenly Lord, descend ; One chorus of perpetual praise, To Thee thy various works shall raise ; Thy saints to Thee in hymns impart The transports of a grateful heart.

High as his mighty arm hath spread The starry heavens above our head, His bounteous love exceeds our praise, -- Surmounts the highest hopes we raise. Nor yet so far hath nature placed The rising morning from the west, As his forgiving grace removes The daily guilt of those he loves. How slowly doth his wrath arise ! On swiftest wings salvation flies ; And if he bids his anger burn, Soon shall his frowns to pity turn ! The mighty God, the wise and just, Knows that our frame is feeble dust ; And will no load of grief impose Beyond the strength that he bestows For his eternal love is sure To all the saints, and shall endure : From age to age his truth shall reign, Nor children's children hope in vain. HYMN 594. 2-6'* §■ 4-7's. The Lord's Prayer. 1 T^ATHER of earth and sky, -■- Thy name we magnify : O that earth and heaven might join, Thy perfections to proclaim ; Praise the attributes divine, Fear and love thy awful name ! 2 When shall thy Spirit reign, In every heart of man ? Father, bring the kingdom near, Honour thy triumphant Son ; God of heaven, on earth appear, Fix with us thy glorious throne. «->50 Hymns of Adoration. 3 Thy good and holy will, Let all on earth fulfil ; Men with minds angelic vie, Saints below with saints above, Thee to praise and glorify, Thee to serve with perfect love. 4 This day with this day's bread Thy hungry children feed ; Fountain of all blessings, grant Now the manna from above ; Now supply our bodies' want, Now sustain our souls with love. 5 Our trespasses forgive : And when absolved we live, Thou our life of grace maintain ; Lest we from our God depart, Lose thy pardoning grace again, Grant us a forgiving heart. 6 In every fiery hour Display thy guardian power ; Near in our temptation stay, With sufficient strength defend ; Bring us through the evil day, Make us faithful to the end. 7 Father, by right divine Assert the kingdom thine ; Jesus, Power of God, subdue Thy own universe to thee ; Spirit of grace and glory too, Reign through all eternity. HYMN 595. c. m. Praise to the Redeemer. LUNGED in a gulf of dark despair We wretched sinners lay,

Hymns of Adoration. OOl Without one cheerful beam of hope, Or spark of glimmering day. 2 With pitying eyes, the Prince of peace Beheld our helpless grief; He saw, and -- O amazing love ! He flew to our relief. 3 Down from the shining seats above With joyful haste he fled ; Enter'd the grave in mortal flesh, And dwelt among the dead. 4 O for this love let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break, And all harmonious human tongues The Saviour's praises speak ! 5 Angels, assist our mighty joys, Strike all your harps of gold ; But when you raise your highest notes His love can ne'er be told. HYMN 596. l. m. Joy in heaven for a repenting Sinner. 1 V\THO can describe the joys that rise * * Through all the courts of Paradise, To see a prodigal return, To see an heir of glory born ! 2 With joy the Father doth approve The fruit of his eternal love ; The Son with joy looks down and sees The purchase of his agonies. 3 The Spirit takes delight to view The contrite soul he forms anew ; And saints and angels join to sing The growing empire of their King. 00& Hymns of Adoration. HYMN 59/. l. m. Psalm lxiii. 1 f ^ KEAT God, indulge my humble claim; ^-^* Be thou my hope, my joy, my rest : The glories that compose thy name Stand all engaged to make me bless'd. 2 Thou great and good, thou just and wise, Thou art my Father and my God ; And I am thine, by sacred ties, Thy son, thy servant bought with blood. 3 With fainting heart, and lifted hands, For thee I long, to thee I look ; As travellers in thirsty lands Pant for the cooling water-brook. 4 Should I from thee, my God, remove, Life could no lasting- bliss afford : My joy, the sense of pard'ning love ; My guard, the presence of my Lord. 5 I '11 lift my hands, I '11 raise my voice, While 1 have breath to pray or praise ; This work shall make my heart rejoice, And fill the circle of my days. HYMN 598. 6-8's. Praise. 1 IV/TY heart is fix'd, O God, my heart ■^•▼A Is fix'd to triumph in thy grace : (Awake, my lute, and bear a part :)

Nor human hearts can e'er conceive The bliss wherein through Christ they live ; But all your heaven, ye glorious powers, And all your God, is doubly ours ! 0/4 Incarnation, 2%e Living Way opened, 1 T ESUS, to thee we fly, J On thee for help rely : Thou our only refuge art, Thou dost all our fears control, Rest of every troubled heart, Life of every dying soul. 2 We lift our joyful eyes, And see the dazzling prize, See the purchase of thy blood, Freely now to sinners given ; Thou the living way hast show'd, Thou to us hast open'd heaven. 3 We now, divinely bold, Of thy reward lay hold : All thy glorious joy is ours, All the treasures of thy love ; Now we taste the heavenly powers, Now we reign with thee above. 4 Our anchor sure and fast Within the veil is cast ; Stands our never-failing hope Grounded in the holy place ; We shall after thee mount up, See the Godhead face to face. 5 By faith already there, In thee our Head, we are ; With our great Forerunner we Now in heavenly places sit, Banquet with the Deity, See the world beneath our feet. Sufferings, fyc* of Christ. o7b (5 Thou art our flesh and bone, Thou art to heaven gone ; Gone, that we might all pursue, Closely in thy footsteps tread ; Gone, that we might follow too, Reign triumphant with our Head. Priesthood of Christ. 1 T^NTER'D the holy place above, -■-- d Cover'd with meritorious scars, The tokens of his dying love, Our great High-Priest in glory bears ; He pleads his passion on the tree, He shows himself to God for me. 2 Before the throne my Saviour stands, My Friend and Advocate appears ; My name is graven on his hands, And him the Father always hears ; While low at Jesu's cross I bow, He hears the blood of sprinkling now. 3 This instant now I may receive The answer of his powerful prayer : This instant now by him I live, His prevalence with God declare ; And soon my spirit, in his hands, Sball stand where my Forerunner stands HYMN 628. c. m. The Resurrection of Christ. 1 VTE humble souls, that seek the Lord,

4 Him though highest heaven receives, Still he loves the earth he leaves ; Though returning to his throne. Still he calls mankind his own. 5 See, he lifts his hands above ! See, he shows the prints of love ! Hark, his gracious lips bestow Blessings on his church below ! 6 Still for us his death he pleads ; Prevalent he intercedes ; Near himself prepares our place, Harbinger of human race. 7 Master, (will we ever say,) Taken from our head to-day ; O/o Incarnation, See thy faithful servants, see. Ever gazing up to thee. 8 Grant, though parted from our sight, High above yon azure height, Grant our hearts may thither rise, Following thee beyond the skies. 9 Ever upward let us move, Wafted on the wings of love ; Looking when our Lord shall come, Longing, gasping after home. 10 There we shall with thee remain, Partners of thy endless reign ; There thy face unclouded see, Find our heaven of heavens in thee. HYMN 631. Vs. The same. 1 OONS of God, triumphant rise, ^ Shout the' accomplish'd sacrifice Shout your sins in Christ forgiven, Sons of God, and heirs of heaven ! 2 Ye that round our altars throng, Listening angels, join the song ; Sing with us, ye heavenly powers, Pardon, grace, and glory ours ! 3 Love's mysterious work is done ; Greet we now the' atoning Son ; Heal'd and quicken'd by his blood, Join'd to Christ, and one with God. 4 Him by faith we taste below, Mightier joys ordain'd to know, When his utmost grace we prove, Rise to heaven by perfect love. Suffering*, fyc, of Christ 579 HYMN 632. 7's 8f 6's. The same. FATHER, God, we glorify Thy love to Adam's seed ; Love that gave thy Son to die, And raised him from the dead : Him for our offences slain, That we all might pardon find, Thou hast brought to life again, The Saviour of mankind. By thy own right hand of power Thou hast exalted him/ Sent the mighty Conqueror Thy people to redeem : King of saints, and Prince of peace, Him thou hast for sinners given, Sinners from their sins to bless, And lift them up to heaven. Father, God, to us impart The gift unspeakable ; Now in every waiting heart

The knowledge of thyself impart ; Our ear, our inmost soul we bow : Speak, Lord, thy servants hearken now. HYMN 644. Vs §• 6>s. Christ's Intercession. COMING through our great High-Priest, We find a pard'ning God : Jesu's Spirit in our breast Bears witness with the blood, 3J\) Incarnation, Speaks our Father pacified Toward every soul that Christ receives i Tells us, once our Surety died, And now for ever lives. 2 Christ for ever lives to pray For all that trust in him ; J my soul on Jesus stay, Almighty to redeem : He shall purify my heart, Who in his blood forgiveness have, All his hallowing power exert, And to the utmost save. 3 Basis of our steadfast hope, Saviour, thy ceaseless prayer Sanctifies and lifts us up To meet thee in the air : Yes, thine interceding grace Preserves us every moment thine, Till we rise to see thy face, And share the throne divine. HYMN 645. 4-6's §• 2-8'*. The Year of Jubilee. T3LOW ye the trumpet, blow *** The gladly solemn sound : Let all the nations know, To earth's remotest bound, The year of Jubilee is come; Return, ye ransom' d sinners, home. Jesus, our great High-Priest, Hath full atonement made : Ye weary spirits, rest ; Ye mournful souls, be glad ; The year, &c Sufferings, $•<?., of Christ. 591 3 Extol the Lamb of God, The all-atoning Lamb ; Redemption through his blood Throughout the world proclaim i The year, &c. 4 Ye slaves of sin and hell, Your liberty receive ; And safe in Jesus dwell, And blest in Jesus live : The year, &c. 5 Ye who have sold for nought Your heritage above, Receive it back unbought, The gift of Jesu's love : The year, &c. (5 The gospel trumpet hear, The news of heavenly grace ; And, saved from earth, appear Before your Saviour's face : The year, &c. HYMN 646. c. m. Christ's Compassion for the Tempted. 1 VJI7TTH joy we meditate the grace ' * Of our High -Priest above ; His heart is made of tenderness, His bowels yearn with love. 2 Touch'd with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame ; He knows what sore temptations mean For he hath felt the same. 3 He in the days of feeble flesh

Thy presence who can fly ? Known is the Father to thy sight, The' abyss of Deity. 4 Thy power through Jesu's life display'd, Quite from the virgin's womb, Dying, his soul an offering made, And raised him from the tomb. 5 God's image, which our sins destroy, Thy grace restores below ; And truth, and holiness, and joy, From thee their Fountain flow. 6 Hail, Holy Ghost, Jehovah, Third In order of the Three ; Sprung from the Father and the Word From all eternity ! HYMN 650. fs §• 6*s. Prayer for the Holy Spirit. T) RANCH of Jesse's stem, arise, -*-* And in our nature grow, Turn our earth to Paradise, By flourishing below : Bless us with the Spirit of grace Immeasurably shed on thee ; Pour on all the faithful race The streaming Deity. Let the Spirit of our Head On all the members rest ; From thyself to us proceed, And dwell in every breast : Teach to judge and act aright, Inspire with wisdom from above, Holy faith, and heavenly might, And reverential love. the Holy Spirit 595 3 Lord, of thee we fain would learn Thy heavenly Father's will ; Give us quickness to discern, And boldness to fulfil : All his mind to us explain, All his name on us impress ; Then our souls in thee attain The perfect righteousness. HYMN 651. c. m. The Spirit of Adoption . 1 COVEREIGN of all the worlds on high, ^ Allow my humble claim ; Nor, while, unworthy, I draw nigh, Disdain a Father's name. 2 " My Father God !" that gracious sound Dispels my guilty fear ; Not all the harmony of heaven Could so delight my ear. 3 Come, Holy Spirit, seal the grace On my expanding heart ; And show, that in the Father's love I share a filial part. 4 Cheer'd by a witness so divine, Unwavering I believe ; And, "Abba, Father," humbly cry; Nor can the sign deceive. HYMN 652. c. m. Breathing after the Holy Spirit. 1 /^OME, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, ^-^ With all thy quick'ning powers ; Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours. OJO Hymns on 2 In vain we tune our formal songs, In vain we strive to rise ; Hosannas languish on our tongues, And our devotion dies.

3 And shall we then for ever live At this poor dying rate ? Our love so faint, so cold to Thee, And thine to us so great ! 4 Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, With all thy quick'ning powers ; Come, shed abroad the Saviour's love, And that shall kindle ours. HYMN 653. l. m. The Day of Pentecost. 1 /^OME, Holy Spirit, raise our songs, ^-^ To reach the wonders of the day, When with thy fiery cloven tongues Thou didst those glorious scenes display k2 O 'twas a most auspicious hour, Season of grace and sweet delight, When thou didst come with mighty power, And light of truth divinely bright. 3 By this the blest disciples knew Their risen Head had enter'd heaven ; Had now obtain'd the promise due, Fully by God the Father given. 4 Lord, we believe to us and ours The apostolic promise given ; We wait the Pentecostal powers, The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. 5 Ah ! leave us not to mourn below. Or long for thy return to pine ; / The Holy Spirit. 597 Now, Lord, the Comforter bestow, And fix in us the Guest divine. 6 Assembled here with one accord, Calmly we wait the promised grace, The purchase of our dying Lord : Come, Holy Ghost, and fill the place. 7 If every one that asks may find, If still thou dost on sinners fall, Come as a mighty rushing wind ; Great grace be now upon us all. 8 Behold, to thee our souls aspire, And languish thy descent to meet ■ Kindle in each the living fire, And fix in every heart thy seat. Veni, Creator. 1 /CREATOR, Spirit, by whose aid ^^ The world's foundations first were laid, Come visit every waiting mind, Come pour thy joys on human kind ; From sin and sorrow set us free, And make thy temples worthy thee. 2 O source of uncreated heat, The Father's promised Paraclete ! Thrice holy Fount, immortal Fire, Our hearts with heavenly love inspire : Come, and thy sacred unction bring, To sanctify us while we sing. 3 Plenteous of grace, descend from high, Rich in thy sevenfold energy ! Thou strength of His almighty hand, Whose power does heaven and earth command, OJo Hymns on Refine and purge our earthly parts, And stamp thine image on our hearts.

1 TNFINITE Power, eternal Lord, A How sovereign is thy hand ! All nature rose to' obey thy word, And moves at thy command. 2 With steady course the shining sun Keeps his appointed way ; And all the hours obedient run The circle of the day. 3 But, ah ! how wide my spirit flies, And wanders from her God ! My soul forgets the heavenly prize And treads the downward road. 606 Penitential Hymns. 4 The raging fire and stormy sea Perform thy awful will ; And every beast and every tree Thy great design fulfil. 5 Shall creatures of a meaner frame Pay all their dues to thee ? Creatures that never knew thy name, That ne'er were loved like me ? 6 Great God ! create my soul anew, Conform my heart to thine ; Melt down my will, and let it flow, And take the mould divine. 7 Seize my whole frame into thy hand ; Here all my powers I bring ; Manage the wheels by thy command, And govern every spring. 8 Then shall my feet no more depart, Nor my affections rove ; Devotion shall be all my heart, And all my passions, love. HYMN 665. c. m. Prayer J br Quickening Grace. 1 ONG have I sat beneath the sound -L' Of thy salvation, Lord ; But still how weak my faith is found. And knowledge of thy word ! 2 My gracious Saviour and my God, How little art thou known By all the judgments of thy rod, Or blessings of thy throne ! 3 How cold and feeble is my love ! How negligent my fear ! How low my hope of joys above ! How few affections there ! Penitential Hymns. 607 4 Great God ! thy sovereign aid impart, To give thy word success ; Write thy salvation on my heart, And make me learn thy grace. 5 Show my forgetful feet the way That leads to joys on high, Where knowledge grows without decay, And love shall never die. HYMN 666. c. m. A Prayer for Faith. 1 T^ATHER, I stretch my hands to thee, *- No other help I know ; If thou withdraw thyself from me, Ah ! whither shall I go ? 2 What did thy only Son endure

When faith and hope shall cease ; 'Tis this shall strike our joyful strings In the sweet realms of bliss. 5 Before we quite forsake our clay, Or leave this dark abode, The wings of love bear us away To see our gracious God. HYMN 681. T* & 6"s. J* / determined to know nothing, save Christ, and him crucified." ] T 7AIN, delusive world, adieu, V With all of creature-good ! Only Jesus I pursue, Who bought me with his blood ■ 020 The Experience, fyc., All thy pleasures I forego, I trample on thy wealth and pride Only Jesus will 1 know, And Jesus crucified. a Other knowledge I disdain, 'Tis all hut vanity : Christ, the Lamb of God, was slain, He tasted death for me. Me to save from endless woe, The sin-atoning Victim died : Only Jesus will 1 know, And Jesus crucified. rp Turning to my rest again, The Saviour I adore; He relieves my grief and pain, And bids me weep no more. Rivers of salvation How From out his head, his hands, his side : Only Jesus will I know, And Jesus crucified. Here will I set up my rest, My fluctuating heart From the haven of his breast Shall never more depart. Whither should a sinner go? His wounds for me stand open wide : Only Jesus will I know, And Jesus crucified. HYMN 682. l. m. Trust in Christ. f\ JESUS, full of truth and grace, ^^ O all-atoning Lamb of God, I wait to see thy glorious face, I seek redemption through thy blood of Believers. ()!2i 2 Now in thy strength I strive with thee, My Friend and Advocate with God ; Give me the glorious liberty, Grant me the purchase of thy blood. 3 Thou art the anchor of my hope, The faithful promise I receive ; Surely thy death shall raise me up, For thou hast died that I might live. 4 Satan, with all his arts, no more Me from the gospel hope shall move ; I shall receive the gracious power, And find the pearl of perfect love. 5 Though nature gives my God the lie, I all his truth and grace shall know ; I shall, the helpless creature I Shall perfect holiness below. 6 My flesh, which cries, " It cannot be,'*

To love my God alone : Give me, Lord, the grace to feel, The length, and breadth, and depth, and height ; Then thy glorious self reveal, And turn my faith to sight. HYMN 689. 2-6's §■ 4-7's. " To Him every knee shall how 9i 1 TESU, my God and King, •J Thy regal state I sing : Thou, and only thou, art great, High thine everlasting throne ; Thou the sovereign Potentate, Bless'd, immortal, thou alone. 2 Essay your choicest strains, The King Messiah reigns ! Tune your harps, celestial choir, Joyful all your voices raise ; Christ, than earth-born monarchs higher, Sons of men and angels praise. 3 Hail your dread Lord and ours, Dominions, thrones, and powers ! Source of power, He rules alone : Veil your eyes, and prostrate fall ; Cast your crowns before his throne, Hail the Cause, the Lord of all ! 4 Let earth's remotest bound With echoing joys resound ; Christ to praise let all conspire ; Praise doth all to Christ belong : Shout, ye first-born sons of fire ; Earth, repeat the glorious song. 5 Worthy, O Lord, art thou, That every knee shall bow, The Kingdom of Christ. b27 Every tongue to thee confess ; Universal nature join, Strong and mighty, thee to bless, Gracious, merciful, benign. 6 Wisdom is due to thee, And might, and majesty ; Thee in mercy rich we prove ; Glory, honour, praise receive ; Worthy thou of all our love, More than all we pant to give. 7 Justice and truth maintain Thine everlasting reign : One with thine almighty Sire, Partner of an equal throne, King of saints, let all conspire, Gratefully thy sway to own. Christ's Kingdom. 1 Y? ARTH, rejoice, our Lord is King ! *-^ Sons of men, his praises sing ; Sing ye in triumphant strains, Jesus our Messiah reigns ! 2 Power is all to Jesus given, Lord of hell, and earth, and heaven! Every knee to him shall bow ; Satan, hear, and tremble now! 3 Angels and archangels join, All triumphantly combine ; All in Jesu's praise agree, Carrying on his victory. 4 Though the sons of night blaspheme, More there are with us than them : God with us, we cannot fear ; Fear, ye fiends, for Christ is here ! 628 The Kingdom s

O let their hearts with love o'erflow ! Let them believe, and therefore speak, And spread thy mercy's praise below. HYMN 705. l. m. Christ a Light to the Gentiles. 1 HP HE Law and Prophets all foretold J- That Christ should die, and leave the grave ; Gather the world into his fold, The church of Jews and Gentiles save. 2 Yet, by the prince of darkness bound, The nations still are wrapt in night ; They never heard the joyful sound, They never saw the gospel light. 3 Light of the world, again appear In mildest majesty of grace, 640 The Kingdom of Christ. And bring the great salvation near, And claim our whole apostate race. HYMN 706. s. m. " So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed* 1 TESUS, the word bestow, «J The true immortal seed ; Thy Gospel then shall greatly grow, And all our land o'erspread ; Through earth extended wide Shall mightily prevail, Destroy the works of self and pride, And shake the gates of hell. 2 Its energy exert In the believing soul ; Diffuse thy grace through every part, And sanctify the whole : Its utmost virtue show In pure consummate love, And fill with all thy life below, And give us thrones above. HYMN 707. 4-6's Sf 2-8's. " The Lord added to the church daily those who were saved. " 1 CAVIOUR, we know thou art ^ In every age the same : Now, Lord, in ours exert The virtue of thy name ; And daily, through thy word, increase Thy blood-besprinkled witnesses. 2 Thy people saved below, From every sinful stain, Shall multiply and grow, If thy command ordain ; And one into a thousand rise, And spread thy praise through earth and skies. Time, Death, 8fc. 641 3 In many a soul, and mine, Thou hast display'd thy power, But to thy people join Ten thousand thousand more ; Saved from the guilt and strength of sin, In life and heart entirely clean. HYMN 708. s. m. " And the hand of the Lord was with them." 1 T ORD, if at thy command, J--' The word of life we sow, Water'd by thy almighty hand, The seed shall surely grow : The virtue of thy grace, A large increase shall give, And multiply the faithful race, Who to thy glory live.

Bestow thy promised rest ; With purest love thy servant fill, And number with the blest. HYMN 711. l. m. For New Years Day. 1 INTERNAL source of every joy, -*-- ' Well may thy praise our lips employ, While in thy temple we appear, Whose goodness crowns the circling year. 644 Time, Death, and 2 The flowery spring*, at thy command, Embalms the air, and paints the land ; The summer-rays with vigour shine, To raise the corn, and cheer the vine. 3 Thy hand in autumn richly pours Through all our coasts redundant stores ; And winters, soften 'd by thy care, No more a face of horror wear. 4 Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days, Demand successive songs of praise : Still be the cheerful homage paid With opening light, and evening shade. 5 Here in thy house shall incense rise, As circling Sabbaths bless our eyes ; Still will we make thy mercies known Around thy board, and round our own. 6 O may our more harmonious tongue In worlds unknown pursue the song ; And in those brighter courts adore, Where days and years revolve no more. HYMN 712. c. m. The same. 1 O ING to the Great Jehovah's praise ! ^ All praise to him belongs : Who kindly lengthens out our days, Demands our choicest songs. 2 His providence hath brought us through Another various year : We all with vows and anthems new, Before our God appear. 3 Father, thy mercies past we own, Thy still continued care ; the future State. 645 To Thee presenting, through thy Son, Whate'er we have or are. 4 Our lips and lives shall gladly show The wonders of thy love, While on in Jesu's steps we go To see thy face ahove. 5 Our residue of days or hours Thine, wholly thine, shall be , And all our consecrated powers A sacrifice to thee : 6 Till Jesus in the clouds appear To saints on earth forgiven, And bring the grand sabbatic year, The Jubilee of heaven. The same 1 ^I^TTSDOM ascribe, and might, and praise, ' » To God, who lengthens out our days ; Who spares us yet another year, And makes us see his goodness here : O may we all the time redeem, And henceforth live and die to Him !

2 How often, when his arm was bared, Hath he our sinful Israel spared ! " Let me alone," his mercy cried, And turn'd the vengeful bolt aside ; Indulged another kind reprieve, And strangely suffered us to live. 3 Merciful God, how shall we raise Our hearts to pay thee all thy praise ? Our hearts shall beat for thee alone ; Our lives shall make thy goodness known ; 646 Tune, Death, and Our souls and bodies shall be thine, A living sacrifice divine. HYMN 714. l. m. " O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever " 1 t~^ OD of my life, through all my days, ^-^ My grateful powers shall sound thy praise; My song shall wake with opening light, And cheer the dark and silent night. 2 When anxious cares would break my rest, And griefs would tear my throbbing breast, Thy tuneful praises, raised on high, Shall check the murmur and the sigh. 3 When death o'er nature shall prevail, And all the powers of language fail, Joy through my swimming eyes shall break, And mean the thanks I cannot speak. 4 But O when that last conflict's o'er, And I am chain'd to earth no more, With what glad accents shall 1 rise To join the music of the skies ! 5 Soon shall I learn the' exalted strains Which echo through the heavenly plains ; And emulate, with joy unknown, The glowing seraphs round the throne. (> The cheerful tribute will I give, Long as a deathless soul shall live : A work so sweet, a theme so high, Demands and crowns eternity. the future State. 647 HYMN 715. 6-8' s. " Into thy hands I commend my spirit.'1 1 YESUS, was ever love like thine? +* Thy life a scene of wonders is ; Thy death itself is all divine, While, pleased thy spirit to dismiss, Thou dost out of the flesh retire, And like the Prince of Life expire. 2 Thy death supports the dying saint : Thy death my sovereign comfort be ; While feeble flesh and nature faint, Arm with thy mortal agony ; And fill, while soul and body part, With life, immortal life, my heart. 3 O let thy death's mysterious power, With all its sacred weight, descend, To consecrate my final hour,

To bless me with thy peaceful end : And, breathed into the hands divine, My spirit be received with thine ! HYMN 716. c. m. " Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." 1 TTEAR what the voice from heaven proclaims, -*■ -*- For all the pious dead ! Sweet is the savour of their names, And soft their dying bed. 2 They die in Jesus, and are blest : How calm their slumbers are ! From sufferings and from woes released, And freed from every snare : 3 Till that illustrious morning come, When all thy saints shall rise, And, deck'd in full immortal bloom, Attend thee to the skies. 648 Time, Death, and 4 Their tongues, great Prince of Life, shall join With their recover' d breath, And all the' immortal host ascribe Their victory to thy death. HYMN 717. l. m. " It is appointed unto men once to die." 1 HHREMENDOUS God, with humble fear A Prostrate before thy awful throne, The' irrevocable word we hear, The sovereign righteousness we own. 2 'Tis fit we should to dust return, Since such the will of the Most High; In sin conceived, to trouble born, Born only to lament and die. 3 Submissive to thy just decree, We all shall soon from earth remove But when thou sendest, Lord, for me, O let the messenger be love ! 4 Whisper thy love into my heart, Warn me of my approaching end ; And then I joyfully depart, And then I to thy arms ascend. HYMN 7 18. 6-8's. " / know that my Redeemer liveth* I T CALL the world's Redeemer mine ; *- He lives who died for me, I know ; Who bought my soul with blood divine Jesus, shall re-appear below, Stand in that dreadful day unknown, And fix on earth his heavenlv throne the future State. 649 2 Then the last judgment day shall come; And though the worms this skin devour, The Judge shall call me from the tomb, Shall bid the greedy grave restore, And raise this individual me, God in the flesh, my God, to see 3 In this identic body I, With eyes of flesh refined, restored, Shall see that self-same Saviour nigh, See for myself my smiling Lord, See with ineffable delight ; Nor faint to bear the glorious sight.

1 ("\ WHEN shall we sweetly remove, ^-^ O when shall we enter our rest, Return to the Sion above, The mother of spirits distrest ! That city of God the great King, Where sorrow and death are no more ; But saints our Immanuel sing, And cherub and seraph adore. 2 Not all the archangels can tell The joys of that holiest place, Where Jesus is pleased to reveal The light of his heavenly face ; When caught in the rapturous flame, The sight beatific they prove, And walk in the light of the Lamb, Enjoying the beams of his love. 3 Thou know'st, in the spirit of prayer, We long thy appearing to see, Resign'd to the burden we bear, But longing to triumph with thee : 'Tis good at thy word to be here, 'Tis better in thee to be gone, And see thee in glory appear, And rise to a share in thy throne. 4 To mourn for thy coming is sweet, To weep at thy longer delay ; But thou, whom we hasten to meet, Shalt chase all our sorrows away. bob Time, Death, and The tears shall he wiped from our eyes, When thee we behold in the cloud, And echo the joys of the skies, And shout to the trumpet of God. HYMN 728. cm. The heavenly Canaan. 1 ^pHERE is a land of pure delight, ■*■ Where saints immortal reign : Infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain. 2 There everlasting spring abides, And never-withering flowers : Death, like a narrow sea, divides This heavenly land from ours. 3 Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood Stand dress'd in living green : So to the Jews old Canaan stood, While Jordan roll'd between. 4 But timorous mortals start and shrink To cross this narrow sea ; And linger, shivering on the brink, And fear to launch away. 5 O could we make our doubts remove, Those gloomy thoughts that rise, And see the Canaan that we love, With unbeclouded eyes ! 6 Could we but climb where Moses stood, And view the landscape o'er, Not Jordan's stream, nor death's cold flood, Should fright us from the shore. the future State. 657 HYMN 729. p m The last Judgment. 1 IFT your heads, ye friends of Jesus, -■-- ' Partners in his sufferings here ; Christ, to all believers precious,

Lowly I wept, and strongly vow'd : But ah ! the feebleness of man ! Have I not vow'd and wept in vain ? 2 Return, O Lord of Hosts, return ! Behold thy servant in distress ; My faithlessness again I mourn ; Again forgive my faithlessness ; And to thine arms my spirit take, And bless me for the Saviour's sake. 3 In pity of the soul thou lov'st, Now bid the sin thou hat'st expire ; Let me desire what thou approv'st, -- Thou dost approve what I desire ; And thou wilt deign to call me thine, And I will dare to call thee mine. 4 This day the Covenant I sign, The bond of sure and promised peace ; Nor can I doubt its power divine, Since seal'd with Jesu's blood it is ; That blood T take, that blood alone, And make the cov'nant peace mine own. 5 But, that my faith no more may know Or change, or interval, or end, -- Help me in all thy paths to go, And now, as e'er, my voice attend, And gladden me with answers mild, And commune, Father, with thy child ! b/4 Miscellaneous Hymns. After the Renewal of the Covenant. 1 (~\ HOW shall a sinner perform ^^ The vows he hath vow'd to the Lord ? A sinful and impotent worm, How can I be true to my word ? I tremble at what I have done : O send me thy help from above ; The power of thy Spirit make known, The virtue of Jesus's love ! 2 My solemn engagements are vain, My promises empty as air ; My vows, I shall break them again, And plunge in eternal despair ; Unless my omnipotent God The sense of his goodness impart, And shed by his Spirit abroad The love of himself in my heart. 3 O Lover of sinners, extend To me thy compassionate grace ; Appear my affliction to end, Afford me a glimpse of thy face! That light shall enkindle in me A flame of reciprocal love ; And then I shall cleave unto thee, And then I shall never remove. 4 O come to a mourner in pain, Thy peace in my conscience reveal ! And then I shall love thee again, And sing of the goodness I feel : Constrain'd by the grace of my Lord,

Devote our every hour to thee : Speak but the word, our souls shall wake, And sing with cheerful melody ; Thy praise shall our glad tongues employ, And every heart shall dance for joy. 4 Shout in the midst of us, O King Of saints, and make our joys abound ; Let us exult, give thanks, and sing, And triumph in redemption found : We ask for every waiting soul, O let our glorious joy be full ! 5 O may we all triumphant rise, With joy upon our heads return, And far above those nether skies, By thee on eagles' wings upborne, Through all yon radiant circles move And gain the highest heaven of love ! Miscellaneous Hymns. Oo7 HYMN J67. c. m. The same. 1 TOIN, all ye ransom' d sons of grace, J The holy joy prolong, And shout to the Redeemer's praise A solemn midnight song. 2 Blessing, and thanks, and love, and might Be to our Jesus given, Who turns our darkness into light, Who turns our hell to heaven. 3 Thither our faithful souls he leads, Thither he bids us rise, With crowns of joy upon our heads To meet him in the skies. HYMN 768. c. m. " There is forgiveness with thee, that thou may est he feared y 1 /^AUT of the depth of self despair, V-/ To thee, O Lord, I cry ; My misery mark, attend my prayer, And bring salvation nigh. 2 If thou art rigorously severe, Who may the test abide ? Where shall the man of sin appear, Or how be justified ? 3 But, O forgiveness is with thee, That sinners may adore; With filial fear thy goodness see, And never grieve thee more. 4 My soul, while still to Him it flies, Prevents the morning ray : O that his mercy's beams would rise, And bring the gospel day ! boo Miscellaneous Hymns. 5 Ye faithful souls, confide in God, Mercy with Him remains ; Plenteous redemption through his blood, To wash out all your stains. 6 His Israel himself shall clear, From all their sins redeem ; The Lord our righteousness is near, And we are just in Him. HYMN 769. 4-6'* Sf 2-8Y A. Song of Praise to the Messed Trinity. 1 r GIVE immortal praise 1 To God the Father's love, For all my comforts here,

Give glory to Jesus our Head 56 Give me the enlarged desire 356 Give me the faith which can 407 Give me the wings of faith . 658 Give to the winds thy fears . 614 Glorious God, accept a heart 234 Glorious Saviour of my soul 208 Glory be to God above . . 448 Glory be to God on high, God 247 Glory be to God on high, And 559 Glory to God, whose sovereign 199 Glory to thee, my God, this 680 Gcd is a name my soul adores 531 God is gone up on high . . 581 God is in this and every place 1 16 God is the refuge of his saints 617 God moves in a mysterious way 520 God of all consolation, take . 500 God of all grace and majesty 296 God of all power and grace 429 God of all power, and truth 374 God of all-redeeming grace 402 God of almighty love . . 308 God of Daniel, hear my prayer 622 God of eternal truth and grace 323 God of eternal truth and love 668 God of Israel's faithful three 342 God of love that hear'st the 474 God of my life, through all my 646 God of my life, to thee . . 221 God of my life, what just return 151 God of my life, whose gracious 277 God of my salvation, hear . 171 God of unexampled gi*ace . 570 God of unspotted purity . . 425 God only wise, almighty, good 436 God, the offended God, most 17 God who did'st so dearly buy 396 Good thou art, and good thou 237 Gracious Redeemer, shake . 294 Great God, attend, while Sion 538 Great God, indulge my humble 552 Great God, this hallow'd day 540 Great God, thy watchful care 665 Great God, to me the sight . 240 GreatGod, whose universal sway582 Great is our redeeming Lord 527 Great is the Lord our God . 539 Hail, co-essential Three . . 526 Hail, Father, Son, and Holy 230 Hail, Father, Son, and Spirit 246 Hail, Father, whose creating 525 Hail, God the Son, in glory 554 Hail, Holy Ghost, Jehovah . 593 Hail, holy, holy, holy Lord 248 Hail the day that sees Him rise 577 Hail, thou once despised Jesus 579 Happy day of union sweet 420

p\ut O my God, what must I do . 154 O my offended God ... 157 O my old, my bosom foe . 26 J On all the earth thy Spirit . 427 Once thou didst on earth . 392 Open, Lord, my inward ear 341 O render thanks to God . 542 O Saviour, cast a gracious . 491 O Sun of Righteousness . . 592 O that I could in every place 547 O that I could my Lord receive 123 O that I could repent, O that 103 O that I could repent, With all 101 O that 1 could revere . . 102 O that I first of love possess'd 122 O that my load of sin were gone 371 O that now the church were 624 O that thou wouldstthe heavens 135 Other ground can no man lay 480 O thou dear suffering Son of . 29 O thou eternal Victim slain . 508 O thou, our Husband, Brother 487 O thou that hangedst on the tree 68 ] O thou that hear'st when . 601 O thou, to whose all-searching 321 O thou who earnest from above 31 1 O thou who hast our sorrows 120 O thou who hast redeem'd of 602 O thou, whom fain my soul 113 O thou, whom once they flock'd377 O thou, whose offering on the 569 O 'tis enough, my God, my 167 O unexhausted grace . . . 168 Our earth we now lament to 415 Our friendship sanctify, and 487 Our Lord is risen from the dead 515 Out of the deep I cry . . 148 Out of the depth of self-despair 687 O what shall I do, my Saviour 194 O when shall we sweetly remove655 O wondrous power of faithful 286 Partners of a glorious hope . 486 Pass a few swiftly-fleeting . 50 Peace be on this house bestow'd 447 Peace, doubting heart . . 259 Pierce, fill me with an humble 302 Plunged in a gulf of dark . 550 Praise ye the Lord : 'tis good 218 Prince of universal peace . 420 Prisoners of hope, arise . . 370 Prisoners of hope, lift up your 36'} Prostrate, with eyes of faith 677 Quicken'd with our immortal 397

Regardless now of things below 604 Rejoice evermore, with angels 24 Rejoice for a brother deceased 51 Righteous God, whose . . 6*2 Rock of Ages cleft for me . 572 Salvation, O the joyful sound 637 Saviour cast a pitying eye . 1 15 Saviour from sin, I wait to . 359 Saviour, I now with shame . 175 Saviour of all, to thee we bow 474 Saviour of all, what hast thou 313 Saviour of sinful men . . . 450 Saviour of the sin-sick soul . 379 Saviour,on me the grace bestow 74 Saviour, on me the want bestow 293 Saviour, Prince of Israel's . 1 00 Saviour, the world's and mine 31 Saviour, to thee we humbly cry 430 Saviour, we know thou art . 640 Saviour, we now rejoice . . 530 Saviour, whom our hearts . . 637 See how great a flame aspires 210 See Israel's gentle Shepherd 670 See, Jesus,thy disciples see . 453 See, sinners, in the gospel glass 35 Servant of all, to toil for man 308 Shall I for fear of feeble man 267 Shepherd divine, our wants . 285 Shepherd of Israel, hear . . 428 Shepherd of souls, with pitying 83 Shrinking from the cold hand 48 Since the Son hath made me 373 Sing, all in heaven, at Jesu's 557 Sing to the great Jehovah's 644 Sinners, believe the gospel . 35 Sinners, obey the gospel word 15 Sinners, rejoice : your peace 572 Sinners, the call obey . . . 424 Sinners, turn, why will ye die 12 Sinners, your hearts lift up . 87 Soldiers of Christ, arise . . 253 Son of God, if thy free grace 182 Son of thy Sire's eternal love 228 Sons of God, triumphant rise 578 Sovereign of all the worlds on 595 Sovereign of all, whose will 433 Spirit of faith, come down . 86 Spirit of truth, essential God 24 5 Stand the' omnipotent decree 63 Stay, thou insulted Spirit, stay 157 Still for thy lovingkindness . 91 Still, Lord, I languish for thy 144 Stupendous height of heavenly 560 Summon' d my labour to renew 307 Sun of unclouded righteousness 416 Surrounded by a host of foes 256 Sweet is the memory of thy 545 Sweet is the work, my God . 539

Church, a building, 516 prosperity of, 348, 349, 687, 706 safety of, 563, 677, 678, 685 security of, 563 union with the true, desired, 16, 17 City, heaven, 67, 68, 70-73 Cleansing from impurity, 160, 184, 395, 406, 410, 522 Cleaving to the Lord, 434, 516 Comfort for mourners, 120 Comforter, Holy Ghost, 10, 86, 165, 294, 312, 376, 506, 655-658 Coming, second, of Christ, 54--58, 66, 555 Coming to Christ, 2-5, 9, 10, 29, 272 Communion of saints, 515--522 with Christ. See Fellowship). Compassion of Christ, 31-33, 151, 152, 157 of God, 589, 593 to the tempted, 157, 274, 292, 335 Condescension of Christ, 128, 137, 194 of God, 569, 586 Confession of the sinner, 91, 93, 99, 109, 116, 176,454 Confidence in Christ, 622 in God, 30, 69, 144, 189, 271, 272, Conflagration of all things, 57, 61 Conquering, believers, 69, 274, 281, 315, 421 Conqueror, Christ a, 275, 277, 278, 280, 352, 353 Conscience, tender, 308, 313 Consecration to God, 155, 229, 332, 430, 434. See Devotedness. Conversion of all nations, 692, 693, 694, 696, 697, 699-704 Conversion of penitents, prayer for, 59, 97, 105, 118, 119, 132, 148, 158, 159, 416, of nominal Christians, 82, 94 Conviction implored, 81, 83, 84, 94, 463 Corner-Slone, 487, 489, 534 Covenant of grace, stability of, 162, 369 Covenant, after renewing, 749 Covenant, renewing of, 532, 748, 750, 751 Created, all for God's glory, 234, 264, 491 Creation, 224-226, 234, 240, 363, 364 Creature happiness, 291 Creatures, man's superiority to other, 7 Cross, taken up, 279, 301, 314, 330, 333, 337, 338, 439, 478, 484 'Crucifixion of Christ, 22-28, 122, 128, 157, 613, 614, 621, 623,681, 760 Curse for us, Christ, 215 Daniel's deliverance, 684 Darkness, spiritual, 109, 117, 121, 129, 148, 154, 156, 272 David and Goliath, 278, 280 Dead, happy state of the pious, 48--53 quickened, 136, 362 spiritually, 6 to the world, 362, 508 Death, 43-45, 47-50 of a widow, 53 of the wicked, God hath no pleasure in, 6,7, 8 of youth, 46, 52 preparation for, 47, 59 the fear of, removed, 213, 717 triumphant, desired, 72, 421, 717, 723, 727, 735 victory over, 49-53, 96, 714-716, 721, Deceitfulness of sin, 110 Dedication to God, 426-434, 438 Departure of the Holy Spirit, deprecated, Despised, the righteous, by the world, 21 Devotedness to God, 137, 231, 279, 291,

418, 423, 426-432, 434, 530, 576, 586 Diseased by sin, 131-133, 135, 136, 395-397 Dismissal, 560 Dissolution of all things, 63, 64, 536 Divinity of Christ. See ChrLt. Dominion over sin desired, 416 enjoyed, 230, 419 Drawings of the Spirit, 97 Drunkards, swearers, &c, redeemed, 36, 203 Dying saint encouraged, 725 Effusion of the Spirit, 36, 457, 506 £Wofthe world, 57, 61, 64 Enemies of the righteous, 272, 274, 275 Enjoyment of Christ, 390, 407 Entire sanctification, prayers for, 340, 341, 343, 344, 346, 350, 351, 354, 357, 358, 361, 366, 367, 377, 384, 385, 412, 413- 417, 523,525,530 the promise of, pleaded, 342, 345, 356, 360, 362, 380, 391, 401 Espousals to Christ, remembered, 600 Establishment in grace, 228, 254 Eternal happiness, 67, 73-76 Eternal misery, 80, 181 Eternity o\ God, 41, 90, 240 Evening hymns, 83, 227, 287, 758 Example of Christ, 322, 330,529 of a master to his family, 471, 472 Excellency of religion, 14, 19-21 Exhorting to turn to God, 1, 6-8, 31, 32, 36 Fainting 9 inner, 120, 134 Faith, Christ the author and giver of, 95, 118, 122 powerful, 95, 142, 192, 267, 269, 272, 278, 335, 342, 300, 372,401 prayer for, 85, 148, 150, 342, 455, 660, 666, 759 shown by works, 521 the fight of, 266-274, 277, 314, 315, the life of, 196 Faithfulness of believers, 318-320 of God, 5, 142, 157, 179, 288, 348, 360, 559 Fall of man, 98, 150 Fallen, intercession for the, 459, 461, 462 Falling from grace, possible, 317 Family of God, 735 religion, 739 worship, 739 Father, God a, 12, 235 hymn to the, 561 Fear of God, or Godly Fear, 172, 306-310, 313,319, 320 Fear of m;m, 279 Feast of the Gospel, 2, 4, 9 Fellowship of saints, 16, 17,430, 487, 489- 491, 500, 503, 504, 510, 514, 515, 518, 521, 522-527 Fellowship with Christ. See Union. Fiery trial, 286, 292, 329, 335-339 Fighting, believers, 69, 266-270, 273, 293, 314, 315 Fire of the Holy Spirit, 323, 327, 351, 361, 373, 374, 399, 412, 414, 456, 457, 493, 494, 513, 528 Flock of Christ, 13, 62, 501 Followers of Christ, 480, 491, 515, 539 Following Christ, 222, 332, 338, 339, 484, Fools made wise by Christ, 211, 212 Forbearance of God with sinners, 161, 168, 171, 172, 182 Forgiveness enjoyed, 96 implored, 82, 97, 119, 121, 123-125,

taken by storm, 265 Knocking at the door of the heart, 208 Knowledge of Christ, 681 Know/edge of God desired, 113, 118 121 128, 130, 144, 156, 283, 284, 302 Labouring. See Working. Lamb of God, spotless, 167, 175 Languishing for Christ, 146, 147, 378, 379, Lateness of conversion, lamented, 210 Law, a shadow of good things, 619 written on the heart, 340, 438, 511 Lepers cleansed, 32, 135 Leprosy of sin, 395 Liberty from sin, 171. See Freedom. Life, Christ the believer's, 79, 213. 230 291, 347 hidden, 125, 420, 537 human, short, 47 passing away, 41, 46 spiritual, desired, 666 uncertain, 42, 46, 59, 722 Light, God is, 647 of the Gentiles, 129, 203, 444 spiritual, 121, 134, 148, 252,353 Lion, the devil, 310 Living to Christ, 246, 321-325, 362, 426Living water, 36 ILook of Christ, producing repentance, 106. Looking of Christ on the sinner, 106 to Jesus, 1, 387, 6S3 Lord's prayer, 235-237, 594 Love, Almighty, 158, 288 constraining power of, 137 desired, 137, 146, 147, 155, 210, 285, 344, 361, 373, 379, 385, 399, 415, 538 excellency of, 379, 385, 134, 680 infinite, 216, 513 mutual, 522 of Christ to sinners, 22-28, 30, 33, 34, the sweetness of, 1 17 •01 Love, universality of, 216 Lore-feast, 519-522 Lukewarmmss, 454 Mahometan!;, their salvation desired, 443 MajestyofGoA, 38, 90, 240, 21 1, 24 1, 247, 248 Malefactor's prayer, 759, 760 Mariners' hymns, 761-764 Marriage hymn, 510 Mary and Martha, 325 Master, duty of a, to his family, 470--472 Means of grace, 91, 92 improved, 529 Meditation on the Scriptures, 328 on God, 437 Meekness desired, 270, 304, 338, 343 Meeting of believers in heaven, 534-537, 539 on earth, 478, 4S0-482, 484-486 Members of Christ's body, 423, 518 Mercy of God, 584 embraced, 11 implored, 125, 133, 151, 168, 176, 249, 307, 440 infinite, 110, 189, 190, 201 Messiah, person and office of the, 565, 566. See Christ. Millennial reign, 46, 61, 696 Mind of Christ desired, 153, 270, 355, 363, 364, 504, 520 Ministerial fidelity, 279, 433, 439, 440 Ministers, blessing on, 747 Miracles performed by Christ, 32, 135, 136, 138, 139, 611, 612 spiritual, 40, 135, 136, 395, 396-398, 611", 612 Misery of man, as a sinner, 109, 110, 112, 115-117, 127, 135, 136, 150-152, 154, 158, 163, 164, 166 Missionary hymns, 1, 39, 441--452, 457, 563,

Morning hymns, 156, 306, 324, 757 Mountain of sin, 382, 417 Mourners blessed, 1, 120, 134 Mourning for the fallen, 461, 462 Music, t lie abuse of, deprecated, 204 Mystery of Providence. 559 of rede-mption, 201 of the Trinity, 256, 259, 260 Name of Christ, dear to sinners, 37, 113,116, 128, 140, 141, 206, 209,238, 269 praying therein, 121, 298, 394 salvation, 209 to be extolled, 557 Name of God, 597 Nation, church the safety of a, 579 our privileges as a, 466 prayer for, 453-455, 463, 464 Nativity of Christ, 565. See Incarnation. New Birth. See Regeneration. New-Year's Day, 42, 46, 168, 170-172, 178, 179, 182, 185-188,709-712,713 Obedience of believers, 324, 325, 327, 357, 495, 511, 529 Offices of Christ, 193-195, 202, 207, 209, Old Adam, the death of the, 362 Omnipotence, 138, 139, 223, 226, 240, 244, 273, 284 Omnipresence, 117, 239, 287, 591 Omniscience, 239, 502, 590, 591 Opening a place of worship, 736 Pardon of sin, 11, 77, 93, 206, 245. See Forgiveness and Justification. Parents requesting aid, 467--469 Parting of Christians, 533-537, 539, 560 Paschal Lamb, 617, 633 Pastoral ministry, instituted by Christ, Patience, 333-339 Peace with God desired, 123, 124 Peace, national, 442, 447, 448 universal, 449 Penitents, praying, 109, 112, 116, 117, 132, 150, 151, 416, 417, 659,660-665, 667, Pentecost, 86, 456, 457, 653 Perfect love, 354, 367, 368, 370, 375, 389, 404, 408 Perfection, Christian, 363, 369, 370, 381, 391, 393, 401, 402, 404, 406-409, 512 Perfections of God, 570. See Attributes. Persecution, 304, 310, 311, 439, 4S3 Perseverance, 69, 71, 483 Peter, the fall of, 101, 106 Physician, Christ a, 112, 114, 395-397 Pilgrimage of believers, 68, 71, 497, 498 Pilgrims, 686 Pleasantness of religion, 12-15, 19-21, 222, 488, 491, 499 Pleasure of public worship, 738 Pleading with Christ for mercy, 144-146, 151, 155, 157, 163, 164, 167, 661 Pool of Bethesda, 131, 166 Power of grace, 158, 2U3, 206 Praise offered to God, 221, 222, 224-226, 232, 241-243, 246, 253, 275, 287, 564, 576, 578, 579, 597, 598, 699, 711-714 for and by his works, 223, 225, 226, 23 1, 239 to the Redeemer, 595, 600, 639, 640 Prayer, 282, 294-297, 299, 301, 303, 312, for divine illumination, 87-89, 121, 122, 130, 148, 156 for faith, 85, 118, 122, 150 for perishing sinners, 82 for repentance, 81, 83, 99, 100-107, for seriousness, 55, 59

for the enjoyment of forgiveness, 97, 123-125 for the success of the Gospel, 84 necessity of perseverance in, 295, 297, 299, 301, 303 private, 1 19 prevalence of, 140, 144, 298 the Spirit of, desired, 294, 296, 299 Preacher, concerned to save sinners, 279, Preachers, blessing on, 747 faithfulness of, 30, 279, 439, 410 infirm and aged, 356 in general, 33, 34, 89, 231, 424, 439, Preparation for meeting God, the business of life, 55, 59, 65,512 Presence of God in his church, 493, 520 Preserving grace, 210 Preservation from spiritual enemies, 200, Priesthood of Christ, 193, 211, 627 Priests, clothed with salvation, 446 Priests and Kings, 423 Primitive Christianity, 16, 17 Prince, Christ a, 101, 105, 107 Prisoner of hope, 123, 129, 144, 150, 380, Private prayer, 119 Prodigal's return, 9, 178, 191 Prophet, Christ a, 193, 211, 212, 641-6 43 Prosperity of the church, 687 Protection, 272, 276, 292, 305, 335, 348, 407, 556 Providence, 224, 225, 227, 229, 231, 233, 236, 238, 239, 241, 243, 245, 289, 496, 570, 584, 585, 589, 592, 673-675 mystery of, 559 trusting in, 673-675 Publican, prayer of the, 101 Public worship, 541, 573-575, 577, 579, Purity desired, 284, 304, 361, 391, 410, 414, 417, 512, 688 Quickening, Spirit and Word, 136, 360, 362, 366, 419 Race, Christian, 46, 71, 311, 312, 495, 498, Ransom, Christ a, 190, 330, 444, 445 Ransomed, 386, 497 Reconciliation, 11, 123, 252, 400 Redemption, 565, 595, 601, 613, 625, 661 ; general, 25, 33-35, 39, 90, 129, 149, 190, 378, 444, 445 found, 189-191, 197-202, 206, 217 Refuge, 143, 175, 290, 292, 331, 407, 678 Regeneration, 83, 109, 110, 158, 159,303, 340, 351 Rejoicing of believers, 19, 198, 199, 539. See Happiness of. Reliance on Christ, 92, 131, 132, 142, 143, 163, 217, 312, 335, 436, 508 Religion, internal, 95, 96, 364 Renewal in holiness, desired, 18 Repentance, 9, 99-106 the gift of God, 99-107, 710 Resignation, 335. See Patience. Rest in Christ, 116, 296, 337, 388, 403, Restoration, 98, 109, 110, 169, 256, 402 Resurrection of Christ, 420, 553, 628, 629 Resurrection, of believers, joyful, 58, 60, 65 of the body, 718-721, 726 spiritual, 290, 360 Returning to Christ, 178, 182, 186, 191 Reverence, 307, 316, 353, 358, 369, 425, 494 Revival of religion, 40, 82, 203, 493

hymn to, 601 Songs in the night, 287 Soul, original destination of, 18 Spirit, Holy, a Comforter, 655-658 desired, 121, 165, 171, 367, 374, 376, despite to, 161 free for all, 3, 10, 86 led by, 326 the guide of believers, 326 Spiritual fruitfulness, 111 Stability prayed for, 183, 187, 188, 355, Statutes of God, lead to heaven, 15 Steward:, faithful, 432 unfaithful, 176 Still small voice, 358, 425 Stony heart, 84, 102, 110, 145, 173, 391 Strength renewed, 672 Striving, 281, 313, 318. See Fighting. with God, 682 Strong in the Lord, 200, 273, 293, 359 Suffering, 272, 329, 330, 333, 335-339 for righteousness' sake, 304 Sufferings of Christ, 22-25, 27, 28, 33, design of, 330, 362, 375 Sun, Christ a, 647 Supper, the Lord's, 546, 552. See Sacrament. Supping with Christ, 507 Sword of the Spirit, 89, 105, 370 Sympathy, 364, 441, 518, 520, 527 Sympathy of Christ, 157 Talking with Go 1, 214, 325, 328 Te Deum laudamus, 564--566 Temple of God, 121, 383, 385, 399, 405, Temptation, 272, 297, 309, 310, 311, 314, 315, 359 Thanksgiving, 193, 195, 203, 206, 210, 229, 231, 233, 365, 478, 480-482, 584, 585, Thirsting for God, 3, 4, 10, 26, 371 for righteousness, 78. See Hungering. Three Hebrew children, 359 Time, rapid flight of, 42, 44, 46, 47 Traveller' s hymn, 765 Tried, 273, 281, 282. See Temptation. Tried by God, 667 Triniti/ in Unity, 221, 232, 237, 239, 252, 253', 255-263, 333, 368, 418, 430, 477, 506, 514, 515,517, 561, 562, 564, 568, 647, 654, 671, 745, 769 praise to the, 745, 769 Triumph int believer, 274, 275. See Believers and Rejoicing. Trusting in Christ, 270, 278, 282, 660, 677, 678, 682. See Reliance. Trusting in God, 588, 672, 673, 685 Truth of God, 599 Tumult and persecution, 276, 557 Turning to God, 6, 8, 20, 170. See Returning. Unchangeableness cf God, 95, 223, 335 Unfaithfulness, 176, 178, 182-185, 365 Union with Christ, 169, 350, 384, 405, 504, 515,517, 518 Unity in the church, 459, 489, 490, 500, 501, 503-505, 509, 514, 515, 518, 522, 524, 527, 528 Unprofitableness acknowledged, 665 Vineyard of God, 535 Voice of God, 358-425 Vows, 290, 532 performed, 80 Voyage of life, 49, 143, 272, 292 Waiting for God, 142, 177, 180, 356, 389, 530, 672 Walking in Christ, 169, 312, 324, 528

I wait thy will to do 222 I wait, till he shall 386 1 want a godly fear 290 I want a heart to 290 I want a sober mind 289 1 want a true regard 290 I want an even . 407 I want the witness 352 I want thy life, thy 395 I will accept his . 81 I will improve what 82 I will not let thee 148 I will, thro' grace 391 I work ; and own 92 I would be thine 384 I would, but thou 372 I would not to thy 147 I would the preci- 407 I wrestle not now 197 lfalllong-sufferingl67 If any man thirst 9 If down 1 turn my 219 If drawn by thine 146 If every one that 597 If I have begun 183 If I have only known 97 If I have tas'ted of 301 If in the night . 681 If in this darksome 321 lfinthisfeehleflesh339 If mercy is indeed 296 If near the pit 1 299 If now I lament . 162 If now the witness 97 If now thoutalkest 113 If now thy influence358 If on thy promised 439 If pure essential . 490 If rough -and thorny 321 If so poor a worm 404 If still thou goest 131 Is such a worm as 339 If thou art rigor- 687 If thou gav'st the' 493 If thou hast will'd 174 If thou impart thy- 133 If thy dreadful con- 62 If thy grace for all 161 If to the right or 298 If what I wish . 615 If when I had put 162 I '11 lift my hands 552 I Ml praise him .217 I '11 weary thee with 152 Immortal honours 598 Immortal praises 581 Impotent, dumb 133 Impoverish, Lord 85 In a dry land .411 In a land of corn 388 rapture of joy 225 In all 1 do 1 feel 411 In all my ways thy 278 In ansver to ten 123

Regard me with a 1 1 7 Regard our prayers 487 Regard thine own 473 Reign in me, Lord 328 Reign, true Messiah585 Rejoicing in hope 260 Rejoicing now in 385 Relieve the souls 432 Remember, Lord 354 Remove this hard- 384 Renew thine image 335 Rest for my soul 1 371 Resting in this glo- 64 Restore my sight 129 Restored by recon- 121 Rests secure the . 63 Return, O holy . 605 Return, O Lord 673 Riches, as seemeth 240 Riches unsearchable 26 Rise, ye men of . 266 Rising to sing my 312 Rock of my salva- 258 Saints, begin the Salvation in his . Salvation in that , . 78 13;. . 9 See from his head 572 See from his woun- 568 See from the Rock 10 See, he lifts his . 577 See him set forth See how his back See, Lord, the traSee me lying at the 162 See me, O Lord 362 See me, Saviour 104 See my utter . .184 See, on the moun- 303 See, streaming from 564 See the' eternal . 559 See the gospel . 527 See the Lord, thy 518 See the souls that 502 See the stars . . 657 See, there ! his . 29 See, these barren 329 See, where before 125 See where o'er . 83 See, where the God 35 See, where the lame 35 See, ye sinners, see 332 Seize my whole . 606 Selfish pursuits . 114 Send down thv like-405 Salvation! let the 637 Send forth one tay 127 Salvation ! O thou 637 Send then thy ser- 423 Salvation to God 518 Send us the Spirit 361 Satan, cease thy . 261 Sent by my Lord . 8 Satan his thousand 428 Sent down from . 16 Satan, with all . 621 Set upon thyself . 258 Save me for thine 623 Shall creatures of 606 Save till all these 684 Shall I, amidst a 81 681' Shall !, through . 440 47."> Shall I, to soothe 267 474 Shall magnify the 269| 558 Shall soon his . 110 Sh. 11 still the proud 269 Should all the . 593

Short of thy love I 97 Should all the . 588 Should 1 from thee 552 Shout, all ye people 59 Shut up in unbelief 117 Silent, alas! thou 132 Sin in me, the in- 343 Sin only let me not 173 Since by thy light 99 Since thou hast bid 259 Since thou woul.l'st 372 Sing, every soul . 557 Sing to the Lord . 218 Sing we then in . 483 Sinners, expect those 65 Sinners, obey the 106 Sinners of old thou 378 Sinners, turn, while 14 Sinners, turn, why 12 Sin's deceitfulness 109 Sion enjoys her . 618 Sion, shout thy . 194 Sion's God is all . 527 Slay me, and I in 347 Slay the dire root 323 Smell the sweet . 474 So be it ! let this 67 So blooms the human 48 So I may thy Spirit 365 So let thy grace . 547 So may each fu- . 668 So shall I bless . 262 So shall I do thy 262 So shall my walk 605 So shall our lives 460 So shall the bright 671 So shall the world 430 So shall we pray 3 f > 1 So when on Sion 321 So wretched and . 26 Soar we now . . 576 Sole, self-existing 239 Son of God, arise 367 Sons of God, your 21 1 Soon as from earth 46 Soon as in thee we 491 Soon as our par- . 250 Soon as the breath 537 Soon as theevening 531 Soon shall I learn 646 Sorrow, and sin . 151 Sov'reign Father . 247 Sov'reign, univer- 588 me till I my 339 J-peak, and a holy 155 Speak, and the deaf 137 Speak but the re- 472 Speak, gracious . 128 Spe ik. the second 379 Speak the word . 287 Speak to my war- 320 I Speak with that . 84 Spirit of faith, in- 309 I Spirit of grace, and 228

Till, throughly . 176 Time, like an ever- 44 Time to repent . 643 'lis done! my . 31 Tis done, the great 675 ' lis done ! the pre- 27 'Tis done ! thou . 396 'Tis finish'd ! all . 565 'Tis fit we should 648 Tis here thine . 683 ' lis his almighty 623 'Tis his the droop- 106 'lis love that . .619 Tis love ! 'tis love 138 'Tis mercy all, that 325 'Tis mystery all . 197 'lis there, with . 221 'lis thine a heart 128 TV accomplish his 615 To all my weak . 548 To baffle the wise 206 To damp our earth- 59 To-day attend . 535 To destroy his work 288 To each the cov- 495 To fit his soul for 436 To God, most . 667 To God the Son . 638 l'o God the Spirit's 688 To God your . . 255 To help our soul's 283 To help their grov- 106 l'o him continually 398 l'o him mine eye of 259 1 o him our request 464 l'o him that in thy 95 l'o hoary hairs . 678 To Jesu's name . 133 l'o keep your . .255 To know thy nature 242 l'o love is all my 31 To magnify thy . 200 To make them trees 106 To mourn and to 51 To mourn for thy 655 To our Redeemer 624 To please thee thus 91 l'o praise a Trinity 251 To pray and wait 58 To purest joys she 20 To real holiness . 354 l'o rescue me from 134 To save the race . 421 To save us from . 555 To save what was 11 To steer our dan- 436 To that Jerusalem 660 To the blest foun- 602 To the cross, thine 184 To the never- . 288 To the sheep of .160 To thee, benign . 152 To thee for refuge 315 To thee I lift my . 144 To thee inseparably471

To thee let all . 630 To thee may each 668 To thee my last . 177 To thee our humble 95 To thee shall earth 263 To thee the glory 345 To this sure cove- 675 To those, who thee 434 To thy benign, in- 233 To thy blessed will 318 To thy sure love . 544 To thy wise and . 652 To time our every 436 To us and to them 43 To us, at thy feet 1 6 To us our own . 29 To watch their . 437 Together let us . 469 Too much for thee 28 Touch me, and . 179 Touch'd by the . 471 Touch 'd with a . 591 Train up thy hardy 444 Trembling, we . 106 Triumph and reign 334 Triumphant host . 251 True and faithful 1 75 396, 473 True believers have 456 True pleasures . 201 True, 'tisastraight612 True to his ever- 537 True yoke-fellows 483 Truly our fellow- 679 Turn, he cries, ye 14 Turn the full . . 107 Turning to my . 620 Unchangeable, all- 232 Under the shadow 44 Unfathomable . 231 Unite the pair so 443 Universal Saviour 638 Unless restrain'd 433 Unless the power 445 Unnumber'd com- 548 Unsearchable the 561 Unspotted from . 444 Unto thee, my . 343 Unwearied may I 356 Up into thee, our 470 Uphold me in the 205 Uphold me, Sa- . 302 Urge on your rapid 265 Us from ourselves 438 Us, in the stead of 17 Us into thy protec- 468 Vain his ambition 652 Vain in themselves 569 Vain the stone . 576 Vanish, then, this 63 Veil'd in flesh . 555 Vessels, instru- . 493 Vilest of all tho 3^ Vilest of the sinful 404 Visit, then, this soul 153 Visit us, bright . 421 Vouchsafe us eyes 120 Vying with that . 215

1 Depth of mercy! Can there be mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear? me, the chief of sinners, spare? 2 I have long withstood His grace, long provoked Him to His face; would not hearken to His calls, grieved Him by a thousand falls. 3 I my Master have denied; I afresh have crucified, oft profaned His hallowed name, put Him to an open shame. 4 There for me the Savior stands, shows His wounds and spreads His hands. God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps, but loves me still! 5 Now incline me to repent, let me now my fall lament; now my foul revolt deplore! weep, believe, and sin no more.

3 I my Master have denied; I afresh have crucified, oft profaned His hallowed name, put Him to an open shame.

5 Now incline me to repent, let me now my fall lament; now my foul revolt deplore! weep, believe, and sin no more.

1. Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of Heav'n to Earth come down, Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown; Jesus, thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art; Visit us with thy salvation, Enter ev'ry trembling heart. 2. Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit Into ev'ry troubled breast; Let us all in thee inherit, Let us find thy promised rest; Take away our love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be; End of faith as its beginning, Set our hearts at liberty. 3. Come, Almighty to deliver; Let us all thy grace receive; Suddenly return, and never, Never more thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, Serve thee as thy host above, Pray, and praise thee without ceasing, Glory in thy perfect love. 4. Finish, then, thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation Perfectly restored in thee; Changed from glory into glory Till in Heav'n we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise!

1. Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of Heav'n to Earth come down, Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown; Jesus, thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art; Visit us with thy salvation, Enter ev'ry trembling heart.

3. Come, Almighty to deliver; Let us all thy grace receive; Suddenly return, and never, Never more thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, Serve thee as thy host above, Pray, and praise thee without ceasing, Glory in thy perfect love.

4 He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the foulest clean; his blood availed for me.

I need not tell Thee who I am, My misery and sin declare; Thyself hast called me by my name, Look on Thy hands, and read it there; But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou? Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.

9. If then you fear bringing damnation on yourself by this, you fear where no fear is. Fear it not for eating and drinking unworthily; for that, in St. Paul's sense, ye cannot do. But I will tell you for what you shall fear damnation;-- for not eating and drinking at all; for not obeying your Maker and Redeemer; for disobeying his plain command; for thus setting at nought both his mercy and authority. Fear ye this; for hear what his Apostle saith: "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all." (James 2:10.) 10. We see then how weak the objection is, "I dare not receive [The Lord's Supper], because I am unworthy." Nor is it any stronger, though the reason why you think yourself unworthy is, that you have lately fallen into sin. It is true, our Church forbids those "who have done any grievous crime" to receive without repentance. But all that follows from this is, that we should repent before we come; not that we should neglect to come at all. To say, therefore, that "a man may turn his back upon the altar because he has lately fallen into sin, that he may impose this penance upon himself," is talking without any warrant from Scripture. For where does the Bible teach to atone for breaking one commandment of God by breaking another What advice is this, -- "Commit a new act of disobedience, and God will more easily forgive the past!"

On Attending The Church Service "The sin of the young men was very great." 1 Sam. 2:17. 1. The corruption, not only of the heathen world, but likewise of them that were called Christians, has been matter of sorrow and lamentation to pious men, almost from the time of the apostles. And hence, as early as the second century, within a hundred years of St. John's removal from the earth, men who were afraid of being partakers of other men's sins, thought it their duty to separate from them. Hence, in every age many have retired from the world, lest they should be stained with the pollutions of it. In the third century many carried this so far as to run into deserts and turn hermits. But in the following age this took another turn. Instead of turning hermits, they turned monks. Religious houses now began to be built in every Christian country; and religious communities were established, both of men and women, who were entirely secluded from the rest of mankind; having no intercourse with their nearest relations, nor with any but such as were confined, generally for life, within the same walls. 2. This spirit of literally renouncing the world, by retiring into religious houses, did not so generally prevail after the Reformation. Nay, in Protestant countries, houses of this kind were totally suppressed. But still too many serious persons (chiefly incited thereto by those that are commonly called "mystic writers") were eager to seclude themselves from the world, and run into solitude; supposing this to be the best, if not the only way, of escaping the pollution that is in the world. 3. One thing which powerfully inclined them to separate from the several churches, or religious societies, to which they had belonged, even from their infancy, was the belief that no good was to be expected from the ministration of unholy men. "What!" said they, "Can we think that a holy God will bless the ministry of wicked men Can we imagine that they who are themselves strangers to the grace of God will manifest that grace to others Is it to be supposed that God ever did, or ever will, work by the children of the devil And if this cannot be supposed, ought we not to `come out from among them and be separate'" [2 Cor. 6:14]

18. I have now only to add a few important directions. The first great point is this: Suppose we have a tender conscience, how shall we preserve it I believe there is only one possible way of doing this, which is, to obey it. Every act of disobedience tends to blind and deaden it; to put out its eyes, that it may not see the good and the acceptable will of God; and to deaden the heart, that it may not feel self-condemnation when we act in opposition to it. And, in the contrary, every act of obedience gives to the conscience a sharper and stronger sight, and a quicker feeling of whatever offends the glorious majesty of God. Therefore, if you desire to have your conscience always quick to discern, and faithful to accuse or excuse you, if you would preserve it always sensible and tender, be sure to obey it at all events; continually listen to its admonitions, and steadily follow them. Whatever it directs you to do, according to the word of God, do; however grievous to flesh and blood. Whatever it forbids, if the prohibition be grounded on the word of God, see you do it not; however pleasing it may be to flesh and blood. The one or the other may frequently be the case. What God forbids may be pleasing to our evil nature: There you are called to deny yourself, or you deny your Master. What he enjoins may be painful to nature: There take up your cross. So true is our Lord's word: "Except a man deny himself, and take up his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple." 19. I cannot conclude this discourse better, than with an extract from Dr. Annesley's sermon on "Universal Conscientiousness." [Dr. Annesley (my mother's father) was Rector of the parish of Cripplegate.] "Be persuaded to practise the following directions, and your conscience will continue right: -- 1. "Take heed of every sin; count no sin small; and obey every command with your might. Watch against the first risings of sin, and beware of the borders of sin. Shun the very appearance of evil. Venture not upon temptation or occasions of sin.

10. Touching this important point, of denying ourselves, and taking up our cross daily, let us appeal to matter of fact; let us appeal to every man's conscience in the sight of God. How many rich men are there among the Methodists (observe, there was not one, when they were first joined together) who actually do "deny themselves and take up their cross daily" who resolutely abstain from every pleasure, either of sense or imagination, unless they know by experience that it prepares them for taking pleasure in God Who declines no cross, no labour or pain, which lies in the way of his duty Who of you that are now rich, deny yourselves just as you did when you were poor Who as willingly endure labour or pain now, as you did when you were not worth five pounds Come to particulars. Do you fast now as often as you did then Do you rise as early in the morning Do you endure cold or heat, wind or rain, as cheerfully as ever See one reason among many, why so few increase in goods, without decreasing in grace! Because they no longer deny themselves and take up their daily cross. They no longer, alas! endure hardship, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ!

8. I call upon you more especially who are called Methodists. In the sight of the great God, upwards of fifty years I have ministered unto you, I have been your servant for Christ's sake. During this time I have given you many solemn warnings on this head. I now give you one more, perhaps the last. Dare any of you, in choosing your calling or situation, eye the things on earth, rather than the things above In choosing a profession, or a companion for life, for your child, do you look at earth or heaven And can you deliberately prefer, either for yourself or your offspring, a child of the devil with money, to a child of God without it Why, the very Heathens cry out, O cunae in terras animae, et caelestium inanes! O souls, bow'd down to earth, strangers to heaven! Repent, repent of your vile earthly-mindedness! Renounce the title of Christians, or prefer, both in your own case and the case of your children, grace to money, and heaven to earth! For the time to come, at least, "let your eye be single," that your "whole body may be full of light!"

12. But before this universal change there may be many partial changes in a natural man, which are frequently mistaken for it, whereby many say, "Peace, peace!" to their souls, when there is no peace. There may be not only a considerable change in the life, so as to refrain from open sin, yea, the easily besetting sin; but also a considerable change of tempers, conviction of sin, strong desires, and good resolutions. And here we have need to take great care, not, on the one hand, to despise the day of small things; nor, on the other, to mistake any of these partial changes for that entire, general change, the new birth; that total change from the image of the earthly Adam into the image of the heavenly, from an earthly, sensual, devilish mind, into the mind that was in Christ. 13. Settle it therefore in your hearts, that however you may be changed in many other respects, yet in Christ Jesus, that is, according to the Christian institution, nothing will avail without the whole mind that was in Christ, enabling you to walk as Christ walked. Nothing is more sure than this: "If any man be in Christ," a true believer in him, "he is a new creature: Old things," in him, "are passed away; all things are become new."

4. And yet all this, inconceivably great as it is, is the least part of their deliverance. For in the moment wherein they shake off the flesh, they are delivered, not only from the troubling of the wicked, not only from pain and sickness, from folly and infirmity; but also from all sin. A deliverance this, in sight of which all the rest vanish away. This is the triumphal song which everyone heareth when he entereth the gates of paradise: -- "Thou, being dead, sinnest no more. Sin hath no more dominion over thee. For in that thou diedst, thou diedst unto sin once; but in that thou livest, thou livest unto God." [The sentiment which is here again expressed, that it is death which destroys sin in the human heart, though couched in the language of an Apostle, is a branch of that philosophical Mysticism which Mr. Wesley entertained at this early period of his life, and which he afterwards renounced for the scriptural doctrine of salvation by faith. According to the New Testament, every believer is already delivered from the dominion of sin; and the Bible never represents the entire sanctification of our nature as effected by death. It is the work of the Holy Spirit; and is not suspended upon the dissolution of the body; but upon the exercise of a steadfast faith in the almighty Saviour. -- Edit.]

5. There then "the weary be at rest." The blood of the Lamb hath healed all their sickness, hath washed them throughly from their wickedness, and cleansed them from their sin. The disease of their nature is cured; they are at length made whole; they are restored to perfect soundness. They no longer mourn the "flesh lusting against the Spirit;" the "law in their members" is now at an end, and no longer "wars against the law of their mind, and brings them into captivity to the law of sin." There is no root of bitterness left; no remains even of that sin which did "so easily beset them;" no forgetfulness of "Him in whom they live, move, and have their being;" no ingratitude to their gracious Redeemer, who poured out his soul unto the death for them; no unfaithfulness to that blessed Spirit who so long bore with their infirmities. In a word, no pride, no self-will is there; so that they who are thus "delivered from the bondage of corruption" may indeed say one to another, and that in an emphatical sense, "Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

4. Is there not in several respects, a remarkable resemblance between the case of Israel and our own General wickedness then occasioned a general visitation; and does not the same cause now produce the same effect We likewise have sinned, and we are punished; and perhaps these are only the beginning of sorrows. Perhaps the angel is now stretching out his hand over England to destroy it. O that the Lord would at length say to him that destroyeth, "It is enough; stay now thine hand!" 5. That vice is the parent of misery, few deny; it is confirmed by the general suffrage of all ages. But we seldom bring this home to ourselves; when we speak of sin as the cause of misery, we usually mean, the sin of other people, and suppose we suffer, because they sin. But need we go so far Are not our own vices sufficient to account for all our sufferings Let us fairly and impartially consider this; let us examine our own hearts and lives. We all suffer: and we have all sinned. But will it not be most profitable for us, to consider every one his own sins, as bringing sufferings both on himself and others; to say, "Lo, I have sinned, I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done"

Having introduced some other things, he adds, "Besides faith, there is no one but may see that repentance is required as necessary to justification. Now, repentance is not one work alone, but is, as it were, a collection of many others: For in its compass the following works are comprehended: -- (1.) Sorrow on account of sin: (2.) Humiliation under the hand of God: (3.) Hatred to sin: (4.) Confession of sin: (5.) Ardent supplication of the divine mercy: (6.) The love of God: (7.) Ceasing from sin: (8.) Firm purpose of new obedience: (9.) Restitution of ill-gotten goods: (10.) Forgiving our neighbour his transgressions against us: (11.) Works of beneficence, or alms-giving. How much these things avail to procure remission of sins from God is sufficiently evident from Dan. 4:27; where the Prophet gives this wholesome advice to Nebuchadnezzar, who was at that time cleaving to his sins: `Redeem [The Bishop translates PRQ -- peruk, with the Vulgate, redeem, or buy off but the proper and literal meaning is, break off. A.C.] your sins by alms-giving, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.'" -- Ibid., p. 10. 7. To instance in one point more: All the Liturgy of the Church is full of petitions for that holiness without which, the Scripture everywhere declares, no man shall see the Lord. And these are all summed up in those comprehensive words which we are supposed to be so frequently repeating: "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name." It is evident that in the last clause of this petition, all outward holiness is contained: Neither can it be carried to a greater height, or expressed in stronger terms. And those words, "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts," contain the negative branch of inward holiness; the height and depth of which is purity of heart, by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. The remaining words, "that we may perfectly love thee," contain the positive part of holiness; seeing this love, which is the fulfilling of the law, implies the whole mind that was in Christ.

"To what end," saith the resigned mourner, "should I fast, now the child is dead Why should I add grief to grief; which, being a volunteer, increases the affliction I already sustain Would it not be equally useless to him and me Have my tears or complaints the power to refix his soul in her decayed and forsaken mansion Or, indeed, would he wish to change, though the power were in his hands, the happy regions of which lie is now possessed, for this land of care, pain, and misery O vain thought! Never can he, never will he, return to me: Be it my comfort, my constant comfort, when my sorrows bear hard upon me, that I shall shortly, very shortly, go to him! that I shall soon awake from this tedious dream of life, which will soon be at an end; and then shall I gaze upon him; then shall I behold him again, and behold him with that perfect love, that sincere and elevated affection, to which even the heart of a parent is here a stranger! when the Lord God shall wipe away all tears from my eyes; and the least part of my happiness shall be that the sorrow of absence shall flee away!" The unprofitable and bad consequences, the sinful nature, of profuse sorrowing for the dead, are easily deduced from the former part of this reflection; in the latter, we have the strongest motives to enforce our striving against it, -- a remedy exactly suited to the disease, -- a consideration which, duly applied, will not fail, either to prevent this sorrow, or rescue us from this real misfortune. Grief, in general, is the parent of so much evil, and the occasion of so little good to mankind, that it may be justly wondered how it found a place in our nature. It was, indeed, of man's own, not of God's creation; who may permit, but never was the author of, evil. The same hour gave birth to grief and sin, as the same moment will deliver us from both. For neither did exist before human nature was corrupted, nor will it continue when that is restored to its ancient perfection.

This is the bare matter of fact. And even from this, let any one, in whom is the spirit of a man, judge, whether the trumpet of God hath not sufficiently sounded among us of this place! And doth this trumpet give an uncertain sound How would you have God speak more plainly Do you desire that the Lord should also thunder out of heaven, and give hail-stones, and coals of fire Nay, rather let us say, "It is enough! Speak no more, Lord; for thy servants hear! Those to whom thou hast most severely spoken are afraid, and do seek thee with their whole heart. They resolve not to prolong the time, but even now, by thy gracious assistance, to look well if there be any way of wickedness in them, and to turn their feet unto the way everlasting; to renounce everything that is evil in thy sight; yea, the sin that doth the most easily beset them; and to use their whole diligence for the time to come, to make their calling and election sure. Those to whom thou hast spoken by the misfortune of their neighbours are likewise afraid at thy tokens, and own that it was thy mere goodness, that they, too, and their substance, were not consumed. They likewise firmly purpose in themselves to make the true use of thy merciful warning; to labour more and more, day by day, to purge themselves from all sin, from every earthly affection, that they may be fit to stand in the presence of that God who is himself `a consuming fire!'" But have we indeed been thus duly afraid This is now to be considered. And because we cannot see the hearts of others, let us form our judgment from their actions, which will be best done by a plain relation, of which everyone that hears it can easily tell whether it be true or false.

Wise in his prime, he waited not for noon ; Convinced, that mortal never lived too soon. As if foreboding then his little stay, He made his morning bear the heat of day. Fix’d, while unfading glory he pursues, No ill to hazard, and no good to lose : No fair occasion glides unheeded by ; Snatching the golden moments as they fly, k He by few fleeting hours ensures eternity. Friendship’s warm beams his artless breast inspire, And tend’rest reverence for a much-loved sire. He dared for heaven this flattering world forego, Ardent to teach, as diligent to know ; Unwarp’d by sensual views, or vulgar aims, By idle riches, or by idler names ; Fearful of sin in every close disguise ; Unmoved by threatening or by glozing lies. Seldom indeed the wicked came so far, Forced by his piety to defensive war ; Whose zeal for other men’s salvation shown, Beyond the reach of hell secured his own. Gladd’ning the poor, where’er his steps he turn’d ; Where pined the orphan, or the widow mourn’d ; Where prisoners sigh’d beneath guilt’s horrid stain The worst confinement and the heaviest chain ; Where death’s sad shade the uninstructed sight Veu’d with thick darkness in the land of light. Our Saviour thus fulfill’d his great design, (If human we may liken to divine,) Heal’d each disease that bodies frail endure, And preach’d the’ unhoped-for Gospel to the poor. To means of grace the last respect he show’d, Nor sought new paths, as wiser than his God: Their sacred strength preserved him from extremes Of empty outside or enthusiast dreams ; Whims of Molinos, lost in rapture’s mist, Or Quaker, late-reforming quietist. He knew that works our faith must here employ, And that ’tis heaven’s great business to enjoy. Fix’d on that heaven, he death’s approaches saw, Nor vainly murmur’d at our nature’s law ; Repined not that his youth so soon should go, Nor grieved for fleeting pleasures here below. Of sharpest anguish scorning to complain, He fills with mirth the intervals of pain. Not only unappall’d, but joyful, sees The dark, cold passage that must lead to peace , Strong with immortal bloom secure to rise, The tears for ever banish’d from his eyes.

Sun. 16.--I preached at Moorfields to about ten thousand, and at Kennington Common to, I believe, near twenty thousand, on those _words of the calmer Jews to St. Paul, ** We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.” At both places I described the real difference between what is generally called Christianity, and the true old Christianity, which, under the new name of Methodism, is now also every where spoken against. Mon. 17.--I preached again at Plaistow, on, “ Blessed are those that mourn.” It pleased God to give us, in that hour, two living: instances of that piercing sense both of the guilt and power of sin, that dread of the wrath of God, and that full conviction of man’s inability either to remove the power, or atone for the guilt, of sin; (called by the world, despair ;) in which properly consist that poverty of spirit, and mourning, which are the gate of Christian blessedness. Tues. 18.--A young woman came to us at Islington, in such an agony as I have seldom seen. Her sorrow and fear were too big for utterance ; so that after a few words, her strength as well as her heart failing, she sunk down to the ground. Only her sighs and her greans ee ees ee es Sept. 1739.] REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 155 - showed she was yet alive. We cried unto God in her behalf. We claimed the promises made to the weary and heavy-laden; and he did not cast out our prayer. She saw her Saviour, as it were, crucified before her eyes. She laid hold on him by faith, and her spirit revived. At Mr. B ’s, at six, | was enabled earnestly to call all the weary and heavy-laden; and at Mr. C ’s, at eight, when many roared aloud; some of whom utterly refused to be comforted, till they should feel their souls at rest in the blood of the Lamb, and have his love shed abroad in their hearts.

In the mean time my strength and my voice returned, and I broke out aloud into. prayer. And now the man who just before headed the mob, turned, and said, “ Sir, I will spend my life for you: follow me, and not one soul here shall touch a hair of your head.” Two or ‘three of his fellows confirmed his words, and got close to me immediately. At the same time, the gentleman in the shop cried out, “ For shame, for shame! Let him go.” An honest butcher, who was a little further off, said, it was a shame they should-do thus; and pulled back four or five, one after another, who were running on the most fiercely. The people then, as if it had been by common consent, fell back to the right and left; while those three or four men took me between them, and carried me through them all. But on the bridge the mob rallied again: we therefore went on one side over the mill dam, and thence through the meadows ; till, a little before ten, God brought me safe to Wednesbury ; having lost only one flap of my waistcoat, and a little skin from one of my hands.

Wed. 26.--I enlarged upon those deep words, “ Repent, and believe the Gospel.” When I had done, a man stood forth in the midst, one who had exceedingly troubled his brethren, vehemently maintaining (for the plague had spread hither also) that they ought not to pray, to sing, to communicate, to search the Scriptures, or to trouble themselves about works, but only to believe and be still; and said with a loud voice, “ Mr. Wesley! let me speak a few words. Is it not said, “ A certain man had two sons: and he said unto the younger, Go work to-day in my vineyard: and he answered, I will not; but afterward he repented and went?? Tamhe. I said yesterday, ‘I will not go to hear him ; I will have nothing to do with him.’ ButI repent. Here is my hand. By the grace of God, I will not leave you as long as I live.” William Blow, Mrs. S., and I set out at six. During our whole journey to Newcastle, I scarce observed her to laugh or even smile once. Nor did she ever complain of any thing, or appear moved in the least with those trying circumstances which many times occurred in our way. A steady seriousness, or sadness, rather, appeared in her whole behaviour and conversation, as became one that felt the burden of sin and was groaning after salvation. In the same spirit, by all I could observe or learn, she continued during her stay at Newcastle. Not long after, her husband removed from thence, and wrote to her to follow him. She set out in a ship bound for Hull. A storm met them by the way; the ship sprung a leak ; but though it was near the shore, ie i a _ Oct. 1743. ] REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 301 on which many people flocked together, yet the sea ran so exceeding high, that it was impossible to make any help. Mrs. S. was seen standing on the deck, as the ship gradually smk; and afterward hanging by her hands on the ropes, till the masts hkewise disappeared. Even then, for some moments, they could observe her floating upon the waves, till her clothes, which buoyed her up, being throughlv wet, she sunk,--I trust. into the ocean of God’s merev. Journal T.--20 ov THE JOURNAL.--No. VI.

‘“ Srr,--I have had but very little rest since I left you, the cause of which was, my leaving God first. It is true, I did ina very solemn manner, on my knees, break from you, as though I had done so merely to please God; but by what followed, it appears otherwise; for I no sooner broke off from you, than I began to think how I might make a worldly advantage by it. O, thought I, I shall not now be so scrupulous in many things, particularly in doing work on the Lord’s day. Then I got me some rabbits and fowls, and I would be sure to feed and clean them well on that day, and to be out on the hunt for food for them. And J took care my poor family should be sharers with me in the drudgery; or else they must expect many a sour look and bitter word at ieast. I then grew worse and worse; insomuch that I have given such occasion to the enemy to blaspheme, such a wound to religion, as I could not heal, were I to Feb. 1 /44.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 305 live ten thousand years. O whathave I done! Owhathave I lost! O that I might be admitted into God’s favour once more! Pray for me, I beseech you, if you see any hope left; if you do not think that repentance will be denied me, though I seek it carefully with tears. Then if you can think of any shame that will be bad enough for me to undergo before I am admitted into that company I so willingly left, see whether I will not readily submit to it. O that God would be pleased to bring me into light and love again! How careful would I be of his grace! How would I deny myself, take up my cross, endure shame, suffer persecution of every kind, follow the dear Lord Jesus without the camp! But I have crucified him afresh. O that I could give full scope to my mind! ButI cannot. These lines are but a very imperfect description of the state, condition, and desire, of that backslider, that apostate, that traitor, “ Joun Ewer.”

Tues, 14.--Mr. Piers rode over with me to Shoreham, and introduced me to Mr. Perronet. I hope to have cause of blessing God for ever, for the acquaintance begun this day. Wed. 15.--I went to Bedlam, at the repeated request of Mr. S$ , who had been confined there above two years. This was the person who, while he was speaking against my brother and me to the society at Kingswood, was in a moment struck raving mad. But it seems God is at length * entreated for him, and has restored him to a sound mind. Thur. 16.--I received a remarkable letter, part of which is here subjoined :--- “August 14, 1744. “Rev. Srr,--I was surprised on Sunday, when you was pleased to tell me, I carried things to extremes, in denying the lawful pleasures in eating. I denied only self indulgence in eating: all which I advance is, that he who will be Christ’s disciple, must absolutely deny himself. It was once a great self denial to me, not to go to a play, or to other diversions; but this is now no self denial to me at all; so that if I was now called to deny myself in these things only, I might take up with what is past, and now live an agreeable, self indulgent life. But God forbid. plainly see every hour produces occasions of self pleasing: and this I apprehend is a sufficient call for, and rule of, self denial. For instance: in the morning, it is a great self denial to rise out of a warm bed; but if I do not, I am immediately condemned as a slothful servant: if I do, I find a great inward blessing. Under the preaching, it is self pleasing to see who is here, who there: but if I do let my eye wander, I become cold and lifeless: if I deny myself, I often find even a present reward. In walking the streets, I can please myself, by looking this way and that; on this chariot, that house and picture; but if I deny myself for Christ’s sake, his consolations abound with me.

“One effect of this has been, to make me think I have not yet met with any set of people, whose practice is not, in several remarkable particulars, inconsistent with this good principle. But I will not suffer myself to be fully persuaded of this, as to one set of men, till I have the happiness to “meet with your brother and you, and talk over some particulars, which ‘you will allow me calmly and impartially to lay before you. May the Holy Ghost lead you into all truth, and into every right way. * As to outward communion with those in whom your characteristic is found, “J. Is it not our duty and theirs, to keep that communion together, as far as we can without sin? And except in that case, is not separating from each other, even in outward communion, a sin? Consequently, is it not a sin in any of us, to set outward communion on such a foot, that others who have this characteristic, cannot join in that communion without sin in them? Is it not also our duty, not to stumble them, by our way of insisting on our particular opinions? And is it not a sin in them, to be easily stumbled at us on that account? “2. Is it not far wrong in any of us to teach our particular opinions, (especially to those whom we are to instruct in the essentials of religion,) so as to lead them into such an association of ideas between these essentials and those opinions, which want of judgment, narrowness of thought, and impatience of spirit, are so apt to lead even the strong into? Do we not often see, how almost incurably this prejudices the weak against their brethren in Christ, and perplexes their minds about those opinions, and takes them off from the serious consideration of the essentials: Nay, have we not seen even the strong in grace, as well as learning, mistake the Lord’s shining on their souls, on account of their receiving and applying the essentials, for an approbation of their particular opinions? And have we not seen such hereby led to bear persecution from, and in June, 1745. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. | 337

“Rev. Srr,--I have long had a desire to write, but had not an opportunity till we came to our winter quarters. Wher we came over we thought we should have had brother Haime with us, as formerly; but we were disappointed. We were about three weeks upon our march, and endured a great deal through the heat of the weather, and for want 0. water. At Villear camp, we lay so near the enemy, and were forced to mount so many guards, that we had hardly any time to ourselves, nor had John Haime time to meet with us. We left this camp in twelve or fourteen days’ time, and wherever we marched, we had the French always in our view; only a few days, when we were marching through woods, and over high mountains. Coming back to Maestricht, at some camps we have lain so near the enemy, that their sentries and ours have taken snuff with one another; having then no orders to fire at or hurt each other. But the day we came off we found it otherwise: for at eleven o’clock the night before, orders came for us to be ready to turn out an hour before day, which was the 30th of September. Ai day break orders came to our regiment, and Colonel Graham’s, to advance about a mile and a half toward the French. We were placed in a little park, and Graham’s regiment in another, to the right of us. We lay open to the French; only we cut down the hedge breast high, and filled it up with loose earth. Thus we waited for the enemy several hours, who came first with their right wing upon the Dutch, that were upon our left. They engaged in our sight, and fired briskly upon each other, cannon and small shot for two hours. Then the Dutch, being overpowered, gave way, and the French advanced upon us, and marched a party over the ditch, on the left of Graham’s, and fell in upon them; notwithstanding our continual firing, both with our small arms and four pieces of cannon. So when the French had got past us, our regiment retreated, or we should have been surrounded.

attempt climbing up the bank. This frighted the horse which was close behind, and made him prance and throw his head to and fro, till the bit of the bridle catched hold of the cape of my great coat, and pulled me backward off my horse. I fell as exact on the path, between the wagon and the bank, as if one had taken me in his arms and laid me down there. Both our horses stood stock still, one just behind me, the other before ; so, by the blessing of God, I rose unhurt, mounted again, and rode on. At twelve I preached at Deverel; in the evening at Bearfield; and on Friday, 29, came to Bristol. Mon. February 1.--1 received an account of Mr. Towers, of Leeds who had even prayed that he might not know his sins forgiven, as believing it was the highest presumption. But, notwithstanding this, as he lay one night upon his bed, he did receive the knowledge of salvation, by the remission of sins: and he declared it boldly to the confusion, at least, if not conviction, of those who denied the truth. Sat. 6. --I preached at eight in the morning at Bath, and in the evening at Coleford. The colliers of this place were “ darkness” indeed ; but now they are “light in the Lord.” Tues. 9.--I met about sixty of the society in Bristol, to consult about enlarging the Room; and indeed securing it, for there was no small danger of its falling upon our heads In two or three days, two hundred and thirty pounds were subscribed. We immediately procured experienced builders to make an estimate of the expense; and I appointed five stewards (besides those of the society) to superintend the work.

Mon. January 1, 1750.--A large congregation met at four o’clock, and began the year of jubilee in a better manner than they at Rome are accustomed to do. On several days this week I called upon many who had left their “ first love ;” but they none of them justified themselves : one and all pleaded “ guilty before God.” Therefore there is reason to hope that he will return, and will abundantly pardon. Thur. 11.--I read, to my no small amazement, the account given by Monsieur Montgeron, both of his own conversion, and of the other miracles wrought at the tomb of Abbé Paris. I had always looked upon the whole affair as a mere legend, as I suppose most Protestants do; but I see no possible way to deny these facts, without invalidating all human testimony. I may full as reasonably deny there is such a person as Mr. Montgeron, or such a city as Paris, in the world. Indeed, in many of thtese instances I see great superstition as well as strong faith. But “ the times of ignorance God” does “wink at” still; and bless the faith, notwithstanding the superstition. If it be said, “ But will not the admitting these miracles establish Popery?” Just the reverse. Abbé Paris lived and died in open opposition to the grossest errors of Popery; and in particular to that diabolical Bull Unigenitus, which destroys the very foundations of Christianity. Sun. 14.--I read prayers and preached at Snowsfields, to a crowded congregation, at seven in the morning. I then hastened to the chapel in West-street ; and, after the service there, to Knightsbridge, where I ath AS al a 8 474 REY. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. [Feb. 1750 had promised to preach in the afternoon, for the benefit of the poor children. The little church was quite full before I came. Knowing it to be the greatest charity to awaken those that sleep in sin, 1 preached on, “ What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul 1”

and lukewarmness of others. It may be, they will be zealous, and ‘repent, and do the first works.” Sat. 14.--I returned to Dublin, and on Sunday, 15, preacned on Oxmantown Green, to such a congregation as I never saw in Dublin, nor often in Ireland before. Abundance of soldiers were of the number. Such another congregation I had there between two and three in the afternoon, notwithstanding the violent heat of the sun; and all were attentive. In the evening I preached in the garden, at Dolphin’s Barn ; and neither here did I observe, in the numerous congregation, any that- appeared careless or inattentive. Tues. 17.--I read the letters in our garden, to near twice as many. people as were there on Sunday evening. Thur. 19.--I met the class of soldiers: nineteen are resolved to “ fight the good fight of faith ;” eleven or twelve of whom already rejoice in God through Christ, by whom they have received the atonement. When the society met, some sinners, whom I knew not, were convicted in their own consciences, so that they could not refrain from confessing their faults in the face of all their brethren. One of these I had but just received in: another I had declared to be excluded ; but he pleaded so earnestly to be tried a little longer, that there was no refusing; and we wrestled with God on his behalf, that sin might no more have dominion over him. Fri. 20.--The delay of the captain with whom I was to sail gave us. an opportunity of spending a joyful night together; and likewise of preaching once more, on Sunday, 22, upon Oxmantown Green. We went on board immediately after, and set sail about ten, with a small, fair wind. In the afternoon it failed, and the tide being against us, we were obliged to come to an anchor.

3. After deeply weighing the matter, I read the following paper before I gave it into his hands :-- “ June 25, 1'751. ** Because you have wrought folly in Israel, grieved the Holy Spirit of God, betrayed your own soul into temptation and sin, and the souls of many others, whom you ought, even at the peril of your own life, to have guarded against all sin; because you have given occasion to the enemies of God, whenever they shall know these things, to blaspheme the ways and truth of God: we can in no wise receive you as a fellow labourer, till we see clear proofs of your real and deep repentance. Of this you have given us no proof yet. You have not so much as named one single person, in all England or Ireland, with whom you have behaved ill, except those we knew before. “The least and lowest proof of such repentance which we can receive, is this:--that till our next conference, (which we hope will be in Octo ber,) you abstain both from preaching, and from practising physic. If you do not, we are clear; we cannot answer for the consequences. “ Joun WESLEY, “CuarLes WESLEY.” 4. Wednesday, 26, I desired him to meet me at Farleywick, with the other women, at eight in the morning. All the five women came, and gave my wife the same account which they had before given to my brother: but Mr. Wh did not come till after they were all gone. 5. On Thursday and Friday my brother and { spared no pains to per- uade him to retire for a season; but it was labour lost. He professed Aug. 1751. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL 519 himself, indeed, and we would fain have thought him, penitent; but I could not find any good proof that he was so. Nay, I saw strong proof that he was not :--1. Because he never owned one tittle but what he knew we could prove. -2. Because he always extenuated what he could not deny. 3. Because he as constantly accused others as excused himself; saying, many had been guilty of little imprudences as wellas he. 4. Be cause, in doing this, he told several palpable untruths, which he well knew so to be.

Tues. 25.--I preached in the market place at Kinsale. The next morning, at eight, | walked to the Fort. On the hill above it we found a large, deep hollow, capable of containing two or three thousand people. On one side of this, the soldiers soon cut a place with thei swords for me to stand, where I was screened both from the wind and sun, while the congregation sat on the grass before me. Many eminent sinners were present, particularly of the army; and I believe God gave them a loud call to repentance. In the evening I called sinners to repentance in the main street, at Bandon. On Thursday and Friday, the rain drove us into the market house. Indeed, I hardly remember two dry days together since I landed in Ireland. Saturday, 29.-- I returned to Cork, and spent a comfortable day ; having a strong hope, that God will “lift up the hands that hang down.” Monday, 31.--I rode to Clonmell. A wide door was opened here a year ago ; but one evening, just after sermon was ended, the room in which the preaching had been, fell. Two or three persons were hurt thereby; for which reason, (could one desire a better?) the people of the town vowed that «3 Methodists should ever more preach in Clonmell. Tues. September 1.--I preached at Waterford. Only one poor man behaved amiss: his case is really to be pitied. Some time since he ha¢ strong desires to serve God, and had broke off his outward sins- a Oct. 1752. } REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 543 when Mr. , one of the prebendaries, told him, he did very wrong to go after those fellows ; and made him promise to hear them no more. He kept his word, and turned back, as a dog to his vomit, wallowing in sin, as he did before. But he does not go to the Methodists ; so all is well: he may go to the devil and welcome. Wed. 2.--At eleven Mr. Walsh began preaching in Irish in the market house. It being market day, the people flocked from all sides : many of them seriously attended. A few of the rabble cursed and swore, but did not make considerable interruption. At five I went to _ the court house, and began preaching; but the mob was so numerous

Mon. 14.--I rode to Bedford, and talked largely with Mr. whom God had well nigh set at liberty: but his feet are again in the net. He did not indeed deny, nor much extenuate, any of the things he had often related: but at.length he told me in terms, “ There are such things among the Brethren, that I can never join them more: yet I dare not speak against them, and join any other people, for fear of grieving the Saviour.” O Lord, when shall this witchcraft come to an end? When wilt thou maintain thine own cause ? Wed. 16.--We rode to Newmarket, and the next day to Norwich ; where I now found a prospect of doing good. The congregation daily increased, and grew more and more serious. I spoke to many who were deeply convinced of sin, and some who were rejoicing in God, and walking in the light of his countenance. Wed. 23.--I was shown Dr. Taylor’s new meeting house, perhaps the most elegant one in Europe. It is eight-square, built of the finest brick, with sixteen sash windows below, as many above, and eight skylights in the dome.; which, indeed, are purely ornamental. The inside is finished in the highest taste, and is as clean as any nobleman’s saloon. The communion table is fine mahogany; the very latches of the pew doors are polished brass. How can it be thought that the old, coarse Gospel should find admission here ? Thur. 24.--A man had spoken to me the last week, as I was going through Thetford, and desired me to preach at Lakenheath, near Mildenhall, in Suffolk: I now purposed so to do, and rode thither from Thetford. One Mr. Evans had lately built a large and convenient preaching house there, at his own expense. It was more than filled at six o’clock, many standing at the door. At five in the morning (as uncommon a thing as this was in those parts) the house was nearly filled again with earnest, loving, simple people. Several of them came m to Mr. E.’s house afterward, stood a while, and then burst into tears. I promised to call upon them again, and left them much comforted.

Hymn to Contempt Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Welcome, contempt! Stern, faithful guide, Unpleasing, healthful food! Hail pride-sprung antidote of pride, Hail evil turn’d to good! 2 Thee when with awful pomp array’d Ill-judging mortals see, Perverse they fly with coward speed, To guilt they fly from thee. 3 Yet if one haply longing stands To choose a nobler part, Ardent from sin’s ensnaring bands To vindicate his heart: 4 Present to end the doubtful strife, Thy aid he soon shall feel; Confirm’d by thee, tho’ warm in life, Bid the vain world farewell. 5 Thro’ thee he treads the shining way That saints and martyrs trod, Shakes off the frailty of his clay, And wings his soul for God. 6 His portion thou, he burns no more, With fond desire to please; The fierce, distracting conflict’s o’er And all his thoughts are peace. 7 Sent by almighty pity down, To thee alone ’tis giv’n With glorious infamy to crown The favourites of heav’n. 8 With thee heav’n’s fav’rite Son, when made Incarnate, deign’d t’ abide; To thee he meekly bow’d his head, He bow’d his head, and dy’d. 9 And shall I still the cup decline, His suff’rings disesteem, Disdain to make this portion mine When sanctify’d by him? 10 11 12 [Page] 28 Or firm thro’ him and undismay’d, Thy sharpest darts abide? Sharp as the thorns that tore his head, The spear that pierc’d his side. Yes--since with thee my lot is cast, I bless my God’s decree, Embrace with joy what he embrac’d, And live and die with thee! So when before th’ angelic host To each his lot is giv’n, Thy name shall be in glory lost, And mine be found in heav’n!

A Hymn for Midnight Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 While midnight shades the earth o’erspread, And veil the bosom of the deep, Nature reclines her weary head, And care respires and sorrows sleep: My soul still aims at nobler rest, Aspiring to her Saviour’s breast. 6Title changed in 4th edn. (1743) to “A Midnight Hymn for One under the Law.” John Wesley corrects this title by hand in his personal copy of the 5th edn. (1756) to “A Midnight Hymn for One Convinced of Sin.” 2 Aid me, ye hov’ring spirits near, Angels and ministers of grace; Who ever, while you guard us here, Behold your heav’nly Father’s face! Gently my raptur’d soul convey To regions of eternal day. 3 Fain would I leave this earth below, Of pain and sin the dark abode; Where shadowy joy, or solid woe Allures, or tears me from my God: Doubtful and insecure of bliss, Since death alone confirms me his.7 4 Till then, to sorrow born I sigh, And gasp, and languish after home; Upward I send my streaming eye, Expecting till the Bridegroom come: Come quickly, Lord! Thy own receive, Now let me see thy face, and live. 5 Absent from thee, my exil’d soul Deep in a fleshly dungeon groans; Around me clouds of darkness roll, And lab’ring silence speaks my moans: Come quickly, Lord! Thy face display, And look my midnight into day. 6 Error8 and sin, and death are o’er If thou reverse the creature’s doom; Sad, Rachel weeps her loss no more, If thou the God, the Saviour come: 7John Wesley inserted a manuscript “NO” at the end of this line in his personal copy of the 5th edn. (1756). He changed the line to begin “Since faith alone ...” in Hymns (1780), #148. 8John Wesley changed “Error” to “Sorrow” in Hymns (1780), #148. Of thee possest, in thee we prove The light, the life, the heav’n of love.

His bleeding heart shall make you room, His open side shall take you in. He calls you now, invites you home-- Come, O my guilty brethren, come! 8 For you the purple current flow’d In pardons from his wounded side: Languish’d for you th’ eternal God, For you the Prince of Glory dy’d. Believe; and all your guilt’s24 forgiven, Only believe--and yours is heaven.

On the Conversion of a Common Harlot Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Luke xv. 10. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” 1 Sing, ye heavens, and earth rejoice, Make to God a chearful noise, He the work alone hath done, He hath glorified his Son. 2 Sons of God exulting rise Join the triumph of the skies, See the prodigal is come, Shout to bear the wanderer home! 24“Guilt’s” changed to “sin’s” in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). 25Charles records writing this hymn in his MS Journal on February 20, 1739. 3 Strive in joy with angels strive, Dead she was, but now’s alive, Loud repeat the glorious sound, Lost she was, but now is found! 4 This through ages all along, This be still the joyous song, Wide diffus’d o’er earth abroad, Music in the ears of God. 5 Rescued from the fowler’s snare, Jesus spreads his arms for her, Jesu’s arms her sacred fence:-- Come, ye fiends, and pluck her thence! 6 Thence she never shall remove, Safe in his redeeming love: This the purchase of his groans! This the soul he died for once! 7 Now the gracious Father smiles, Now the Saviour boasts his spoils; Now the Spirit grieves no more: Sing ye heav’ns, and earth adore! Hallelujah.

Isaiah 43:1-3 Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Peace, doubting heart--my God’s I am! Who form’d me man forbids my fear: The Lord hath call’d me by my name, The Lord protects for ever near: His blood for me did once attone, And still he loves, and guards his own. 2 When passing thro’ the watry deep I ask in faith his promis’d aid, The waves an awful distance keep, And shrink from my devoted head: Fearless their violence I dare: They cannot harm, for God is there! 3 To him my eye of faith I turn, And thro’ the fire pursue my way; The fire forgets its pow’r to burn, The lambent flames around me play: I own his pow’r, accept the sign, And shout to prove the Saviour mine. 4 Still nigh me, O my Saviour, stand, And guard in fierce temptation’s hour; Hide in the hollow of thy hand, Shew forth in me thy saving pow’r. Still be thy arm my sure defence, Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence. 5 Since thou hast bid me come to thee, (Good as thou art and strong to save) I’ll walk o’er life’s tempestuous sea, Upborn by the unyielding wave; Dauntless, tho’ rocks of pride be near, And yawning whirlpools of despair. 6 When darkness intercepts the skies, And sorrow’s waves around me roll, When high the storms of passion rise, And half o’erwhelm my sinking soul; My soul a sudden calm49 shall feel And hear a whisper “Peace, be still.” 7 Tho’ in affliction’s furnace tried, Unhurt on snares and deaths I’ll tread; Tho’ sin assail, and hell thrown wide Pour all its flames upon my head, Like Moses’ bush, I’ll mount the higher, And flourish unconsum’d in fire. 49“Calm” changed to “voice” in the 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756).

A Morning Hymn Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 “See the day-spring from afar Usher’d by the morning-star!” Haste; to him who sends the light, Hallow the remains of night. Souls, put on your glorious dress, Waking into righteousness: Cloath’d with Christ aspire to shine, Radiance he of light divine; Beam of the eternal beam, He in God, and God in him! Strive we him in us to see, Transcript of the deity. 2 Burst we then the bands of death, Rais’d by his all-quickning breath; Long we to be loos’d from earth, Struggling51 into second birth. Spent at length is nature’s night; Christ attends to give us light, Christ attends himself to give; God we now may see, and live. 51“Struggling” changed to “Struggle” in 4th end. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). Tho’ the outward man decay; Form’d within us day by day Still the inner man we view, Christ creating all things new. 3 Turn, O turn us, Lord, again, Raiser thou of fallen man! Sin destroy and nature’s boast, Saviour thou of spirits lost! Thy great will in us be done: Crucified and dead our own, Ours no longer let us be; Hide us from ourselves in thee! Thou the life, the truth, the way, Suffer us no more to stray; Give us, Lord, and ever give Thee to know, in thee to live!

15 No! In the death of him that dies, (God by his life hath sworn) He is not pleas'd; but ever cries, Turn, O ye sinners, turn.

7 He triumph'd in his glorious shame, On pleasure, fame, and wealth look'd down, 'Twas heaven at which his wishes aim'd, Aspiring to a starry crown.

Written in Sickness Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Written in Sickness. While sickness shakes the house of clay, And sap’d by pain’s continued course, My nature hastens to decay, And waits the fever’s friendly force: Whither should my glad soul aspire, But heav’nward to my Saviour’s breast? Wafted on wings of warm desire, To gain her everlasting rest. O when shall I no longer call This earthly tabernacle mine? When shall the shatter’d mansion fall, And rise rebuilt by hands divine? Burthen’d beneath this fleshly load, Earnestly here for ease I groan, Athirst for thee the living God, And ever struggling to be gone. Where thou, and only thou art lov’d, Far from the world’s insidious art, Beyond the range of fiends remov’d, And safe from my deceitful heart; There let me rest, and sin no more: Come quickly, Lord, and end the strife, Hasten my last, my mortal hour, Swallow me up in endless life. Ah! Let it not my Lord displease, That eager thus for death I sue, T’ ward the high prize impatient press, And snatch the crown to conquest due. Master, thy greatness wants not me: O how should I thy cause defend! Captain, release, and set me free; Here let my useless warfare end. ’Tis not the pain I seek to shun, The destin’d cross, and purging fire; Sin do I fear, and sin alone, Thee, only thee do I desire. For thee, within myself, for thee I groan, and for th’ adoption wait, When death shall set my spirit free, And make my liberty compleat. No longer then, my Lord, defer, From earth and sin to take me home; Now let my eyes behold thee near; Come quickly, O my Saviour, come.

[Romans 7:24.] “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- A monster to myself I am, Asham’d to feel no deeper shame; Pain’d, that my pain so soon is o’er, And griev’d that I can grieve no more. O who shall save the man of sin? O when30 shall end this war within? How shall my captive soul break thro’? Who shall attempt my rescue? Who? A wretch from sin and death set free?-- Answer, O answer, Christ, for me, “The grace of an accepting God, The virtue of a Saviour’s blood.” [Romans vii. 24.] “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Thou Son of God, thou Son of man, Whose eyes are as a flame of fire, With kind concern regard my pain, And mark my lab’ring heart’s desire! Its inmost folds are known to thee, Its secret plague I need not tell: Nor can I hide, nor can I flee The sin I ever groan to feel. 30The line began “When when” in 2nd edn. HSP (1739). My soul it easily besets, About my bed, about my way, My soul at every turn it meets, And half persuades me to obey. Nothing I am, and nothing have, Nothing my helplesness can do; But thou art good, and strong to save, And all that seek may find thee true. How shall I ask, and ask aright? My lips refuse my heart t’ obey: But all my wants are in thy sight; My wants, my fears, my sorrows pray. I want thy love, I fear thy frown, My own foul sin I grieve to see: T’ escape its force would now sink down, And die, if death could set me free. Yet O I cannot burst my chain, Or fly the body of this death: Immur’d in flesh I still remain, And gasp a purer air to breathe. I groan to break my prison-walls, And quit the tenement of clay; Nor yet the shatter’d mansion falls, Nor yet my soul escapes away.

After a Relapse into Sin Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Speak, and the deaf shall hear thy voice, The blind his sight receive, The dumb in songs of praise rejoice, The heart of stone believe. The Ethiop then shall change his skin, The dead shall feel thy power, The loathsome leper shall be clean, And I shall sin no more! After a Relapse into Sin. Depth of mercy! Can there be Mercy still reserv’d for me! Can my God his wrath forbear, Me, the chief of sinners spare! I have long withstood his grace, Long provok’d him to his face, Would not hearken to his calls, Griev’d him by a thousand falls. I my Master have denied, I afresh have crucified, Oft profan’d his hallow’d name, Put him to an open shame. I have spilt his pretious blood, Trampled on the Son of God, Fill’d with pangs unspeakable, I--and yet am not in hell. Lo! I cumber still the ground! Lo! An advocate is found, “Hasten not to cut him down, Let this barren soul alone.” Jesus speaks, and pleads his blood, He disarms the wrath of God, Now my Father’s bowels move, Justice lingers into love. Kindled his relentings are, Me he now delights to spare, Cries, “How shall I give thee up?” Lets the lifted thunder drop. Whence to me this waste of love? Ask my advocate above, See the cause in Jesu’s face Now before the throne of grace. There for me the Saviour stands, Shews his wounds, and spreads his hands, God is love: I know, I feel, Jesus weeps! But loves me still!

From the Same [Anna Dober] Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- From the Same [German].41 Holy Lamb, who thee receive, Who in thee begin to live, Day and night they cry to thee, As thou art, so let us be. Jesu, see my panting breast! See, I pant, in thee to rest! Gladly would I now be clean! Cleanse me now from every sin. Fix, O fix my wavering mind; To thy cross my spirit bind; Earthly passions far remove: Swallow up our souls in love. Dust and ashes, tho’ we be Full of guilt and misery, Thine we are, thou Son of God: Take the purchase of thy blood. Who in heart on thee believes, He th’ atonement now receives: He with joy beholds thy face, Triumphs in thy pard’ning grace. 41Source: Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, ed. Das Gesang-Buch der Gemeine in Herrn-Huth (Halle: Wäysenhaus, 1737), 950-51 (#1046, by Anna Dober).

Christ Our Sanctification. [1 Corinthians 1:30] Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Christ Our Sanctification. [1 Corinthians i. 30.] Jesu! My life, thyself apply, Thy Holy Spirit breathe, My vile affections crucify, Conform me to thy death. Conqu’ror of hell, and earth, and sin, Still with thy rebel strive, Enter my soul, and work within, And kill, and make alive. More of thy life, and more I have, As the old Adam dies: Bury me, Saviour, in thy grave, That I with thee may rise. Reign in me, Lord, thy foes controul, Who would not own thy sway; Diffuse thy image thro’ my soul; Shine to the perfect day. Scatter the last remains of sin, And seal me thine abode; O make me glorious all within, A temple built by God.

In Temptation Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- In Temptation. Where, my soul, is now thy boast? Where the sense of sin forgiven? Destitute, tormented, lost, Down the stream of nature driven, Crush’d by sin’s redoubled load; Where, my soul, is now thy God! Far from me my God is gone, All my joys with him are fled, Every comfort is withdrawn, Peace is lost, and hope is dead; Sin, and only sin I feel, Pride, and lust, and self, and hell. Did I then my soul deceive? Rashly claim a part in thee? Did I, Lord, in vain believe, Falsely hope thou diedst for me? Must I back my hopes restore, Trust thou diedst for me no more. No--I never will resign What of thee by faith I know; Never cease to call thee mine, Never will I let thee go; Be it I my soul deceive, Yet I will, I will believe.

After a Relapse into Sin Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- When fully he my faith hath tried, Like gold I in the fire shall shine, Come forth when seven times purified, And strongly bear the stamp divine. After a Relapse into Sin. My God, my God, on thee I call, Thee only would I know: One drop of blood on me let fall, And wash me white as snow. Touch me, and make the leper clean, Purge my iniquity: Unless thou wash my soul from sin, I have no part in thee. But art thou not already mine? Answer, if mine thou art! Whisper within, thou love divine, And chear my doubting heart. Tell me again, my peace is made, And bid the sinner live, The debt’s discharg’d, the ransom’s paid, My Father must forgive. Father, forgive thy froward child, I ask in Jesu’s name, I languish to be reconcil’d,-- And reconcil’d I am. Behold for me the victim bleeds, His wounds are open’d wide, For me the blood of sprinkling pleads, And speaks me justified. O why did I my Saviour leave, So soon unfaithful prove? How could I thy good Spirit grieve, And sin against thy love? I forced thee first to disappear, I turn’d thy face aside-- Ah! Lord, if thou hadst still been here, Thy servant had not died. But O! How soon thy wrath is o’er, And pard’ning love takes place! Assist me, Saviour, to adore The riches of thy grace. O could I lose myself in thee! Thy depth of mercy prove, Thou vast unfathomable sea Of unexhausted love!

God's Love and Power Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- I felt my heart, and found a chillness cool Its purple channels in my frozen side; The spring was now become a standing pool, Deprived of motion, and its active tide. O stay! O stay! I ever freeze if banish’d from thy ray: A lasting warmth thy secret beams beget; Thou art a sun which cannot rise or set. Then thaw this ice, and make my frost retreat, But let with temp’rate rays thy lustre shine; Thy judgment’s lightning, but thy love is heat, Those would consume my heart, but this refine. Inspire, inspire! And melt my soul with thy more equal fire; So shall a pensive deluge drown my fears, My ice turn water, and dissolve in tears. After thy love, if I continue hard, If sin again knit, and confirm’d be grown, If guilt rebel, and stand upon his guard, And what was ice before freeze into stone; Reprove, reprove! Thy power assist thee to revenge thy love: Lo, thou hast still thy threats and thunder left, The stone that can’t be melted may be cleft!

About a year and an half ago I stole out of company at eight in the evening with a young gentleman with whom I was intimate. As we took a turn in an aisle of St. Mary's Church in expectation of a young lady's funeral, [ We are not able to trace the young lady friend whose funeral Wesley attended about Midsummer, 1725 at St. Mary’s Oxford. The registers give no age or place of residence, butit is a choice between the following: -- 1725: March 30, Mary Gunn; June 30, Eliza Carter; August 10, Martha Brown; August 28 Mary Downs; Octoboer 28 Ann Williams. The vicar was Thomas Weeksy. We owe these details to the courtesy of the verger, Mr. Chaundy. Probably it was Eliza Carter.] with whom we were both acquainted, I asked him if he really thought himself my friend; and if he did, why he would not do me all the good he could. He began to protest; in which I cut him short by desiring him to oblige me in an instance which he could not deny to be in his own power -- to let me have the pleasure of making him an whole Christian, to which I knew he was at least half persuaded already; that he could not do me a greater kindness, as both of us would be fully convinced when we came to follow that young woman. He turned exceedingly serious, and kept something of that disposition ever since. Yesterday was a fortnight, he died of a consumption. I saw him three days before he died; and, on the Sunday following, did him the last good office I could here, by preaching his funeral sermon; which was his desire when living. [See the following letter. Robin Griffiths, son of the Vicar of Broadway, died Jan. 10, 1727. The sermon, on 2 Sam. xii. 23, is given in the Arminian Mag. 2797, PP. 422-6; see Journal. i. 62.]

They subsided apace, and more and more began to sink into seriousness. Some gentlemen (I am sorry to say it) labored exceedingly to prevent this; and one particularly, in light gray clothes, went to and fro with great diligence, and gave money to, I believe, twenty or thirty persons, to shout and strike or push their neighbors. Much tumult arose. In the intervals of calm I cried the more earnestly, ‘Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die, O house of Israel’ After almost an hour (the time I had first proposed) I withdrew, walking through the thickest of the rioters, who dropped away to the right and left, and could no more bear my eye than they could His that sent me. [See Journal, iii 80-1.] Now, sir, what an insult it is upon common sense to say that I raised that tumult. Had only these gentlemen (so called) stood quietly, I would have answered for the behavior of the rest, who within one quarter of an hour would have been as orderly and silent as an assembly in a court of justice. However that be, I have now delivered my own soul; and if these poor sheep do continue in sin, and consequently perish, I am clear. I have done what in me lay; their blood is not on my head. I am persuaded, sir, you do not take the freedom with which I have spoken as a mark of disrespect, but rather as a proof that I am, sir, Your most obedient servant.

‘It is allowed, that repentance, and “fruits meet for repentance,” gobefore faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meetfor it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean, conviction ofsin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment;and by “fruits meet for repentance,” forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot, as yet, term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.’ 2. ‘Faith, in general, is a divine, supernatural e (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifyingfaith implies, not only a divine e that God “was in Christ,reconciling the world unto himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself forme. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardonsand absolves him’ [A Farther Appealto Men of Reason and Religion, Part I. See Works, viii. 46, 47]. Now, it being allowed, that both inward and outward holiness arethe stated conditions of final justification, what more can youdesire, who have hitherto opposed justification by faith alonemerely upon a principle of conscience, because you was zealous forholiness and good works Do I not effectually secure these fromcontempt, at the same time that I defend the doctrines of the Church I not only allow, but vehemently contend, that none shall everenter into glory, who is not holy on earth, as well in heart as ‘in all manner of conversation.’ I cry aloud, ‘Let all that have believed, be careful to maintain good works;’ and, ‘Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from all iniquity.’ I exhort even those who are conscious they do not believe, ‘Cease to do evil,learn to do well. The kingdom of heaven is at hand;’ therefore, ‘repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.’ Are not thesedirections the very same, in substance, which you yourself wouldgive to persons so circumstanced

3. ‘Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works asyou, think I have allowed you too much. Nay, my brethren, buthow can we help allowing it, if we allow the Scriptures to be fromGod For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord” And how then,without fighting about words, can we deny, that holiness is acondition of final acceptance And as to the first acceptance orpardon, does not all experience as well as Scripture prove, that noman ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent Repentance therefore we cannot deny to be necessarily previous tofaith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into willful,known sin (suppose it were drunkenness or uncleanness) stifles thatrepentance or conviction And can that repentance come to anygood issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother orwho obstinately refrains from what God convinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word Would you scrupleyourself to tell one of these, “Unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,” that is, uses it not, “shall be taken eventhat which he hath” Would you scruple to say this But in sayingthis, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous tojustifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunitypermit, “fruits meet for repentance.” ‘And yet I allow you this, that although both repentance and thefruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, yetneither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of theword,) he is justified, his sins are blotted out, “his faith is countedto him for righteousness.” But it is not so, at whatever moment herepents, or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Faithalone therefore justifies; which repentance alone does not; muchless any outward work. And consequently, none of these arenecessary to justification, in the same degree with faith.

‘No in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate arelation to justification as faith. This is proximately necessarythereto; repentance remotely, as it is necessary (to faith. And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary [These words (omitted through a printer’s error) are restored by Wesley in his second letter to Mr. Church. See page 255.]) to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense, these are only necessary on supposition -- if there be time and opportunity for them; for in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance: So that the general proposition is not overthrown, but clearly established, by these concessions; and we conclude still, that faith alone is the proximate condition of justification.’ 4. This is what I hold concerning justification. I am next briefly toobserve what you object. ‘If faith,’ say you, ‘is the sole condition of justification, then it is our sole duty.’ (Remarks, p. 25.) I deny theconsequence. Faith may be, in the sense above described, the sole condition of justification; and yet not only repentance be our dutybefore, but all obedience after, we believe. You go on: ‘If good works are not conditions of ourjustification, they are not conditions of our (final) salvation’ (ibid.). I deny the consequence again. Good works, properly so called, cannot be the conditions of justification; because it is impossible to do any good work before we are justified. And yet, notwithstanding, good works may be, and are, conditions of finalsalvation. For who will say it is impossible to do any good workbefore we are finally saved You proceed: ‘Can we be saved in the contemptuous neglect of repentance, prayer,’ &c. (Page 26.) No, nor justified neither; but while they are previous to faith, these are not allowed to be goodworks. You afterwards argue from my own concessions, thus: ‘Yournotion of true stillness is, “a patient waiting upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law, and the works of his commandments.” But how is it possible toreconcile to this, the position, that these duties are not conditions ofour justification If we are justified without them, we may be savedwithout them. This consequence cannot be too often repeated.’ (Ibid.)

‘In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him,” you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure.” Sinners, if they believe this, may be quite secure, and imagine they have nothing to fear, though they continue in their iniquities. For God's sake, Sir, speak out. If they that have an evil heart have not, who has reason to fear’ (Pages 30-1.) All who have not dominion over sin; all who continue in their iniquities. You, for one, if any sin has dominion over you. If so, I testify against you this day, (and you will not be quite secure, if you believe me,) ‘The wrath of God abideth on you!’ ‘What do you mean by, “sin remains in one that is justified” that he is guilty of any known, willful, habitual sin’ (pages 31-2). Judge by what is gone before: -- I mean the same as our Church means by, ‘sin remains in the regenerate.’ 6. You proceed to another passage, which in the Journal stands thus: ‘After we had wandered many years in the new path of salvation by faith and works, about two years ago it pleased God to show us the old way of salvation by faith only. And many soon tasted of this salvation, being justified freely, having peace with God, “rejoicing in hope of the glory of God,” and having 'his love shed abroad in their hearts.”’ (ii. 354.) Thus I define what I mean by this salvation, viz., ‘righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ But you object, ‘Here you deny the necessity of good works in order to salvation.’ (Remarks, p. 33.) I deny the necessity, nay, possibility, of good works, as previous to this salvation; as previous to faith or those fruits of faith, ‘righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ This is my real sentiment, not a slip of my pen, neither any proof of my want of accuracy. 7. ‘I shall now,’ you say, ‘consider the account you give, in this Journal, of the doctrine of justification.’ (pages 36-7). I will recite the whole, just as it stands, together with the occasion of it: --

‘That justification, whereof our Articles and Homilies speak, means present pardon and acceptance with God; who therein “declares His righteousness,” or mercy, “by” or “for the remission of sins that are past.”’ I say, past; for I cannot find anything in the Bible of the remission of sins past, present, and to come. ‘I believe the condition of this is faith; I mean, not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified.’ You take the word ‘condition’ in the former sense only, as that without which we cannot be justified. In this sense of the word, I think we may allow that there are several conditions of justification. ‘Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works springing from holiness of heart.’ Yet such a course is without doubt absolutely necessary to our continuance in a state of justification. ‘It is allowed that repentance and "fruits meet for repentance" go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance,” forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and in general obeying Him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.’ Although the same works are then good, when they are performed by ‘those who have believed.’ ‘Faith in general is a divine, supernatural ’e (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine ’e that God “was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that He loved me and gave Himself for me. And, the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.’ I say a penitent sinner, because justifying faith cannot exist without previous repentance.

‘Yet, although both repentance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense or in the same degree with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes (in the Christian sense of the word) he is justified. But it is not so at whatever moment he repents or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Consequently none of these are necessary to justification in the same degree with faith. ‘Nor in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proximately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is necessary to faith.’ (So the error of the press is to be corrected.) ‘And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense they are only necessary on supposition--if there be time and opportunity for them: for in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance.’ 2. Thus far I believe we are nearly agreed. But on those words, -- ‘Far other qualifications are required in order to our standing before God in glory than were required in order to His giving us faith and pardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required but repentance or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it is indispensably required that we be fully cleansed from all sin,’ - you remark, ‘Here, I apprehend, are two great mistakes: (1) you make too little necessary before pardon; (2) too much afterward. You confine repentance within too narrow limits, and extend holiness beyond its just bounds. ‘(1) By repentance you mean only conviction of sin. But this is a very partial account of it. Every child that has learned his Catechism can tell, that forsaking of sin is included in it; living in obedience to God’s will, when there is opportunity; and, even when there is not, a sincere desire and purpose to do so, and a faith in God’s mercies through Christ Jesus.’ (Second Letter, p. 92.)

I had said, ‘In order to God's giving us faith and pardon, nothing is indispensably required but repentance’--that is, ‘conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment.’ But you ‘apprehend that I am here in a great mistake’; that I give ‘a very partial account of repentance’; that I ought to 'include therein a sincere desire and purpose' to obey God. I do: I have said so expressly. And ‘living in obedience to God's will, when there is opportunity.’ Very well; but I here speak of what is indispensably required--that is, whether there is opportunity of actual obedience or no. ‘And a faith in God's mercies through Christ Jesus.’ A very great mistake indeed! -- my not including faith in that repentance which I say is indispensably required in order to faith! ‘(2) You make sinless perfection necessary after justification, in order to make us meet for glory.’ And who does not Indeed, men do not agree in the time. Some believe it is attained before death; some in the article of death; some in an after-state, in the Mystic or the Popish purgatory. But all writers whom I have ever seen till now (the Romish themselves not excepted) agree that we must be 'fully cleansed from all sin' before we can enter into glory. 3. After what has already been allowed, I cannot think it needful to dispute farther on the head of Justification. Rather suffer me to close this part of our debate by transcribing what I assent to from that clear recapitulation of your sentiments which you have given in pages 45 and 46: -- ‘(1) Justification is the act of God, pardoning our sins and receiving us again to His favor. This was free in Him, because undeserved by us; undeserved, because we had transgressed His law, and could not, nor even can now, perfectly fulfill it. ‘(2) We cannot, therefore, be justified by our works; because this would be to be justified by some merit of our own. Much less can we be justified by an external show of religion or by any superstitious observances.

I have again and again, with all the plainness I could, declared what our constant doctrines are, whereby we are distinguished only from heathens or nominal Christians, not from any that worship God in spirit and in truth. Our main doctrines, which include all the rest, are three -- that of Repentance, of Faith, and of Holiness. The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself. That repentance or conviction of sin, which is always previous to faith (either in an higher or lower degree, as it pleases God), we describe in words to this effect: ‘When men feel in themselves the heavy burthen of sin, see damnation to be the reward of it, behold with the eye of their mind the horror of hell, they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto Him for mercy. This being done seriously, their mind is so occupied, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart, and loathing of all worldly things and pleasure cometh in place. So that nothing then liketh them more than to weep, to lament, to mourn; and both with words and behavior of body to show themselves weary of life.’

Now, permit me to ask: What if, before you had observed that these were the very words of our own Church, one of your acquaintance or parishioners had come and told you that, ever since he heard a sermon at the Foundry, he ‘saw damnation’ before him, ‘and beheld with the eye of his mind the horror of hell’ What if he had ‘trembled and quaked,’ and been so taken up ‘partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from the danger of hell and damnation,’ as to ‘weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behavior to show himself weary of life’ Would you have scrupled to say -- ‘Here is another “deplorable instance” of the “Methodists driving men to distraction”! See “into what excessive terrors, frights, doubts, and perplexities they throw weak and well-meaning men! quite oversetting their understandings and judgments, and making them liable to all these miseries!”’ I dare not refrain from adding one plain question, which I beseech you to answer, not to me, but to God: Have you ever experienced this repentance yourself Did you ever ‘feel in yourself that heavy burthen of sin’--of sin in general, more especially inward sin; of pride, anger, lust, vanity of (what is all sin in one) that carnal mind which is enmity, essential enmity, against God Do you know by experience what it is to ‘behold with the eye of the mind the horror of hell’ Was ‘your mind’ ever so ‘taken up, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that even all desire of meat and drink’ was taken away, and you ‘loathed all worldly things and pleasure’ Surely, if you had known what it is to have the ‘arrows of the Almighty’ thus ‘sticking fast in you,’ you could not so lightly have condemned those who now cry out, ‘The pains of hell come about me, the sorrows of death compass me, and the overflowings of ungodliness make me afraid.’

9. But will this, or a thousand such instances as this, ‘stop the mouths of all adversaries at once’ O sir, would one expect such a thought as this in one that had read the Bible What if you could convert as many sinners as St. Paul himself Would that ‘stop the mouths of all your adversaries’ Yea, if you could convert three thousand at one sermon, still you would be so far from ‘stopping all their mouths at once,’ that the greater part of them would gnash upon you with their teeth, and cry, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth!’ I never, therefore, expect ‘to persuade the world,’ the majority of mankind, that I ‘have been’ for some years ‘advancing nothing’ but what has a clear, immediate connection with ‘the true knowledge and love of God’; that God hath been pleased to use me, a weak, vile worm, in reforming many of my fellow sinners, and making them at this day living witnesses of ‘inward and pure religion’; and that many of these, ‘from living in all sin, are quite changed, are become’ so far ‘holy that,’ though they are not 'free from all sin,' yet no sin hath dominion over them. And yet I do firmly believe ‘it is nothing but downright prejudice to deny or oppose any of these particulars.’ (Preface, p. 5.)

9. But you say, ‘If variable facts be produced, to-day asserted, to-morrow denied.’ Nay, the facts, whether asserted or denied, are still invariable. ‘But if they be ever doubted or denied, they never were plainly perceptible.’ I cannot discern any force in that consequence: however, if they are afterward ‘denied, they are not from Him “in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”’ Neither is this consequence good. Though God is ever the same, man may either assert or deny His works. ‘The spirit of man and his fancies or opinions may vary; but God and His facts cannot.’ Thus far they can and do: God does not now bear witness as He did before. And this variation of the fact makes way for a variation in the judgment of him who had that witness, but now hath it not. ‘You may be fully of opinion to-day that the Scriptures are of God, and doubt of this to-morrow. But what is this to the purpose’ Very much. I am as fully convinced to-day that the Scriptures are of God as that the sun shines. And this conviction (as every good gift) cometh from the Father of lights. Yet I may doubt of it to-morrow. - I may throw away the good gift of God. ‘But we were speaking not of man’s opinions, but of God's facts.’ We were speaking of both -- of man's opinions, or judgment, concerning God's facts. ‘But could he to whom Christ said, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” ever doubt or deny that Christ said so’ I question not but in process of time he might, particularly if he drew back unto perdition. But, however that be, it is no ‘blasphemous supposition,’ but a plain, undeniable truth, that the god of this world can obliterate what the God of heaven has strongly imprinted upon the soul -- yea, and that he surely will, unless we stir up the gift of God which is in us by earnestly and continually watching unto prayer.

30. Is it 'not of any importance' to do this I think it is of vast importance. However, 'it is a very small circumstance in self-denial.' It is well if you find it so. I am sure I did not. And I believe the case is the same with many others at this day. But you say, 'I have so many other assaults of self-indulgence, that this is nothing.' 'It is nothing,' said one to a young woman, 'to fast once or twice a week, to deny yourself a little food. Why do not you deny yourself as to anger and fretfulness, as to peevishness and discontent' She replied, 'That I want; so I deny myself in little things first, till I am able to do it in greater.' Neither you nor I can mend her reply. Go thou and do likewise. 31. I have done what I proposed; and, indeed, in many more words than I at first intended. I have told you the occasions of every step I have taken, and the motives inducing me thereto; and have considered what either you or others have urged on the contrary side of the question. And now, the advice I would give upon the whole is this: First, pray earnestly to God for clear light; for a full, piercing, and steady conviction that this is the more excellent way. Pray for a spirit of universal self-denial, of cheerful temperance, of wise frugality; for bowels of mercies; for a kind, compassionate spirit, tenderly sensible of the various wants of your brethren; and for firmness of mind, for a mild, even courage, without fear, anger, or shame. Then you will once more, with all readiness of heart, make this little (or great) sacrifice to God; and withal present your soul and body a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ.

5. Therefore the apostolic writers have not left us in the dark with regard to our present argument, and consequently your triumph comes too soon: 'Here, then, we have an interval of half a century in which we have the strongest reason to presume that the extraordinary gifts of the apostolic age were withdrawn' (page 9). No: not if all the apostolic Fathers speak of spiritual gifts as abounding among the Christians of that age; not if 'extraordinary illuminations, visions, and divine impressions still subsisted among them.' For, as to your now putting in, 'as exerted openly in the Church for the conviction of unbelievers,' I must desire you to put it out again; it comes a great deal too late. The question between you and me was stated without it above an hundred pages back. Although, if it be admitted, it will do you no service; seeing your proposition is overthrown if there were 'miraculous gifts after the days of the Apostles,' whether they were 'openly exerted for the conviction of unbelievers' or not. 6. I was a little surprised that you should take your leave of the apostolic Fathers so soon. But, upon looking forward, my surprise was at an end: I found you was not guilty of any design to spare them; but only delayed your remarks till the reader should be prepared for what might have shocked him had it stood in its proper place. I do not find, indeed, that you make any objection to any part of the Epistles of Ignatius; no, nor of the Catholic Epistle, as it is called, which is inscribed with the name of Barnabas. This clearly convinces me you have not read it--I am apt to think not one page of it; seeing, if you had, you would never have let slip such an opportunity of exposing one that was called an apostolic Father.

But what ‘advantage do they take care to secure’ a good salary a handsome fortune No; quite another matter: ‘free communications with God and fuller manifestations of His goodness’ (ibid.). I dare say you do not envy them, no more than you do those ‘self-interested enthusiasts’ of old who, were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.’ 19. You proceed to prove my enthusiasm from my notions of conversion. And here great allowances are to be made, because you are talking of things quite out of your sphere; you are got into an unknown world! Yet you still talk as magisterially as if you was only running down the Fathers of the primitive Church. And, first, you say I ‘represent conversion as sudden and instantaneous’ (ibid.). Soft and fair! Do you know what conversion is (A term, indeed, which I very rarely use, because it rarely occurs in the New Testament.) ‘Yes; it is to “start up perfect men at once”’ (page 41). Indeed, sir, it is not. A man is usually converted long before he is a perfect man. It is probable most of those Ephesians to whom St. Paul directed his Epistle were converted; yet they were not ‘come’ (few, if any) ‘to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.’ 20. I do not, sir, indeed I do not, undertake to make you understand these things. I am not so vain as to think it is in my power. It is the utmost of my hope to convince you, or at least those who read your works, that you understand just nothing about them.

‘That accordingly on May 29 Butler came with a greater mob than before: that he went to the Mayor and begged him to come, which he for some time refused to do, but after much importunity rose up and walked with him down the street: that when they were in the midst of the mob, the Mayor said aloud, “It is your own fault for entertaining these preachers. If you will turn them out of your house, I will engage there shall be no more harm done; but if you will not turn them out, you must take what you will get”: that upon this the mob set up an huzza and threw stones faster than before: that he said, “This is fine usage under a Protestant Government! If I had a priest saying mass in every room of it, my house would not be touched”: that the Mayor replied, “The priests are tolerated, but you are not; you talk too much; go in, and shut up your doors”: that, seeing no remedy, he did so; and the mob continued breaking the windows and throwing stones in till near twelve at night. ‘That on May 31 the said Sullivan and two more went and informed the Mayor of what the mob was then doing: that it was not without great importunity they brought him as far as the Exchange: that he would go no farther, nor send any help, though some that were much bruised and wounded came by: that some hours after, when the mob had finished their work, he sent a party of soldiers to guard the walls. 5. ‘JOHN STOCKDALE deposes farther, ‘That on May 31 he with others was quietly hearing the word of God, when Butler and his mob came down to the house: that, as they came out, the mob threw showers of dirt and stones: that many were hurt, many beat, bruised, and cut; among whom was this deponent, who was so bruised and cut that the effusion of blood from his head could not be stopped for a considerable time.’ 6. ‘JOAN M'NERNEY, of Cork, deposes,

‘That on February 28, as she was going out of her lodgings, she was met by Butler and his mob: that Butler, without any manner of provocation, immediately fell upon her, striking her with both his fists on the side of the head, which knocked her head against the wall: that she endeavored to escape from him; but he pursued her and struck her several times in the face: that she ran into the schoolyard for shelter; but he followed, and caught hold of her, saying, “You whore, you stand on consecrated ground,’ and threw her with such force across the lane that she was driven against the opposite wall: that, when she had recovered herself a little, she made the best of her way to her lodging; but Butler still pursued, and overtook her as she was going up the stairs: that he struck her with his fist on the stomach, which stroke knocked her down backwards: that, falling with the small of her back against the edge of one of the stairs, she was not able to rise again: that her pains immediately came upon her, and about two in the morning she miscarried.’ 16. These, with several more depositions to the same effect, were in April laid before the Grand Jury. Yet they did not find any of these bills. But they found one against Daniel Sullivan the younger (no preacher, but an hearer of the people called Methodists), who, when Butler and his mob were discharging a shower of stones upon him, fired a pistol without any ball over their heads. If any man has wrote this story to England in a quite different manner, and fixed it on a young Methodist preacher, let him be ashamed in the presence of God and man, unless shame and he have shook hands and parted. 17. Several of the persons presented as vagabonds in autumn appeared at the Lent Assizes. But, none appearing against them, they were discharged, with honor to themselves and shame to their prosecutors; who, by bringing the matter to a judicial determination, plainly showed there is a law even for Methodists; and gave His Majesty's Judge a full occasion to declare the utter illegality of all riots, and the inexcusableness of tolerating (much more causing) them on any pretence whatsoever.

To James Wheatley Date: BRISTOL, June 25 1751. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1751) Author: John Wesley --- Because you have wrought folly in Israel, grieved the Holy Spirit of God, betrayed your own soul into temptation and sin, and the souls of many others, whom you ought, even at the peril of your own life, to have guarded against all sin; because you have given occasion to the enemies of God, whenever they shall know these things, to blaspheme the ways and truth of God: We can in no wise receive you as a fellow laborer till we see clear proofs of your real and deep repentance. Of this you have given us no proof yet. You have not so much as named one single person in all England or Ireland with whom you have behaved ill, except those we knew before. The last and lowest proof of such repentance which we can receive is that: that, till our next Conference (which we hope will be in October), you abstain both from preaching and from practicing physic. If you do not, we are clear; we cannot answer for the consequences. [Wheatley’s immorality ‘put my brother and me,’ says Charles Wesley, ‘upon a resolution of strictly examining into the life and moral behavior of every preacher in connection with us; and the office fell upon me.’ He set out for this purpose on June 29. His brother wrote frequently to him during these anxious weeks. Dr. Whitehead has preserved some fragments of Wesley's letters which show how jealously the brothers watched over their band of helpers. See Whitehead's Wesley, ii. 266--70. July 17. -- I fear for C.S. [Charles Skelton. He left Wesley in April 1754, intending to settle at Bury, but became an Independent minister in Southwark. See Journal, iii. 403, 470; iv. 93, 295.] and J.C. [Joseph Cownley, one of Wesley's best preachers. He died on Oct. 8, 1792. See Wesley’s Veterans iv. 122-69; and letter of Sept. 20, 1746.] more and more. I have heard they frequently and bitterly rail against the Church. [On this Charles puts the following query:] What assurance can we have that they will not forsake it, at least when we are dead Ought we to admit any man for a preacher till we can trust his invariable attachment to the Church

5. We agree that true ‘Christianity implies a destruction of the kingdom of sin and a renewal of the soul in righteousness; which even babes in Christ do in a measure experience, though not in so large a measure as young men and fathers.’ But here we divide. I believe even babes in Christ (while they keep themselves) do not commit sin. By sin I mean outward sin; and the word ‘commit’ I take in its plain, literal meaning. And this I think is fully proved by all the texts cited (sect. 3) from the 6th chapter to the Romans. Nor do I conceive there is any material difference between committing sin and continuing therein. I tell my neighbor here, ‘William, you are a child of the devil; for you commit sin: you was drunk yesterday.’ ‘No, sir,’ says the man, ‘I do not live or continue in sin’ (which Mr. Dodd says is the true meaning of the text), ‘I am not drunk continually, but only now and then, once in a fortnight or a month.’ Now, sir how shall I deal with this man Shah I tell him he is in the way to heaven or to hell I think he is in the high road to destruction, and that if I tell~ him otherwise him blood will be upon my head; and all that you say of living, continuing in, serving sin, as different from committing it and of its not reigning, not having domain over him who still frequently commits it, is making so many loop-holes whereby any impenitent sinner may escape from all the terrors of the Lord. I dare not, therefore, give up the plain, literal meaning either of St. Paul’s or St. Peter’s words. 6. As to those of St. John’ (cited sect. 5), I do not think you have proved they are not to be taken literally. In every single act of obedience, as well as in a continued coupe of it, p das; and in eiher an act or a course of sin p ata. Therefore, that I may give no countenance to any kind or degree of sin, I still interpret these words by those in the 5th chapel and believe he that is born of God (while he keepeth himself) sinneth not, doth not commit outward sin.

7. But ‘it is absolutely necessary, as you observe, to add sometimes explanatory words to those of the sacred penmen.’ It is so: to add words explanatory of their sense, but not subversive of it. The words added to that text, ‘Ye know all things,’ are such. And you yourself allow them so to be. But I do not allow the words willfully and habitually to be such. These do not explain but overthrow the text. That the first Fathers thus explained it I deny; as also that I ever spoke lightly of them. 8. You proceed, ‘You allow in another sermon, in evident contradiction to yourself, that the true children of God could and did commit sin.’ This is no contradiction to anything I ever advanced. I everywhere allow that a child of God can and will commit sin, if he does not keep himself. But this, you say, is nothing to the present argument. Yes: it is the whole thing. If they keep themselves they do not, otherwise they can and do commit sin. I say nothing contrary to this in either sermon. But, ‘hence, you say, we conclude, that he who is born of God may possibly commit sin.’ An idle conclusion as ever was formed. For who ever denied it I flatly affirm it in both the sermons and in the very paragraph now before us. The only conclusion which I deny is that all Christians do and must commit sin as long as they live. Now, this you yourself (though you now seem to start at it) maintain from the beginning of your letter to the end viz. that all Christians do, and cannot but sin, more or less to their lives’ end. Therefore I do not ‘artfully put this conclusion’; but it is your own conclusion from your own premises. Indeed, were I artfully to put in anything in expounding the Word of God, I must be an errant knave. But I do not: my conscience bears me witness that I speak the very truth, so far as I know it, in simplicity and godly sincerity.

Indeed, I fear our fleets are bought and sold. Poor King George! where will he find an honest man If I hear of the French landing, or beating our fleet on the 14th of July (the day those sights appeared in the air over Cornwall), I shall endearor to come into England directly; otherwise to go on my way. My brother does not oppose field-preaching in general; but he does not like preaching in Smithfield: though I know not why any should oppose it, unless they are apprehensive of the mob. I am now writing on Original Sin [The Doctrine on Original Sin, a reply to Doctor John Taylor of Norwich, was published in Jan 1757. Wesley decided to write it as early as April 10, 1751. See Journal, iii. 520; Green’s Bibliography, No. 182; and letter of July 3, 1759.]; so the papers came in good time. Jo. Haughton is in Dublin. Michael with his little wit does much good. Watch over Jo. Spencer. It win do him a solid kindness. You may perhaps convince him it is his interest to be honest and to save me all the money he can. Should not one preacher go to Norwich immediately and another to Portsmouth Molly, let us make the best of it. Oh for zeal! I want to be on the full stretch for God! -- My dear Love adieu! Pray put Brother Norton’s [See letter of Sept. 3 to Nicholas Norton, which refers to one from him in July.] into the post.

As to the latter change, that ‘I deny my brethren the liberty of acting according to their own conscious, and therefore show a spirit of persecution,’ I again allow for the fact, but deny the consequence. I mean, I allow the fact thus far: some of our preachers who are not ordained think it quite right to administer the Lord’s supper, and believe it would do much good. I think it quite wrong, and belive it would do much hurt. Hereupon I say; ‘I have no right over your conscience , nor over mine; therefore both you and I must follow our own conscience. You believe it is a duty to administer; do so, and therein follow your own conscience. I verily believe it is a sin, which consequentially I dare not tolerate; and herein I follow mine.’ Yet this is no persecution, were I to separate from our Society (which I have not done yet) those who practice what I believe is contrary to the Word and destructive of the work of God. Last week I had a long letter from William Darney, [See letter of Feb. 9, 1750.] who likewise wonders we should be of so persecuting a spirit as to deny him the liberty of thinking and speaking in our Societies according to his own conscience. How will you answer him, and excuse Ted and Charles Perronet from the charge of persecuting their brother They then said (as did all), ‘Let him preach Calvinism elsewhere (we have no fight to hinder him); but not among us, because we are persuaded it would do much hurt.’ Take the answer back: if it was good in one case, so was it in the other likewise. If John Jones, [To assist Wesley in administering the Lord’s Supper, John Jones in 1764 was ordained by Erasmus, Bishop of Arcadia in Crete, and afterwards by the Bishop of London. See Wesley’s Veterans vi. 32; and letter of March 1, 1764.] my brothel or any other preacher has preached sharply on this head, I certainly am a stranger to it, and therefore not answerable for it. I persecute no man on this account, or any other; and yet I cannot consent that any of our lay preachers should either preach predestination or administer the sacraments to those who are under my care.

‘The cure’ of sin ‘will be perfected in heaven’ (page 47). Nay; surely in paradise, if no sooner. ‘This is a noble prerogative of the beatific vision.’ No; it will then come too late. If sin remains in us till the day of judgment, it will remain for ever. ‘Our present blessedness does not consist in being free from sin.’ I really think it does: but whether it does or no, if we are not free from sin, we are not Christian believers; for to all these the Apostle declares, ‘Being made free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness’ (Rom. vi. 18). ‘If we were perfect in piety’ (St. John’s word is ‘perfect in love’), ‘Christ’s priestly office would be superseded.’ No; we should still need His Spirit, and consequently His intercession, for the continuance of that love from moment to moment. Beside, we should still be encompassed with infirmities and liable to mistakes, from which words or actions might follow, even though the heart was all love, which were not exactly right. Therefore in all these respects we should still have need of Christ’s priestly office; and therefore, as long as he remains in the body, the greatest saint may say, ‘Every moment, Lord, I need The merit of Thy death.’ The text cited from Exodus asserts nothing less than that iniquity ‘cleaves to all our holy things till death.’ ‘Sin remains, that the righteousness of faith may have its due honor’ (page 48). And will the righteousness of faith have its due honor no longer than sin remains in us Then it must remain not only on earth and in paradise but in heaven also. ‘And the sanctification of the Spirit its proper esteem.’ Would it not have more esteem if it were a perfect work ‘It’ (sin) ‘ will make us lowly in our own eyes’ (ibid.). What! will pride make us lowly Surely the utter destruction of pride would do this more effectually. ‘It will make us compassionate.’ Would not an entire renewal in the image of God make us much more so ‘It will teach us to admire the riches of grace.’ Yea; but a fuller experience of it, by a thorough sanctification of spirit, soul, and body, will make us admire it more. ‘It will reconcile us to death.’ Indeed it will not; nor will anything do this like perfect love.

To Mrs. Ryan Date: LONDON, November 30, 1757. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- Your letter came in a seasonable time, as rain in a time of drought. How fain would we excuse those we love! I would gladly acquit those who severely condemn each other. The wrong to myself is not worth a thought; it gives me not a moment’s uneasiness. But I am pained for others, who, if they do not sin against God, yet give great occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. You may learn an excellent lesson herefrom. Suppose you are saved from sin, it is certain that you are not saved from a possibility of mistake. On this side, therefore, Satan may assault you; you may be deceived either as to persons or things. You may think better or (which is far more strange) you may think worse of them than they deserve. And hence words or actions may spring which, if not sinful in you, are certainly wrong in themselves, and which will and must appear sinful to those who cannot read your heart. What grievous inconvenience would ensue! How would the good that is in you be evil-spoken of! How would the great gift of God be doubted of, if not disbelieved and denied for your cause! Therefore in the name of God I exhort you, keep close every moment to the unction of the Holy One! I Attend to the still, small voice! Beware of hearkening to the voice of a stranger! My eyes ache, my head aches, my heart aches. And yet I know not when to have done. [He had spent this Wednesday and the previous Monday in hearing an ‘intricate cause’ where ‘one side flatly affirmed, the other flatly denied.’ See Journal iv. 245.] O speak nothing, act nothing, think nothing but as you are taught of God! Still may He with your weakness stay, Nor for a moment’s space depart; Evil and danger turn away, And keep your hand, your tongue, your heart. So shall you always comfort, not grieve, Your affectionate brother.

To his Wife BEDFORD, November 24, 1759. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1759) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MOLLY,--You have been much upon my thoughts this morning. Shall I tell you what I thought Then take it in good part. Take it kindly, as it is kindly meant. What do you gain by keeping my papers [See letter of Oct. 23.] or, at least, think you gain Why, this: you gain the satisfaction of showing them, or parts of them, to others; you gain the power of justifying yourself, and of hurting (at least by vexing) me; you gain occasion to make people think ill of me, and to make them think well of you. And hereby you make yourself more friends and me more enemies. Very well. But are you quite sure of this Is it pure satisfaction which you gain by showing them Is there not often a doubt whether you do right, a secret misgiving which spoils the satisfaction Will the showing them justify you for taking them Is it not rather adding sin to sin And will not even men of the world say, 'What a wretch is this, first to rob, then to expose her own husband' If, therefore, you make them think ill of me, you do not make them think well of yourself. If you make me more enemies, you do not make yourself one more friend--nay, all these after a time are less your friends than ever they were before.

'It is allowed also that repentance and "fruits meet for repentance" go before faith (Mark i. 15; Matt. iii. 8). Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by "fruits meet for repentance," forgiving our brother (Matt. vi. 14-15), ceasing from evil, doing good (Luke iii. 8-9, &c.), using the ordinances of God, and in general obeying Him according to the measure of grace which we have received (Matt. vii. 7, xxv. 29). But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.'[A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Part I. See Works, viii. 46-7.] 2. 'Faith alone is the proximate condition of present justification.' II. 1. I have shown here at large what is the doctrine I teach with regard to justification, and have taught ever since I was convinced of it myself by carefully reading the New Testament and the Homilies. In many points I apprehend it agrees with yours: in some it does not; these I come now to consider. May God enable me to do it in love and meekness of wisdom! You say: 'Happy times when faith and a good life were synonymous terms!' (page 7). I conceive they never were. Is not faith the root, a good life the tree springing therefrom 'That good works are a necessary condition of our justification may be proved, first, from express testimonies of Scripture. So Isaiah i. 16-17: "Cease from evil, learn to do well." Then "your sins that were as scarlet shall be white as snow." Here ceasing from evil and learning to do well are the conditions of pardon.' I answer: Without them there is no pardon; yet the immediate condition of it is faith. He that believeth, and he alone, is justified before God. 'So Ezekiel xxxiii. 14-16: If the sinner "turn from his evil ways" and "walk in the statutes of life," then "all his sins shall not be once mentioned to him."' Most sure--that is, if he believe; else, whatever his outward walking be, he cannot be justified.

The next scripture you cite, Matthew xi. 28 (Sermon, p. 10), proves no more than this--that none find 'rest to their souls' unless they first come to Christ (namely, by faith) and then obey Him. But 'He says, "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."' He does so; but how does it appear that this relates to justification at all 'St. Peter also declares, "In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him" (Acts x. 35).' He is; but none can either fear God or work righteousness till he believes according to the dispensation he is under. 'And St. John: "He that doeth righteousness is righteous."' I do not see that this proves anything. 'And again: "If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, then have we communion with Him, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John i. 7).' This would prove something, if it could be proved that 'cleansing us from all sin' meant only justification. 'The Scriptures insist upon the necessity of repentance in particular for that purpose. But repentance comprehends compunction, humiliation, hatred of sin, confession of it, prayer for mercy, ceasing from evil, a firm purpose to do well, restitution of ill-got goods, forgiveness of all who have done us wrong, and works of beneficence.' (Pages 11-12.) I believe it does comprehend all these, either as parts or as fruits of it and it comprehends 'the fear' but not 'the love of God' that flows from an higher principle. And he who loves God is not barely in the right way to justification: he is actually justified. The rest of the paragraph asserts just the same thing which was asserted in those words: 'Previous to justifying faith must be repentance, and, if opportunity permits, "fruits meet for repentance."' But still I must observe that 'neither the one nor the other is necessary either in the same sense or in the same degree with faith.' No scripture testimony can be produced which any way contradicts this.

To his Brother Charles LONDON, December 11, 1762. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1762) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--For eighteen or twenty days I heard with both ears, but rarely opened my mouth. I think I now understand the affair at least as well as any person in England. The sum is this: (1) The meeting in Beech Lane, [The meeting was apparently in Joseph Guilford's house (see Journal, v. 7). On visiting the classes in November, Wesley found 'some were vehement for, some against, the meetings for prayer which were in several parts of the town. I said little, being afraid of taking any step which I might afterwards repent of' (ibid. iv. 538). Thomas Maxfield was making much trouble.] before I came to town, was like a bear-garden; full of noise, brawling, cursing, swearing, blasphemy, and confusion. (2) Those who prayed were partly the occasion of this, by their horrid screaming, and unscriptural, enthusiastic expressions. (3) Being determined either 'to mend them or end them,' I removed the meeting to the Foundery. (4) Immediately the noise, brawling, cursing, swearing, blasphemy, and confusion ceased. (5) There was less and less screaming and less of unscriptural and enthusiastic language. (6) Examining the Society, I found about threescore persons who had been convinced of sin and near fourscore who were justified at these meetings. So that on the whole they have done some hurt and much good. I trust they will now do more good, and no hurt at all. Seven persons had left the Society on this account; but four of them are come back already. I bought the ground before Kingswood School of Margaret Ward, and paid for it with my own money. [This plot was divided into pastures and gardens, in the latter of which the boys worked. See Kingswood School, p. 19.] Certainly, therefore, I have a right to employ it as I please. What can any reasonable man say to the contrary I have answered the Bishop, and had advice upon my answer. If the devil owes him a shame, he will reply. He is a man of sense; but I verily think he does not understand Greek! [See heading to letter on p. 338.]

To Mrs. ---- Date: LONDON, March 21, 1763, Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--My coming into the country is quite uncertain, till I see what turn things here will take. I am glad to hear the work of God prospers among you; &c.

To Duncan Wright Date: LONDON, July 4, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR DUNCAN,--You have chosen the better part, and will never regret of your choice. Write down the sermon you preached upon that subject, with what additions you see good, and I will correct and print it, if I live to return to London. Perhaps I may likewise print the ‘Advice concerning Children’ in a separate tract. I am glad Rd. Blackwell [Richard Blackwell became a preacher about 1766, and died of fever at Aberdeen on Dec. 27, 1767. See Atmore’s Memorial, p. 54.] goes to Colchester. Perhaps he and you by turns may spend the ensuing year in London.--I am Yours affectionately.

To Mr.-- SHEFFIELD, March 29, 1764. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Is it true that you have baptized several children since the Conference If it is, I cannot but interpret it as a clear renunciation of connexion with us. And if this be the case, it will not be proper for you to preach any longer in our Societies. But the land is wide. You have room enough to turn to the right hand or to the left.--I am Your affectionate brother.

The truth is, we are continually forming general rules from our own particular experience. Thus Sarah Ryan, [See letter of April 23.] having gone about and about herself, which took up a considerable time, might very naturally suppose all who are sanctified must stay for it near as long a time as she did. Again: if God has so rooted and grounded her in love (which I neither affirm nor deny) that she cannot now fall from Him, she very naturally thinks this is the case with all that are sanctified. Formerly Sarah Crosby [See letter of Oct. 5, 1765.] drew the same inference from her own experience, and was as positive that she could not fall from that state or sin as Sarah Ryan can be now. But 'none can be sanctified without a deep knowledge of themselves and of the devices of Satan.' They may without the latter, which God will give them in due time. And the former He can give in a moment, and frequently does, of which we have fresh instances almost every day. In the Thoughts on Perfection it is observed that, before any can be assured they are saved from sin, they must not only feel no sin but 'have a direct witness' of that salvation. And this several have had as clear as Sarah Ryan has, who afterwards fell from that salvation: although Sarah Ryan, to be consistent with her scheme, must deny they ever had it; yea, and must affirm that witness was either from nature or from the devil. If it was really from God, is He well pleased with this I know not how to reconcile speaking sharply or roughly, or even a seeming want of meekness, with perfection. And yet I am fearful of condemning whom God has not condemned. What I cannot understand I leave to Him. How is it that you make me write longer letters to you than I do almost to any one else I know not how, I find a greater concern for your welfare. I want you to be exactly right. This occasions my not thinking much of any pains that may give you help or satisfaction. The Lord touch your heart now, that all your tempers, thoughts, words, and works may be holiness unto our God.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To the Printer of the 'St. James's Chronicle' LONDON, October 29, 1764. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- SIR,--The words inserted as mine in your last paper I absolutely disclaim. I never said, 'If any of you have any money in the Public Funds, it would be less sin to take it out and cast it into the depth of the sea than to let it continue there.' I believe a man may let money continue there without any sin at all. Whoever desires to see my full deliberate thoughts on this subject may read the sermon on the Mammon of Unrighteousness. [The Use of Money. See Works, vi. 124-36.] And this I am ready to defend against any that will set his name; but I do not love fighting in the dark.--I am Your humble servant. PS.--The farther Remarks of the 'Presbyterian Doctor of Physic' I may perhaps have leisure to read by-and-by.

To Mrs. Crosby KINGSWOOD, October 5, 1765. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You oblige me much by speaking so freely. What an admirable teacher is experience! You have great reason to praise God for what He has taught you hereby, and to expect that He will teach you all things. But, whatever you find now, beware you do not deny what you had once received: I do not say 'a divine assurance that you should never sin or sustain any spiritual loss.' I know not that ever you received this. But you certainly were saved from sin, and that as clearly and in as high a degree as ever Sally Ryan [See letter of Oct. 12, 1764.] was. And if you have sustained any loss in this, believe and be made whole. I never doubted but [Miss Dale] would recover her strength, though she has long walked in a thorny way. A general temptation now is the denying what God had wrought. Guard all whom you converse with from this, and from fancying great grace can be preserved without great watchfulness and self-denial.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Peggy Dale Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1766) Author: John Wesley --- [3] February 8, 1766. MY DEAR SISTER,--Away with those doubts! They did not come from Him that calleth you. O let nothing induce you to cast away that confidence which hath great recompense of reward! Beware, my dear friend, of the Reasoning Devil, whose way is first to tempt, and then to accuse. There is a right temper, a sorrow for our little improvements, which exceedingly resembles envy. But the anointing of the Holy One will teach you to distinguish one from the other. You are saved of the Lord. Distrust Him not. Much less deny what He has done for you and in you. If you did, how could [you] be thankful for it Look unto Jesus and stand fast!-- I am, my dear Peggy, Your affectionate brother.

You begin with a home-stroke: 'In the Montanist you may behold the bold lineaments and bloated countenance of the Methodist' (page 17). I wish you do not squint at the honest countenance of Mr. Venn, who is indeed as far from fear as he is from guile. But if it is somewhat 'bloated,' that is not his fault; sickness may have the same effect on yours or mine. But to come closer to the point: 'They have darkened religion with many ridiculous fancies, tending to confound the head and to corrupt the heart' (page 13). 'A thorough knowledge of them would work in every rightly-disposed mind an abhorrence of those doctrines which directly tend to distract the head and to debauch the heart by turning faith into frenzy and the grace of God into wantonness' (pages 101-2). 'These doctrines are unreasonable and ridiculous, clashing with our natural ideas of the divine perfections, with the end of religion, with the honour of God, and man's both present and future happiness. Therefore we pronounce them " filthy dreamers," turning faith into fancy, the gospel into farce; thus adding blasphemy to enthusiasm.' (Pages 66-8.)

To Duncan Wright Date: July 4, 1767. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1767) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR DUNCAN,--You have chosen the better part, and will never repent of your choice. Write down the sermon you preached upon that subject with what additions you see good, and I will correct and print it if I live to return to London. Perhaps I may likewise print the Advice concerning Children as a separate tract. I am glad Richard Blackwell [See letter of May 2. Wright was then in London. At the Conference in August he was appointed to Canterbury and Blackwell to Dundee.] goes to Colchester. Perhaps he and you by turns may spend the ensuing year in London.--I am Yours affectionately.

To John Mason Date: LONDON, November 15, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--For one preacher to stay long at one place is neither profitable for him nor for the people. If there is only one preacher at Limerick, he must duly visit the country Societies. As David Evans is now gone over to Waterford, Brother Bourke will be at liberty. So either he or you should go without delay and relieve John Hilton at Londonderry. If any deny the witness of sanctification and occasion disputing in the select society, let him or her meet therein no more. I hope the singing goes on well.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Robert Costerdine Date: NORWICH, February 18, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--If Jer. Cocker now lives in any known sin, he must not be in our Society. If he does not, you did not act wisely in putting him out of it. Stewards are not to govern our Societies; it is no part of their office. This belongs to the Assistant only, under my direction. I myself directed before that Jer. Cocker should have another trial. And you did not do well in running your head against me to please any man living. I say again, unless he now lives in sin, give him another trial.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Whitehead Date: LONDON, January 27, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Tell John Hilton 'wherever Mr. Wesley is he labours to strengthen the hands of the Assistant and does nothing without advising with him.' So I do nothing here without advising with John Pawson. [Pawson was the Assistant in London and Hilton at Bristol.] I believe his doing otherwise was chiefly through inadvertence. Therefore come to an explanation as soon as possible. Brother Hitchens [William Hitchens, a native of Bisveal near Redruth, was for some time an itinerant preacher; but he married and settled as a hatter in Bristol. He laboured as a local preacher for many years. See Atmore's Memorial, pp. 190-1.] complains you broke through the plan of preaching which I fixed and did not allow him his turn. But, however this was, Wick must not lose its turn. I solemnly promised Mr. Haynes it should not, and allowed the preacher the use of my mare once a fortnight. Neglect another place rather than that. Give my kind love to Brother and Sister Thomas. [Barnabas Thomas, the second preacher at Bristol, a Cornishman, had become a preacher in 1764. see letter of March 25, 1785.] I thank him for his letter. You should give Mr. Shirley [The Hon. Walter Shirley, Rector of Loughrea, and cousin to Lady Huntingdon, had evidently been teaching Calvinism in Wesley's preaching house. See letter of Nov. 27.] an hint not to contradict me when he preaches in my house. I hope you spend a little time (you and Brother Thomas) with our children at Kingswood. Who are your new class-leaders? --I am, with love to Sister Whitehead, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, December 28, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- I hope this affliction will be a great blessing to your brother. Lose no time in encouraging him to turn to God in earnest. Do you feel as much life in your soul as ever Are you as happy as you were Do you find as much of the spirit of prayer And are you as active for God as when I saw you Is your heart whole with Him, free from idols I am jealous over you. I was in many fears, occasioned by your long silence. I want you to be gaining ground every hour. I love Mr. Hallward [See letter of March 9, 1771]; but do not let him proselyte you to his opinion. Write soon to Your affectionate brother.

2. The doctrine of Original Sin is surely more humbling to man than the opposite; and I know not what honour we can pay to God if we think man came out of His hands in the condition wherein he is now. I beg of you, sir, to consider the fact. Give a fair, impartial reading to that account of mankind in their present state which is contained in the book on Original Sin. It is no play of imagination, but plain, clear fact. We see it with our eyes and hear it with our ears daily. Heathens, Turks, Jews, Christians, of every nation, are such men as are there described. Such are the tempers, such the manners, of lords, gentlemen, clergymen, in England, as well as of tradesmen and the low vulgar. No man in his senses can deny it; and none can account for it but upon the supposition of original sin. O sir, how important a thing is this! Can you refuse to worship Him whom 'all the angels of God worship' But if you do worship one that is not the supreme God, you are an idolater! Commending you and yours to His care, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant.

To Philothea Briggs Date: October 19, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- The difference between temptation and sin is generally plain enough to all that are simple of heart; but in some exempt cases it is not plain: there we want the unction of the Holy One. Voluntary humility, calling every defect a sin, is not well-pleasing to God. Sin, properly speaking, is neither more nor less than 'a voluntary transgression of a known law of God.'

To Thomas Rankin Date: CLONMAIN, NEAR ARMAGH, June 13, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--I am afraid our correspondence for the time to come will be more uncertain than ever, since the sword is drawn; and it is well if they have not on both sides thrown away the scabbard. What will the end of these things be either in Europe or America It seems, huge confusion and distress, such as neither we nor our fathers had known 1 But it is enough if all issues in glory to God and peace and goodwill among men. I am sorry for poor T--- R---. I well hoped God had thoroughly healed his backsliding, and so lifted up his head that he would have fallen no more. But the case is not desperate yet; you must in no wise give him up. I have scarcely ever known an habitual drunkard finally reclaimed before he had relapsed more than once or twice. Your point is, first save him from the occasions of sin, then incite him not to east away hope. Nothing but this, despair of conquering, can totally destroy him. As long as he keeps up the faintest hope he will strive against sin. My brother wrote me word that he had received a copy of the tract that you have written. Something of the kind may be very seasonable. Never had America such a call to repentance. For unless general reformation prevent general destruction, what a scene will soon be opened I Ruin and desolation must soon overspread the land and fair houses be turned into ruinous heaps. But what are those strange phenomena which you speak of Send me an account of just so much as you can depend upon. Should not you appoint in America (as we do in England and Ireland) one or more general days of fasting and prayer--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To James Rouquet Date: LONDON, November 8, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JEMMY,--I say, I remember nothing of that book, neither of title nor of the argument. But I will send to the bookseller's to-morrow for the book; and if I have read, I cannot but remember when I see it again. Afterwards you will hear more particularly from Your affectionate brother. But remember the merits of the cause do not turn upon this.

To William Pine Date: LONDON, November 14, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Take care you be not carried away with the torrent. You stand on slippery ground. I have wrote more largely to Mr. Rouquet, and refer you to his letter for particulars. Let no warm man persuade you to take any step which you may repent as long as you live.--I am, with love to Sister Pine, Your affectionate brother.

and repent, sin and repent, till you repent in the bottomless pit. ' The words went like a dagger to my heart ; and I conti- nued mourning after God for five weeks and four days, till our monthly meeting. I was then strongly tempted to put an end to my life ; but God enabled me to resist the temptation. Two days after, an old Methodist, after praying with me, said, ' I think you will get the blessing before morning.' About two hours after, while we were singing a hymn, it pleased God to reveal his Son inmy heart. Since that time, Ihave hadmany blessed days, andmanyhappy nights . "One Sunday night, after my brother Dicky and I were gone to bed, I asked him, Can you believe ? ' He answered, ' No.' I exhorted him to wrestle hard with God, and got up to pray with him. Buthe was unbelieving still : So I went to sleep again. Yet, not being satisfied, after talking largely to him, I got up again, and began praying for him ; being fully 226 REV. J. WESLEY'S [April, 1782. persuaded that God would set his soul at liberty. And so he did : He pardoned all his sins, and bade him ' go in peace.' " It being now between twelve and one, I wakedmybrothers, John and Thomas, and told them the glad tidings. They got up. We went to prayer; and when we rose from our knees, Tommy declared, 'God has blotted out all my sins.' I then went to my father and mother, (who were both seeking salva- tion,) and told them the joyful news. My father said, ' Willy, pray for us.' I did ; and earnestly exhorted him to wrestle with God for himself. So he did ; and it was not long before God set his soul also at liberty. The next morning, it pleased Him toshowmy sister Sally his pardoning love. Blessedbe his name for all his benefits ! "Not long after, Mr. Oxley's son came to our house, and lay withme, and complained of his hardness of heart. After I had talked with him a little while, the Lord laid his hand upon him in a wonderful manner, so that he rolled up and down, and roared as in the agonies of death. But between one and two in

About two we called upon Mr. V -n, and immediately fell into close conversation. There seems to be in him a pecu- liar softness and sweetness of temper; and a peculiar liveliness in Mrs.Vn. Our loving dispute, concerning deliverance from sin, was concluded within anhour: And we parted, ifthat June, 1783.] 253 could be, better friends than we met. Afterwards we walked to Mr. J's house inthe Plantations, a large tract of ground, laid out in shadywalks. These lie within the city walls : But there are other walks, equally pleasant, without the gates. Indeed nothing is wanting but the power of religion, to make Amsterdam a paradise. Sun. 22.-I went to the new church, so called still, though four or five hundred years old. It is larger, higher, and better illuminated, than most of our cathedrals. The screen that divides the church from the choir is of polished brass, and shines like gold. I understood the Psalms that were sung, and the text well, and a little of the sermon ; which Mr. de H. delivered with great earnestness. At two I began the Service at the English church, an elegant building, about the size of West-Street chapel. Only it has no galleries ; nor have any of the churches in Holland. I preached on Isaiah lv. 6, 7; and I am persuaded many received the truth in the love thereof. After service I spent another hour at Mr. V-'s. Mrs. V- again asked me abundance of questions, concerning deliverance from sin ; and seemed a good deal better satisfied, with regard to the great and precious promises. Thence we went to Mr. B., who had lately found peace with God. He was full offaith and love, and could hardly mention the goodness of God without tears. His wife appeared to be exactly of the same spirit, so that our hearts were soon knit together. From thence we went to another family, where alarge company were assembled. But all seemed open to receive instructions, and desirous to be altogether Christians. After dinner Mrs. J took me in acoach to the Mere, andthence round the country to Zeeburgh. Inever saw such a country before : I suppose there is no such summer country in Europe. From Amsterdam to Mere is all a train of the most delightful gardens. Turning upon theleft, youthen openupon

To Matthew Mayer Date: LONDON, February 4, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MATHEW,--Robert Johnson complained that you preached out of your turn, and thereby made other preachers who came to preach lose their labor. I heard no complaint of you but this; and to this you have now given a sufficient answer. I have not heard any blame you on Mr. Barker's account, and am glad that affair is likely to end well. Till it is decided whether we shall build a new Foundery or not, I determine nothing concerning my journeys. Peace be with you and yours! --I am, dear Matthew, Your affectionate brother. Mr. Matthew Mayer, At Portwood, Near Stockport, Cheshire.

To Robert Costerdine Date: MANCHESTER, April 7, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ROBERT,--You have done exceeding well in the case of poor Sam. Woodcock. I do not see what you could do more. But the great question is now what he can do; for I doubt he cannot be employed as a preacher--at least, until he has given sufficient proof of a real and deep repentance. I have sent T. Newall into Epworth Circuit. This day fortnight I expect to be at Leeds; and am, dear Robert, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, November 30, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--By the account you give, about a fourth part of those near you that were saved from sin stand fast after a trial of several years in that glorious liberty. Of those who received the blessing here in 1762 and 1763, I fear we have hardly a sixth part that have not been moved from their steadfastness. Whereas out of two-and-twenty who received it in Bristol, seventeen or eighteen, I think, retain it to this day. I should imagine most of those who have the advice and example of Mr. Valton would be in earnest: I mean, if he is of the same spirit he used to be; and I hope he does not go backward but forward. But there is something in the increase and decrease of the work of God among a people which all our wisdom cannot account for. However, we are to go on! We cannot stand still or turn back. There is the prize before us.--I am, my dear Hannah, Your affectionate brother.

To Kitty Warren Date: LONDON, January 14, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - Let poor Charles Maund's follies die and be forgotten! It is well you have no more to do with him. It seems to me the great sin you (the Society) are now guilty of is poverty. And though you do repent of it, you do not forsake it. The question is, By what means can you either lessen your expense or increase your income We are here at our wits' end how to pay for the new chapel, as many of our workmen are unpaid still. For riches the Calvinists beat us altogether. However, by-and-by we must help you as we can. Trust in God, and all will be well! Grace and peace be with you! - I am, my dear Kitty, Yours in tender affection.

To William Church Date: BRISTOL, March 12, 1780. DEAR BILLY, - You should be thoroughly satisfied that the person at Neath whom you speak of lives in no known sin. If you are, you may safely readmit him into the Society. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- Probably I shall cross over to Dublin from Liverpool about the end of this month. [See letter of Feb. 26.] You may send the plan of the next quarter to Bristol. - I am, dear Billy, Yours affectionately.

To Mrs. Foley Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- [LONDON, November 3, 1781 ().] Your occasions of fight [will lead you to] conquer. The danger is, lest that inflammation should turn to a cancer. Probably this may be prevented by an easy remedy. Make a strong decoction of Briar-leaves, and gargle your mouth with it eight or ten times a day. See neither of you grow weary in your mind! -- I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Arthur Keene Date: BRIDLINGTON, June 21, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHR,"I agree with you in hoping that Brother Blair's labors will be productive of a blessing to many in Dublin; the rather because he not only preaches but also lives the gospel. And wherever a man's life confirms his doctrine God will confirm the word of His messenger. It gives me pleasure to hear that the school succeeds well. It is an excellent institution. I am very glad that Richard Condy's brother has come over to assist him. [See letter of March 3 to Keene.] I hope Brother Condy continues to go out on Sunday noon to the little towns round Dublin. We try all the little towns round London, and have Societies in most of them. What a shame it is that we should so long have neglected the little towns round Dublin, and that we have not a Society within ten miles of it During the present state of Mr. Pawson's health he would be of little service at Dublin. You want lively, zealous, active preachers. And, to tell you a melancholy truth, few of our elder preachers are of this character. You must look for zeal and activity among the young preachers. I am greatly scandalized at this, that a preacher fifty years old is commonly but half a preacher. I wonder that every preacher does not use Bishop Stratford's prayer, [Nicholas Stratford (1633-1707), Bishop of Chester 1689.] 'Lord, let me not live to be useless.' A gradual work of grace constantly precedes the instantaneous work both of justification and sanctification. But the work itself (of sanctification as well as justification) is undoubtedly instantaneous. As after a gradual conviction of the guilt and power of sin you was justified in a moment, so after a gradually increasing conviction of inbred sin you will be sanctified in a moment. And who knows how soon Why not now May the whole blessing of the gospel be on you and Sister Keene! - I am, dear Arthur, Your affectionate brother.

To Joseph Pescod Date: LONDON, January 13, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH, -- Why should you sell the house Is not the yearly rent of it equal to the interest on the money you would receive for it If it wants repairing, [Pescod was Assistant in the Oxfordshire Circuit. He notes that the expense of repairing the house is 25.] the Conference will allow money to repair, and also to renew the lease whenever it expires. By-and-by we should bitterly regret the selling of it.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

8. When the Rev. Mr. Edward Smyth came to live in Dublin, he earnestly advised me to leave the Church; meaning thereby (as all sensible men do) to renounce all connection with it, to attend the service of it no more, and to advise all our Societies to take the same steps. I judged this to be a matter of great importance, and would therefore do nothing hastily, but referred it to the body of preachers, then met in Conference. We had several meetings, in which he proposed all his reasons for it at large. They were severally considered and answered, and we all determined not to leave the Church. 9. A year ago Dr. Coke began officiating at our chapel in Dublin.- This was no more than had been done in London for between forty and fifty years. Some persons immediately began to cry out, 'This is leaving the Church, which Mr. Wesley has continually declared he would never do.' And I declare so still. But I appeal to all the world, I appeal to common sense, I appeal to the Observer himself, could I mean hereby ' I will not have service in church hours 'when I was doing it all the time I Could I even then deny that I had service in church hours No; but I denied, and do deny still, that this is leaving the Church, either in the sense of Bishop Gibson, or of Mr. Smyth at the Dublin Conference ! Yet by this outcry many well-meaning people were frighted wellnigh out of their senses. 10. But see the consequences of having Sunday service here. See the confusion this occasioned I Some time since, while a popular preacher was preaching at Leeds, one cried out, 'Fire! fire!' The people took fright; some leaped over the gallery, and several legs and arms were broken. But upon whom were these consequences to be charged Not on the preacher, but on him that made the outcry. Apply this to the present case. I have kindled no more fire in Dublin than I did in London. It is the Observer and a few other mischiefmakers who fright the people out of their senses; and they must answer to God for the consequence.

To Arthur Keene Date: DUBLIN, June 25, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- Alas, Arthur, is this possible Can a few well-meaning but ill-judging men still throw dust into your eyes, and tear you away from an old, tried friend And while they cry out, Conscience! Conscience! will they deny liberty of conscience to Your affectionate brother. I am ready to talk with you alone at any time and place. Suppose Mr. D'Olier's.

To Walter Churchey Date: ST. IVES, August 26, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I suppose George Paramore has followed your direction and entered the book at Stationers' Hall. I have seldom entered any book there, and I have never found any inconvenience from the omission of it. Some days since I sent a list of the subscribers' names to London, although I do not see it necessary, for what had the names of the subscribers to do with any book unpublished Is it merely to swell the book, or to do honor to the subscribers or the author I am now come to the furthest point of my Cornish journey, and shall in two or three hours turn my face toward Bristol. Peace be with you and yours! -- I am Your affectionate brother.

After supper she said to him, ‘Let us go into the chamber: And when they were come in, he saw a bed made ready; and he sat upon it, and said, ‘Make fast the door.” She made it fast, and came to him. Having taken hold of her, so that she could not run away, he took off his cap, and said to her, weeping, ‘My child, Mary, dost thou not know me? Am not I he that brought thee up? Mary, what is come to thee? Who hath destroyed thee, my daughter? Where are thy prayers and thy tears, thy watching and holy exercise? My child, when thou hadst sinned, why didst thou not tell me, that I might have humbled myself for thee? My daughter, why hast thou done this? Why hast thou forsaken thy May, 1761.] JOURNAL. 59 father?” She remained in his hands as a lifeless stone, till he said to her with tears, ‘Dost thou not speak to me, my child, Mary? Dost thou not speak to me? Am I not come hither for thy sake? I have besought the Lord concerning thee.’ Till midnight he continued exhorting and comforting her. Then, coming a little to herself, she said to him weeping, “I cannot look at thee, for I am defiled with sin.” The blessed man replied, “On me be thy sin; only come, let us go to our place.” She said to him, “If it be possible for me to repent, and if God can accept my repentance, I come, and I fall down, and kiss thy steps, wetting them with my tears, that thou hast thus had compassion on me, a forlorn wretch, and art come hither to draw me out of the mire of sin.” And laying her head at his feet, she wept bitterly all the night; saying, ‘What shall I render thee for all thy benefits?’ “Early in the morning he set her upon the horse, and went before her with great joy. And being come to his place, he put her in the inner cell; where she gladly resumed her former exercise, with sackcloth and ashes, and much humiliation, with mourning and watching, and ceaseless calling upon God: And the merciful Lord gave her a sign that he accepted her repent ance, healing many that were sick, through her prayers.

“‘That the human soul is propagated by the parents toge ther with the body, is further proved, 1. By the creation of Eve, whose soul is not said to have been breathed into her by God: 2. From the confession of David; Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me; (Psalm li. 5;) which words cannot possibly relate to the body only: 3. From our redemption: What Christ did not assume, he did not redeem; if, therefore, he did not assume his soul, together with his body, from the Virgin Mary, our souls are not redeemed by Christ; which is evidently false: 4. From similar expressions, Job x. 8, Thy hands have made and fashioned me; and Psalm cxxxix. 13, For thou hast possessed my reins; thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb ; where God is said to have formed us with his own hands, which yet is no otherwise done than mediately by generation: 5. From the nature of the begetter and the begotten: They are of one species; but the man who begets consisting of a soul and body, and a body without a soul, are not of one species. Nov. 1763.] JOURNAL. 155 “‘Again, supposing the soul to be infused by the Deity, either, 1. It will be free from sin, and so God himself will be accused as guilty of injustice, in condemning a pure spirit, and infusing it into an impure body; or, 2. He will be accounted the author of the soul’s pollution, by uniting it, a pure spirit, to an impure body, in order that it should be polluted: 3. A double absurdity will follow upon this supposition; viz., (1.) The organical parts of man only will be slaves to sin: (2.) The immortal spirit would be corrupted by the mortal body: (3.) Or if the soul, being thus infused, be polluted by sin, it will follow, that God is expressly assigned to be the cause of sin; which is the highest blasphemy.’” Fri. 28.--At the request of the little society there, I rode round by Braintree. Here I met with one who was well acquainted with the Honourable Mr. If he answers the character Mr. S gives, he is one of the most amiable men in the world. O, what keeps us apart?

15.--I visited Joseph Norbury, a good old soldier of Jesus Christ. I found him just on the wing for paradise, having rattled in the throat for some time. But his speech was restored when I came in, and he mightily praised God for all his mercies. This was his last testimony for a good Master. Soon after he fell asleep. On Friday I finished visiting the classes, and observed that since February last an hundred and seventy-five persons have been separated from us. An hundred and six left us on Mr. M.'s account: Few of them will return till they are deeply humbled. Here I stood and looked back on the late occurrences. before Thomas Walsh left England, God began that great work which has continued ever since without any considerable intermission. During the whole time, many have been con vinced of sin, many justified, and many backsliders healed. But the peculiar work of this season has been, what St. Paulcalls “the perfecting of the saints.” Many persons in London, in Bristol, in York, and in various parts, both of England and Ireland, have experienced so deep and universal a change, as it had not before entered into their hearts to conceive. After a deep conviction of inbred sin, of their total fall from God, they have been so filled with faith and love, (and generally in a moment,) that sin vanished, and they found from that time, no pride, anger, desire, or unbelief. They could rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Now, whether we call this the destruction or suspension of sin, it is a glorious work of God: Such a work as, considering both the depth and extent of it, we never saw in these kingdoms before. Dec. 1763.] JOURNAL. 157 It is possible, some who spoke in this manner were mistaken: And it is certain, some have lost what they then received. A few (very few, compared to the whole number) first gave way to enthusiasm, then to pride, next to prejudice and offence, and at last separated from their brethren. But, although this laid a huge stumbling-block in the way, still the work of God went on. Nor has it ceased to this day in any of its branches. God still convinces, justifies, sanctifies. We have lost only the dross, the enthusiasm, the prejudice and offence.

In my scraps of time this week I read over that wonderful poem, “Fingal.” If it is genuine, if it is really extant (as many assure me it is) in the Erse language, it is an amazing proof of a genius in those barbarous times, little inferior to Homer or Virgill Mon. 20.--A friend showed me the apartments in the Castle, the residence of the Lord-Lieutenant. The Duke of Bedford made a noble addition to the lodgings, which are now both grand and convenient. But the furniture surprised me not a 288 REv. J. wesLEY’s [July, 1767. little: It is by no means equal to the building. In England, many gentlemen of five hundred a year would be utterly ashamed of it. Tues. 21.--I received an account of a young woman, the substance of which was as follows: “KATHERINE MURRAY was born February 2, 1729, at Carrick-on-Suir. She feared God from a child, and abstained from lying and speaking bad words. When about thirteen, she stole some twigs of gooseberry-bushes from a neighbour, and planted them in her father's garden. Imme diately she felt she had sinned, knew she deserved hell, and feared it would be her portion. She began praying three times a day; but, notwithstanding, her sin followed her every where. Day and night it was before her, till, after some time, that conviction gradually wore off. “In the year 1749, her sister heard the Methodists, so called. She was soon convinced of sin, joined the society, and advised her to do so too. But hearing one named that was in it, she was filled with disdain: ‘What I meet with such a man as that !” Yet not long after, she was convinced that the sins of her own heart, pride and passion in particular, were as abominable in the sight of God, as the sins of that man or any other. This conviction was exceeding sharp. She could no longer despise any, but only cry out, day and night, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ “In February she went to hear Mr. Reeves. He preached on part of the hundred-and-third Psalm. She was now more deeply than ever convinced of heart-sin, of unbelief in particular; and had such a sight of the excellency of faith, that she determined to seek it with all her heart.

Several of them appeared to be convinced of sin; five rejoicing in God their Saviour: And, upon inquiry, I found their whole behaviour was suitable to their profession. APRIL 13.--(Being Good-Friday.) Notice having been given, through mistake, of my preaching at Carlisle, I was obliged to set out from Whitehaven, immediately after the morning preaching. I preached in Cockermouth at one, and then rode on to Carlisle. It was here the day of small things; the society consisting but of fifteen members. I preached at six; and as many as could hear, behaved with the utmost seriousness. Afterwards I walked to Houghton, a village two miles from Carlisle, and on an hard, clean bed, slept in peace. Sat. 14.--I preached at five to most of the village, though on so short a warning; and at eight in Carlisle. Leaving Mr. Rankin to preach in the evening, I rode on to Long town; where, finding no better place to screen us from the wind, I stood in a large, broad entry, with a room on either hand. Many crowded in here; the rest stood at the door. APRIL 15.--(Being Easter-Day.) Joseph Guilford preached at five. At eight I preached in a little Square; but at one I was desired to preach in the market-place, where was a far more numerous congregation. Afterwards we took horse, and before eight reached an admirable inn at Dumfries. April, 1770.] JOURNAL, 395 Mon. 16.--We had a fair morning till we began to climb up Enterkine, one of the highest mountains in the west of Scotland. We then got into a Scotch mist, and were drop ping wet, before we came to the Lead-Hills. In the evening we reached Lesmahagoe, and Glasgow on Tuesday, where I spent two days with much satisfaction. I had designed to go straight from hence to Perth; but being desired to take Edinburgh in my way, I rode thither on Friday, and endeavoured to confirm those whom many had strove to turn out of the way. What pity is it that the children of God should so zealously do the devil’s work How is it that they are still ignorant of Satan’s devices? Lord, what is man P Sat. 21.--Pushing through violent wind and rain, we came to Perth in the afternoon. This evening the Tolbooth contained the congregation, and at eight in the morning.

I had now leisure to transcribe a letter, wrote last May, from Amherst, in Nova-Scotia, by a young man whose father, some years since, went thither with his whole family:-- “IN the year 1779, I saw, if I would go to heaven, I must lead a new life. But I did not know I wanted an inward change, or see the deplorable state I was in by nature, till I was at a prayer-meeting, held at Mr. Oxley’s. While they were praying, my heart began to throb within me, my eyes gushed out with tears, and I cried aloud for mercy; as did most that were in the room, about fourteen in number. One, indeed, could not hold from laughing, when we began to cry out; but it was not long before he cried as loud as any. In a few moments, it pleased God to fill Mrs. Oxley with joy unspeakable. After this, we went, almost every night, to Mr. Oxley’s, to sing and pray. Going thence one night, and seeing the Northern Lights, I thought, ‘What, if the Day of Judgment be coming?' I threw myself down on the ground, and cried to the Lord for mercy. On Sunday, Mr. Wells, an old Methodist, came to Amherst, and gave us an exhortation; in which he said, ‘Sin and repent, sin and repent, till you repent in the bottomless pit.’ The words went like a dagger to my heart; and I con tinued mourning after God for five weeks and four days, till our monthly meeting. I was then strongly tempted to put an end to my life; but God enabled me to resist the tempta tion. Two days after, an old Methodist, after praying with me, said, ‘I think you will get the blessing before morning.’ About two hours after, while we were singing a hymn, it pleased God to reveal his Son in my heart. Since that time, I have had many blessed days, and many happy nights. “One Sunday night, after my brother Dicky and I were gone to bed, I asked him, ‘Can you believe?” He answered, ‘No.’ I exhorted him to wrestle hard with God, and got up to pray with him. But he was unbelieving still: So I went to sleep again.

Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Nay, they needed none for decency, they were naked, and had no reason to be ashamed. They knew not what shame was, so the Chaldee reads it. Blushing is now the colour of virtue, but it was not the colour of innocency. Chapter III The general contents of this chapter we have Rom 5:12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. More particularly, we have here, The innocent tempted, ver. 1 - 5. The tempted transgressing, ver. 6, 7, 8. The transgressors arraigned, ver. 9, 10. Upon their arraignment convicted, ver. 11 - 13. Upon their conviction sentenced, ver. 14 - 19. After sentence, reprieved, ver. 20, 21. Notwithstanding their reprieve, execution in part done, ver. 2 2 - 24, and were it not for the gracious intimations of redemption, they and all their race had been left to despair. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 We have here an account of the temptation wherewith Satan assaulted our first parents, and which proved fatal to them. And here observe, The tempter, the devil in the shape of a serpent. Multitudes of them fell; but this that attacked our first parents, was surely the prince of the devils. Whether it was only the appearance of a serpent, or a real serpent, acted and possessed by the devil, is not certain. The devil chose to act his part in a serpent, because it is a subtle creature. It is not improbable, that reason and speech were then the known properties of the serpent. And therefore Eve was not surprised at his reasoning and speaking, which otherwise she must have been. That which the devil aimed at, was to persuade Eve to eat forbidden fruit; and to do this, he took the same method that he doth still. 1. He questions whether it were a sin or no, Ge 3:1,2. He denies that there was any danger in it, Ge 3:4. 3. He suggests much advantage by it, Ge 3:5. And these are his common topics.

[1.] We have here the inducements that moved them to transgress. The woman being deceived, was ring - leader in the transgression, 1Tim 2:14 She saw that the tree was - It was said of all the rest of the fruit trees wherewith the garden of Eden was planted, that they were pleasant to the sight, and good for food. She imagined a greater benefit by this tree than by any of the rest, that it was a tree not only not to be dreaded, but to be desired to make one wise, and therein excelling all the rest of the trees. This she saw, that is, she perceived and understood it by what the devil had said to her. She gave also to her husband with her - 'Tis likely he was not with her when she was tempted; surely if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin; but he came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed with by her to eat likewise. She gave it to him; persuading him with the same arguements that the serpent had used with her; adding this to the rest, that she herself had eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly that it was extremely pleasant and grateful. And he did eat - This implied the unbelief of God's word, and confidence in the devil's; discontent with his present state, and an ambition of the honour which comes not from God. He would be both his own carver, and his own master, would have what he pleased, and do what he pleased; his sin was in one word disobedience, Rom 5:19, disobedience to a plain, easy and express command, which he knew to be a command of trial. He sins against light and love, the clearest light and the dearest love that ever sinner sinned against. But the greatest aggravation of his sin was, that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it. He could not but know that he stood as a public person, and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed; and if so, it was certainly both the greatest treachery and the greatest cruelty that ever was. Shame and fear seized the criminals, these came into the world along with sin, and still attend it.

See note at "Ge 3:6 See note at "Ge 3:6 Where art thou - This enquiry after Adam may be looked upon as a gracious pursuit in order to his recovery. If God had not called to him to reduce him, his condition had been as desperate as that of fallen angels. I heard thy voice in the garden: and I was afraid - Adam was afraid because he was naked; not only unarmed, and therefore afraid to contend with God, but unclothed and therefore afraid so much as to appear before him. Who told thee that thou wast naked - That is, how camest thou to be sensible of thy nakedness as thy shame Hast thou eaten of the tree - Tho' God knows all our sins, yet he will know them from us, and requires from us an ingenuous confession of them, not that he may be informed, but that we may be humbled. Whereof I commanded thee not to eat of it, I thy maker, I thy master, I thy benefactor, I commanded thee to the contrary. Sin appears most plain and most sinful in the glass of the commandment. What is this that thou hast done - Wilt thou own thy fault Neither of them does this fully. Adam lays all the blame upon his wife: She gave me of the tree - Nay, he not only lays the blame upon his wife, but tacitly on God himself. The woman thou gavest me, and gavest to be with me as my companion, she gave me of the tree. Eve lays all the blame upon the serpent; the serpent beguiled me. The prisoners being found guilty by their own confession, besides the infallible knowledge of the Judge, and nothing material being offered in arrest of judgment, God immediately proceeds to pass sentence, and in these verses he begins (where the sin began) with the serpent. God did not examine the serpent, nor ask him what he had done, but immediately sentenced him, (1.) Because he was already convicted of rebellion against God.

God did not examine the serpent, nor ask him what he had done, but immediately sentenced him, (1.) Because he was already convicted of rebellion against God. (2.) Because he was to be for ever excluded from pardon; and why should any thing be said to convince and humble him, who was to find no place for repentance To testify a displeasure against sin, God fastens a curse upon the serpent, Thou art cursed above all cattle - Even the creeping things, when God made them, were blessed of him, Ge 1:22, but sin turned the blessing into a curse. Upon thy belly shalt thou go - No longer upon feet, or half erect, but thou shalt crawl along, thy belly cleaving to the earth. Dust thou shalt eat - Which signifies a base and despicable condition. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman - The inferior creatures being made for man, it was a curse upon any of them to be turned against man, and man against them. And this is part of the serpent's curse. A perpetual reproach is fastened upon him. Under the cover of the serpent he is here sentenced to be, (1.) Degraded and accursed of God. It is supposed, pride was the sin that turned angels into devils, which is here justly punished by a great variety of mortifications couched under the mean circumstances of a serpent, crawling on his belly, and licking the dust. (2.) Detested and abhorred of all mankind: even those that are really seduced into his interest, yet profess a hatred of him. (3.) Destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer, signified by the bruising of his head; his subtle politics shall be all baffled, his usurped power entirely crushed. A perpetual quarrel is here commenced between the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of the devil among men; war proclaimed between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent, Rev 12:7. It is the fruit of this enmity, (1.) That there is a continual conflict between God's people and him. Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, no more can Satan and a sanctified soul. (2.) That there is likewise a continual struggle between the wicked and the good.

She is here put into a state of subjection: the whole sex, which by creation was equal with man, is for sin made inferior. Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife - He excused the fault, by laying it on his wife, but God doth not admit the excuse; tho' it was her fault to persuade him to eat it, it was his fault to hearken to her. Cursed is the ground for thy sake - And the effect of that curse is, Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee - The ground or earth, by the sin of man, is made subject to vanity, the several parts of it being not so serviceable to man's comfort and happiness, as they were when they were made. Fruitfulness was its blessing for man's service, Ge 1:11 - 29, and now barrenness was its curse for man's punishment. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread - His business before he sinned was a constant pleasure to him; but now his labour shall be a weariness. Unto dust shalt thou return - Thy body shall be forsaken by thy soul, and become itself a lump of dust, and then it shall be lodged in the grave, and mingle with the dust of the earth. God having named the man, and called him Adam, which signifies red earth, he in farther token of dominion named the woman, and called her Eve - That is, life. Adam bears the name of the dying body, Eve of the living soul. The reason of the name is here given, some think by Moses the historian, others by Adam himself, because she was - That is, was to be the mother of all living. He had called her Isha, woman, before, as a wife; here he calls her Evah, life, as a mother. Now, 1. If this was done by divine direction, it was an instance of God's favour, and, like the new naming of Abraham and Sarah, it was a seal of the covenant, and an assurance to them, that notwithstanding their sin, he had not reversed that blessing wherewith he had blessed them, Be fruitful and multiply: it was likewise a confirmation of the promise now made, that the seed of the woman, of this woman, should break the serpent's head. 2.

Many other sons and daughters were born to Adam besides Cain and Abel before this; but no notice is taken of them, because an honourable mention must be made of his name only, in whose loins Christ and the church were. But that which is most observable here concerning Seth, is, that Adam begat him in his own likeness after his image - Adam was made in the image of God; but when he was fallen and corrupted, he begat a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail and mortal, and miserable like himself; not only a man like himself, consisting of body and soul; but a sinner like himself, guilty and obnoxious, degenerate and corrupt. He was conceived and born in sin, Psa 51:5. This was Adam's own likeness, the reverse of that Divine likeness in which Adam was made; but having lost it himself he could not convey it to his seed. In the day Adam ate forbidden fruit, he became mortal, he began to die; his whole life after was but a forfeited condemned life, nay it was a wasting dying life; he was not only like a criminal sentenced, but as one already crucified, that dies slowly and by degrees. 6 - 19

Thanks be to God there are not herds of lions as there are of oxen, nor flocks of tigers as there are of sheep. Because the clean were for sacrifice to God; and therefore, in honour to him, more of them were preserved, three couple for breed, and the odd seventh for sacrifice, Ge 8:20. Yet seven days and I will cause it to rain - It shall be seven days yet before I do it, After the 120 years were expired, God grants them a reprieve of seven days longer, both to shew how slow he is to anger, and to give them some farther space for repentance. But all in vain; these seven days were trifled away after all the rest, they continued secure until the day that the flood came. While Noah told them of the judgment at a distance, they were tempted to put off their repentance: but now he is ordered to tell them that it is at the door; that they have but one week more to turn them in, to see if that will now at last awaken them to consider the things that belong to their peace. But it is common for those that have been careless for their souls during the years of their health, when they have looked upon death at a distance, to be as careless during the days, the seven days of their sickness, when they see it approaching, their hearts being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And Noah went in with his sons, and his wife, and his sons wives - And the brute creatures readily went in with him. The same hand that at first brought them to Adam to be named, now brought them to Noah to be preserved. The six hundredth year of Noah's life, was 1656 years from the creation. In the second month, the seventeenth day of the month - Which is reckoned to be about the beginning of November; so that Noah had had a harvest just before, from which to victual his ark. The same day the fountains of the great deep were broken up - There needed no new creation of waters; God has laid up the deep in store - houses, Ps 33:7, and now he broke up those stores.

God did admirably serve the purposes of his own glory by their destruction, as well as by their creation. Herein his holiness and justice were greatly magnified: by this it appears that he hates sin, and is highly displeased with sinners, when even the inferior creatures, because they are the servants of man, and part of his possession, and because they have been abused to be the servants of sin, are destroyed with him. It was likewise an instance of God's wisdom. As the creatures were made for man when he was made, so they were multiplied for him when he was multiplied; and therefore, now mankind was reduced to so small a number, it was fit that the beasts should proportionable be reduced, otherwise they would have had the dominion, and would have replenished the earth, and the remnant of mankind that was left would have been overpowered by them.

Chapter XX We have here, Abraham's sin in denying his wife, and Abimelech's sin thereupon in taking her, ver. 1, 2. God's discourse with Abimelech in a dream upon this occasion; wherein he shews him his error, ver. 3. accepts his plea, ver. 4, 5, 6. and directs him to make restitution, ver. 7. Abimelech's discourse with Abraham; wherein he chides him for the cheat he had put upon him, ver. 8, 9, 10. and Abraham excuses it as well as he can, ver. 11, 12, 13. The good issue of the story; in which Abimelech restores Abraham his wife, ver. 14, 15, 16. and Abraham by prayer prevails with God for the removal of the judgment Abimelech was under, ver. 17, 18. And Abraham sojourned in Gerar - We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the Canaanites cast upon him for his kinsman's sake. The king of Gerar sent and took her - To his house, in order to the taking of her to his bed. But God came to Abimelech in a dream - It appears by this that God revealed himself by dreams, which evidenced themselves to be divine and supernatural, not only to his servants the prophets, but even to those that were out of the pale of the church; but then usually it was with some regard to God's own people. Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation - Not such a nation as Sodom. I withheld thee from sinning against me - It is God that restrains men from doing the ill they would do; it is not from him that there is sin, but it is from him that there is not more sin, either by his influence on mens minds checking their inclination to sin, or by his providence taking away the opportunity. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin, which God must have the glory of whoever is the instrument. Thou hast done deeds that ought not to be done - Equivocation and dissimulation, however they may be palliated, are very ill things, and by no means to be admitted in any case.

Thou hast done deeds that ought not to be done - Equivocation and dissimulation, however they may be palliated, are very ill things, and by no means to be admitted in any case. He takes it as a very great injury to himself and his family, that Abraham had thus exposed them to sin, What have I offended thee - If I had been thy worst enemy, thou couldst not have done me a worse turn, nor taken a more effectual course to be avenged on me. Note, We ought to reckon, that those do us the greatest dislikedness in the world, that any way tempt us or expose us to sin, though they may pretend friendship, and offer that which is grateful enough to the corrupt nature. He challenges him to assign any just cause he had to suspect them as a dangerous people for an honest man to live among. What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing - What reason hadst thou to think, that if we had known her to be thy wife, thou wouldst have been exposed to any danger by it I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me - There are many places and persons that have more of the fear of God in them than we think they have; perhaps they are not called by our name, they do not wear our badges, they do not tie themselves to that which we have an opinion of; and therefore we conclude they have not the fear of God in their hearts! When God caused me to wander from my father's house - Then we settled this matter. It may be, that God denied Abraham and Sarah the blessing of children so long to punish them for this sinful compact they had made to deny one another: if they will not own their marriage, why should God own it But we may suppose, that alter this reproof they agreed never to do so again, and then presently we read, Ge 21:1,2, that Sarah conceived. Thy brother is to thee a covering of the eyes - Thou must look at no other, nor desire to be looked at by any other. Yoke - fellows must be to each other for a covering of the eyes.

Had Shechem abused her in her mother's tent, it had been another matter; but she went upon his ground, and struck the spark which began the fire. When we are severe upon the sinner, we ought to consider who was the tempter. It was true that Shechem had done ill; but he was endeavouring to atone for it, and was as honest and honourable afterwards as the case would admit. It was true that Shechem had done ill, but what was that to all the Shechemites Doth one man sin, and must the innocent fall with the guilty This was barbarous indeed. But that which above all aggravated the cruelty, was the most perfidious treachery that was in it. The Shechemites had submitted to their conditions, and had done that upon which they had promised to become one people with them. Yet they act as sworn enemies to those to whom they were lately become sworn friends, making as light of their covenant as they did of the laws of humanity. And these are the sons of Israel Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce. Tho' Simeon and Levi only were the murderers, yet others of the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city - And so became accessary to the murder. Ye have troubled me, to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land - That is, You have rendered my family odious among them. And what could be expected but that the Canaanites, who were numerous and formidable, would confederate against him, and he and his little family would become an easy prey to them I shall be destroyed, I and my house - Jacob knew indeed that God had promised to preserve his house; but he might justly fear that these vile practices of his children would amount to a forfeiture, and cut off the entail. When sin is in the house, there is reason to fear ruin at the door. Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot - No, he should not; but, if he do, Must they be their own avengers And nothing less than so many lives, and the ruin of a whole city, serve to atone for the abuse.

Reuben of all the brothers had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first - born, and so entitled to those distinguishing favours which Jacob was conferring on Joseph, yet he proves his best friend. Reuben's temper seems to have been soft and effeminate, which had betrayed him to the sin of uncleanness, while the temper of the two next brothers, Simeon and Levi, was fierce, which betrayed them to the sin of murder, a sin which Reuben startled at the thought of. He made a proposal which they thought would effectually destroy Joseph, and yet which he designed should answer his intention of rescuing Joseph out of their hands, probably hoping thereby to recover his father's favour which he had lately lost; but God over - ruled all to serve his own purpose of making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was here a type of Christ. Though he was the beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world; yet the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us; he came from heaven to earth to seek and save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him; he came to his own, and his own not only received him not, but consulted, This is the heir, come let us kill him. This he submitted to, in pursuance of his design to save us. They call him into a pit - To perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They sat down to eat bread - They felt no remorse of conscience, which if they had, would have spoiled their stomach to their meat. A great force put upon conscience commonly stupifies it, and for the time deprives it both of sense and speech. What profit is it if we slay our brother - It will be less guilt and more gain to sell him. They all agreed to this. And as Joseph was sold by the contrivance of Judah for twenty pieces of silver, so was our Lord Jesus for thirty, and by one of the same name too, Judas. Reuben it seems, was gone away from his brethren when they sold Joseph, intending to come round some other way to the pit, and to help Joseph out of it.

Judah sits down content to lose his signet and his bracelets, and forbids his friend to make any farther enquiry. Lest we be shamed - Either, Lest his sin should come to be known publicly, Or Lest he should be laughed at as a fool for trusting a whore with his signet and his bracelets. He expresses no concern about the sin, only about the shame. There are many who are more solicitous to preserve their reputation with men, than to secure the savour of God, lest we be shamed goes farther with them than lest we be damned. It should seem the birth was hard to the mother, by which she was corrected for her sin: the children also, like Jacob and Esau, struggled for the birth - right, and Pharez who got it, is ever named first, and from him Christ descended. He had his name from his breaking forth before his brother; this breach be upon thee - The Jews, as Zarah, bid fair for the birth - right, and were marked with a scarlet thread, as those that come out first; but the Gentiles, like Pharez, or a son of violence got the start of them, by that violence which the kingdom of heaven suffers, and attained to the righteousness which the Jews came short of: yet when the fulness of time is come, all Israel shall be saved. Both these sons are named in the genealogy of our Saviour, Mt 1:3, to perpetuate the story, as an instance of the humiliation of our Lord Jesus.

Chapter XLII We have in this chapter, The humble application of Jacob's sons to Joseph, to buy corn, ver. 1 - 6. The fright Joseph put them into, for their trial, ver. 7 - 20. The conviction they were now under of their sin concerning Joseph long before, ver. 21 - 24. Their return to Canaan with corn, and the great distress their good father was in upon the account they gave him of their expedition, ver. 25 - 38. Jacob saw that there was corn - That is, he saw the corn that his neighbours had bought there and brought home. Get you down thither - Masters of families must not only pray for daily bread for their families, but must with care and industry provide it. We may well wonder that Joseph, during the twenty years he had been in Egypt, especially during the last seven years that he had been in power there, never sent to his father to acquaint him with his circumstances; nay, 'tis strange that he who so oft went throughout all the land of Egypt, never made a step to Canaan, to visit his aged father. When he was in the borders of Egypt that lay next to Canaan, perhaps it would not have been above three or four days journey for him in his chariot. 'Tis a probable conjecture, that his whole management of himself in this affair was by special direction from heaven, that the purpose of God, concerning Jacob and his family, might be accomplished. When Joseph's brethren came, he knew them by many a good token, but they knew not him, little thinking to find him there. He remembered the dreams, but they had forgot them. The laying up of God's oracles in our hearts will be of excellent use to us in all our conduct. Joseph had an eye to his dreams, which he knew to be divine, in his carriage towards his brethren, and aimed at the accomplishment of them, and the bringing his brethren to repentance; and both those points were gained.

If mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my grey hairs, that crown of glory, with sorrow to the grave. This therefore Judah presseth with a great deal of earnestness, his life is bound up in the lad's life, when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will faint away and die immediately, or will abandon himself to such a degree of sorrow, as will, in a few days, make an end of him, And (lastly) Judah pleads, that, for his part, he could not bear to see this. Let me not see the evil that shall come on my father. Judah, in honour to the justice of Joseph's sentence, and to shew his sincerity in this plea, offers himself to become a bond - man instead of Benjamin. Thus the law would be satisfied; Joseph would be no loser, for we may suppose Judah a more able bodied man than Benjamin; Jacob would better bear that than the loss of Benjamin. Now, so far was he from grieving at his father's particular fondness for Benjamin, than he is himself willing to be a bond - man to indulge it.

Reuben thou art my first - born - Jacob here puts upon him the ornaments of the birth - right, that he and all his brethren might see what he had forfeited and in that might see the evil of his sin. As the first - born he was his father's joy, being the beginning of his strength. To him belonged the excellency of dignity above his brethren, and some power over them. Thou shalt not excel - A being thou shalt have as a tribe, but not an excellency. No judge, prophet, or prince, are found of that tribe, nor any person of renown only Dathan and Abiram, who were noted for their impious rebellion. That tribe, as not aiming to excel, chose a settlement on the other side Jordan. The character fastened upon Reuben, for which he is laid under this mark of infamy, is, that he was unstable as water. His virtue was unstable, he had not the government of himself, and his own appetites. His honour consequently was unstable, it vanished into smoke, and became as water spilt upon the ground. Jacob charges him particularly with the sin for which he was disgraced, thou wentest up to thy father's bed - It was forty years ago that he had been guilty of this sin, yet now it is remembered against him. Reuben's sin left an indelible mark of infamy upon his family; a wound not to be healed without a scar. Simeon and Levi are brethren - Brethren in disposition, but unlike their father: they were passionate and revengeful, fierce and wilful; their swords, that should have been only weapons of defence, were (as the margin reads it) weapons of violence, to do wrong to others, not to save themselves from wrong. They slew a man - Shechem himself, and many others; and to effect that, they digged down a wall, broke the houses to plunder them, and murder the inhabitants. O my soul, come not thou into their secret - Hereby he professeth not only his abhorrence of such practices in general, but his innocency particularly in that matter. Perhaps he had been suspected as under - hand aiding and abetting; he therefore solemnly expresseth his detestation of the fact. Cursed be their anger - Not their persons.

Cursed be their anger - Not their persons. We ought always in the expressions of our zeal carefully to distinguish between the sinner and the sin, so as not to love or bless the sin for the sake of the person, nor to hate or curse the person for the sake of the sin. I will divide them - The Levites were scattered throughout all the tribes, and Simeon's lot lay not together, and was so strait that many of that tribe were forced to disperse themselves in quest of settlements and subsistence. This curse was afterwards turned into a blessing to the Levites; but the Simeonites, for Zimri's sin, Num 25:6 - 14, had it bound on. Judah's name signifies praise, in allusion to which he saith, Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise, God was praised for him, Gen 29:35, praised by him, and praised in him; and therefore his brethren shall praise him. Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies - This was fulfilled in David, Psa 18:40. Thy father's children shall bow down before thee - Judah was the law - giver, Psa 60:7. That tribe led the van through the wilderness, and in the conquest of Canaan, Jud 1:2. The prerogatives of the birth - right which Reuben had forfeited, the excellency of dignity and power, were thus conferred upon Judah. Thy brethren shall bow down before thee, and yet shall praise thee, reckoning themselves happy in having so wise and bold a commander. Judah is a lion's whelp - The lion is the king of beasts, the terror of the forest when he roars; when he seizeth his prey, none can resist him; when he goes up from the prey, none dares pursue him to revenge it. By this it is foretold that the tribe of Judah should become very formidable, and should not only obtain great victories but should peaceably enjoy what was got by those victories. Judah is compared not to a lion rampant, always raging but to a lion couching, enjoying the satisfaction of his success, without creating vexation to others. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come - Jacob here foretels, (1.) That the sceptre should come into the tribe of Judah, which was fulfilled in David, on whose family the crown was entailed.

Continues and concludes God's discourse with Moses, concerning bringing Israel out of Egypt. Moses objects the peoples unbelief, ver. 1. and God answers that objection by giving him a power to work miracles: To turn his rod into a serpent, and then into a rod again, ver. 2 - 5. To make his hand leprous, and then whole again, ver. 6 - 8. To turn the water into blood, ver. 9. Moses objects his own slowness of speech, ver. 10. and begs to be excused, ver. 13. But God answers this objection, By promising him his presence, ver. 11, 12. By joining Aaron in commission with him, ver. 14 - 16. By putting an honour upon the very staff in his hand, ver. 17. Moses's execution of his commission. He obtains leave of his father - in - law to return into Egypt, ver. 18. He receives further instructions from God, ver. 19, 21 - 23. He hastens his departure, and takes his family with him, ver. 20. He meets with some difficulty about the circumcising of his son, ver. 24. 26. He has the satisfaction of meeting his brother Aaron, ver. 27, 28. He produceth his commission before the elders of Israel, to their great joy, ver. 29 - 31. They will not hearken to my voice - That is, they would not take his bare word, unless he shewed them some sign. He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would be so again. A rod - Or staff. That they may believe - An imperfect sentence to be thus compleated, This thou shalt do, before them, that they may believe. His hand was leprous, as snow - For whiteness. This signified, That Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, that at his prayer they should be removed. And that whereas the Israelites in Egypt were become leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression, by being taken into the bosom of Moses they should be cleansed and cured. The voice of the first sign - God's works have a voice to speak to us, which we must diligently observe.

Concerning the consecration of the priests, and the sanctification of the altar, ver. 1 - 37. Concerning the daily sacrifice, ver. 38 - 41. To which gracious promises are annexed, ver. 42 - 46. They were to be consecrated at the door of the tabernacle - God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court and the tabernacle was the fittest place for them to be consecrated in, who were to mediate between God and man, and to stand between both, and lay their hands (as it were) upon both. Here they were to be washed, signifying that they must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, <cite>Isa 52:11</cite>. And they were to be clothed with the holy garments, to signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed with righteousness, <cite>Psa 132:9</cite>. They must be girded, as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their true honour. The high priest was to be anointed with the holy anointing oil - That the church might be filled with the sweet favour of his administrations, and in token of the pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work. There must be a sin - offering, to make atonement for them. The law made them priests that had infirmity; and therefore they must first offer for their own sin, before they could make atonement for the people, <cite>Heb 7:27</cite>,28. They were to put their hand on the head of their sacrifice; confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and desiring that the killing of the beast might be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other sin - offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin - offerings was eaten by the priests, in token of the priests taking away the sin of the people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp, to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation, for the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high priest, and a better sacrifice.

Chapter IV Directions concerning sin - offerings; which were intended for sins committed thro' ignorance, either by the priest himself, ver. 1 - 12. or by the whole congregation, ver. 13 - 21. or by a ruler, ver. 22 - 26. or by a private person, ver. 27 - 35. The Lord spake unto Moses - The laws contained in the three first chapters, seem to have been delivered to Moses at one time. Here begin the laws of another day, which God delivered from between the Cherubim. If a soul sin - This must necessarily be understood of more than common daily infirmities; for if every such sin had required an offering, it had not been possible either for most sinners to bear such a charge, or for the altar to receive so many sacrifices, or for the priests to manage so infinite a work. And for ordinary sins, they were ceremonially expiated by the daily offering, and by that on the great day of atonement, Lev 16:30. Through ignorance - Or, error, either not knowing his act to be sinful, as appears by comparing Lev 4:13,14, or not considering it, but falling into sin thro' the power of some sudden passion or temptation, as the Hebrew word signifies, Psa 119:67. Things which ought not to be done - The words may be rendered, in or about every, or any of the commandments of the Lord which should not be done; or, which concern things that should not be done, namely, in any negative commands. (And there is great reason why a sacrifice should be more necessary for these, than for other sins, because affirmative precepts do not so strictly and constantly bind men as the negative do.) Then he shall offer according to his quality, which is here to be understood out of the following verses. If the priest - That is, the high - priest, who only was anointed after the first time. His anointing is mentioned, because he was not compleat high - priest 'till he was anointed. Do sin - Either in doctrine or practice, which it is here supposed he may do. And this is noted as a character of imperfection in the priesthood of the law, whereby the Israelites were directed to expect another and better high - priest, even one who is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners, Heb 7:26.

And this is noted as a character of imperfection in the priesthood of the law, whereby the Israelites were directed to expect another and better high - priest, even one who is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners, Heb 7:26. According to the sin of the people - In the same manner as any of the people do; which implies that God expected more circumspection from him, than from the people. But the words may be rendered, to the sin or guilt of the people, which may be mentioned as an aggrevation of his sin, that by it he commonly brings sin, and guilt, and punishment upon the people, who are infected or scandalized by his example. A young bullock - The same sacrifice which was offered for all the people, to shew how much his sin was aggravated by his quality. Sin - offering - Heb. sin, which word is oft taken in that sense. On the head - To testify both his acknowledgment of his sin, and faith in God's promise for the expiation of his sins through Christ, whom that sacrifice typified. Kill the bullock - By one of the priests, whom he should cause to do it. To the tabernacle - Into the tabernacle; which was not required nor allowed in any other sacrifice, possibly to shew the greatness of the high - priest's sin, which needed more than ordinary diligence in him, and favour from God to expiate it. Seven times - A number much used in scripture, as a number of perfection; and here prescribed, either to shew that his sins needed more then ordinary purgation, and more exercise of his faith and repentance, both which graces he was obliged to join with that ceremonial rite. Before the veil - The second veil dividing between the holy of holies, which is generally called the veil of the sanctuary. All the blood - All the rest; for part was disposed elsewhere. The whole bullock - So no part of this was to be eaten by the priests, as it was in other sin - offerings. The reason is plain, because the offerer might not eat of his own sin - offering, and the priest was the offerer in this case, as also in the sin - offering for the whole congregation below, of which the priest himself was a member.

The reason is plain, because the offerer might not eat of his own sin - offering, and the priest was the offerer in this case, as also in the sin - offering for the whole congregation below, of which the priest himself was a member. Shall be carried forth - Not himself, which would have defiled him, but by another whom he shall appoint for that work. Without the camp - To signify either, The abominable nature of sin, especially in high and holy persons, or when it overspreads a whole people. Or, The removing of the guilt or punishment of that sin from the people. Or, That Christ should suffer without the camp or gate.

Where the ashes are - For the ashes, though at first they were thrown down near the altar, Lev 1:16, yet afterwards they, together with the filth of the sacrifices, were carried into a certain place without the camp. The whole congregation - The body of the people, or the greater part of them, their rulers concurring with them. A bullock - But if the sin of the congregation was only the omission of some ceremonial duty, a kid of the goats was to be offered, Num 15:24. The elders - Who here acted in the name of all the people, who could not possibly perform this act in their own persons. And sprinkle it - It was not to be poured out there, but sprinkled only; for the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ was sufficiently represented by sprinkling. It was sprinkled seven times: seven is a number of perfection; because God made the world in six days, and rested the seventh. This signified the perfect satisfaction Christ made, and the compleat cleansing of our souls thereby. The altar - Of incense: Which is before the Lord - That is, before the holy of holies, where the Lord was in a more special manner present. For a sin - offering - That is, for the priest's sin - offering, called the first bullock, Lev 4:21. The burnt - offering - So called by way of eminency, to wit, the daily burnt - offering. It is a sin - offering - And therefore to be killed where the burnt - offering is killed; whereby it is distinguished from the peace - offering, which were killed elsewhere. It shall be forgiven - Both judicially, as to all ecclesiastical censures or civil punishment; and really, upon condition of repentance and faith in the Messiah to come. A female - Which here was sufficient, because the sin of one of those was less than the sin of the ruler, for whom a male was required. He shall slay it - Not by himself, but by the hands of the priest. Burn them - The fat; but he useth the plural number, because the fat was of several kinds, as we saw Lev 4:8,9, Heb. upon the offerings, together with them, or after them; because the burnt - offerings were to have the first place.

Chapter V Directions concerning trespass - offerings. Both this and the sin - offering were intended to make atonement for sin, but the former was more general: The latter was to be offered only in some particular cases. If a man sinned, By hearing and concealing blasphemy, ver. 1. By touching an unclean thing, ver. 2, 3. By swearing, ver. 4. He was to offer a lamb or kid, ver. 5. 6. Or two young pigeons, ver. 7 - 10. Or fine flour, ver. 11 - 13. Or a ram, if he had embezzled holy things, ver. 14 - 19. And hear - And for that is, as that particle is often used. For this declares in particular what the sin was. Or, namely, that of cursing, or blasphemy, or execration, as the word commonly signifies, and that either against one's neighbour, or against God. This may seem to be principally intended here, because the crime spoken of is of so high a nature, that he who heard it, was obliged to reveal it, and prosecute the guilty. He hath seen - Been present when it was said. Or known - By sufficient information from others. His iniquity - That is, the punishment of it; so that word is oft used, as Gen 19:15, Num 18:1. If it be hidden from him - If he do it unawares, yet that would not excuse him, because he should have been more circumspect to avoid all unclean things. Hereby God designed to awaken men to watchfulness against, and repentance for, their unknown, or unobserved sins. He shall be clean - Not morally, for the conscience was not directly polluted by these things, but ceremonially. When he knoweth - As soon as he knoweth it, he must not delay to make his peace with God. Otherwise he shall be guilty - For his violation and contempt of God's authority and command. If a soul swear - Rashly, without consideration either of God's law, or his own power or right, as David did, 1Sam 25:22. To do evil - To himself, to punish himself either in his body, or estate, or something else which is dear to him. Or rather to his neighbour.

Or rather to his neighbour. And it be hid from him - That is, he did not know, or not consider, that what he swore to do, was or would be impossible, or unlawful: When he discovers it to be so, either by his own consideration, or by information from others, whether it was good or evil which he swore to do. In one of these things - In one of the three forementioned cases, either by sinful silence, or by an unclean touch, or by rash swearing. He shall confess - Before the Lord in the place of public worship. And this confession is not to be restrained to the present case, but by a parity of reason, and comparing of other scriptures, to be extended to other sacrifices for sin, to which this was a constant companion. His trespass - offering - But how comes confession and a sacrifice to be necessary for him that touched an unclean thing, when such persons were cleansed with simple washing, as appears from Lev 11:25,28,32,40,43, and Num 19:7,8,10,19 This place speaks of him that being so unclean did come into the tabernacle, as may be gathered by comparing this place with Num 19:13, which if any man did, knowing himself to be unclean, which was the case there, he was to be cut off for it; and if he did it ignorantly, which is the case here, he was upon discovery of it to offer this sacrifice. Not able - Through poverty. And this exception was allowed also in other sin - offerings. For a sin - offering - Which was for that particular sin, and therefore offered first: before the burnt - offering, which was for sins in general; to teach us not to rest in general confessions and repentance, but distinctly and particularly, as far as we can, to search out, and confess, and loath, and leave our particular sins, without which God will not accept our other religious services. It is a sin - offering - This is added as the reason why its blood was so sprinkled and spilt. According to the manner - Or order appointed by God. The priest shall make an atonement - Either declaratively, he shall pronounce him to be pardoned; or typically, with respect to Christ. The tenth part of an ephah - About six pints.

Chapter VI Further directions concerning trespass - offerings, ver. 1 - 7. Concerning the burnt - offerings, ver. 8 - 13. Concerning the meal - offerings, ver. 14 - 18. Particularly that at the consecration of the priests, ver. 19 - 23. Concerning the sin - offering, ver. 24 - 30. If a soul sin - This sin, though directly committed against man, is emphatically said to be done against the Lord, not only in general, for so every sin against man is also against the Lord, but in a special sense, because this was a violation of human society, whereof God is the author, and president, and defender: and because it was a secret sin, of which God alone was the witness and judge: and because God's name was abused in it by perjury. To keep - In trust. Or in fellowship - Heb. Or in putting of the hand: that is, commerce or fellowship in trading, which is very usual when one man puts any thing into another's hand, not to keep it, but to improve it for the common benefit of them both, in which cases of partnership it is easy for one to deceive the other, and therefore provision is made against it. And this is called a putting of the hand, because such agreements used to be confirmed by giving or joining their hands together. By violence - Secretly; for he seems to speak here of such sins as could not be proved by witness. Or hath deceived - Got any thing from him by calumny, or fraud, or circumvention; so the word signifies. Swear falsely - His oath being required, seeing there was no other way of discovery left. Is guilty - This guilt being manifested by his voluntary confession upon remorse, whereby he reapeth this benefit, that he only restores the principal with the addition of a fifth part; whereas if he were convicted of his fault, he was to pay double, Exo 22:9. In the day - It must not be delayed, but restitution to man must accompany repentance towards God. Wherever wrong has been done, restitution must be made, and till it is made to the utmost of our power we cannot look for forgiveness; for the keeping of what is unjustly got, avows the taking: And both together make but one continued act of unrighteousness.

Chapter IX Moses appoints Aaron to offer various sacrifices, ver. 1 - 7. Aaron offers for himself, ver. 8 - 14. Offers for, and blesses the people, ver. 15 - 22. God signifies his acceptance of their persons and of their sacrifices, ver. 23 - 24. On the eighth day - Namely, from the day of his consecration, or when the seven days of his consecration were ended. The eighth day is famous in scripture for the perfecting and purifying both of men and beasts. See Lev 12:2,3 14:8,9,10 15:13,14 22:27. And the elders of Israel - All the congregation were called to be witnesses of Aaron's installment into his office, to prevent their murmurings and contempt; which being done, the elders were now sufficient to be witnesses of his first execution of his office. For a sin - offering - For himself and his own sins, which was an evidence of the imperfection of that priesthood, and of the necessity of a better. The Jewish writers suggest, that a calf was appointed, to remind him of his sin in making the golden calf. Thereby he had rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honour of the priesthood: on which he had reason to reflect with sorrow and shame, in all the atonements he made. A sin - offering - For the people, for whose sin a young bullock was required, Lev 4:15, but that was for some particular sin; this was more general for all their sins. Besides, there being an eye here to the priest's consecration and entrance into his office, it is no wonder if there be some difference in these Sacrifices from those before prescribed. The Lord will appear - Heb. Hath appeared. He speaks of the thing to come as if it were past, which is frequent in scripture, to give them the more assurance of the thing. Before the tabernacle where God dwelt. The glory of the Lord - The glorious manifestation of God's powerful and gracious presence. Go and offer - Moses had hitherto sacrificed, but now he resigns his work to Aaron, and actually gives him that commission which from God he had received for him. For thyself and for the people - The order is very observable, first for thyself, otherwise thou art unfit to do it for the people.

Drink not wine - it is not improbable, that the sin of Nadab and Abihu was owing to this very thing. But if not, yet drunkenness is so odious a sin in itself, especially in a minister, and most of all in the time of his administration of sacred things, that God saw fit to prevent all occasions of it. And hence the devil, who is God's ape, required this abstinence from his priests in their idolatrous service. Between holy and unholy - Persons and things, which Nadab and Abihu did not. Ye may teach - Which drunken persons are very unfit to do. Eat it - Moses repeats the command, partly lest their grief should cause them to neglect their meat prescribed by God, (which abstinence would have been both a signification of their sorrow which God had forbidden them, and a new transgression of a divine precept;) and partly to encourage them to go on in their holy services, and not to be dejected, as if God would no more accept them or their sacrifices. In the holy place - in the court, near the altar of burnt - offerings. In a clean place - In any of your dwellings, or any place in the camp, which was kept clean from all ceremonial defilement. In any place where the women as well as the men might come, for the daughters of the priest might eat these as well as their sons, if they were maids, or widows, or divorced, Lev 22:11 - 13. He was angry with Eleazar - He spares Aaron at this time, as overwhelmed with sorrow, and because the rebuking him before his sons might have exposed him to some contempt; but he knew that the reproof though directed to them, would concern him too. Who were left alive - And therefore ought to have taken warning. God hath given it to you - As a reward of your service, whereby you expiate, bear, and take away their sins, by offering those sacrifices, by which God through Christ is reconciled to the penitent and believing offerers. The blood was not brought in - Because Aaron was not yet admitted into the holy place, whither that blood should have been brought, 'till he had prepared the way by the sacrifices which were to be offered in the court.

If the spots be darkish white - Or, contracted, or confined to the place where they are, and white. It is a leprosy - It is a sign that such baldness came not from age, or any accident, but from the leprosy. His clothes shall be rent - In the upper and fore parts, which were most visible. This was done partly as a token of sorrow, because though this was not a sin, yet it was an effect of sin, and a sore punishment, whereby he was cut off both from converse with men, and from the enjoyment of God in his ordinances; partly as a warning to others to keep at a due distance from him wheresoever he came. And his head bare - Another sign of mourning. God would have men though not overwhelmed with, yet deeply sensible of his judgments. A covering on his upper lip - Partly as another badge of his sorrow and shame, and partly for the preservation of others from his breath or touch. Unclean, unclean - As begging the pity and prayers of others, and confessing his own infirmity, and cautioning those who came near him, to keep at a distance from him. He shall dwell alone - Partly for his humiliation; partly to prevent the infection of others; and partly to shew the danger of converse with spiritual lepers, or notorious sinners. Leprosy in garments and houses is unknown in these times and places, which is not strange, there being some diseases peculiar to some ages and countries. And that such a thing was among the Jews, cannot reasonably be doubted; for, if Moses had been a deceiver, a man of his wisdom, would not have exposed himself to the contempt of his people by giving laws about that which their experience shewed to be but a fiction. In the warp or woof - A learned man renders it in the outside, or in the inside of it. If the signification of these words be doubtful now, as some of those of the living creatures and precious stones are confessed to be, it is not material to us, this law being abolished; it sufficeth that the Jews understood these things by frequent experience. If it have not changed its colour - If washing doth not take away that vicious colour, and restore it to its own native colour.

Chapter XV This chapter contains laws concerning other ceremonial uncleannesses, contracted either by bodily disease, or some natural incidents, whether in men, ver. 1 - 18, or in women, ver. 19 - 33. A running issue - Commonly called the running of the reins, a grievous and loathsome disease, which is generally the consequence of sin. His flesh be stopped - That is, if it have run, and be stopped in great measure, either by the grossness of the humour, or by some obstructions that it cannot run freely. The flesh - That is, any part of his body. And hath not rinsed - That is, the person touched, to whom the washing of his hands is prescribed, if speedily done; but if that was neglected, a more laborious course was enjoined. When he is cleansed - When his issue hath wholly ceased. An atonement - Not as if this was in itself a sin, but only a punishment of sin; though oft - times it was sinful, as being a fruit of intemperance. A man - Or, The man, that had such an issue, which is plainly to be understood out of the whole context. For though in some special cases relating to the worship of God, men were to forbear the use of the marriage - bed, yet to affirm that the use of it in other cases did generally defile the persons, and make them unclean till even, is contrary to the whole current of scripture, which affirms the marriage - bed to be undefiled, Heb 13:4, to the practice of the Jews, which is a good comment upon their own laws, and to the light of nature and reason. And if a woman - Heb. And a woman when she shall have an issue of blood, and her issue shalt be in her flesh, that is, in her secret parts, as flesh is taken, Lev 15:2. So it notes her monthly disease. Put apart - Not out of the camp, but from converse with her husband and others, and from access to the house of God. Seven days - For sometimes it continues so long; and it was decent to allow some time for purification after the ceasing of her issue. Whosoever toucheth her - Of grown persons.

Thy brother - The same as thy neighbour, that is, every man. If thy brother hath done wrong, thou shalt neither divulge it to others, nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence; nor flatter him therein, but shalt freely and in love, tell him of his fault. And not suffer sin upon him - Not suffer him to lie under the guilt of any sin, which thou by rebuking him, and thereby bringing him to repentance, couldst free him from. Thy neighbour - Every man, as plainly appears, By comparing this place with Lev 19:34, where this law is applied to strangers. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, Lev 20:10 Rom 13:8. As thyself - With the same sincerity, though not equality of affection. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender - This was prohibited, partly to restrain the curiosity and boldness of men, who might attempt to amend or change the works of God, partly that by the restraint here laid even upon brute - creatures men might be taught to abhor all unnatural lusts, partly to teach the Israelites to avoid mixtures with other nations, either in marriage or in religion, which also may be signified by the following prohibitions. She shall be scourged - Heb. There shall be a scourging, which probably may belong to both of them, for Both were guilty. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed was, but the paying of a ram was a small penalty and very unsuitable to the greatness of the offence. And the offering of the ram as a trespass offering for the sin against God, is not inconsistent with making satisfaction other ways for the injury done to men, but only added here as farther punishment to the man, either because he only could do this, and not the woman, who being a bondwoman had nothing of her own to offer. Or because his sex and his freedom aggravated his sin. Not put to death - Which they should have been, had she been free, Deu 22:23,24.

Shall bear his sin - That is, the punishment of it; shall not go unpunished. He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord - This is a repetition of the same sin in other words, which is common. As this law is laid down in general terms, Lev 24:15, so both the sin and the punishment are particularly expressed, Lev 24:16. All the congregation - To shew their zeal for God, and to beget in them the greater dread and abhorrence of blasphemy. He that killeth - This law is repeated here, to prevent the mischievous effects of men's striving together, which as here it caused blasphemy, so it might in others lead to murder. One law - That is, in matters of common right, but not as to church privileges. Stone him with stones - This blasphemer was the first that died by the law of Moses. Stephen the first that died for the gospel, died by the abuse of the law. The martyr and the malefactor suffered the same death; but how vast the difference between them.

Chapter V A command to remove the unclean out of the camp, ver. 1 - 4. Laws concerning restitution, ver. 5 - 10. The law concerning a woman suspected of adultery, ver. 11 - 31. That they defile not the camp - By which God would intimate the danger of being made guilty by other mens sins, and the duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men. I dwell - By my special and gracious presence. Any sin that men commit - Heb. any sins of men, that is, sins against men, as deceits or wrongs, whereby other men are injured, of which he manifestly speaks. Against the Lord - Which words may be added, to shew that such injuries done to men are also sins against God, who hath commanded justice to men, as well as religion to himself. Guilty - That is, shall be sensible of his guilt, convicted in his conscience. They shall confess their sin - They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, but give glory to God, and take shame to themselves by acknowledging it. The principal - That is, the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it. And add - Both as a compensation to the injured person for the want of his goods so long, and as a penalty upon the injurious dealer, to discourage others from such attempts. No kinsman - This supposes the person injured to be dead or gone, into some unknown place, and the person injured to be known to the injurer. To the priest - Whom God appointed as his deputy to receive his dues, and take them to his own use, that so he might more chearfully and entirely devote himself to the ministration of holy things. This is an additional explication to that law, Lev 6:2, and for the sake thereof it seems here to be repeated. Unto the priest - To offer by his hands. Every man's hallowed things - Understand this not of the sacrifices, because these were not the priest's peculiar, but part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the priest; but of such other things as were devoted to God, and could not be offered in sacrifice; as suppose a man consecrated an house to the Lord, this was to be the priest's.

Holy water - Water of purification appointed for such uses. This was used, that if she were guilty, she might be afraid to add profaneness to her other crime. An earthen vessel - Because, after this use, it was to be broken in pieces, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out as far as was possible. Dust - An emblem of vileness and misery. From the floor of the tabernacle - Which made it holy dust, and struck the greater terror into the woman, if she were guilty. Before the Lord - Before the tabernacle with her face towards the ark. Uncover her head - Partly that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God; partly in token of her sorrow for her sin, or at least for any cause of suspicion which she had given. In her hands - That she herself might offer it, and thereby call God to be witness of her innocency. Bitter - So called either from the bitter taste which the dust gave it, or from the bitter effects of it upon her, if she were guilty. That causeth the curse - Not by any natural power, but by a supernatural efficacy. By an oath - To answer truly to his question, or to declare whether she be guilty or no, and after such oath shall say as follows. An oath - That is, a form of cursing, that when they would curse a person, they may wish that they may be as miserable as thou wast. Thy thigh - A modest expression, used both in scripture, as Gen 46:26, Exo 1:5, and other authors. To rot - Heb. to fall, that is, to die or waste away. To swell - Suddenly and violently till it burst, which the Jews note was frequent in this case. And it was a clear evidence of the truth of their religion. Amen, amen - That is, so let it be if I be guilty. The word is doubled by her as an evidence of her innocency, and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to her desert. In a book - That is, in a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a book. Blot them out - Or scrape them out and cast them into the bitter water.

Blot them out - Or scrape them out and cast them into the bitter water. Whereby it was signified, that if she was innocent, the curses should be blotted out and come to nothing; and, if she were guilty, she should find in her the effects of this water which she drank, after the words of this curse had been scraped and put in. To drink - That is, after the jealousy - offering was offered. Conceive seed - That is, shall bring forth children, as the Jews say, in case of her innocency, she infallibly did, yea though she was barren before. Guiltless - Which he should not have been, if he had either indulged her in so great a wickedness, and not endeavoured to bring her to repentance or punishment, or cherished suspicions in his breast, and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast her off. Whereas now, whatsoever the consequence is, the husband shall not be censured for bringing such curses upon her, or for defaming her, if she appear to be innocent. Her iniquity - That is, the punishment of her iniquity, whether she was false to her husband, or by any light carriage gave him occasion to suspect her.

Chapter XI The punishment of the murmurers stopt by the prayer of Moses, ver. 1 - 3. The fresh murmuring of the people, ver. 4 - 6. The description of manna, ver. 7 - 9. The murmuring of Moses, ver. 10 - 16. God's answer, ver. 16 - 23. The appointment of the seventy elders, ver. 24 - 30. Quails sent with a plague, ver. 31 - 35. Complained - Or, murmured, the occasion whereof seems to be their last three days journey in a vast howling wilderness, and thereupon the remembrance of their long abode in the wilderness, and the fear of many other tedious journeys, whereby they were like to be long delayed from coming to the land of milk and honey, which they thirsted after. The fire of the Lord - A fire sent from God in an extraordinary manner, possibly from the pillar of cloud and fire, or from heaven. The uttermost parts - Either because the sin began there among the mixed multitude, or in mercy to the people, whom he would rather awaken to repentance than destroy; and therefore he sent it into the skirts and not the midst of the camp. The people - The murmurers, being penitent; or others for fear. Taberah - This fire; as it was called Kibroth - hattaavah from another occasion, Nu 11:34,35, and Num 33:16. It is no new thing in scripture for persons and places to have two names. Both these names were imposed as monuments of the peoples sin and of God's just judgment. Israel also - Whose special relation and obligation to God should have restrained them from such carriage. Flesh - This word is here taken generally so as to include fish, as the next words shew. They had indeed cattle which they brought out of Egypt, but these were reserved for breed to be carried into Canaan, and were so few that they would scarce have served them for a month. Freely - Either without price, for fish was very plentiful, and fishing was there free, or with a very small price. And this is the more probable because the Egyptians might not taste of fish, nor of the leeks and onions, which they worshipped for Gods, and therefore the Israelites, might have them upon cheap terms.

From the tabernacle - Not from the whole tabernacle, but from that part, whither it was come, to that part which was directly over the mercy - seat, where it constantly abode. Leprous - She, and not Aaron, either because she was chief in the transgression or because God would not have his worship interrupted or dishonoured, which it must have been if Aaron had been leprous. White - This kind of leprosy was the most virulent and incurable of all. It is true, when the leprosy began in a particular part, and thence spread itself over all the flesh by degrees, and at last made it all white, that was an evidence of the cure of the leprosy, Lev 13:12,13. But it was otherwise when one was suddenly smitten with this universal whiteness. Lay not the sin - Let not the guilt and punishment of this sin rest upon us, upon her in this kind, upon me in any other kind, but pray to God for the pardon and removal of it. As one dead - Because part of her flesh was putrefied and dead, and not to be restored but by the mighty power of God. Like a still - born child, that hath been for some time dead in the womb, which when it comes forth, is putrefied, and part of it consumed. Spit in her face - That is, expressed some eminent token of indignation and contempt, which was this, Job 30:10 Isa 50:6. Ashamed - And withdraw herself, from her father's presence, as Jonathan did upon a like occasion, 1Sam 20:34. So though God healed her according to Moses's request, yet he would have her publickly bear the shame of her sin, and be a warning to others to keep them from the same transgression. Journeyed not - Which was a testimony of respect to her both from God and from the people, God so ordering it, partly lest she should be overwhelmed by such a publick rebuke from God, and partly lest, she being a prophetess, the gift of prophesy should come into contempt. Paran - That is, in another part of the same wilderness.

And this typified the satisfaction that was made to God, by the death of Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, and did as it were sprinkle his own blood before the sanctuary, when he said, Into thy hands I commend my spirit! Burn the heifer - To signify the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins. Her blood - All of it, but what was spent in sprinkling. Cedar - wood, hyssop, scarlet - All which are here burnt, and as it were offered to God, that they might be sanctified to this holy use for the future; for of these kinds of things was the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled, Lev 14:4. Shall be unclean - Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, in which the priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work, and partly to shew that Christ himself, though he had no sin of his own, yet was reputed by men, and judged by God, as a sinful person, by reason of our sins which were laid upon him. For a water - Or, to the water, that is, to be put to the water, or mixed with it. Of separation - Appointed for the cleansing of them that are in a state of separation, who for their uncleanness are separated from the congregation. It is a purification for sin - Heb. a sin, that is, an offering for sin, or rather a mean for expiation or cleansing of sin. And this was a type of that purification for sin, which our Lord Jesus made by his death. The stranger - A proselyte. With it - With the water of separation. On the third day - To typify Christ's resurrection on that day by which we are cleansed or sanctified. Whosoever toucheth - If this transgression be done presumptuously; for if it was done ignorantly, he was only to offer sacrifice. Defiled - By approaching to it in his uncleanness: for holy things or places were ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing. Is upon him - He continues in his guilt, not now to be washed away by this water, but to be punished by cutting off. With a sword - Or by any other violent way.

Of names - Of persons, the share of each tribe was divided amongst the several families, to some more, to some less, according to the number of the persons of each family. And withal, if one of the portions proved too large or too little for the families and persons of that tribe, they might give part of their portion to another tribe, (as Simeon and Dan had part of Judah's share) or take away a part from the portion belonging to another tribe. By lot - For the tribes, not for the several families; for the distribution of it to them was left to the rulers wisdom according to the rule now given. Many and few - That share, which shall by lot fall to each tribe, shall be distributed to the several families and persons in such proportions as their numbers shall require. Not left a man - Only of the Levites, who being not guilty of that sin did not partake of their judgment.

Chapter XXX A general rule, vows must be performed, ver. 1 - 3. Particular exceptions, of the vow of a daughter, not allowed by the father, ver. 3 - 5. And the vow of a wife, not allowed by her husband, 6 - 16. In the days - Speedily, or without delay, allowing only convenient time for deliberation. And it is hereby intimated, that the day or time he had for disallowing her vow, was not to be reckoned from her vowing, but from his knowledge of her vow. The Lord shall forgive - Or, will forgive her not performing it. But this should be understood only of vows which could not be performed without invading the father's right; for if one should vow to forbear such, or such a sin, and all occasions or means leading to it, and to perform such, or such duties, when he had opportunity, no father can discharge him from such vows. If this law does not extend to children's marrying without the parent's consent, so far as to put it in the power of the parent, to disannul the marriage, (which some think it does) yet certainly it proves the sinfulness of such marriages, and obliges those children to repent and humble themselves before God and their parents. Widow or divorced - Though she be in her father's house, whither such persons often returned. If she vowed - If she that now a widow, or divorced, made that vow while her husband lived with her; as suppose she then vowed, that if she was a widow, she would give such a proportion of her estate to pious or charitable uses, of which vow she might repent when she came to be a widow, and might believe or repented she was free from it, because that vow was made in her husband's lifetime; this is granted, in case her husband then disallowed it; but denied, in case by silence, or otherwise he consented to it. To afflict her soul - Herself by fasting, by watching, or the like.

Greater - In number and strength and valour. Bare thee - Or, carried thee, as a father carries his weak and tender child in his arms, through difficulties and dangers, gently leading you according as you are able to go, and sustaining you by his power and goodness. Ye did not believe the Lord - So they could not enter in, because of unbelief. It was not any other sin shut them out of Canaan, but their disbelief of that promise, which was typical of gospel grace: to signify that no sin will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin against the remedy; and therefore without remedy. Your words - That is to say, your murmurings, your unthankful, impatient, distrustful and rebellious speeches. Save Caleb - Under whom Joshua is comprehended, though not here expressed, because he was not now to be one of the people, but to be set over them as a chief governor. For your sakes - Upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly. Who standeth - Who is now thy servant. As bees - As bees which being provoked come out of their hives in great numbers, and with great fury pursue their adversary and disturber.

Chapter XXIV Of Divorce, ver. 1 - 4. New - married men discharged from the war, ver. 5. Of pledges, ver. 6. 10 - 13. Of man - stealers, ver. 7. Of the leprosy, ver. 8, 9. Of daily wages, ver. 14, 15. None to be punished for another's sin, ver. 16. Of justice and mercy to the widow, fatherless and stranger, ver. 17 - 22. Some uncleanness - Some hateful thing, some distemper of body or quality of mind not observed before marriage: or some light carriage, as this phrase commonly signifies, but not amounting to adultery. Let him write - This is not a command as some of the Jews understood it, nor an allowance and approbation, but merely a permission of that practice for prevention of greater mischiefs, and this only until the time of reformation, till the coming of the Messiah when things were to return to their first institution and purest condition. May not - This is the punishment of his levity and injustice in putting her away without sufficient cause, which by this offer he now acknowledgeth. Defiled - Not absolutely, as if her second marriage were a sin, but with respect to her first husband, to whom she is as a defiled or unclean woman, that is, forbidden things; forbidden are accounted and called unclean, Jud 13:7, because they may no more be touched or used than an unclean thing. Thou shalt not cause the land to sin - Thou shalt not suffer such lightness to be practised, lest the people be polluted, and the land defiled and accursed by that means. Business - Any publick office or employment, which may cause an absence from or neglect of his wife. One year - That their affections may be firmly settled, so as there may be no occasions for the divorces last mentioned. Mill - stone - Used in their hand - mills. Under this, he understands all other things necessary to get a livelihood, the taking away whereof is against the laws both of charity and prudence, seeing by those things alone he can be enabled both to subsist and to pay his debts. Life - His livelihood, the necessary support of his life.

So he speaks here of the sun and moon and stars, which were the principal gods worshipped by the neighbouring nations. The secret things - Having mentioned the amazing judgments of God upon the whole land and people of Israel, and foreseeing the utter extirpation which would come upon them for their wickedness, he breaks out into this pathetic exclamation, either to bridle their curiosity, who would be apt to enquire into the time and manner of so great an event; or to quiet his own mind, and satisfy the scruples of others, who perceiving God to deal so severely with his own people, when in the meantime he suffered those nations which were guilty of grosser atheism and idolatry, might thence take occasion to deny his providence or question the equity of his proceedings. To this he answers, that the ways and judgments of God, tho' never unjust, are often times hidden from us, unsearchable by our shallow capacities, and matter for our admiration, not our enquiry. But the things which are revealed by God and his word, are the proper object of our enquiries, that thereby we may know our duty, and be kept from such terrible calamities as these now mentioned.

Town - wall - Which gave her the opportunity of dismissing them when the gates were shut. Upon the wall - Her particular dwelling was there: which may possibly be added, because the other part of her house was reserved for the entertainment of strangers. The mountain - That is, to some of the mountains wherewith Jericho was encompassed, in which also there were many caves where they might lurk. Three days - Not three whole days, but one whole day, and part of two days. Said - Or, had said; namely, before she let them down; it being very improbable, either that she would dismiss them before the condition was agreed on; or that she would discourse with them, or they with her, about such secret and weighty things after they were let down, when others might overhear them. Blameless - That is, free from guilt or reproach if it be violated, namely, if the following condition be not observed. Into the land - That is, over Jordan, and near the city. This line of scarlet - Probably the same with which she was about to let them down. Window - That it may be easily discerned by our soldiers. Upon his head - The blame of his death shall rest wholly upon himself, as being occasioned by his own neglect of the means of safety. Our head - We are willing to bear the sin, and shame, and punishment of it. Be upon him - So as to kill him. In the window - Forthwith, partly that the spies might see it hung out before their departure, and so the better know it at some distance; partly lest some accident might occasion a neglect about it. Three days - Supporting themselves there with the provisions, which Rahab had furnished them with. The ways - That is, in the road to Jordan, and the places near it, but not in the mountains. Passed over - Jordan unto Joshua.

Chapter VII We have here the sin of Achan in taking the accursed thing, ver. 1. The defeat of Israel before Ai, ver. 2 - 5. Joshua's humiliation and prayer, ver. 6 - 9. God's directions to him, ver. 10 - 15. The discovery, conviction, and execution of the criminal, ver. 16 - 26. The children of Israel - That is, one of them, by a very usual figure, as Matt 26:8, where that is ascribed to the disciples, which belonged to Judas only, John 12:4. Accursed thing - That is, in taking some of the forbidden and accursed goods. Zabdi - Called also Zimri, 1Chron 2:6. Zerah - Or, Zarah, who was Judah's immediate son, Gen 38:30, who went with Judah into Egypt: and so for the filling up the 256 years that are supposed to come between that and this time, we must allow Achan to be, now an old man, and his three ancestors to have begotten each his son at about sixty years of age; which at that time was not incredible nor unusual. Against the children of Israel - Why did God punish the whole society for this one man's sin All of them were punished for their own sins, whereof each had a sufficient proportion; but God took this occasion to inflict the punishment upon the society, partly because divers of them might be guilty of this sin, either by coveting what he actually did, or by concealing his fault, which it is probable could not be unknown to others; or by not sorrowing for it, and endeavoring to purge themselves from it: partly to make sin the more hateful; as being the cause of such dreadful judgments: and partly to oblige all the members of every society to be more circumspect in ordering their own actions, and more diligent to prevent the miscarriages of their brethren, which is a great benefit to them, and to the whole society. To Ai - They were not to go into the city of Ai, but into the country belonging to it, to understand the state of the place; and the people.

The name of God is a great name, above every name. And whatever happens, we ought to pray, that this may not be polluted. This should be our concern more than any thing else: on this we should fix our eye: and we cannot urge a better plea than this, Lord, what wilt thou do for thy great name Let God in all be glorified, and then welcome his whole will! Upon thy face - This business is not to be done by inactive supplication, but by vigorous endeavours for reformation. Israel - Some or one of them. Transgressed my covenant - That is, broken the conditions of my covenant which they have promised to perform, whereof this was one, not to meddle with the accursed thing. Stolen - That is, taken my portion which I had reserved, Josh 6:19. Dissembled - Covered the fact with deep dissimulation. Possibly Achan might be suspected, and being accused, had denied it. Among their own stuff - Converted it to their own use, and added obstinacy to the crime. Were accursed - They have put themselves out of my protection, and therefore are liable to the same destruction which belongs to this accursed people. Sanctify yourselves - Purify yourselves from that defilement which you have all in some sort contracted by this accursed fact, and prepare yourselves to appear before the Lord, expecting the sentence of God for the discovery and punishment of the sin, and that the guilty person might hereby be awakened, and brought to a free confession of his fault. And it is a marvellous thing that Achan did not on this occasion acknowledge his crime; but this is to be imputed to the heart - hardening power of sin, which makes men, grow worse and worse; to his pride, being loath to take to himself the shame of such a mischievous and infamous action; and to his vain conceit, whereby he might think others were guilty as well as he, and some of them might be taken, and he escape. The Lord taketh - Which shall be declared guilty by the lot, which is disposed by the Lord, Prov 16:33, and which was to be cast in the Lord's presence before the ark. Of such use of lots, see 1Sam 14:41,42 Jon 1:7 Acts 1:26. Shall be burnt with fire - As persons and things accursed were to be.

If it be pretended that some of them were infants; the text doth not say so, but only calls them sons and daughters. And considering that Achan was an old man, as is most probable, because he was the fifth person from Judah, it seems most likely, that the children were grown up, and so capable of knowing, and concealing, or discovering this fact. His oxen, and his asses, and his sheep - Which, though not capable of sin, nor of punishment, properly so called, yet as they were made for man's use, so they are rightly destroyed for man's good; and being daily killed for our bodily food, it cannot seem strange to kill them for the instruction of our minds, that hereby we might learn the contagious nature of sin, which involves innocent creatures in its plagues; and how much sorer punishments are reserved for man, who having a law given to him, and that excellent gift of reason and will to restrain him from the transgressions of it, his guilt must needs be unspeakably greater, and therefore his sufferings more severe and terrible. Farther, by this enumeration it appears, that he had no colour of necessity to induce him to this fact. With stones - And burned him with fire; which is easily understood both out of the following words, and from God's command to do so. They were stoned (which was the punishment of such offenders, Lev 24:14 Numb 15:35,) and not burned to death; but God would have their dead carcases burned to shew his utmost detestation of such persons as break forth into sins of such a public scandal and mischief. A great heap of stones - As a monument of the sin and judgment here mentioned, that others might be warned by the example; and as a brand of infamy, as Josh 8:29 2Sam 18:17. The valley of Achor - Or, the valley of trouble, from the double trouble expressed, Jos 7:25.

Chapter VI The calamities of Israel by the Midianites, ver. 1 - 6. The message God sent them by a prophet, ver. 7 - 10. God's commission to Gideon, confirmed by a sign, ver. 11 - 24. He breaks down the altar of Baal, ver. 25 - 32. The preparation for war, and encouragement by another sign, ver. 33 - 40. Of Midian - For although the generality of the Midianites had been cut off by Moses about two hundred years ago, yet many of them doubtless fled into the neighbouring countries, whence afterwards they returned into their own land, and in that time might easily grow to be a very great number; especially, when God furthered their increase, that they might be a scourge for Israel when they transgressed. Let all that sin, expect to suffer: let all that turn to folly, expect to return to misery. Children of the east - That is, the Arabians, who are commonly called the children of the east. Not all the Arabians; but the eastern part of them. Unto Gaza - That is, from the east, on which side they entered, to the well, where Gaza was, near the sea: so they destroyed the whole land. Without number - That is, so many that it was not easy to number them. And not in a regular army to engage, but in a confused swarm, to plunder the country. Yet Israel, being forsaken of God, had not spirit to make head against them; God fighting against them with those very terrors, with which otherwise he would have fought for them. A prophet - We have reason to hope, God is designing mercy for us, if we find he is by his grace preparing us for it. Not obeyed my voice - He intends to bring them to repentance. And our repentance is then genuine, when he sinfulness of sin, as disobedience to God, is that in it which we chiefly lament. In Ophrah - In Manasseh: there was another Ophrah in Benjamin, Josh 18:23. The Abi - ezrite - Of the posterity of Abiezer. Threshed - Not with oxen, as the manner was, Deut 25:4, but with a staff to prevent discovery. Wine - press - In the place where the wine - press stood, not in the common floor. Is with thee - That is, will assist thee against thine enemies.

Do thou unto us - Do not give us up into the hands of these cruel men, but do thou chastise us with thine own hand as much as thou pleasest; if we be not more faithful and constant to thee, than we have hitherto been. They put away - This was an evidence of the sincerity of their sorrow, that they did not only confess their sins, but also forsake them. His soul, &c. - He acted towards them, like one that felt their sufferings; he had pity upon them, quite changed his carriage towards them, and punished their enemies as sorely as if they had grieved and injured his own person. Mizpeh - That Mizpeh which was beyond Jordan.

But first, It is probable, that Samson had in some measure repented of his sin, and begged of God pardon and assistance. This singular strength and courage was not in itself a grace, but a gift, and it was such a gift as did not so much depend on the disposition of his mind, but on the right ordering of his body, by the rule given to him, and others of that order. Loved - Probably as an harlot: because the dreadful punishment now inflicted upon Samson for this sin, whom God spared for the first offence, is an intimation, that this sin was not inferior to the former. The lords - The lords of their five principal cities, who were leagued together against him as their common enemy. Afflict - To chastise him for his injuries done to us. They mean to punish him severely, but they express it in mild words, lest it might move her to pity him. Pieces of silver - Shekels, as that phrase is commonly used. Samson said - Samson is guilty both of the sin of lying, and of great folly in encouraging her enquiries, which he should at first have checked: but as he had forsaken God, so God had now forsaken him, otherwise the frequent repetition and vehement urging of this question might easily have raised suspicion in him. With her - That is, in a secret chamber within her call. Nor is it strange that they did not fall upon him in his sleep, because they expected an opportunity for doing their work more certainly, and with less danger. Web - Or, thread which is woven about a weaver's loom: or, with a weaver's beam. If my hair, which is all divided into seven locks, be fastened about a weaver's beam; or interwoven with weaver's threads: then I shall be weak as another man. Not with me - Not open to me. Vexed - Being tormented by two contrary passions, desire to gratify her, and fear of betraying himself. So that he had no pleasure of his life.

Chapter XVIII The Danish spies call at Micah's house, ver. 1 - 6. The report they bring back, ver. 7 - 10. The Danites send forces, who by the way plunder Micah of his gods, ver. 11 - 26. They take Laish and set up idolatry there, ver. 27 - 31. Those days - Not long after Joshua's death. The tribe - A part of that tribe, consisting only of six hundred men of war, with their families, ver.16,21. Inheritance - The lot had fallen to them before this time, but not the actual possession, because the Philistines and Amorites opposed them. There - Not in the same house, but near it. Knew - By the acquaintance which some of them formerly had with him. Ask - By thine Ephod, and Teraphim, or images, which they knew he had, ver.14. Before the Lord - That is, your design is under the eye of God; that is, under his care, protection and direction. This answer he either feigns to gratify their humour; or, did indeed receive from the devil, who transformed himself into an angel of light, and in God's name gave him answers, and those not sometimes very true, which God suffered for the trial of his people. But it is observable, his answer was, as the devil's oracles usually were, ambiguous, and such as might have been interpreted either way. Manner of the Zidonians - Who living in a very strong place, and abounding in wealth, and perceiving that the Israelites never attempted anything against them, were grown secure and careless. Put to shame - Or, that might rebuke or punish any thing, that is, any crime. Putting to shame seems to be used for inflicting civil punishment, because shame is generally the effect of it. Zidonians - Who otherwise could have succoured them, and would have been ready to do it. No business - No league or confederacy, nor much converse with other cities, it being in a pleasant and plentiful soil, between the two rivulets of Jor and Dan, not needing supplies from others, and therefore minding only their own ease and pleasure. Given - This they gather partly from God's promise which they supposed they had from the Levite's mouth; and partly from his providence, which had so disposed them, that they would be an easy prey.

Chapter II Providence directs Ruth to glean in Boaz's field, ver. 1 - 3. The favour which Boaz shewed her, ver. 4 - 16. Her return to Naomi, ver. 17 - 23. Glean - Which was permitted to the poor, and the stranger, Deut 24:19, nor was she ashamed to confess her poverty, nor would she eat the bread of idleness. In whose sight - For though it was their duty to permit this, yet she thought it might perhaps be denied her; at least, that it became her modestly and humbly to acknowledge their kindness herein. Her hap - It was a chance in reference to second causes, but ordered by God's providence. God wisely orders small events, even those that seem altogether contingent. Many a great affair is brought about by a little turn, fortuitous as to men, but designed by God. Said, &c - They expressed their piety, even in their civil conversation, and worldly transactions; which now so many are ashamed of. I pray - She did not boldly intrude herself, but modestly ask leave of us. 'Till now - She is not retired through idleness, for she hath been diligent and constant in her labours. The house - In the little house or tent, which was set up in the fields at these times, and was necessary in those hot countries, where the labourers might retire for a little repose or repast. Being weary with her continued labours, she comes hither to take a little rest. Maidens - Not by the young men, to avoid both occasion of sin, and matter of scandal. Herein he shews his piety and prudence. Touch - So as to offer any incivility or injury to thee. Fell - This was the humblest posture of reverence, either civil when performed to men, or religious, when to God. Take knowledge - That is, shew any respect and kindness to me. Wings - That is, protection and care. An allusion either to hens, which protect and cherish their young ones under their wings; or to the wings of the Cherubim, between which God dwelt.

A man - That is, such a man as will fulfil all the desires of his heart, and not oppose them, as thou dost. Commanded - That is, hath appointed, as the word command is sometimes used: but though God threatened but Saul with the loss of his kingdom for his sin; yet it is not improbable, there was a tacit condition implied, to wit, if he did not repent of this; and of all his sins; for the full, and final, and peremptory sentence of Saul's rejection, is plainly ascribed to another cause, chap.15:11,23,26,28,29, and 'till that second offence, neither the spirit of the Lord departed from him, nor was David anointed in his stead. "But was it not hard, to punish so little a sin so severely" It was not little: disobedience to an express command, tho' in a small matter, is a great provocation. And indeed, there is no little sin, because there is no little god to sin against. In general, what to men seems a small offence, to him who knows the heart may appear a heinous crime. We are taught hereby, how necessary it is, that we wait on our God continually. For Saul is sentenced to lose his kingdom for want of two or three hours patience. Philistines - Not to the land of the Philistines, but to the stations and garrisons which the Philistines retained in several parts of Israel's land, though Samuel's authority had so far over - awed them, that they durst not give the Israelites much disturbance. In these, therefore, the Philistines kept all the smiths; and here they allowed them the exercise of their art for the uses following. Sword - It seems restrained to the six hundred that were with Saul and Jonathan; for there were no doubt a considerable number of swords and spears among the Israelites, but they generally hid them, as now they did their persons, from the Philistines. And the Philistines had not yet attained to so great a power over them, as wholly to disarm them, but thought it sufficient to prevent the making of new arms; knowing that the old ones would shortly be decayed, and useless. There were likewise other arms more common in those times and places, than swords and spears; to wit, bows and arrows, and slings and stones. Chapter XIV

Kenites - A people descending from, or nearly related to Jethro, who anciently dwelt in rocks near the Amalekites, Numb 24:21, and afterwards some of them dwelt in Judah, Judg 1:16, whence it is probable they removed, (which, dwelling in tents, they could easily do) and retired to their old habitation, because of the wars and troubles wherewith Judah was annoyed. Shewed kindness - Some of your progenitors did so, and for their sakes all of you shall fare the better. You were not guilty of that sin for which Amalek is now to be destroyed. When destroying judgments are abroad God takes care to separate the precious from the vile. It is then especially dangerous to be found in the company of God's enemies. The Jews have a saying, Wo to a wicked man, and to his neighbour. To Shur - That is, from one end of their country to the other; he smote all that he met with: but a great number of them fled away upon the noise of his coming, and secured themselves in other places, 'till the storm was over. All - Whom he found. Now they paid dear for the sin of their ancestors. They were themselves guilty of idolatry and numberless sins, for which they deserved to be cut off. Yet when God would reckon with them, he fixes upon this as the ground of his quarrel. Vile - Thus they obeyed God only so far as they could without inconvenience to themselves. Repenteth - Repentance implies grief of heart, and change of counsels, and therefore cannot be in God: but it is ascribed to God when God alters his method of dealing, and treats a person as if be did indeed repent of the kindness he had shewed him. All night - To implore his pardoning mercy for Saul, and for the people. Is turned back - Therefore he did once follow God. Otherwise it would have been impossible, he should turn back from following him. A place - That is, a monument or trophy of his victory. They - That is, the people. Thus, he lays the blame upon the people; whereas they could not do it without his consent; and he should have used his power to over - rule them.

not only of the present life, but of that which is to come, even the happiness of departed souls, and therefore use it commonly, as an inscription on their grave - stones. "Here we have laid the body, trusting the soul is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord." Sling out - God himself will cut them off suddenly, violently, and irresistibly; and cast them far away; both from his presence, and from thy neighbourhood, and from all capacity of doing thee hurt. No grief - The mind and conscience will be free from all the torment which such an action would cause in thee. By which, she intimates, what a blemish this would be to his glory, what a disturbance to his peace, if he proceeded to execute his purpose: and withal implies, how comfortable it would be to him to remember, that he had for conscience to God, restrained his passions. Causeless - Which she signifies would be done if he should go on. For though Nabal had been guilty of abominable rudeness, and ingratitude; yet he had done nothing worthy of death, by the laws of God or of man. And whatsoever he had done, the rest of his family were innocent. Avenged - Which is directly contrary to God's law, Levit 19:18 Deut 32:35. Then - When God shall make thee king, let me find grace in thy sight. The Lord - Who by his gracious providence so disposed matters, that thou shouldst come to me: He rightly begins at the fountain of his deliverance; and then proceeds to the instruments. From coming, &c. - Which I had sworn to do. Hereby it plainly appears, that oaths whereby men bind themselves to any sin, are null and void: and as it was a sin to make them; so it is adding sin to sin to perform them. Accepted - That is, shewed my acceptance of thy person, by my grant of thy request. A feast - As the manner was upon those solemn occasions. Sordid covetousness, and vain prodigality were met together in him. Told nothing - As he was then incapable of admonition, his reason and conscience being both asleep. His heart died - He fainted away through the fear and horror of so great a mischief though it was past.

To this day - This, and some such clauses seem to have been added, after the main substance of the several books was written. Amalekites - The remnant of those whom Saul destroyed, chap.15:3 - 9, who retired into remote and desert places. Let neither man, &c. - In that part where he came: but there were more of the Amalekites yet left in another part of that land. David - These and the following words are ambiguous, and contrary to that simplicity which became David, both as a prince, and as an eminent professor of the true religion. The fidelity of Achish to him, and the confidence he put in him, aggravates his sin in thus deceiving him, which David seems penitently to reflect on, when he prays, Remove from me the way of lying. Chapter XXVIII

- To whom doth this whole land belong, but to thee Is it not thine by Divine right Ishbosheth - Whose consent was necessary, both to take her away from her present husband, and to persuade her to return to David. Hereby also David opened to him a door of hope for his reconciliation, lest being desperate he should hinder Abner in his present design. My wife - Who, though she was taken from me by force, and constrained to marry another, yet is my rightful wife. David demands her, both for the affection he still retained to her, and upon a political consideration that she might strengthen his title to the kingdom. Benjamin - To these he particularly applies himself, because they might be thought most kind to Saul and his house, and most loath to let the kingdom go out of their own tribe; and therefore it was necessary that he should use all his art and power with them, to persuade them to a compliance with his design; and besides, they were a valiant tribe, and bordering upon Judah, and situate between them and the other tribes; and therefore the winning of them, would be of mighty concernment to bring in all the rest. A troop - Of robbers, or Philistines, who taking advantage of the discord between the houses of Saul and David, made inroads into Judah. Let it, &c. - But would not a resolute punishment of the murderer himself have become David better, than this passionate imprecation on his posterity Abishai - For though Joab only committed the murder, yet Abishai was guilty of it, because it was done with his consent, and counsel, and approbation. In battle - Which he did for his own necessary defence; and therefore it was no justification of this treacherous murder. Joab - Him he especially obliged to it, to bring him to repentance for his sin, and to expose him to public shame. Followed - That is, attending upon his corps, and paying him that respect which was due to his quality. Though this was against the usage of kings, and might seem below David's dignity; yet it was now expedient to vindicate himself from all suspicion of concurrence in this action. As a fool - That is, as a wicked man.

Chapter XI David commits adultery with Bathsheba, ver. 1 - 5. Endeavours to father the child upon Uriah, ver. 6 - 13. Contrives the death of Uriah, ver. 14 - 25. Marries Bathsheba, ver. 26, 27. After - When that year ended, and the next begun, which was in the spring time. When kings - Which is, when the ground is fit for the march of soldiers, and brings forth provision for man and beast. Tarried at Jerusalem - Had he been now in his post, at the head of his forces be had been out of the way of temptation. Arose from off his bed - Where he had lain, and slept for some time. And the bed of sloth often proves the bed of lust. Washing herself - In a bath, which was in her garden. Probably from some ceremonial pollution. He inquired - Instead of suppressing that desire which the sight of his eyes had kindled, he seeks rather to feed it; and first enquires who she was; that if she were unmarried, he might make her either his wife or his concubine. Took her - From her own house into his palace, not by force, but by persuasion. Lay with her - See how all the way to sin is down hill! When men begin, they cannot soon stop themselves. Go down - Not doubting but he would there converse with his wife, and so cover their sin and shame. The servants - With the king's guard. This he did, by the secret direction of God's wise providence, who would bring David's sin to light. Camest - Wearied with hard service and travel, nor did I expect or desire that thou shouldest now attend upon my person, or keep the watch. The ark - This it seems, was now carried with them for their encouragement and direction, as was usual. Fields - In tents which are in the fields. His meaning is, now, when God's people are in a doubtful and dangerous condition, it becomes me to sympathize with them, and to abstain even from lawful delights. He arose - So far is David from repenting, that he seeks to cover one sin with another. How are the beginnings of sin to be dreaded! For who knows where it will end David hath sinned, therefore Uriah must die!

For who knows where it will end David hath sinned, therefore Uriah must die! That innocent, valiant, gallant man, who was ready to die for his prince's honour, must die by his prince's hand! See how fleshly lusts war against the soul, and what devastations they make in that war! How they blind the eyes, fear the conscience, harden the heart, and destroy all sense of honour and justice! The mourning - Which was seven days. Nor could the nature of the thing admit of longer delay, lest the too early birth of the child might discover David's sin. Bare a son - By which it appears, That David continued in the state of impenitency for divers months together; and this notwithstanding his frequent attendance upon God's ordinances. Which is an eminent instance of the corruption of man's nature, of the deceitfulness of sin, and of the tremendous judgment of God in punishing one sin, by delivering a man up to another.

Chapter XIII Amnon ravishes Tamar, ver. 1 - 20. Absalom kills him, ver. 21 - 29. David mourns: Absalom flees to Geshur, ver. 30 - 39. A sister - His sister by father and mother. A virgin - And therefore diligently kept, so he could not get private converse with her. My sister - So he calls her, to prevent the suspicion of any dishonest design upon so near a relation. At her hand - Pretending, his stomach was so nice, that he could eat nothing but what he saw dressed, and that by a person whom he much esteemed. Out - Out of the frying - pan into the dish. Chamber - Amnon lying upon his couch in one chamber where the company were with him, where also she made the cakes before him, first sends all out of that room, and then rises from his couch, and, upon some pretence, goes into another secret chamber. Brother - Whom nature both teaches to abhor such thoughts and obliges to defend me from such a mischief with thy utmost hazard, if another should attempt it. Force - Thou shouldst abhor it, if I were willing; but to add violence, is abominable. Israel - Among God's people who are taught better things; who also will be infinitely reproached for such a base action. Shame - How can I either endure or avoid the shame Fools - That is, contemptible to all the people, whereas now thou art heir apparent of the crown. Withhold - This she spoke, because she thought her royal father would dispense with it, upon this extraordinary occasion, to save his first - born son's life: Hated her - By the just judgment of God both upon Amnon and David, that so the sin might be made publick, and way for the succeeding tragedies. No cause - For me to go. Greater thou the other - This she might truly say, because though the other was in itself a greater sin, yet this was an act of greater cruelty, and a greater calamity to her because it exposed her to publick infamy and contempt, and besides, it turned a private offence into a publick scandal, to the great dishonour of God and of his people, and especially of all the royal family. Garment - Of embroidered work.

Garment - Of embroidered work. Put ashes - To signify her grief for some calamity which had befallen her, and what that was, concurring circumstances easily discovered. Head - In token of grief and shame, as if she were unable and ashamed to shew her face. Crying - To manifest her abhorrency of the fact, and that it was not done by her consent. Been with thee - Behold, and imitate the modesty of scripture expressions. Brother - Wherefore thou must forgive and forgot the injury; therefore thy disgracing of him will be a blot to us all; therefore thou wilt not get right from David against him, because he is as near and dear to him as thou; therefore thy dishonour is the less, because thou wast not abused by any mean person, but by a king's son; therefore this evil must be borne, because it cannot be revenged: and thus he covers his design of taking vengeance upon him at the first opportunity. Regard not - So as to torment thyself. Desolate - Through shame and dejection of mind, giving her self up to solitude and retirement. Wroth - With Amnon: whom yet he did not punish, at least so severely as he should either from the consciousness of his own guilt in the like kind; or, from that foolish indulgence which he often shewed to his children. Spake - That is, he said nothing at all to him, about that business. He neither debated it with him, nor threatened him for it; but seemed willing to pass it by with brotherly kindness. If he had wholly forborne all discourse with him, it would have raised jealousies in Amnon and David. Two years - This circumstance of time is noted, as an aggravation of Absalom's malice, which was so implacable: and as an act of policy, that both Amnon and David might more securely comply with his desires. Let Amnon - For the king designed (as the following words shew) to keep him at home with him, as being his eldest son, and heir of his kingdom: otherwise Absalom would never have made particular mention of him; which now he was forced to do.

Chapter XVIII David prepares to engage the rebels, ver. 1 - 5. The total defeat of Absalom, ver. 6 - 8. His death and burial, ver. 9 - 18. The news brought to David, ver. 19 - 32. His lamentation over Absalom, ver. 33. Deal gently - If you conquer (which be presaged they would by God's gracious answer to his prayer for the turning of Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness,) take him prisoner, but do not kill him. Which desire proceeded, from his great indulgence towards his children: from his consciousness that he himself was the meritorious cause of this rebellion, Absalom being given up to it for the punishment of David's sins; from the consideration of his youth, which commonly makes men foolish, and subject to ill counsels: and from his piety, being loth that he should be cut off in the act of his sin without any space for repentance. But ''what means, says Bp. Hall, this ill - placed mercy Deal gently with a traitor Of all traitors with a son And all this for thy sake, whose crown, whose blood he hunts after Even in the holiest parents nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness. But was not this done in type of that unmeasurable mercy, of the true King of Israel, who prayed for his murderers, Father, forgive them! Deal gently with them for my sake!" Yea, when God sends an affliction to correct his children, it is with this charge, deal gently with them for my sake: for he knows our frame.

And the reason why these matters are put here out of their proper order, is plainly this, because David's sin being once related, it was very convenient that David's punishments should immediately succeed: this being very frequent in scripture - story, to put those things together which belong to one matter, though they happened at several times. He flew - Which was not only an act of cruelty, but also of perfidiousness, because it was a public violation of that solemn oath given to them by Joshua and the princes, in the name of all the Israelites, of that and succeeding generations. "But why did not God punish Saul whilst he was alive for this, but his children, and the Israelites of this age" First, God did severely punish Saul for this and his other sins. Secondly, as God may justly inflict temporal punishments upon any offender, either in his person, or in his posterity, when he pleaseth; so it is meet he should take his own time for it; and it is folly in us to quarrel with God for so doing. Thirdly, the Israelites might sundry ways make themselves guilty of Saul's sin, tho' it be not particularly mentioned, advising or encouraging him to it; or, assisting him in the execution of it. And whereas many of the people were probably innocent of that crime, yet they also were guilty of many other sins, for which God might punish them, though he took this occasion for it. Sought - That is, he sought how he might cut them off with some colour of justice, aggravating their faults, and punishing them worse than they deserved; oppressing them with excessive labours, and intending by degrees to wear them out. I will - Having doubtless consulted God in the matter; who as he had before declared Saul's bloody house to be the causes of this judgment, so now commanded that justice should be done upon it, and that the remaining branches of it should be cut off; as sufficiently appears from hence, that God was well pleased with the action; which he would not have been, if David had done it without his command; for then it had been a sinful action of David's, and contrary to a double law of God, Deut 21:23 24:16.

Solomon - To whose ears this had come. Shishak - Solomon's brother - in - law, who yet might be jealous of him, or alienated from him, because he had taken so many other wives to his sister, might cast a greedy eye upon the great riches which Solomon had amassed together, and upon which, presently after Solomon's death, he laid violent hands, 2Chron 12:9. The book - In the publick records, where the lives and actions of kings were registered from time to time, so this was only a political, not a sacred book. Forty years - His reign was as long as his father's, but not his life; sin shortened his days. Slept - This expression is promiscuously used concerning good and bad; and signifies only, that they died as their fathers did. But did he repent before he died This seems to be put out of dispute by the book of Ecclesiastes; written after his fall; as is evident, not only from the unanimous testimony of the Hebrew writers, but also, from the whole strain of that book, which was written long after he had finished all his works, and after he had liberally drunk of all sorts of sensual pleasures, and sadly experienced the bitter effects of his love of women, Eccles 7:17, &c. which makes it more than probable, that as David writ Psalm 51:1 - 19. So Solomon wrote this book as a publick testimony and profession of his repentance.

A prophet - One to whom, and by whom God did sometimes impart his mind; as it is manifest from ver.20, 21, and one that had a respect to the Lord's holy prophets, and gave credit to their predictions: but whether he was a good man, may be doubted, seeing we find him in a downright lie, ver.18. And altho' an holy prophet may possibly have continued in the kingdom of Israel, he would never have gone from his own habitation, to dwell at Beth - el, the chief seat of idolatry, unless with design to preach against it: which it is evident he did not; his sons seem to have been present at, and, and to have joined with others in that idolatrous worship. Cried - With a loud voice, the effect of his passion, both for his own guilt and shame, and for the prophet's approaching misery. Shall not, &c. - Thou shalt not die a natural, but a violent death; and that in this journey, before thou returnest to thy native habitation. But is it not strange that the lying prophet escapes, while the man of God is so severely punished Certainly there must be a judgment to come, when these things shall be called over again, and when those who sinned most and suffered least in this world, will receive according to their works. Saddled for him - But, it is observable, he doth not accompany him; his guilty conscience making him fear to be involved in the same judgment with him. Slew him - But why doth God punish a good man so severely for so small an offence His sin was not small, for it was a gross disobedience to a positive command. And it cannot seem strange if God should bring his deserved death upon him in this manner, for the accomplishment of his own glorious designs, to vindicate his own justice from the imputation of partiality; to assure the truth of his predictions, and thereby provoke Jeroboam and his idolatrous followers to repentance; and to justify himself in all his dreadful judgments which he intended to inflict upon Jeroboam's house, and the whole kingdom of Israel. He found, &c.

After this - That is, after all these things: the singular number put for the plural; after so many, and evident, and successive miracles. Made again - He abated not so much as a circumstance in his idolatrous worship. Whosoever - Without any respect to tribe or family, or integrity of body, or mind, or life; all which were to be regarded in the priesthood. Sin - Either, an occasion of sin, and means of hardening all his posterity in their idolatry: or, a punishment, for so the word sin is often used. This his obstinate continuance in his idolatry, after such warnings, was the utter ruin of all his family. They betray themselves effectually, who endeavour to support themselves by any sin.

- By his invention, and making the occasion of their sin, the calves; by his example, encouraging those and only those that worshipped the calves; and by his authority requiring and compelling them to do it. This is mentioned as a monstrous aggravation of his wickedness, that he was not content with his own sin, but was the great author of drawing others into sin, and of corrupting and undoing the whole kingdom, which therefore God would never forgive him, but upon all occasions mentions him with this eternal brand of infamy upon him. Tirzah - An ancient and royal city, in a pleasant place, where the kings of Israel had a palace, whither Jeroboam was now removed from Shechem, either for his pleasure, or for his son's recovery, by the healthfulness of the place. The threshold - Of the king's house, which probably was upon, or by the wall of the city, and near the gate. Mourned - And justly: not only for the loss of an hopeful prince, but because his death plucked up the floodgates, at which an inundation of judgments broke in. The chronicles - not that canonical book of chronicles; for that was written long after this book: but a book of civil records, the annals, wherein all remarkable passages were recorded by the king's command from day to day; out of which the sacred penman by the direction of God's spirit, took those passages which were most useful for God's honour, and mens edification. Forty one years - Therefore he was born a year before Solomon was king, as appears from chap.11:42, this is noted as an aggravation of Rehoboam's folly, that he was old enough to have been wiser. An Ammonitess - A people cursed by God, and shut out of the congregation of his people for ever. This is observed as one cause both of God's displeasure in punishing Solomon with such a son, and of Rehoboam's apostacy after his three first years, 2Chron 11:17. None can imagine how fatal and how lasting are the consequence of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. In the sight of the Lord - In contempt and defiance of him, and the tokens of his special presence. Jealousy - As the adulterous wife provokes her husband, by breaking the marriage covenant.

In walking, &c. - This he might do, either before his reign, in the whole course of his life, which is justly charged upon him, because of his impenitency: or during his short reign; in which, he had time enough to publish his intentions, about the worship of the calves; or to sacrifice to them, for his good success. Were divided - Fell into a civil war: yet neither this, nor any other of God's dreadful judgments could win them to repentance. Prevailed - Partly, because they had the army on their side; and principally, by the appointment of God, giving up the Israelites to him who was much the worst, ver.25,26. Died - A violent death, in the battle: but not till after a struggle of some years. But why in all these confusions of the kingdom of Israel, did they never think of returning to the house of David Probably because the kings of Judah assumed a more absolute power than the kings of Israel. It was the heaviness of the yoke that they complained of, when they first revolted from the house of David. And it is not unlikely, the dread of that made them averse to it ever after. Twelve years - That is, and he reigned twelve years, not from this thirty - first year of Asa, for he died in his thirty - eighth year, ver.29, but from the beginning of his reign, which was in Asa's twenty - seventh year, ver.15,16. So he reigned four years in a state of war with Tibni, and eight years peaceably. Two talents - Two talents is something more than seven hundred pounds. Did worse - Perhaps he made severer laws concerning the calf worship; whence we read of the statutes of Omri, Micah 6:16. A light thing - The Hebrew runs, was it a light thing, &c, that is, was this but a small sin, that therefore he needed to add more abominations Where the question, as is usual among the Hebrews, implies a strong denial; and intimates, that this was no small sin, but a great crime; and might have satisfied his wicked mind, without any additions. Jezebel - A woman infamous for her idolatry, and cruelty, and sorcery, and filthiness. Eth - baal - Called Ithbalus, or Itobalus in heathen writers. So she was of an heathenish and idolatrous race.

Saying - Thou hast murdered an innocent man; and instead of repenting for it, hast added another piece of injustice and violence to it, and art going confidently and chearfully to reap the fruit of thy wickedness. Thy blood - The threatening was so directed at first; but afterwards, upon his humiliation, the punishment was transferred from him to his son, as is expressed, ver.29, yet upon Ahab's returning to sin, in the next chapter, he brings back the curse upon himself, and so it is no wonder if it be in some sort fulfilled in him also. Hast thou found - Dost thou pursue me from place to place Wilt thou never let me rest Art thou come after me hither with thy unwelcome messages Thou art always disturbing, threatening, and opposing me. I have - The hand of God hath found and overtaken thee. Sold thyself - Thou hast wholly resigned up thyself to be the bondslave of the devil, as a man that sells himself to another is totally in his master's power. To work evil, &c. - Impudently and contemptuously. Those who give themselves up to sin will certainly be found out, sooner or later, to their unspeakable amazement. By the wall - Or, in the portion, as it is explained 2Kings 9:36. Him that dieth, &c. - Punishments after death are here most insisted on. And these, tho' lighting on the body only, yet undoubtedly were designed as figures of the soul's misery in an after state. Was none - None among all the kings of Israel which had been before him. Whom Jezebel - This is added to shew, that temptations to sin are no excuse to the sinner. Softly - Slowly and silently, after the manner of mourners, or those who are under a great consternation. Humbleth himself - His humiliation was real, though not lasting, and accordingly pleasing to God. This discovers the great goodness of God, and his readiness to shew mercy. It teaches us to take notice of that which is good, even in the worst of men. It gives a reason why wicked persons often prosper: God rewards what little good is in them. And it encourages true penitents. If even Ahab goes to his house reprieved, doubtless they shall go to their houses justified.

For what altar could be built of the earth which two mules could carry into Syria Unless they were as large and as strong as Elephants. Rimmon - A Syrian idol, called here by the LXX, Remman, and Acts 7:43, Remphan. My hand - Or, arm, upon which, the king leaned, either for state, or for support. Gehazi - One would expect Elisha's servant should have been a saint: but we find him far otherwise. The best men, the best ministers, have often had those about them, that were their grief and shame. This Syrian - A stranger, and one of that nation who are the implacable enemies of God's people. As the Lord - He swears, that he might have some pretence for the action to which he had bound himself by his oath; not considering, that to swear to do any wicked action, is so far from excusing it, that it makes it much worse. Urged him - Who at first refused it upon a pretence of modesty. Olive yards, &c. - Which Gehazi intended to purchase with this money: and therefore the prophet names them, to inform him, that he exactly knew, not only his outward actions, but even his most secret intentions. What a folly is it, to presume upon sin in hopes of secrecy When thou goest aside into any bye - path, doth not thy own conscience go with thee Nay, doth not the eye of God go with thee What then avails the absence of human witnesses For ever - That is, for some generations; as that word is often used and as may be thought by comparing this with Exod 20:55. () White - Which is the worst kind of leprosy, and noted by physicians to be incurable. Those who get money by any way displeasing to God, make a dear purchase. What was Gehazi profited by his two talents, when he lost his health, if not his soul, forever

Drave - He not only dissuaded, but kept then, by force from God's worship at Jerusalem, the only place appointed for it. A great sin - So the worship of the calves is called, to meet with that idle conceit of the Israelites, who esteemed it a small sin, especially when they were forced to it by severe penalties; which yet he shews did not excuse it from being a sin, and a great sin too. Therefore - For their gross neglect, and contempt of God, which was contrary to the principles and practices of the Heathens, who used to worship the gods of the nations where they lived, and gave that honour to their false Gods, which here they denied to the true. Hereby also God asserted his own sovereignty over that land, and made them to understand, that neither the Israelites were cast out, nor they brought in by their valour, or strength, but by God's providence, who as he had cast the Israelites out for their neglect of God's service; so both could, and would in his due time, turn them out also, if they were guilty of the same sins. Taught them - The manner of God's worship, as it was practised in Israel; as may be gathered both from the quality of this person, who was an Israelitish priest; and from the place of his residence, Beth - el, a place infamous for the worship of the calves, and from the manner of their making priests by this man's direction. Sacrificed - Unto the true God: for as to the worship of their own gods, they needed no instruction, and would not permit a person of another religion to minister therein. They feared - They worshipped God externally in that way which the Israelites used. But every nation made gods of their own besides. Unto this day - That is, till the time when this book was written, above three hundred years in all, till the time of Alexander the Great, when they were prevailed upon to call away their idols. Former manners - As the Israelites before their captivity, gave these nations an ill example, in serving the Lord, and Baal together; so, or after their former manner, they do unto this day, in the land of their captivity.

Blood - The blood of those prophets and righteous men who either reproved his sinful practices, or refused to comply with his wicked commands. His sin - His idolatry, which is called sin, by way of eminency. The tradition of the Jews is, that he caused Isaiah in particular to be sawn asunder. Garden - Not in the sepulchre of the kings; probably, by his own choice and command, as a lasting testimony of his sincere repentance and abhorrence of himself for his former crime. He walked, &c. - He revived that idolatry which Manasseh in the latter end of his reign had put down. Those who set bad examples, if they repent themselves, cannot be sure that they whom their example has drawn into sin will repent. It is often otherwise.

Thus should every year begin with the reformation of what is amiss, and the purging away of all the defilements contracted the foregoing year. Sanctified - Tho' the vessels of the sanctuary may be profaned for a while, God will find a time and a way to sanctify them. Neither his ordinances nor his obedient people, shall be suffered to fail forever. Seven - The number seven is customary in sacred matters, and is here used in regard of the vast numbers and various kinds of sins, the guilt whereof yet lay upon the kingdom, which was now to be expiated. Indeed, in case of one particular sin of ignorance done by the people, there was but one bullock to be offered, but here the sins were many and presumptuous. Kingdom - To make atonement for the sins of the king and the royal family, and the court. Sanctuary - For all the idolatry and uncleanness wherewith the temple had been polluted. They thought it not enough to lament and forsake their sins, but they brought a sin - offering. Even our repentance and reformation will not obtain pardon, but thro' Christ, who was made sin, that is, a sin - offering for us. They laid - The king and the elders of the congregation in the name of the whole congregation. The song - The psalms composed by David and Asaph. Even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune for praising God. By faith we must even then rejoice in the Lord our righteousness, and our prayers and praises must attend with his offering, to be accepted only in the virtue of it. Consecrated - Now that you have reconciled yourselves and the house to God, and that he is willing and ready to accept your sacrifices. Burnt - offerings - Wherein there was more generosity than in the other sacrifices, because they were wholly burnt and offered to God. Consecrated things - All the offerings consecrated to God, besides the burnt - offerings already mentioned. Too few - Such as were sanctified and fit for their work, as the following words shew: for otherwise the number of the priests was more than sufficient for this employment. Burnt - offerings - And much less all the other sacrifices, which were more numerous; the slaying whereof was the priests proper work.

Chapter IX Ezra is troubled at the marriages with strange women, ver. 1 - 4. His solemn confession to God, ver. 5 - 15. I rent - Both mine inner and my upper garment. Evening sacrifice - When the people used to assemble together. All good people ought to own those that appear and act for God against vice and profaneness. Every one that fears God, ought to stand by them, and do what he can to strengthen their hands. Heaviness - From that mournful posture, and put myself into the posture of a petitioner. He did this at the time of the evening sacrifice, because then devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, that hearing his confession, they likewise might be made sensible of the sins of the people. And he had an eye to that great propitiation, of which that sacrifice was a peculiar type. Our - He includes himself in the number of the transgressors, because he himself was guilty of many sins; and because the princes and priests, and so many of the people having done this, the guilt was now become national. Have we been - We are not purged from the guilt of our fathers sins, but we are still feeling the sad effects of them; yea, and are repeating the same sins. A little space - It is but a little while since God hath delivered us, and yet we are already returned to our sin. A remnant - The far greatest part of the Israelitish nation were yet in captivity. A nail - Some kind of settlement; whereas before we were tossed and removed from place to place as our masters pleased. It is a metaphor from tents, which are fastened by cords and nails, or pins. Holy place - In Jerusalem, called the holy city, Neh 11:1,18 Dan 9:24, which is peculiarly mentioned, because of the temple, which was the nail that fastened their tents and gave them some hopes of continuing in their land. To lighten - That he might revive and comfort our hearts. For as darkness is often put for a state of sorrow and affliction, so light is put for joy and comfort. In bondage - For we are not quite delivered, being even here in subjection to our former lords.

Chapter IV The Jews fast and mourn, ver. 1 - 3. Esther is informed of the design, ver. 4 - 9, Mordecai presses her to intercede with the king, ver. 10 - 14. She desires all the Jews to keep a solemn fast, ver. 15 - 19. Cry - To express his deep sense of the mischief coming upon his people. It was bravely done, thus publickly to espouse a just cause though it seemed to be a desperate one. Sackcloth - Lest it should give the king any occasion of grief and trouble. But what availed, to keep out the badges of sorrow unless they could have kept out the causes of sorrow too To forbid sackcloth to enter unless they could likewise forbid sickness, and trouble, and death To clothe - That so he might be capable of returning to his former place, if not of coming to her to acquaint her with the cause of his sorrow. Inner court - Within which, the king's residence and throne was. Not called - This was decreed, to maintain both the majesty, and the safety of the king's person; and by the contrivance of the greater officers of state, that few or none might have access to the king but themselves and their friends. I have not been called, &c. - Which gives me just cause to fear that the king's affections are alienated from me, and that neither my person nor petition will be acceptable to him. From another place - This was the language of strong faith, against hope believing in hope. Who knoweth - It is probable God hath raised thee to this honour for this very season. We should every one of us consider, for what end God has put us in the place where we are And when an opportunity offers of serving God and our generation, we must take care not to let it slip. Fast - And pray; so as you use to do, leave off your common dinners by day, and suppers at night, and eat and drink no more than mere necessity requires; that so you may give yourselves to constant and fervent prayers. Maidens - Which she had chosen to attend upon her person, and were doubtless either of the Jewish nation, or Proselytes. Which is not, &c.

Who - Who besides his natural proneness to sin, has contracted habits of sinning; and sins as freely, as greedily and delightfully, as men, especially in those hot countries, drink up water. I - I will prove what I have affirmed, that such strokes as thine are peculiar to hypocrites. Seen - I speak not by hear - say, but from my own experience. Hid - They judged it to be so certain and important a truth, that they would not conceal it in their own breasts. To whom - By the gracious gift of God: this he alleges to make their testimony more considerable, because these were no obscure men, but the most worthy and famous men in their ages; and to confute what Job had said, chap.9:24, that the earth was given into the hand of the wicked. By the earth he means the dominion and possession of it. Stranger - No person of a strange nation and disposition, or religion. Passed - Through their land, so as to disturb, or spoil them, as the Sabeans and Chaldeans did thee. God watched over those holy men so, that no enemy could invade them; and so he would have done over thee, if thou hadst been such an one. Pain - Lives a life of care, and fear, and grief, by reason of God's wrath, the torments of his own mind, and his outward calamities. Hidden - He knows not how short the time of his life is, and therefore lives in continual fear of losing it. Oppressor - To the wicked man: he names this one sort of them, because he supposed Job to be guilty of this sin, in opposition of what Job had affirmed of the safety of such persons, chap.12:6, and because such are apt to promise themselves a longer and happier life than other men. A sound - Even when he feels no evil, he is tormented with perpetual fears. Come upon him - Suddenly and unexpectedly. Believeth not - When he falls into trouble, he despairs of deliverance, by reason of his guilty conscience. Waited for - Besides the calamity which is upon him, he is in constant expectation of greater; the sword is used for any grievous affliction. Knoweth - From his own guilty conscience.

Shut - Closely compacted together, as things that are fastened together by a seal. This likewise is true of the crocodile, but the skin of the whale is smooth and entire without any scales at all. Sneesings - This the crocodile is said frequently to do. Eyes - To which they seem very fitly compared, because the eyes of the crocodile are dull and dark under the water, but as soon as they appear above water, cast a bright and clear light; like the morning light, suddenly breaking forth after the dark night. Lamps - This also better agrees with the crocodile, which breathes like the river - horse, of which ancient authors affirm, that his nostrils are very large, and he breathes forth a fiery smoke like that of a furnace. Kindleth coals - An hyperbolical expression, denoting extraordinary heat. And sorrow - Sorrow is his companion and harbinger, which attends upon him wheresoever he goes. So anger and fear are said by the poets to accompany the God of war. Nether mill - stone - Which being to bear the weight of the upper, ought to be the harder and stronger of the two. Raiseth - Upon the top of the waters. Mighty - Even the stout - hearted. Breakings - By reason of their great danger and distress; which is expressed by this very word, Psal 60:2 Jonah 2:4. Purify - Those who ordinarily live in the neglect of God, they cry unto God in their trouble, and endeavour to purge their consciences from the guilt of their sins. Hold - Heb. cannot stand, cannot endure the stroke, but will be broken by it. The crocodile's skin, no sword, nor dart, nor musquet bullet can pierce. Turned - Hurt him no more than a blow with a little stubble. Stones - His skin is so impenetrable, that the sharpest stones or shells are as easy unto him as the mire. Boil - To swell, and foam, and froth by his strong and vehement motion, as any liquor does when it is boiled in a pot, especially boiling ointment. The sea - The great river Nile, is called a sea, both in scripture, as Isa 11:15, and in other authors, as Euphrates is called the sea of Babylon, Isa 21:1 Jer 51:36.

A tree - A pledge of everlasting life. He alludes to the tree of life, and intimates, that this is the only restorer of that life which we have lost by sin. Wisdom - Either by Christ, or by that Divine perfection of wisdom, which is the fountain of wisdom in man. The depths - That great abyss contained in the bowels of the earth, breaks forth into fountains and rivers. Eyes - The eyes of thy mind. Constantly and seriously meditate upon them. Grace - Like a beautiful chain or ornament. Be not - Thou shalt not be afraid. Sudden - For sudden and unexpected evils are most frightful. And fear is here put for the evils feared. Desolation - Which cometh upon the wicked. Shall be - A sure ground of confidence to thee. Taken - In the snares either of sin or mischief. With - hold not - Do not deny it, but readily and chearfuly impart it. Good - Any thing which is good, either counsel, comfort, reproof, or the good things of the present life. Due - That is, to all men, by that great and sovereign law of love. Say not - The former verse forbad the denial, and this forbids the delay of this duty. Securely - Relying upon thine integrity. Envy not - For his impunity and success. Abomination - Therefore sooner or later he must be miserable. The righteous - They are God's friends, to whom he imparts the favours and comforts to which other men are strangers. The house - Not only upon his own person, but also upon his posterity. Shame - Instead of that glory which they seek.

Chapter IX Christ, under the name of wisdom invites us to his entertainment, ver. 1 - 6. Foretells the different successes of his invitation, ver. 7 - 9. Shews the fruit of fearing God, ver. 10 - 12. Sin, in the person of a foolish woman invites us to her entertainment, ver. 13 - 17. Which ends in destruction, ver. 18 Her house - For the reception of her guests. Seven - Many pillars; whereby is intimated the beauty and stability of the church. Pillars - Prophets, and apostles, and ministers. Killed - Made provision for the guests. Mingled - With water, as they used to do in those hot countries. Furnished - With all necessaries, and now waits for the guests. Maidens - Her servants to invite the guests, ministers of the word whom he calls maidens for the decency of the parable; for wisdom being compared to a great princess, was fit to be attended upon by maidens. Highest places - From such high seats as those from which judges delivered their sentences, and officers made proclamations. Simple - Ignorant, and weak. A former - He shews whom he meant by the foolish, ver.6, even scorners and wicked men, and presses his last advice of forsaking them because there was no good, but hurt to be got from them. A scorner - An obstinate and incorrigible sinner. For thyself - Thou dost not profit me but thyself. At the door - Watching for occasions of sin. Go right - Who are going innocently about their business. Simple - This title is not given them by her, but by Solomon. Sweet - From the difficulty of obtaining them; and because the very prohibition renders them more grateful to corrupt nature.

Chapter XXVI By flying - Secures itself from the fowler. Not come - Upon the innocent person, but he shall escape from it like a bird. According - So as to imitate his folly, by passionate or reproachful speeches. According - So as his folly needs and requires, convincing him strongly, reproving him sharply, and exposing him to just shame. Cutteth off the feet - Of his messenger; bids one go that wants legs. Drinketh - Drinking, in scripture, frequently denotes the plentiful doing or receiving of any thing. The legs - Heb. the legs of the lame are lifted up, in going, or in dancing, which is done with great inequality and uncomeliness. So - No less incident are wise and pious speeches from a foolish and ungodly man. Bindeth - Whereby he hinders his own design of throwing the stone out of it. So - No less absurd is he that giveth to a fool that honour which he is not capable of using aright. A thorn - As a thorn is in a drunkard's hand, which he cannot manage cautiously, but employs to his own and others hurt. So - As unprofitable, and, by accident, hurtful to himself and others. Rewardeth - Will certainly give that recompence which is deserved by fools and transgressors, by such as sin either thro' ignorance, or wilfully. Turneth - Moving hither and thither upon it, but not removing from its place. A reason - A satisfactory reason of ail their actions. He - Who is going upon the way. With strife - In which he is not concerned, nor any way obliged to meddle. That taketh - Exposes himself to needless hazard. And death - Any instruments of death. Burning - With malice or hatred: A slanderous or evil tongue. Dross - Such a tongue and heart are of no real worth, although sometimes they make a shew of it, as dross does of silver. Deceit - With false professions of love. Rolleth - Up the hill with design to do mischief to some person.

Hands - With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use, to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. Palaces - Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also. An he - goat - Which marches in the head of the flock in a grave and stately manner, conducting them with great courage and resolution, and being ready to fight for them, either with beasts or men that oppose him. A king - Heb. a king and his people with him, a king when he hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his undertakings. Thought - Designed any injury against thy neighbour. Lay thine hand - Do not open thy mouth to excuse it, but repent of it, and do so no more. The forcing - The stirring up of wrath, either in a man's self towards others, by giving way to passion; or in others by reproaches, or any other provocations. Bringeth forth - Is the cause of many quarrels.

Chapter IV The misery of the oppressed and the oppressor, ver. 1 - 3. Of being envied, which occasions sloth in others, ver. 4 - 6. The folly of hoarding up wealth, ver. 7, 8. The benefit of society, ver. 9 - 12. The mutability even of the royal dignity, thro' the foolishness of the prince, and the fickleness of the people ver. 13 - 16. I returned - I considered again. Oppressions - Whether by princes, magistrates, or other potent persons. No comforter - None afforded them pity or succour. But they, &c. - No comfort therein. I praised - I judged them less miserable. For this is certain, that setting aside the future life, which Solomon doth not meddle with in the present debate; and considering the uncertainty, and vanity, and manifold calamities of the present life, a wise man would not account it worth his while to live. Better is he - Who was never born. Not seen - Not felt: for as seeing good is put for enjoying it, so seeing evil is put for suffering it. Right work - All the worthy designs of virtuous men. Envied - Instead of honour, he meets with envy and obloquy. The fool - Is careless and idle: perceiving that diligence is attended with envy, he runs into the other extreme. Eateth - Wastes his substance, and brings himself to poverty, whereby his very flesh pines away for want of bread. Better - These are the words of the sluggard, making this apology for his idleness, That his little with ease, is better than great riches got with much trouble. Alone - Who has none but himself to care for. Brother - To whom he may leave his vast estate. Yet - He lives in perpetual restlessness and toil. For whom - Having no kindred to enjoy it. And bereave - Deny myself those comforts and conveniences which God hath allowed me A sore travel - A dreadful judgment, as well as a great sin. Two - Who live together in any kind of society. Because - Both have great benefit by such conjunction, whereby they support, encourage, and strengthen one another. They - One of them. Fall - Into any mistake, or sin, or danger. Prevail - Against either of them. Better - More happy. Now he proceeds to another vanity, That of honour and power.

Therefore use the present opportunity. In the morning - Early and late, in all seasons and occasions; do it speedily and continually, be not weary of it. Sow - Do all good works. With - hold not - From working or giving. Truly - It cannot be denied that life is in itself desirable. Rejoice - Enjoy all the comforts, and escape all the embitterments of human life, all his days. Darkness - Of death, or of the state of the dead. Many - Far more than the days of this short life. All - All things which befall any man belonging only to this life, are but vain, because they are short and transitory. Rejoice - Indulge thy humour, and take thy fill of delights. And walk - Whatsoever thine eye or heart lusteth after, deny it not to them. But know - But in the midst of thy jollity consider thy reckoning. Sorrow - Sensual and disorderly lusts, which he elegantly calls sorrow, to intimate, that although such practices at present gratify mens senses, yet they will shortly bring them to intolerable sorrows. Evil - All evil desires, tho' now they seem good to thee. Vanity - Most vain. The time of youth is vanishing and transitory, and old age and death will speedily come, against which every wise man will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts.

But chiefly it respects God's exact care of them, that being now married to them, there shall not be one in a city, or two in a country or tribe, but he will find them out. Zion - The ten tribes did never return into their own land, therefore this must be understood of a spiritual going up to Zion, when all Israel shall be saved, Rom 11:26. Multiplied - After the growth of the church under the Messiah. The ark - That whole worship with all the rites and ceremonies belonging to it shall cease, Christ being come, who was the substance of what the ark, and all other rites shadowed. Covenant - Called also the ark of the testimony, because the two tables of the law, which were the testimony, or witness of the covenant were in it. Any more - It shall be no more in use; neither shall men trouble their thoughts about it, or mention it. The throne - Instead of the ark, the church typified by Jerusalem, shall be the place of God's residence, where by his spirit he will rule and act in his word and ordinances. Jerusalem - Dwelling in Jerusalem, or where the Lord placed his name, of old in Jerusalem, but now in the church. Neither - Both Jews and Gentiles shall now conform themselves to the will of God. Judah - The two kingdoms shall become one. Shall come - Of their captivity, a promise of their enjoying again their ancient possession at their last conversion. Put - Esteem thee as my child, 'till thou give some proof, of thy repentance. Give thee - How shall I put thee into possession of that pleasant land. Of nations - Great hosts and multitudes of nations, or Gentiles, that shall be joined to them in the gospel church. Thou shalt - On this condition, that thou wilt own me, and not return any more to idols. A voice - Here the prophet seems to express Israel's repentance. Forgotten - This expresses, rather the matter or their prayer, than the cause of it. The hills - From idols which were worshipped upon hills. Mountains - The multitude of sacrifices, which they offer in the mountains. Shame - Sin, which causes shame, for that brought shame first into the world. Devoured - This hath been the fruit of our labour.

Devoured - This hath been the fruit of our labour. Lie down - An expression to set forth the greatness of their repentance and sorrow in great perplexity, not knowing what to do, throws himself down upon his couch or bed.

Chapter XXIV Under the type of good and bad figs, ver. 1 - 3. He fore - shews the return of some from captivity, ver. 4 - 7. and the ruin of Zedekiah and the rest, ver. 8 - 10. And behold - Probably a vision. Acknowledge - I will acknowledge them for their good; I will shew them favour, being of the number of those who were not leaders to sin, but led away by the ill example of others, and who being carried away grew sensible of their sins, and so accepted of the punishment of their iniquities.

Hath taken off - Withdrawn his hand from hurting or wronging the poor, tho' he had power to do it securely. Shall not bear - This is a most unquestionable truth; and tho' perhaps it may seem otherwise in some cases, yet could we see perfectly the connexion between persons and persons; could we see the connexion of sins and sins, and how easily, secretly, and undiscerned men become guilty of the same sins, we should see father and son, though perhaps one of them might not do the evil, both guilty, and neither punished for the sin farther than if it was his own: nor do the scriptures, Exod 20:5 Deut 28:18, doom persons to punishment for sins from which they are wholly free; but if children shall follow their fathers in sin, then if they die for those sins, 'tis because these are their own, not as they are their fathers. The righteousness - It shall be well with the righteous, for he shall eat the fruit of his doing, he shall be rewarded as a righteous one. The wickedness - The reward of wickedness. "The son shall not die, not die eternally, for the iniquity of the father, if he do not tread in the steps of it: nor the father for the iniquity of the son, if he do all he can to prevent it. Not mentioned - Not to him. The way - His whole management of affairs. Not equal - Not right, or consistent with his own declaration, and law. He shall surely live - "That is, he shall be restored to the favour of God, which is the life of the soul." Make you a new heart - Suffer me to do it in you. I have no pleasure - Sinners displease God when they undo themselves; they please him when they return.

They - The Babylonians. The sins - The guilt of worshipping idols; and you shall bear the punishment of idolaters.

So they sinned - Sin grew with their wealth and honour. Their glory - They turned all that in which they might glory above others, into sin. I will turn it into their dishonour. They - The priests who minister to the idols. The sin - Probably by sin is meant sin - offering, in which the priest had his share. And they - Covetous, luxurious, idolatrous priests. Not have enough - They shall not be nourished, nor satisfied with what they eat. Shall not increase - They shall not hereby increase the number of their children, either the women shall not bear, or the children shall not live. Take away the heart - Deprive men of their understanding and judgment. Stocks - Wooden statues. The spirit of whoredom - A heart ensnared with whoredoms, spiritual and corporal. Caused them to err - Hath blinded, and deceived them. Good - Convenient for the sacrificers. Shall commit whoredom - Shall dishonour themselves, and their families, with fornicators. Nor your spouses - I will give them up to their own hearts. For themselves - The husband and fathers are examples to their wives and daughters. Therefore the people - The sottish ignorant people, that know not God. Shall fall - Be utterly ruined. Offend - Commit like sins. Gilgal - Gilgal was chosen by Jeroboam, or by succeeding idolaters for the solemn worship of their idols. Beth - aven - Beth - el, where Jacob lodged, who called it Beth - el, the house of God; but when Jeroboam made it the place for his calf - worship, it became Beth - aven, the house of vanity or iniquity. Nor swear - This is a part put for the whole worship of God, which the prophet warns them not to blend with their idolatries. Israel - The ten tribes. As a back - sliding heifer - Which when grown lusty, and wanton, will neither endure the yoke nor be confined in her allowed pastures. In a large place - In a large place or wilderness, where is no rest, safety or provision; such shall be the condition of the ten tribes. Ephraim - The children of Ephraim were numerous and potent, and here put for the whole ten tribes. Let him alone - He is obstinate, as such, throw him up. Their drink - Their wine is corrupt and hurtful.

Chapter II The sins of Israel and the judgments hanging over them, ver. 1 - 11. Gracious promises of comfort, ver. 12, 13. That devise - Contrive and frame mischief. Evil work - Contrive how to work it. It is in the power - Because they can; without regarding right or wrong. And his house - His family, which by this means is left to poverty. And his heritage - And this is done against ancient right and possession, nay, in a case where God hath forbidden them to sell their heritage. Against this family - God will devise evil against their family, as they devised evil against the family of their neighbours. Haughty - You have made others hang the head; so shall you now. Is evil - Full of miseries on the whole family of Jacob. A parable - A taunting proverb. And lament - Your friends for you, and you for yourselves. He - God. Portion - Their wealth, plenty, freedom, joy and honour, into poverty, famine, servitude, grief and dishonour. How - How dreadfully hath God dealt with Israel; removing their persons into captivity, and transferring their possession to their enemies Turning away - Turning away from us in displeasure. God hath divided our fields among others. Thou shalt have - None that shall ever return to this land, to see it allotted by line and given them to possess it. In the congregation - They shall no more be the congregation of the Lord, nor their children after them. They shall not prophesy - So God doth in his displeasure grant their desire. Take shame - That will not take shame to themselves. That art named - You are in name, not in truth, the seed of Jacob. Straitened - The power, wisdom, and kindness of God is not less now than formerly. Are these - Are these severe proceedings the doings your God delighteth in Do not my words - My words promise all good, to those that with honest hearts walk in the ways of God. Is risen up - They have risen up, Israel against Judah, and Judah against Israel, and of late the tribes have conspired against one another; subjects against their kings, and great ones against the meaner sort. With the garment - You strip those that fearing no evil, go about their private affairs. The women - The widows.

Zephaniah was the last of the minor prophets, before the captivity. He foretells the captivity of Judah by the Chaldeans, sets their sins in order before them, calls them to repentance, threatens the neighbour - nations, and gives encouraging promises of their return.

Perhaps the first thing that now occurs to your mind relates to the doctrine which we teach. You have heard that we say, “Men may live without sin.” And have you not heard that the Scripture says the same;--we mean, without committing sin? Does not St. Paul say plainly, that those who believe “do not continue insin,” that they cannot “live any longertherein?” (Rom. vi. 1, 2.) Does not St. Peter say, “He that hath suf fered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live to the desires of men, but to the will of God?” (1 Peter iv. 1, 2.) Aad does not St. John say expressly, “He that com mitteth sin is of the devil? For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John iii. 8, &c.) And again: “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” (v. 18.) 54. You see then it is not we that say this, but the Lord. These are not our words, but his. And who is he that replieth against God? Who is able to make God a liar? Surely he will be justified in his saying, and clear when he is judged ! Can you deny it? Have you not often felt a secret check when you was contradicting this great truth? And how often have you wished for what you was taught to deny P Nay, can you help wishing for it this moment? Do you not now earnestly desire to cease from sin? to commit it no more? Does not your soul pant after this glorious liberty of the sons of God? And what strong reason have you to expect it! Have you not had a foretaste of it already? Do you not remember the time when God first lifted up the light of his countenance upon you? Can it ever be forgotten? the day when the candle of the Lord first shone upon your head? Butter and honey did you eat; And, lifted up on high, You saw the clouds beneath your feet, And rode upon the sky.

There is therefore no hinderance on God’s part; since “as his majesty is, so is his mercy.” And what ever hinderance there is on the part of man, when God speaketh, it is not. Only ask then, O sinner, “and it shall be given thee,” even the faith that brings salvation: And that without any merit or good work of thine; for “it is not of works, lest any man should boast.” No; it is of grace, of grace alone. For “unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifi eth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” 64. “But by talking thus you encourage sinners.” I do encourage them--to repent; and do not you? Do not you know how many heap sin upon sin, purely for want of such encouragement; because they think they can never be forgiven, there is no place for repentance left? Does not your heart also bleed for them? What would you think too dear to part with? What would you not do, what would you not suffer, to bring one such sinner to repentance? Could not your love “endure all things” for them? Yes,--if you believed it would do them good; if you had any hope that they would be better. Why do you not believe it would do them good? Why have you not a hope that they will be better? Plainly, because you do not love them enough; because you have not that charity which not only endureth, but at the same time believeth and hopeth, all things. 65. But that you may see the wholestrength of this objection, I will show you, without any disguise or reserve, how I encourage the chief of sinners. My usual language to them runs thus:-- O ye that deny the Lord that bought you, yet hear the word of the Lord! You seek rest, but find none. your heart is in heaviness. Even in laughter How long spend ye your labour for that which is not bread, and your strength for that which satis fieth not? You know your soul is not satisfied. It is still an aching void. Sometimes you find, in spite of your principles, a sense of guilt, an awakened conscience. That grisly phan tom, religion, (so you describe her,) will now and then haunt you still.

“St. Peter also,” you say, “affirms that ‘baptism doth save us, or justify us.” Again you beg the question; you take for granted what I utterly deny, viz., that save and justify are here synonymous terms. Till this is proved, you can draw no inference at all; for you have no foundation whereon to build. I conceive these and all the scriptures which can be quoted to prove sanctification antecedent to justification, (if they do not relate to our final justification,) prove only, (what I have never denied,) that repentance, or conviction of sin, and fruits meet for repentance, precede that faith whereby we are justified: But by no means, that the love of God, or any branch of true holiness, must or can precede faith. 3. It is objected, Secondly, that justification by faith alone is not the doctrine of the Church of England. “You believe,” says the writer above-mentioned, “that no good work can be previous to justification, nor, consequently, a condition of it. But, God be praised, our Church has nowhere delivered such abominable doctrine.” (Page 14.) “The Clergy contend for inward holiness, as previous to the first justification;--this is the doctrine they universally inculcate, and which you cannot oppose without contradict ing the doctrine of our Church.” (Page 26.) “All your strongest persuasives to the love of God will not blanch over the deformity of that doctrine, that men may be justified by faith alone;--unless you publicly recant this horrid doctrine, your faith is vain.” (Page 27.) “If you will vouchsafe to purge out this venomous part of your principles, in which the wide, essential, fundamental, irreconcilable difference, as you very justly term it, mainly consists, then there will be found, so far, no disagreement be tween you and the Clergy of the Church of England.” (Ibid.) 4.

In order to be clearly and fully satisfied what the doctrine of the Church of England is, (as it stands opposite to the doc trine of the Antinomians, on the one hand, and to that of justi fication by works, on the other,) Iwill simply set down what oc curs on this head, either in her Liturgy, Articles, or Homilies:-- “Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults: Restore thou them that are penitent, according to thy pro mises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord.” “He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” “Almighty God, who dost forgive the sins of them that are Penitent, create and makein us new and contrite hearts; that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretched ness, may obtain of thee perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Collect for Ash-Wednesday.) “Almighty God--hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unta him.” (Communion Office.) “Our Lord Jesus Christ hath left power to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him.” (Visitation of the Sick.) “Give him unfeigned repentance and steadfast faith, that his sins may be blotted out.” (Ibid.) “He is a merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners, and is ready to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance.” (Commination Office.) Infants, indeed, our Church supposes to be justified in baptism, although they cannot then either believe or repent. But she expressly requires both repentance and faith in those who come to be baptized when they are of riper years.

For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord?” And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny that holiness is a con dition of final acceptance? And as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience, as well as Scripture, prove that no man ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent? that none was ever yet truly “convinced of righteous ness,” who was not first “convinced of sin?” Repentance, there fore, in this sense, we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into known, wilful sin, (suppose it were drunkennessor uncleanness,) stifles that repentance or conviction? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother; or who obstinately refrains from what God con vinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple yourself to tell one of these, “Why, if you will thus drink away all conviction, how should you ever truly know your want of Christ; or, consequently, believe in him ? If you will not forgive your brother his trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. If you will not ask, how can you expect to receive? If you will not hear, how can “faith come by hearing?’ It is plain you ‘grieve the Spirit of God;’ you will not have him to reign over you. Take care that he does not utterly depart from you. For ‘unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,’ that is, uses it not, “shall be taken away, even that which he hath.’” Would you scruple, on a proper occasion, to say this? You could not scruple it if you believe the Bible. But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous to justifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunity permit, “fruits meet for repentance.” 11. And yet I allow you this, that although both repent ance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary be fore justification, yet neither the one nor the other is neces sary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith.

“And the one hundred and ninth Canon binds you to pre sent all manner of vice, profaneness, and debauchery, requiring you faithfully to present all and every the offenders in adul tery, whoredom, drunkenness, profane swearing, or any other uncleanness and wickedness of life. It is therefore a part of that office to which you are solemnly sworn, to present, not only all drunkenness and tippling, but profane swearing, lewdness, and whatsoever else is contrary to Christian piety. So that if you know any of your parishioners, be his quality or cir cumstances what they will, that is guilty of any of these, you are obliged to present him at the next visitation, or you are yourselves guilty of perjury. And the twenty-sixth Canon expresses such an abhorrence of a Churchwarden's neglect in this matter, that it forbids the Minister, in any wise, to admit you to the holy communion, ‘who, as the words of the Canon are, ‘having taken your oaths to present all such offences in your several parishes, shall, notwithstanding your said oaths, either in neglecting or refusing to present, wittingly and will ingly, desperately and irreligiously, incur the horrid guilt of perjury.’” And who is clear? I appeal to every Minister of a parish, from one end of England to the other, how many Church wardens have you known, in twenty, thirty, forty years, who did not thus “desperately and irreligiously incur the horrid guilt of perjury?” 10. I proceed to perjuries of another kind. The oath taken by all Captains of ships, every time they return from a trading voyage, runs in these terms: “I do swear, that the entry above written, now tendered and subscribed by me, is a just report of the name of my ship, its burden, bulk, property, number and country of mariners, the present Master and voyage; and that it doth farther contain a true account of my lading, with the particular marks, num bers, quantity, quality, and consignment of all the goods and merchandises in my said ship, to the best of my knowledge; and that I have not broke bulk, or delivered any goods out of my said ship, since her loading in. So help me God.” These words are so clear, express, and unambiguous, that they require no explanation. But who takes this plain oath, without being knowingly and deliberately forsworn ? Does one Captain in fifty?

Were Edward III. or IIenry V. to come among us now, what would they think of the change in their people? Would they applaud the elegant variety at the old Baron’s table? or the costly delicacy of his furniture and apparel ? Would they listen to these instruments of music, or find pleasure in those diversions? Would they rejoice to see the Nobles and Gentry of the land lying “at ease, stretch ing themselves on beds” of down? too delicate to use their own limbs, even in the streets of the city; to bear the touch of the people, the blowing of the wind, or the shining of the sun O how would their hearts burn within them | What indigna tion, sorrow, shame must they feel, to see the ancient hardiness lost, the British temperance, patience, and scorn of superflu ities, the rough, indefatigable industry, exchanged for softness, “idleness, and fulness of bread!” Well for them, that they were gathered unto their fathers before this exchange was made! 19. To prove at large, that the luxury and sensuality, the sloth and indolence, the softness and idleness, the effeminacy and false delicacy of our nation are without a parallel, would be but lost labour. I fear, we may say, the lewdness too; for if the Jews, as the Prophet speaks, “assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses,” so do the English, and much more abundantly. Indeed, where is male chastity to be found? among the Nobility, among the Gentry, among the tradesmen, or among the common people of England? How few lay any claim to it at all ! How few desire so much as the reputation of it ! Would you yourself account it an honour or a reproach, to be ranked among those of whom it is said, “These are they which are not defiled with women: For they are virgins?” And how numerous are they now, even among such as are accounted men of honour and probity, “who are as fed horses, everyone neighing after his neighbour's wife!” But as if this were not enough, is not the sin of Sodom, too, more common among us than ever it was in Jerusalem?

For, however men of no thought may not see or regard it, or hectoring cowards may brave it out, it is evident to every man of calm reflection, that our nation stands on the very brink of destruction. And why are we thus, but because “the cry of our wickedness is goneup to heaven?” because we have so exceedingly, abundantly, beyond measure, “corrupted our ways before the Lord?” and because to all our other abominations we have added the open fighting against God; the not only rejecting, but even denying, yea, blaspheming his last offers of mercy; the hindering others who were desirous to close there with; the despitefully using his messengers, and the variously troubling and oppressing those who did accept of his grace, break off their sins, and turn to him with their whole heart. 16. I cannot but believe, it is chiefly on this account that God hath now “a controversy with our land.” And must not any considerate man be inclined to form the same judgment, if he reviews the state of public affairs for only a few years last past? I will not enter into particulars; but, in general, can you possibly help observing, that, whenever there has been any thing like a public attempt to suppress this new sect, (for so it was artfully represented,) another and another public trouble arose? This has been repeated so often, that it is surprising any man of sense can avoid taking notice of it. May we “turn” at length “to Him that smiteth us, hearing the rod and Him that appointeth it !” May we “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God,” before the great deep swallow us up! 17. Just now, viz., on the 4th of this instant December, the Reverend Mr. Henry Wickham, one of His Majesty's Justices of Peace for the West-riding of Yorkshire, writes an order * To the Constable of Keighley, commanding him, “to convey the body of Jonathan Reeves” (whose real crime is, the calling sinners to repentance) “to His Majesty’s gaol and castle of York; suspected,” said the precept, “ of being a spy among us, and a dangerous man to the person and government of His Majesty King George.” God avert the omen I I fear this is no presage either of the repentance or deliverance of our poor nation 18.

If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be made known unto them who watch over that soul as they that must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways; we will bear with him for a season: But then if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.

(4.) But we cannot with a good conscience neglect the pre sent opportunity of saving souls while we live, for fear of conse quences which may possibly or probably happen after we are dead. BRIsrol, THURSDAY, August 1st, 1745 THE following persons being met together at the New-Room, in Bristol; John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Thomas Richards, Samuel Larwood, Thomas Meyrick, Richard Moss, John Slocombe, Herbert Jenkins, and Marmaduke Gwynne; it was proposed to review the Minutes of the last Conference with regard to justification. And it was asked: Q. 1. How comes what is written on this subject to be so intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself; or, from the fault or weakness of those who have generally treated of it? A. We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the mature of the subject; but, perhaps, partly from hence, that the devil peculiarly labours to perplex a subject of the greatest importance; and partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it? Q. 2. We affirm, faith in Christ is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? yea, and, supposing there be opportunity for them, fruits or works meet for repentance? A. Without doubt they do. Q. 3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justi fication? Is not this a mere strife of words? But is it worth while to continue a dispute on the term condition? A. It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so the abuse cease, let the use remain. Q. 4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter’s “Aphorisms concerning Justification?” A. By all means. Which were accordingly read. And it was desired, that each person present would in the afternoon consult the scriptures cited therein, and bring what objections might occur the next morning. FRIDAY, August 2d, THE QUESTION was PROPosED:-- Q. 1. Is a sense of God’s pardoning love absolutely necessary to our being in his favour? Or may there be some exempt cases? A. We dare not say there are not. Q. 2. Is it necessary to inward and outward holiness? A. We incline to think it is. Q. 3. Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? sup pose in a Papist; or a Quaker; or, in general, among those who never heard it preached? A.

But they should consider, the laying the foundation skilfully, as it is of the greatest importance, so it is the masterpiece of the wisest builder. And let the wisest of us all try, whenever we please, we shall find, that to lay this ground-work rightly, to make the ignorant understand the grounds of religion, will put us to the trial of all our skill.” Perhaps in doing this it may be well, (1.) After a few loving words spoken to all in the house, to take each person singly into another room, where you may deal closely with him, about his sin, and misery, and duty. Set these home, or you lose all your labour. (At least, let none be present but those who are familiar with each other.) (2.) Hear what the children have learned by heart. (3) Choose some of the weightiest points, and try if they understand them. As, “Do you believe you have sin in you? What does sin deserve? What remedy has God provided for guilty, helpless sinners?” (4.) Often with the question suggest the answer. As, “What is repentance? Sorrow for sin, or a conviction that we are guilty, helpless sinners.” “What is faith? A divine convic tion of things not seen.” (5.) Where you perceive they do not understand the stress of your question, lead them into it by other questions. For instance, you ask, “How do you think your sins will be par doned?” They answer, “By repenting and amending my life.” You ask farther, “But will your amendment make satisfac tion for your past sins?” They will answer, “I hope so, or I know not what will.” One would think, these had no know ledge of Christ at all. And some have not. But others have ; and give such answers, only because they do not understand the scope of the question. Ask them farther, “Can you be saved without the death of Christ?” They immediately say, “No.” And if you ask, “What has he suffered for you?” they will say, “He shed his blood for us.” But many cannot express even what they have some conception of; no, not even when expressions are put into their mouths. With these you are to deal exceeding tenderly, lest they be discouraged.

I desire leave to cite part of that passage again, that we may come as near each other as possible. I would just subjoin a few words on each head, which I hope may remove more difficulties out of the way:-- “That justification, whereof our Articles and Homilie speak, means present pardon, and acceptance with God; who therein ‘declares his righteousness, or mercy, “by” or ‘for the remission of sins that are past.’” I say, past : For I cannot find anything in the Bible of the remission of sins, past, present, and to come. “I believe the condition of this is faith; I mean, not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also, that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified.” You take the word condition in the former sense only, as that without which we cannot be justified. In this sense of the word, I think we may allow, that there are several conditions of justification. “Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification; which implies a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart.” Yet such a course is, without doubt, absolutely necessary to our continuance in a state of justification. “It is allowed, that repentance and “fruits meet for repent ance’ go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance,’ forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measureof grace which we have received. But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” Although the same works are then good, when they are performed by “those who have believed.” “Faith, in general, is a divine supernatural exeyxos (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies not only a divine exeyxos, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me.

Justifying faith implies not only a divine exeyxos, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.” I say, a penitent sinner; because justifying faith cannot exist without previous repentance. “Yet, although both repentance, and the fruits thereof, are in some sense necessary before justification, neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of the word,) he is justified. But it is not so at whatever moment he repents, or brings forth any, or all, the fruits of repentance. Consequently, none of these are necessary to justification, in the same degree with faith. “Nor in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proxi mately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is neces sary to faith.” (So the error of the press is to be corrected.) “And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense, they are only necessary on supposition,-- if there be time and opportunity for them. For in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance.” 2. Thus far I believe we are nearly agreed. But on those words, “Far other qualifications are required, in order to our standing before God in glory, than were required in order to his giving us faith and pardon; in order to this, nothing is indis pensably required, but repentance, or conviction of sin; but in order to the other, it is indispensably required, that we be fully cleansed from all sin;” you remark, “Here, I apprehend, are two great mistakes: (1) You make too little necessary before pardon. (2.) Too much afterward. You confine repentance within too narrow limits, and extend holiness beyond its just bounds. “First. By repentance you mean only conviction of sin. But this is a very partial account of it.

The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself. That repentance or conviction of sin, which is always pre vious to faith, (either in a higher or lower degree, as it pleases God,) we describe in words to this effect:-- “When men feel in themselves the heavy burden of sin, see damnation to be the reward of it, behold with the eye of their mind the horror of hell; they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto him for mercy. This being done seriously, their mind is so occupied, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart, and loathing of all worldly things and pleasure comethin place. So that nothing them liketh them more, than to weep, to lament, to mourn; and both with words and behaviour of body to show themselves weary of life.” Now, permit me to ask, What, if, before you had observed that these were the very words of our own Church, one of your acquaintance or parishioners had come and told you, that ever since he heard a sermon at the Foundery, he “saw damnation” before him, “and beheld with the eye of his mind the horror of hell?” What, if he had “trembled and quaked,” and been so taken up “partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from the danger of hell and damnation,” as to “weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behaviour to show himself weary of life?” Would you have scrupled to say, “Here is another ‘deplorable in stance’ of the ‘Methodists driving men to distraction l’ See, “into what excessive terrors, frights, doubts, and perplexities, they throw weak and well-meaning men quite oversetting their understandings and judgments, and making them liable to all these miseries.’” I dare not refrain from adding one plain question, which I beseech you to answer, not to me, but to God: Have you ever experienced this repentance yourself? Did you ever “feel in yourself that heavy burden of sin?” of sin in general, more especially, inward sin; of pride, anger, lust, vanity?

Therefore, instead of, “He may not know that he has peace with God till long after,” it should be, (to agree with Michael Linner’s words,) “He may not have, till long after, the full assurance of faith, which excludes all doubt and fear.” “I believe a man is justified at the same time that he is born of God. “And he that is born of God sinneth not. “Which deliverance from sin he cannot have, without knowing that he has it.” “Yet I believe he may not know it till long after.” This also I utterly deny. “I believe, that Christ ‘formed in us” ought to be insisted on, as necessary to our justification.” I no more believe this than Christian David does, whose words concerning it are these:-- “It pleased God to show me, that Christ in us, and Christ for us, ought to be both insisted on. “But I clearly saw we ought not to insist on any thing we feel, any more than any thing we do, as if it were necessary previous to our justification. “And before a man can cKpect to be justified, he should be humble and penitent, and have a broken and contrite heart, that is, should have Christ formed in him.” No; that is quite another thing. I believe every man is penitent before he is justified; he repents before he believes the gospel. But it is never before he is justified, that Christ is formed in him. “And that this penitence and contrition is the work of the Holy Ghost. “Yet I believe that all this is nothing towards, and has no influence on, our justification.” Christian David’s words are, “Observe, this is not the foun dation. It is not this by which (for the sake of which) you are justified. This is not the righteousness, this is no part of the righteousness, by which you are reconciled to God. You grieve for your sins; you are deeply humbled; your heart is broken. Well; but all this is nothing to your justifieation.” The words immediately following fix the sense of this otherwise exceptionable sentence. “The remission of your sins is not owing to this cause, either in whole or in part. Your humilia tion has no influence on that.” Not as a cause; so the very last words explain it.

We shall not put off these, but with our bodies. But if you mean, it does not promise entire freedom from sin, in its pro per sense, or from committing sin; this is by no means true, unless the Scriptures be false. For thus it is written, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, unless he lose the Spirit of adoption, if not finally, yet for a while, as did this child of God: For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. He cannot sin, so long as he keepeth himself; for then the wicked one toucheth him not.’” The question is not, whether this be right or wrong; but whether it contradict any thing I have said elsewhere. Thrice I have spoken expressly on this subject, --in a sermon, and in two prefaces. If in any of these I have contradicted what

Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repent ance I mean, conviction of sin, producing real desires and sin cere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repent ance, forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot, as yet, term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” (Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, pp. 46, 47.) 2. “Faith, in general, is a divine, supernatural exeyxos (evi dence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justi fying faith implies, not only a divine exeryxos that God “was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.” (Ibid. p. 48.) Now, it being allowed, that both inward and outward holi ness are the stated conditions of final justification, what more can you desire, who have hitherto opposed justification by faith alone merely upon a principle of conscience, because you was zealous for holiness and good works? Do I not effectually secure these from contempt, at the same time that I defend the doctrines of the Church? I not only allow, but vehemently contend, that none shall ever enter into glory, who is not holy on earth, as well in heart as “in all manner of conversation.” I cry aloud, “Let all that have believed, be careful to main tain good works;” and, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from all iniquity.” I exhort even those who are conscious they do not believe, “Cease to do evil, learn to do well. The kingdom of heaven is at hand; ” therefore, “repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” Are not these directions the very same, in substance, which you your self would give to persons so circumstanced? 3. “Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works as you, think I have allowed you too much.

“Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works as you, think I have allowed you too much. Nay, my brethren, but how can we help allowing it, if we allow the Scriptures to be from God? For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, ‘Without holiness no man shall see the Lord?’ And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny, that holi ness is a condition of final acceptance? And as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience as well as Scrip ture prove, that no man ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent? Repentance therefore we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into wilful, known sin (suppose it were drunkenness or uncleanness) stifles that repentance or convic tion? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother? or who obsti nately refrains from what God convinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple your self to tell one of these, “Unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,’ that is, uses it not, “shall be taken even that which he hath?’ Would you scruple to say this? But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous to justifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunity permit, “fruits meet for repentance.” “And yet I allow you this, that although both repentance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, yet neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of the word,) he is justified, his sins are blotted out, “his faith is counted to him for righteousness. But it is not so, at whatever moment he repents, or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Faith alone therefore justifies; which repentance alone does not; much less any outward work. And consequently, none of these are necessary to jus tification, in the same degree with faith. “No in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith.

For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proxi mately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is neces sary to the increase or continuance of repentance.* And even in this sense, these are only necessary on supposition,--if there be time and opportunity for them; for in many instances there is not ; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance: So that the general proposition is not overthrown, but clearly established, by these concessions; and we conclude still, that faith alone is the proximate condition of justification.” 4. This is what I hold concerning justification. I am next briefly to observe what you object. “If faith,” say you, “is the sole condition of justification, then it is our sole duty.” (Remarks, p. 25.) I deny the consequence. Faith may be, in the sense above described, the sole condition of justification; and yet not only repentance be our duty before, but all obedi ence after, we believe. . You go on : “If good works are not conditions of our justi fication,they are not conditions of our (final) salvation.” (Page 25.) I deny the consequence again. Good works, properly so called, cannot be the conditions of justification; because it * See this glaring misprint of one of the earliest editions corrected by Mr. Wes ley himself in a subsequent part of this volume, page 428.--EDIT. is impossible to do any good work before we are justified. And yet, notwithstanding, good works may be, and are, conditions of final salvation. For who will say it is impossible to do any good work before we are finally saved? You proceed: “Can we be saved in the contemptuous neg lect of repentance, prayer,” &c.? (Page 26.) No, nor justified neither; but while they are previous to faith, these are not allowed to be good works. You afterwards argue from my own concessions, thus: “Your notion of true stillness is, ‘a patient waiting upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law, and the works of his commandments. But how is it possible to reconcile to this, the position, that these duties are not conditions of our justification? If we are justified without them, we may be saved without them.

If we are justified without them, we may be saved without them. This conse quence cannot be too often repeated.” (Page 26.) Let it be repeated ever so often, it is good for nothing. For, far other qualifications are required in order to our standing before God in glory, than were required in order to his giving us faith and pardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required, but repentance, or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it is indispensably required, that we be fully “cleansed from all sin;” that the “very God of peace sanctify us wholly,” eventoto ÖAok\mpov judov, “our entire body, soul, and spirit.” It is not necessary, therefore, (norindeed possible,) that we should, before justification, “patiently wait upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law.” And yet it is necessary, in the highest degree, that we should thus wait upon him after justification: Otherwise, how shall we be “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light?” 5. Soon after, you add: “In the passages last cited, you plead for the necessity of a good life: But in others, the force of your principles shows itself. An answer approved by you, is, ‘My heart is desperately wicked; but I have no doubt or fear; I know my Saviour loves me, and I love him. Both these particulars are impossible, if the Scripture be true.” (Page 29.) You amaze me ! Is it possible you should be ignorant that your own heart is desperately wicked? Yet I dare not say, either that God does not love you, or that you do not love him. “Again: You say, you described the state of those who have forgiveness of sins, but not a clean heart;” (page 30;) not in the full, proper sense. Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, “still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.” “In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him, you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure.

Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, “still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.” “In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him, you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure. Sinners, if they believe this, may be quite secure, and imagine they have nothing to fear, though they continue in their iniquities. For God’s sake, Sir, speak out. If they that have an evil heart have not, who has reason to fear?” (Page 31.) All who have not dominion over sin; all who continue in their iniquities. You, for one, if any sin has dominion over you. If so, I testify against you this day, (and you will not be quite secure, if you believeme) “The wrath of God abideth on you!” “What do you mean by, “sin remains in one that is justi fied?” that he is guilty of any known, wilful, habitual sin?” (Page 32.) Judge by what is gone before:--I mean the same as our Church means by, “sin remains in the regenerate.” 6. You proceed to another passage, which in the Journal stands thus: “After we had wandered many years in the new path of salvation by faith and works, about two years ago it pleased God to show us the old way of salvation by faith only. And many soon tasted of this salvation, being justified freely, having peace with God, ‘rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and having “his love shed abroad in their hearts.” (Vol. I. p. 275.) Thus I define what I mean by this salvation, viz., “righteous ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” But you object, “Here you deny the necessity of good works in order to salvation.” (Remarks, p. 33.) I deny the necessity, may, possibility, of good works, as previous to this salvation; as previous to faith or those fruits of faith, “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” This is my real sentiment, not a slip of my pen, neither any proof of my want of accuracy. 7.

But what is it you are endeavouring to prove? Quorsum haec tam putida tendant * * The paragraph seems to point at me. But the plain, natural tendency of it is, to invalidate that great argument for Christi anity which is drawn from the constancy of the martyrs. Have you not here also spoken a little too plain? Had you not better have kept the mask on a little longer? Indeed, you lamely add, “The solid and just comforts which a true martyr receives from above are groundlessly applied to the counterfeit.” But this is not enough even to save appear ancéS. 18. You subjoin a truly surprising thought: “It may more over be observed, that both ancient and modern enthusiasts always take care to secure some advantage by their sufferings.” (Page 40.) O rare enthusiasts ! So they are not such fools neither as they are vulgarly supposed to be. This is just of a piece with the “cunning epileptic demoniacs,” in your other performance. And do not you think, (if you would but speak all that is in your heart, and let us into the whole secret,) that there was a compact, likewise, between Bishop Hooper and his executioner, as well as between the ventriloquist and the exorcist? But what “advantage do they take care to secure?” a good salary? a handsome fortune? No; quite another matter; “free communications with God, and fuller manifestations of his goodness.” (Ibid.) I dare say, you do not envy them, no * Thus translated from the Latin of Horace by Francis : “Whither tends This putid stuff?”--EDIT. more than you do those “self-interested enthusiasts” of old who “were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” 19. You proceed to prove my enthusiasm from my notions of conversion. And here great allowances are to be made, because you are talking of things quite out of your sphere; you are got into an unknown world! Yet you still talk as magisterially as if you was only running down the Fathers of the primitive Church. And, First, you say, I “represent conversion as sudden and instantaneous.” (Ibid.) Soft and fair! Do you know what conversion is? (A term, indeed, which I very rarely use, because it rarely occurs in the New Testament.) “Yes; it is to “start up perfect men at once.’” (Page 41.) Indeed, Sir, it is not.

iii. 8.) Repent ance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, pro ducing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance, forgiving our brother; (Matt. vi. 14, 15;) ceasing from evil, doing good; (Luke iii. 8, 9, &c.;) using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. (Matthew vii. 7; xxv. 29.) But these I cannot as yet term good works; because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” (Farther Appeal. Vol. VIII. pp. 46, 47.) 2. “Faith alone is the proximate condition of present justi fication.” II. 1. I have shown here, at large, what is the doctrine I teach with regard to justification, and have taught, ever since I was convinced of it myself, by carefully reading the New Testament and the Homilies. In many points, I apprehend, it agrees with yours: In some it does not; these I come now to consider. May God enable me to do it in love and meekness of wisdom. You say, “Happy times, when faith and a good life were synonymous terms!” (Page 7.) I conceive, they never were. Is not faith the root, a good life the tree springing therefrom ? “That good works are a necessary condition of our justifi cation, may be proved, (1.) From express testimonies of Scrip ture. So Isaiah i. 16, 17: “Cease from evil, learn to do well.’ Then ‘your sins, that were as scarlet, shall be white as snow.’ Here, ceasing from evil, and learning to do well, are the con ditions of pardon.” I answer: Without them there is no par don; yet the immediate condition of it is faith. He that believeth, and he alone, is justified before God. “So Ezekiel xxxiii. 14-16: If the sinner ‘turn from his evil ways, and ‘walk in the statutes of life, then “all his sins shall not be once. mentioned to him.’” Most sure; that is, if he believe; else, whatever his outward walking be, he cannot be justified. The next scripture you cite, Matt. xi. 28, (Sermon, p. 10,) proves no more than this, that none find “rest to their souls,” unless they first come to Christ, (namely, by faith,) and then obey him.

10,) proves no more than this, that none find “rest to their souls,” unless they first come to Christ, (namely, by faith,) and then obey him. But, “He says, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’” He does so; but how does it appear, that this relates to justification at all? “St. Peter also declares, “In every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.’” (Acts x. 35.) He is; but none can either fear God, or work right eousness, till he believes according to the dispensation he is under. “And St. John : “He that doeth righteousness is righteous.’” I do not see that this proves anything. “And again: “If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, then have we communion with him, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’” (1 John i. 7.) This would prove something, if it could be proved, that “cleansing us from all sin” meant only justification. “The Scriptures insist upon the necessity of repentance, in particular, for that purpose. But repentance comprehends compunction, humiliation, hatred of sin, confession of it, prayer for mercy, ceasing from evil, a firm purpose to do well, restitution of ill-got goods, forgiveness of all who have done us wrong, and works of beneficence.” (Pages 11, 12.) I believe it does.comprehend all these, either as parts or as fruits of it: And it comprehends “the fear” but not “the love of God,” that flows from a higher principle. And he who loves God is not barely in the right way to justification: He is actually justified. The rest of the paragraph asserts just the same thing which was asserted in those words: “Previous to justifying faith must be repentance, and, if opportunity permits, “fruits meet for repent ance.’” But still I must observe, that “neither the one nor the other is necessary, either in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith.” No scripture testimony can be produced, which any way contradicts this. 2. “That works are a necessary condition of our justification, may be proved, Secondly, from scripture examples; particu larly those recited in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

This exclusion seems to be the only punishment to which we can now conceive a pure spirit liable. And according as all intelligent beings are at a less or greater distance from this fountain of all happiness, so they are necessarily more or less miserable or happy. “(3.) That one part of those punishments will be by fire, than which we have not any revelation more express and positive. And as it is an instance of great goodness in God, that the joys of heaven are represented to us under the figurative images of light and glory and a kingdom, and that the substance shall exceed the utmost of our conception; so it is an argument of his strict justice, that future punishments are more literally threatened and foretold. “(4.) The eternity of these punishments is revealed as plainly as words can express it. And the difficulty of that question, ‘What proportion endless torments can bear to momentary sin,” is quite removed by considering, that the punishments denounced are not sanctions entirely arbitrary, but are withal so many previous warnings or declarations of the matural tendency of sin itself. So that an unrepenting sinner must be miserable in another life by a necessity of nature. Therefore he is not capable of mercy; since there never can be an alteration of his condition, without such a change of the whole man as would put the natural and settled order of the creation out of course.” (Page 351.) Doubtless this eminent man (whose books on the Human Understanding, and on Divine Analogy, I would earnestly recommend to all who either in whole or in part deny the Christian Revelation) grounded his judgment both of the nature and duration of future punishments on these and the like passages of Scripture : “If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy: of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God! For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. x.

9. “But you do pretend to them. For you pray that ‘signs and wonders may still be wrought in the name of Jesus.’” True; but what signs and wonders? The conversion of sin ners; the “healing the broken in heart; the turning men from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God.” These and these only are the signs and wonders which were mentioned in that prayer. And did I not see these signs and wonders still wrought, I would sooner hew wood, or draw water, than preach the gospel. For those are to me very awful words which our Lord speaks of Prophets or Teachers: “Ye shall know them.” (whether they are true or false Prophets) “by their fruits. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.” What fruit you have brought forth at Reymerston, I know not; God knoweth. 10. “Your followers, however, do pretend to the grace of a miraculous conversion.” Is there any conversion that is not miraculous? Is conversion a natural or supernatural work? I suppose all who allow there is any such thing believe it to be supernatural. And what is the difference between a super natural and a miraculous work, I am yet to learn. “But they say, that at such a time, and in such a manner, the divine illumination shone upon them; Jesus knocked at the door of their hearts, and the Holy Ghost descended upon their souls;” that is, in plain terms, raillery apart, at a particular time, which they cannot easily forget, God did, in so eminent a manner as they never experienced before, “enlighten their understanding,” (they are your own words,) “comfort and purify their hearts, and give his heavenly Spirit to dwell in them.” But what has all this to do with those extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit? 11.

The language of these, the carriage of those, is so provoking; otherwise you should be happy enough. True; if both you and they were wise and virtuous. Mean while, neither the vices of your family, nor your own, will suffer you to rest. Look out of your own doors: “Is there any evil in the city, and” sin “hath not done it?” Is there any misfortune or misery to be named, whereof it is not either the direct or remote occasion? Why is it that the friend or relation for whom you are so tenderly concerned is involved in so many troubles? Have not you done your part toward making them happy? Yes, but they will not do their own: One has no management, no frugality, or no industry; another is too fond of pleasure. If he is not what is called scandalously vicious, he loves wine, women, or gaming. And to what does all this amount? He might be happy; but sin will not suffer it. Perhaps you will say, “Nay, he is not in fault; he is both frugal and diligent; but he has fallen into the hands of those who have imposed upon his good-nature.” Very well; but still sin is the cause of his misfortunes; only it is another's, not his own. If you inquire into the troubles under which your neigh bour, your acquaintance, or one you casually talk with, labours, still you will find the far greater part of them arise from some fault, either of the sufferer or of others; so that still sin is at the root of trouble, and it is unholiness which causes unhappiness. And this holds as well with regard to families, as with re gard to individuals. Many families are miserable through want. They have not the conveniences, if the necessaries, of life. Why have they not? Because they will not work: Were they diligent, they would want nothing. Or, if not idle, they are wasteful; they squander away, in a short time, what might have served for many years. Others, indeed, are diligent and frugal too; but a treacherous friend, or a malicious enemy, has ruined them; or they groan under the hand of the oppressor; or the extortioner has entered into their labours. You see, then, in all these cases, want (though in various ways) is the effect of sin.

The second scripture you cite is Gen. iii., from verse 7 to 24. (Pages 9, 10.) On this you observe: Here “we have some consequences of our first parents’ sin before God judged them; some appointed by his judicial sentence; and some which happened after that sentence was pronounced.” (Page 11.) “Immediately upon their transgression, they were seized with shame and fear. Guilt will always be attended with shame. And a state of guilt is often in Scripture expressed by being naked. Moses ‘saw that the people were naked; for Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies.” (Exod. xxxii. 25.)” Certainly, naked does not mean guilty here; but either stripped of their ornaments, (xxxiii. 5, 6) or of their swords, or their upper garment. “Thy nakedness shall be uncovered; yea, thy shame shall be seen.” (Isaiah xlvii. 3.) (Page 12.) Here also nakedness does not mean guilt; but is to be taken literally, as mani festly appears from the words immediately preceding: “Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.” (Verse 2.) And, “Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his gar ments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev. xvi. 15.) The plain meaning is, lest he lose the graces he has received, and so be ashamed before men and angels. “Their fear is described: “Adam and his wife hid them selves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Gen. iii. 8.) They had no such fear while they were innocent; but now they were afraid to stand before their Judge.” (Page 13.) This is all you can discern in the Mosaic account as the consequence of our first parents’ sin, before God judged them. Mr. Hervey discerns something more. I make no apology for transcribing some of his words: “Adam violated the precept, and, as the nervous original expresses it, “died the death.’ He before possessed a life incomparably more excellent than that which the beasts en joy. He possessed a divine life, consisting, according to the Apostle, “in knowledge, in righteousness, and true holi ness.’ This, which was the distinguishing glory of his na ture, in the day that he ate the forbidden fruit was extinct. “His understanding, originally enlightened with wisdom, was clouded with ignorance. His heart, once warmed with heavenly love, became alienated from God his Maker.

Call it by what name you please. But “punishment always connotes guilt.” (Page 21.) It always connotes sin and suffering; and here are both. Adam sinned; his posterity suffer; and that, in consequence of his sin. But “sufferings are benefits to us.” Doubtless; but this does not hinder their being punishments. The pain I suffer as a punishment for my own sins may be a benefit to me, but it is a punishment nevertheless. But “as they two only were guilty of the first sin, so no other but they two only could be conscious of it as their sin.” (Page 14.) No other could be conscious of it as their sin, in the same sense as Adam and Eve were; and yet others may “charge it upon themselves * in a different sense, so as to judge themselves “children of wrath” on that account. To sum up this point in Dr. Jennings's words: “If there be anything in this argument, that Adam’s posterity could not be justly punishable for his transgression, because it was his personal act and not theirs, it must prove universally, that it is unjust to punish the posterity of any man for his personal crimes. And yet most certain it is, that God has in other cases actually punished men’s sins on their posterity. Thus the posterity of Canaan, the son of Ham, is punished with slavery for his sin. (Gen. ix. 25, 27.) Noah pronounced the curse under a divine afflatus, and God confirmed it by his providence. So we do in fact suffer for Adam's sin, and that too by the sentence inflicted on our first parents. We suffer death in consequence of their transgression. Therefore we are, in some sense, guilty of their sin. I would ask, What is guilt, but an obligation to suffer punishment for sin? Now since we suffer the same penal evil which God threatened to, and inflicted on, Adam for his sin; and since it is allowed, we suffer this for Adam’s sin, and that by the sentence of God, appointing all men to die, because Adam sinned; is not the consequence evident? Therefore we are all some way guilty of Adam’s sin.” (Jennings’s Vindication.) 6. “The consequences appointed by the judicial sentence of God are found in that pronounced on the serpent, or the woman, or the man.” (Page 15.) “The serpent is cursed, Gen. iii.

You have not yet proved that “death throughout this passage means only the death of the body.” This flaw is not amended by your observing that St. Paul was a Jew, and wrote to Jews as well as Gentiles; that he often uses Hebrew idioms; and that “the Hebrew word which signi fies to be a sinner, in Hiphil signifies to condemn, or make (that is, declare) a man a sinner by a judicial sentence;” that you can, by the help of your Concordance, “produce fifteen Hebrew texts, in which the word is so taken :” (Pages 31, 32:) For if it would follow from hence, that, “By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation,” is just equivalent with, “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners;” still this does not prove that the death in question is no other than temporal death. But indeed it does not follow, that two expressions are just equivalent, because one Hebrew word may contain them both; nor can it, therefore, be inferred from hence, that, “Many were made sinners,” is just equivalent with, “Judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” Rather, the former expres sion answers to “All have sinned;” the latter, to “Death passed upon all men.” Sin is the cause of their condemnation, and not the same thing with it. You go on : “Besides all this, it is here expressly affirmed, that the many are ‘made sinners’ by the disobedience of another man.” (Page 33.) It is expressly affirmed; and by an inspired Apostle; therefore I firmly believe it. “But they can be made sinners by the disobedience of another in no other sense than as they are sufferers.” (Page 34.) How is this proved ? We grant the Hebrew words for sin and iniquity are often used to signify suffering. But this does not prove that the phrase, “Were made sinners,” signifies only, they were made sufferers. “So ‘Christ was made sin for us.” (Page 35.) No.; not so, but as he was “made an offering for sin.” “He suffered on account of the sins of men, and so he ‘was made sin.” Yes, “a sin-offering.” But it is never said, he was made a sinner; therefore the expressions are not parallel. But he need not have been made sin at all, if we had not been made sinners by Adam.

But he need not have been made sin at all, if we had not been made sinners by Adam. “And men suffer on account of Adam’s sin, and so they are made sinners.” Are they made sinners so only * That remains to be proved. “It seems then confirmed, beyond all doubt, that ‘by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, meaneth only, By Adam’s sin, the many, that is, all mankind, ‘were made subject to death.” He that will believe it (taking death in the common sense) may; but you have not confirmed it by one sound argument. 11. You affirm, (4.) “The Apostle draws a comparison between Adam and Christ; between what Adam did, with the consequences of it, and what Christ did, with the consequences of that. And this comparison is the main thing he has in view.” (Page 36.) This is true. “The comparison begins at the twelfth verse: ‘Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,”--there he stops awhile, and brings an argument to prove, that death came on mankind through Adam’s trans gression.” (Pages 37, 38.) He does so; but not before he had finished his sentence, which literally runs thus: “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, even so death passed upon all men, in that all had sinned.” The comparison, therefore, between Adam and Christ begins not at the twelfth but the fourteenth verse. Of this you seem sensible yourself, when you say, “Adam is the ‘pattern of Him that was to come.’ Here a new thought starts into the Apostle's mind.” (Page 39.) For it was not a new thought starting into his mind here, if it was the same which he began to express at the twelfth verse. You proceed: “The extent of the free gift in Christ answers to the extent of the consequences of Adam’s sin; nay, abounds far beyond them. This he incidentally handles, verses 15-17, and then resumes his main design, verses 18, 19, half of which he had executed in the twelfth verse.” Not one jot of it. That verse is a complete sentence, not half of one only.

5. Their Fourth proposition is, “The sinfulness of that state into which man fell consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin; the want of that righteousness wherein he was created; and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indis posed, disabled, and made opposite to all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to evil, and that continually; which is commonly called original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.” On the first article of this you say, “Adam’s first sin was attended with consequences which affect all his posterity. But we could not, on account of his sin, become obnoxious to punishment.” (Page 99.) By punishment I mean evil, suffered on account of sin. And are we not obnoxious to any evil on account of Adam’s sin? To prove the rest of the proposition, they cite first, Rom. iii. 10-20. On which you remark, “The Apostle is here speaking of Jews and Gentiles, not in a personal, but in a national, capacity. “The mouth, says he, of all sorts of peo ple is ‘stopped, and both Jews and Gentiles are brought in guilty; for I have proved that there are transgressors among the Jews, as well as among the Gentiles.” (Page 102.) Not at all. If he proved no more than this, not one person would “become guilty before God.” Not one “mouth” of Jew or Gentile would “be stopped,” by showing, “there were Jewish as well as Heathen transgressors.” I proceed to your observations:-- (1) “In this whole section there is not one word of Adam.” There is enough in the next chapter but one. The Apostle first describes the effect, and afterwards point out the cause. (2.) “He is here speaking, not of all men, but of the Jews; of those alone who were “under the law,’ (verse 19,) and proving from their own writings that there were great cor ruptions among them as well as other people.” (Page 103.) He is speaking of them chiefly; but not of them only, as appears from the ninth verse: “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: As it is written, There is none righteous,” (neither among the Jews nor Gen tiles,) “no, not one.” Does this respect them in their na tional only, not personal, capacity?

10. The preceding texts were brought to prove (and they do abundantly prove it) that our nature is deeply corrupted, inclined to evil, and disinclined to all that is spiritually good; so that, without supernatural grace, we can neither will nor do what is pleasing to God. And this easily accounts for the wickedness and misery of mankind in all ages and nations; whereby experience and reason do so strongly confirm this scriptural doctrine of original sin. Yet it will not “follow, that men are no moral agents.” (Page 125.) If you ask, “Why, how are they capable of per forming duty?” I answer, By grace; though not by nature. And a measure of this is given to all men. Nor does it follow, “that we can by no means help or hinder that sin which is natural to us.” Yes, we can. Anger, for instance, is natural to me; yea, irregular, unreasonable anger. I am naturally inclined to this, as I experience every day. Yet I can help it, by the grace of God; and do so, as long as I watch and pray. Dr. Jennings answers this assertion more at large: “‘If sin be natural, then it is necessary.” If by sin is meant the corrupt bias of our wills, that indeed is natural to us, as our nature is corrupted by the fall; but not as it came originally out of the hand of God. Therefore it is improperly com pared to the appetites of hunger and thirst, which might be in our original nature. Now, this bias of the will is certainly evil and sinful, and hateful to God; whether we have con tracted it ourselves, or whether we derive it from Adam, makes no difference. A proud or passionate temper is evil, whether a man has contracted it himself, or derived it from his parents. Therefore the inference, “if natural and’ (in some sense) ‘necessary, then no sin, does by no means hold. “But if by sin be meant sinful actions, to which this cor rupt bias of the will inclines us; it remains to be proved, that a corrupt bias of the will makes the actions necessary, and, consequently, not sinful.

“But if by sin be meant sinful actions, to which this cor rupt bias of the will inclines us; it remains to be proved, that a corrupt bias of the will makes the actions necessary, and, consequently, not sinful. And, indeed, if a corrupt bias makes sin to be necessary, and, consequently, to be no sin, then the more any man is inclined to sin, the less sin he can commit; and as that corrupt bias grows stronger, his actual sinning becomes more necessary: And so the man, instead of growing more wicked, grows more innocent.” (Jennings's Windication, p. 68, &c.) 11. That this doctrine has been long “held in the Church of Rome,” (Taylor’s Doctrine, &c., p. 126,) is true. But so it has in the Greek Church also; and, so far as we can learn, in every Church under heaven; at least from the time that God spake by Moses. From this infection of our nature (call it original sin, or what you please) spring many, if not all, actual sins. And this St. James (i. 14) plainly intimates, even according to your para phrase on his words: “‘Every man is tempted, is overcome by temptation, “when he is drawn away by his own lust,”--his own irregular desire; where the Apostle charges the wickedness of men on its proper cause,--their ‘own lust.” Very true. And irregular desire is (not so much a fruit as a) part of original sin. For to say, “Eve had irregular desires before she sinned,” (p. 127) is a contradiction; since all irregular desire is sin. 12. Another proof that actual sins spring from original, is, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Matt. xv. 19.) “But what has this text to do with Adam’s sin?” It has much to do with the point it is brought to prove; namely, that actual sin proceeds from original; evil works, from an evil heart. Do not, therefore, triumph over these venerable men, (as you have done again and again,) because a text cited in proof of one clause of a proposition does not prove the whole. But “neither of those texts proves that all our wickedness proceeds from our being corrupted by Adam’s sin.” (Page 128.) But they both prove what they were brought to prove,-- that all outward wickedness proceeds from inward wickedness.

But “neither of those texts proves that all our wickedness proceeds from our being corrupted by Adam’s sin.” (Page 128.) But they both prove what they were brought to prove,-- that all outward wickedness proceeds from inward wickedness. Those pious men, therefore, did not mix “the forgery of their own imagination with the truth of God.” But “if all actual transgressions proceed from Adam’s sin, then he is the only guilty person that ever lived. For if his sin is the cause of all ours, he alone is chargeable with them.” True; if all our transgressions so proceed from his sin, that we cannot possibly avoid them. But this is not the case; by the grace of God we may cast away all our trans gressions: Therefore, if we do not, they are chargeable on ourselves. We may live; but we will die. Well, but “on these principles all actual sins proceed from Adam’s sin; either by necessary consequence, or through our own choice; or partly by one, and partly by the other.” (Page 129.) Yes; partly by one, and partly by the other. We are inclined to evil, antecedently to our own choice. By grace we may conquer this inclination; or we may choose to follow it, and so commit actual sin. 13. Their Fifth proposition is, “Original sin is conveyed from our first parents to their posterity by natural genera tion, so as all that proceed from them in that way are con ceived and born in sin.” (Page 130.) In proof of this they urge: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sindid my mother conceive me. (Psalmli.5.)” (Page 131.) On this you observe: “The word which we translate “shapen, signifies to bring forth, or bear. So here it means, ‘Behold, I was brought forth, or born, in iniquity.’” Suppose it does, (which is not plain; for you cannot infer from its meaning so sometimes, that it means so here,) what have you gained? If David was born in iniquity, it is little different from being “shapen” therein. That the Hebrew word does not always mean “to be born,” but rather to be “shapen, formed, or made,” evidently appears from Psalm x.c. 2; where it is applied to the formation of the earth: And in this very text, the Seventy render it by eTAaorém. -a word of the very same import.

Nay, but he means as he speaks. They “are alienated from the life of God,” from the time of their coming into the world. From the time of their birth, they “knew not the way of truth; ” neither can, unless they are “born of God.” You cite as a parallel text, “‘Thou wast called a transgressor from the womb; that is, set to iniquity by prevailing habits and customs.” Nay, the plain meaning is, The Israelites in general had never kept God’s law since they came into the world. Perhaps the phrase, “from the womb,” is once used figura tively, namely, Job xxxi. 18. But it is manifest, that it is to be literally taken, Isaiah xlix. 1 : “The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” For, (1.) This whole passage relates to Christ; these expressions in particular. (2.) This was lite rally fulfilled, when the angel was sent while he was yet in the womb, to order that his “name * should be “called Jesus.” This is not therefore barely “an hyperbolical form of aggravating sin; ” but a humble confession of a deep and weighty truth, whereof we cannot be too sensible. “But you have no manner of ground to conclude, that it relates to Adam’s sin.” (Page 136.) Whether it relates to Adam’s personal sin or no, it relates to a corrupt nature. This is the present question; and your pulling in Adam’s sin only tends to puzzle the reader. But how do you prove (since you will drag this in) that it does not relate to Adam’s sin? Thus: “(1.) In the whole Psalm there is not one word about Adam, or the effects of his sin upon us.” Here, as usual, you blend the two questions together; the ready way to confound an unwary reader. But first, to the first: “In the whole Psalm there is not one word about Adam; therefore it relateth not to him.” Just as well you may argue, “In the whole Psalm there is not oneword about Uriah; there fore it relatethnot to him.” The second assertion, “There is not one word of the effects of his sin,” is a fair begging the question. “(2.) The Psalmist is here charging himself with his own sin.” He is; and tracing it up to the fountain.

“(2.) The Psalmist is here charging himself with his own sin.” He is; and tracing it up to the fountain. “(3.) But according to our version, he does not charge himself with his sin, but some other person. He throws the whole load of his sin from off himself, on God who shaped him, and his mother who conceived him.” What you say might have had weight, if he had offered this in excuse of his sin, or even in extenuation of it. But doe he do this? Does he, in fact, “throw the whole blame, or an part of it, from off himself?” Just the reverse. He acknow ledges and bewails his own total iniquity; not to excus but to abase himself the more before God, for his inward a well as outward wickedness. And yet he might, in perfect consistency with this, whe God had caused “the bones which had been broken to re joice,” cry out, “I will praise thee, O God; for I am fearfull. and wonderfully made; ” yea, and repeat all that follows i the same Psalm; which proves so much, and no more, tha every foetus in the womb is formed by the power and wisdon of God. Yet does it not follow, that the sin transmitte from the parent “must be attributed to God.” (Page 137.) “But how could he with pleasure reflect upon his forma tion, or praise God for it?” As I can at this day; thoug I know I was “conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity. But, “where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. I lose less by Adam, than I gain by Christ. This also perfectly consists with the following verse: “Behold thou desirest truth,” or, It is thy will that we should have truth “in the inward parts;” (page 138;) thou art willing to remov all that “iniquity” wherein “I was shapen;” to “give me clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me;” and in th hidden part thou hast made me to know wisdom; thou has “shown me what was good.” So that I am everyway with out excuse; I knew thy will, and did it not. “But if, after all, you will adhere to the literal sense of thi text, why do you not adhere to the literal sense of that text ‘This is my body, and believe transubstantiation ?” (Ibid.

“But if, after all, you will adhere to the literal sense of thi text, why do you not adhere to the literal sense of that text ‘This is my body, and believe transubstantiation ?” (Ibid. For those very reasons which you suggest: (1.) Because it i grossly absurd, to suppose that Christ speaks of what he the held in his hands, as his real, natural body. But it is nowa, absurd, to suppose the Psalmist was “conceived in sin.” (2. The sense of, “This is my body,” may be clearly explained b. other scriptures, where the like forms of speech are used; bu there are no other scriptures where the like forms with thi of David are used in any other sense. (3.) Transubstantia tion is attended with consequences hurtful to piety; but th doctrine of original sin, and faith grounded thereon, is th only foundation of true piety. 14. The next proof is, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” (Job xiv. 4.) On this you observe: “Job is here speaking of the weak ness of our nature; not with regard to sin, but to the short ness and afflictions of life.” (Page 139.) Certainly, with regard both to the one and the other. For though, in the first and second verses, he mentions the shortness and troubles of life, yet even these are mentioned with a manifest regard to sin. This appears from the very next verse: (Page 140:) “And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one;” to punish one already so wretched? “And bringest me into judgment with thee;” by chastising me still more? It then immediately follows, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” It does therefore by no means appear, that “Job is here speaking only with regard to the shortness and troubles of life.” Part of the following verses too run thus: “Now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?

Taylor understands nothing else but the mere parts and powers of a man; and by “being born of the flesh, the being ‘born of a woman,’ with the constitution and natural powers of a man.” (Jennings's Vindication, p. 78, &c.) Now, let us suppose that human nature is not at all corrupted; and let us try what sense we can make of other scriptures where the word flesh is used in opposition to Spirit, as it is here: “There is no condemnation to them who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;” (Rom. viii. 1;) that is, not after the pure, uncorrupted constitution and powers of man. Again : “They that are in the flesh cannot please God,” (verse&;) that is, they that have the parts and powers of a man. Again: “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;” that is, if ye live suitably to the constitution and powers of your nature. Once more: How shall we understand, “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;” (Gal. v.17;) if flesh means nothing but the pure and uncorrupted powers of human nature? “But this text (John iii. 3) is,” according to Dr. Taylor, “so far from implying any corruption of our nature, that, ‘on the contrary, it supposes we have a nature susceptible of the best habits, and capable of being born of the Spirit.’” (Page 145.) And who ever denied it? Who ever supposed that such a corruption of nature, as for the present disables us for spiritual good, renders us incapable of being “born of the Spirit?” “But if natural generation is the means of conveying a sinful nature from our first parents to their posterity, then must itself be a sinful and unlawful thing.” I deny the consequence. You may transmit to your children a nature tainted with sin, and yet commit no sin in so doing. “Again: We produce one another only as the oak pro duces the acorn. The proper production of a child is from God. But if God produces a foetus which has sinful dispo sitions, he produces those dispositions.” (Page 146.) Your argument proves too much. It would prove God to be the author of all actual as well as original sin.

But this does not amount to a natural propensity to sin.” (Page 186.) But is not pride sin Is not idolatry sin? And is it not idolatry, to “love the creature more than the Creator?” Is not revenge sin? Is it not sin to “look upon a woman,” so as “to lust after her?” And have not all men a natural pro pensity to these things? They have all, then, a natural propensity to sin. Nevertheless, this propensity is not necessary, if by necessary you mean irresistible. We can resist and conquer it too, by the grace which is ever at hand. This propensity to pride, to revenge, to idolatry, (call it taint, or anything,) cannot be pleasing to God, who yet in fact does permit that it should descend from Adam to his latest posterity. And “we can neither help nor hinder” its descending to us. Indeed we can heap up plausible argu ments to prove the impossibility of it: But I feel it, and the argument drops. Bring ever so many proofs that there can be no such thing as motion: I move, and they vanish away. “But nature cannot be morally corrupted, but by the choice of a moral agent.” (Page 187.) You may play upon words as long as you please; but still I hold this fast: I (and you too, whether you will own it or no) am inclined, and was ever since I can remember, antecedently to any choice of my own, to pride, revenge, idolatry. If you will not call these moral corruptions, call them just what you will; but the fact I am as well assured of, as that I have any memory or under standing. “But some have attempted to explain this intricate affair.” (Page 188.) I do not commend their wisdom. I do not attempt to explain even how I, at this moment, stretch out my hand, or move my finger. One more of your assertions I must not pass over “It is absurd to say, infection is derived from Adam, independent of the will of God; and to say, it is by his will, is to make him the author of the pollution.” (Page 189.) We answer: It is not derived from Adam, independent of the will of God; that is, his permissive will. But our allow ing this, does not make him the author of the pollution.

Yet this no way contradicts, what is matter of daily experience, that we have a natural propensity to evil. Nay, the latter of these texts strongly confirms it; for if there be no such propensity, how comes “foolishness” (that is, wickedness, in the language of Solomon) to be “bound in the heart of a child?” of every child, of children in general, as the phrase manifestly imports? It is not from education here: It is sup posed to be antecedent to education, whether good or bad. “O, foolishness means only strong appetite.” (Page 193.) Yes, strong appetite to evil; otherwise it would not call for “the rod of correction,” or need to be “driven far from him.” “Objection 6. Might not Adam's posterity be said to sin in him, as Levi is said to ‘pay tithes in Abraham?’ (Heb. vii. 9.)” If the querist means, not to prove a doctrine already proved, but only to illustrate one expression by another, your answer, that “it is a bold figure,” (page 195) does not at all affect him. It is so; but still it may be pertinently cited to illustrate a similar expression. “Objection 7. “But there is a law in our members which wars against the law of our minds, and brings us into captivity to the law of sin and death.’ (Rom. vii. 23.) And does not this prove, that we come into the world with sinful propensities?” (Page 199.) You answer, (1) “If we come into the world with them, they are natural; but if natural, necessary; and if necessary, then no sin.” (Page 200.) If the consequence were good, with regard to what is so natural and necessary as to be irresistible, yet certainly it is not good with regard to those propensities which we may both resist and conquer. You answer, (2.) “The Apostle does not in this chapter speak of any man as he comes into the world, but as he is afterward depraved and corrupted by his own wicked choice.” Where is the proof? How does it appear that he does not speak of men corrupted both by choice and by nature?

Many passages in your paraphrase on the former part of this chapter are liable to much exception; but as they do not imme diately touch the point in question, Ipass on tothe latter part: “Verse 14: I am ‘ carnal, sold under sin.” He means a willing slavery.” (Page 216.) Quite the contrary; as appears from the very next words: “For that which I do, I allow not: For what I would, I do not; but what I hate, that I do.” “What I hate;” not barely, “what my reason disapproves;” but what I really detest and abhor, yet cannot help. “Verse 17: ‘Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.’ It is my sinful propensities, my in dulged appetites and passions.” (Page 217.) True; but those propensities were antecedent to that indulgence. “But the Apostle cannot mean, that there is something in man which makes him sin whether he will or no; for then it would not be sin at all.” Experience explains his meaning. I have felt in me, a thousand times, something which made me transgress God’s law, whether I would or no. Yet I dare not say, that “transgression of the law” was “no sin at all.” Verse 18: “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,” (not my “fleshly appetites” only, but my whole nature while unrenewed,) “dwelleth no good thing. For to will” indeed “is present with me;” not barely “that natural faculty, the will,” but an actual will to do good; as evidently appears from the following words: “But how to perform that which is good I find not :” I have the desire, but not the power. Verse 19: “For the good that I would,”--that I desire and choose, -“I do not; but the evil which I would not,”--which I hate,--“that I do.” Verse 20: “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I, but sin that dwelleth in me,” but “the prevalency of sensual affections,” (page 218,) yea, sinful tempers of every kind, “settled and ruling in my heart,” both by nature and habit. Verse 21: “I find then that when I would do good,” when I choose and earnestly desire it, I cannot; “evil is present with me;” as it were, gets in between.

Is not the doctrine of original sin necessary to account for the being of so much wickedness in the world?” You answer, “Adam’s nature, it is allowed, was not sinful; and yet he sinned. Therefore this doctrine is no more neces sary to account for the wickedness of the world than to ac count for Adam’s sin.” (Page 231.) Yes, it is. I can account for one man’s sinning, or a hundred, or even half mankind, suppose they were evenly poised between vice and virtue, from their own choice, which might turn one way or the other: But I cannot possibly, on this supposition, account for the general wickedness of mankind in all ages and nations. Again: “If men were never drawn into sin any other way than as Adam was, namely, by temptations offered from with out, there might be something in this answer; but there are numberless instances of men sinning, though no temptation is offered from without. It is necessary, therefore, some other account should be given of their sinning, than of Adam’s. And how to account for the universal spread of sin over the whole world without one exception, if there were no corruption in their common head, would be an insur mountable difficulty.” (Jennings's Vindication, p. 110.) “2. How, then, are we born into the world?” You answer, “As void of actual knowledge as the brutes.” (Taylor's Doctrine, &c., p. 232.) And can you really imagine that text, “Wain man would be wise,” (evidently spoken of man in general,) “though a man be born like a wild ass’s colt,” (Job xi. 12,) implies no more than, “Men are born void of actual knowledge?” Do we need inspiration to make this discovery, that a new-born child has po actual knowledge? Is man compared to a “wild ass,” of all animals the most stupid, to teach us no more than this? “yea, a wild ass’s colt?” Does not this intimate anything of untractableness, sullenness, stubbornness, perverseness? “How keenly is the comparison pointed ! Like the “ass;” an animal stupid even to a proverb: Like the ‘ass’s colt; ” which must be still more egregiously stupid than its dam: Like the ‘wild ass’s colt;’ which is not only blockish, but stubborn and refractory; neither has valuable qualities by nature, nor will easily receive them by discipline. The image in the original is yet more strongly touched.

It makes no difference as to the ground of our faith, whether a doctrine was delivered by Christ himself, or by his Apostles; and whether it be written in any of the four Gospels, or of the divine Epistles. There is only this difference: The Epistles were wrote after the resurrection and ascension of Christ; therefore, after the full commencement of the gospel dispensation; whereas the discourses of Christ recorded in the Gospels were delivered before the gospel dispensation was properly begun; therefore we are to look for the peculiar doctrines of Christ rather in the Epistles than in the Gospels. However, Christ did speak of this, and referred to it more than once, during his personal ministry, particularly in his discourse with Nicodemus, and Matt. xxiii. But it is not surprising that he did not speak so largely of redeeming us from sin, original or actual, by the price of his blood, before that price was actually paid, as the Apostles did afterward. He considered the littleness of their knowledge, with the violence of their prejudices; therefore we have no cause to be surprised that no more is said on this head in those discourses which Christ delivered before his death. But to us he has told it plainly, and we do find the doctrines of original sin, and redemption from it by Jesus Christ, distinguished emphatically in almost every page of the inspired Epistles.” (Jennings’s Vindication, page 116, &c.) To sum up this: 1. Christ speaks very sparingly of many things, whereof his Apostles have spoken largely. 2. Yet he does speak of the corruption of our nature, (which St. Paul expressly tells us is derived from Adam,) particularly in the 23d of St. Matthew, and the 3d of St. John. 3. Wherever he speaks of “saving that which was lost,” he in effect speaks of this; espe cially Matt. xviii. 11, where he mentions “little children” as lost; which could not be by actual sin. 4. There was the less need of our Lord’s speaking much on this head, because it was so fully declared in the Old Testament, and was not questioned by any of those false teachers against whom he was chiefly concerned to warn his disciples.

That it was not needful for them to prove what none of their hearers denied: No, not even the Heathens; even these allowed the corruption of human nature. Even these received it as an undeniable fact, Vitiis nemo sine nascitur: “No man is born without vices.” These acknowledged, (as Seneca expresses,) Omnia in omni bus vitia sunt : “All vices are in all men.” These saw there were hardly any good men to be found upon the face of the earth; and openly testified it. Rari quippe boni; numero vir sunt totidem quot Thebarum porte, vel divitis ostia Nili : “The good lie scatter'd in this barren soil, Few as the gates of Thebes, or mouths of Nile.” They had also among them some faint account of the cause of that overflowing corruption. So Horace, immediately after he had asserted the fact,-- Audar omnia perpeti Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas,-- “Lawless and unrestrain'd, the human race Rushes through all the paths of daring wickedness,” glances at the cause of it, in their fabulous manner: Audar Japeti genus Ignem fraude mal4 gentibus intulit; Post ignem athered domo Subductum, macies, et nova febrium Terris incubuit cohors: Semotique prius tarda necessitas Lethi corripwit gradum. “Prometheus first provok'd the heavenly Sire, Purloining Jupiter's authentic fire : Evil, from hence derived, and brooding pain, And strange disease, with all the ghastly train, Pour'd in upon the wretched sons of men: While hasty Fate quicken'd the lingering pace Of distant death, unveil'd the monster's face, And gave into his hands our whole devoted race.” I observe, 3. It was neither needful nor proper for an Apostle, in his first sermon to a congregation wholly unawak ened, to descant upon original sin. No man of common sense would do it now. Were I to preach to a certain congrega tion at Norwich, I should not say one word of Adam, but endeavour to show them that their lives, and therefore their hearts, were corrupt and abominable before God. You conclude this head: “Guilt imputed is imaginary guilt, and so no object of redemption.” I dare not say so as to my own particular.

I must either believe there was an evil God, or that there was no God at all. “But to disparage our nature is to disparage the work and gifts of God.” (Page 257.) True; but to describe the cor ruption of our nature as it is, is not disparaging the work of God. For that corruption is not his work. On the other hand, to say it is; to say God created us as corrupt as we are now, with as weak an understanding and as perverse a will; this is dis paraging the work of God, and God himself, to some purpose! “But doth not this doctrine teach you to transfer your wickedness and sin to a wrong cause? Whereas you ought to blame yourself alone, you lay the whole blame upon Adam.” (Page 258.) I do not : I know God is willing to save me from all sin, both original and actual. Therefore, if I am not saved, I must lay the whole blame upon myself. “But what good end does this doctrine promote?” The doctrine, that we are by nature “dead in sin,” and therefore “children of wrath,” promotes repentance, a true knowledge of ourselves; and thereby leads to faith in Christ, to a true knowledge of Christ crucified. And faith worketh love; and, by love, all holiness both of heart and life. Consequently, this doctrine promotes (nay, and is absolutely, indispensably necessary to promote) the whole of that religion which the Son of God lived and died to establish. “We are told, indeed, that it promotes humility; but nei ther our Lord nor his Apostles, when inculcating humility, say a word about natural corruption.” Supposing (not grant ing) that they did not, yet it cannot be, in the very nature of the thing, that any whose nature is corrupt should be hum ble, should know himself, without knowing that corruption. “But what can be more destructive to virtue, than to repre sent sin as altogether unavoidable?” (Page 259.) This does not follow from the doctrine. Corrupt as we are, through almighty grace we may avoid all sin. But it is destructive of virtue. For ‘if we believe we are by nature worse than the brutes, what wonder if we act worse than brutes?” Yea, if we are so, what wonder if we act so?

I have now weighed, as my leisure would permit, all the arguments advanced in your Three Parts. And this I have done with continual prayer, that I might know “the truth as it is in Jesus.” But still I see no ground to alter my senti ments touching the general corruption of human nature. Nor can I find any better or any other way of accounting for that general wickedness which has prevailed in all nations, and through all ages, nearly from the beginning of the world to this day. January 25, 1757. AN ANswer. To DR. TAYLOR's suPPLEMENT. YoU subjoin to your book a very large Supplement, in answer to Dr. Jennings and Dr. Watts. All that they have advanced, I am not engaged to defend; but such parts only as affect the merits of the cause. You divide this part of your work into eight sections. The first treats And here you roundly affirm, “No action is said in Scrip ture to be imputed to any person for righteousness or con demnation, but the proper act and deed of that person.” (Supplement, page 7.) Were, then, the iniquities and sins which were put upon the scape-goat, his own “proper act and deed?” You answer, “Here was no imputation of sin to the goat. It was only a figurative way of signifying the removal of guilt from the penitent Israelites, by the goat’s going into the wilderness.” But how could it be a figure of any such thing, if no guilt was imputed to him? “Aaron is commanded to put the iniquities of Israel upon the scape-goat; (Lev. xvi. 21;) and this goat is said to bear the iniquities of the people. (Verse 22.) This was plainly an impu tation. Yet it could not possibly be an imputation of anything done by the animal itself. The effects also which took place upon the execution of the ordinance indicate a translation of guilt; for the congregation was cleansed, but the goat was pol luted: The congregation so cleansed, that their iniquities were borne away, and to be found no more; the goat so polluted that it communicated defilement to the person who conducted it into a land not inhabited.” (Theron and Aspasio.) In truth, the scape-goat was a figure of Him “on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all.” (Isai.

The effects also which took place upon the execution of the ordinance indicate a translation of guilt; for the congregation was cleansed, but the goat was pol luted: The congregation so cleansed, that their iniquities were borne away, and to be found no more; the goat so polluted that it communicated defilement to the person who conducted it into a land not inhabited.” (Theron and Aspasio.) In truth, the scape-goat was a figure of Him “on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all.” (Isai. liii.6.) “He bore our iniquity.” (Verse 11.) “He bare the sin of many.” (Verse 12.) The Prophet uses three different words in the original; of which the first does properly signify the meeting together ; the last, the lifting up a weight or burden. This burden it was which made him “sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.” “But iniquity and sin sometimes signify suffer $ngs.” (Supplement, pp. 8, 9.) Yes, suffering for sin; the effect being put for the cause. Accordingly, what we mean by, “Our sins “were imputed to him, is, He was punished for them: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities.’ He, ‘who knew no sin,” but what was thus imputed, ‘was made sin,” a sin-offering, ‘for us.’” “It pleased the Lord” (your own words) “to bruise him, in order to the expiation of our sins.” (Pages 10, 11.) “But with regard to parents and their posterity, God assures us, children ‘shall not die for the iniquity of their fathers.’” No, not eternally. I believe none ever did, or ever will, die eternally, merely for the sin of our first father. “But the Scripture never speaks of imputing any sin to any person, but what is the act of that person.” (Pages 13, 14.) It was but now you yourself observed, that, by, “Our sins were imputed to Christ,” we mean, “He suffered for them.” Our sins, then, were imputed to Christ; and yet these sins were not the act of the person that suffered. He did not commit the sin which was thus imputed to him.

He did not commit the sin which was thus imputed to him. But “no just constitution can punish the innocent.” (Page 16.) This is undoubtedly true; therefore God does not look upon infants as innocent, but as involved in the guilt of Adam’s sin; otherwise death, the punishment denounced against that sin, could not be inflicted upon them. “It is allowed, the posterity of Ham and Gehazi, and the children of Dathan and Abiram, suffered for the sins of their parents.” It is enough. You need allow no more. All the world will see, if they suffered for them, then they were punished for them. Yet we do not “confound punishment with suffer ing, as if to suffer, and to be punished, were the same thing.” Punishment is not barely suffering, but suffering for sin: To suffer, and to be punished, are not the same thing; but to suffer for sin, and to be punished, are precisely the same. If therefore, the children of Dathan and Abiram suffered for the sins of their parents, which no man can deny, then they were punished for them. Consequently, it is not true that, “in the instances alleged, the parents only were punished by the sufferings of the children.” (Pages 17, 18.) If the children suffered for those sins, then they were punished for them. Indeed, sometimes the parents too were punished, by the sufferings of their children; which is all that your heap of quotations proves; and sometimes they were not. But, however this were, if the children suffered for their sins, they were punished for them. It is not therefore “evident, that, in all these cases, children are considered, not as criminals involved in guilt, but as the enjoyments of their parents, who alone are punished by their sufferings.” (Page 18.) On the contrary, it is very evident that the children of Canaan were punished for the sin of Ham; and that the children of Dathan and Abiram were punished with death, as “involved in the guilt of their parents.” “On the other hand, the virtues of an ancestor may convey great advantages to his posterity. But no man’s posterity can be rewarded for their ancestor's virtue.” (Page 21.) The point here in dispute between Dr. Watts and you is, whether the thing, concerning which you are agreed, should be expressed by one term or another.

Watts and you is, whether the thing, concerning which you are agreed, should be expressed by one term or another. You both agree, (and no man in his senses can deny,) that, in all ages, God has, on account of pious ancestors, given many blessings to “heir offspring. But he thinks these blessings should be termed rewards; (and so do all the world;) you say they should not. The fact is plain either way: God does continually, and did in all ages, give number less blessings to the children, on account of the piety of their fathers; and, it is certain, blessings given on account of virtue have been hitherto termed rewards, both by God and man. You conclude this section: “Thus, it appears, the distinc tion between personal sin and imputed guilt is without any ground in Scripture.” (Page 22.) Just the contrary appears, namely, that guilt was imputed to the scape-goat, to the child ren of wicked parents, and to our blessed Lord himself, with out any personal sin. The distinction, therefore, is sound and scriptural. THAT God designs to bring good out of these is certain. But does this prove, they have not the nature of punishments? Did Adam himself suffer any affliction, any toil or pain? Doubt less he did, long before he returned to dust. And can we doubt but he received spiritual good from that pain? Yet it was a punishment still; as really such, as if it had consigned him over to everlasting punishment. This argument, therefore, is of no weight: “God draws good out of punishments; there fore they are no punishments at all.” However, then, the sufferings wherein Adam’s sin has involved his own posterity may “try and purify us, in order to future and everlasting happiness,” (page 23,) this circumstance does not alter their nature; they are punishments still. Let “afflictions, calamities, and death itself, be means of improving in virtue,” (page 24,) of healing or preventing sin, this is no manner of proof that they are not punishments. Was not God able to heal or prevent sin, without either pain or death? Could not the Almighty have done this as easily, as speedily, and as effectually, without these, as with them? Why, then, did he not? Why did Adam's sin bring these on his whole posterity? Why should one man suffer for another man's fault?

Why should one man suffer for another man's fault? If you say, “To cure his own;” I ask, 1. What necessity was there of any suffering at all for this? If God intended only to cure his sin, he could have done that with out any suffering. I ask, 2. Why do infants suffer? What sin have they to be cured thereby? If you say, “It is to heal the sin of their parents, who sympathize and suffer with them; ” in a thousand instances this has no place; the parents are not the better, nor anyway likely to be the better, for all the sufferings of their children. Their sufferings, therefore, yea, and those of all mankind, which are entailed upon them by the sin of Adam, are not the result of mere mercy, but of justice also. In other words, they have in them the nature of punishments, even on us and on our child ren. Therefore, children themselves are not innocent before God. They suffer; therefore, they deserve to suffer. And here another question arises, What benefit accrues to the brute creation from the sufferings wherein their whole race is involved through the sin of the first man? The fact cannot be denied; daily experience attests what we read in the oracles of God, that “the whole creation groaneth together, and tra vaileth in pain to this day;” a considerable past of it groans to God, under the wantonness or cruelty of man. Their sufferings are caused, or at least greatly increased, by our luxury or inhu manity; nay, and by our diversions ! We draw entertainment from the pain, the death, of other creatures;--not to mention several entire species, which at present have such natural quali ties, that we are obliged to inflict pain, nay, perhaps death, upon them, purely in our own defence. And even those species which are out of the reach of men, are not out of the reach of suffer ing. “The lions do lack and suffer hunger,” though they are, as it were, sovereigns of the plain. Do they not acknowledge this when, “roaring for their prey,” they “seek their meat from God?” And what shall we say of their helpless prey? Is not their lot more miserable still? Now, what benefits, I say, have these from their sufferings?

If it does, then Adam brought a sinful nature with him into the world. But if we cannot infer from Adam’s sin, that his nature was originally corrupt, neither can we infer from the wickedness of all mankind, be it ever so great, that they have a sinful nature.” (Pages 52, 53.) The consequence is not good: “If one man’s committing a sin does not prove that he was naturally inclined to evil, then the wickedness of all mankind for six thousand years will not prove that they are naturally inclined to evil.” For we may easily account for one man’s committing sin, though he was not naturally inclined to evil; but not so easily, for “all flesh corrupting themselves,” for the wickedness of all mankind in all ages. It is not possible rationally to account for this, for the general wickedness of mankind; for such a majority of men, through all generations, being so corrupt; but on the supposition of their having a corrupt nature. Sin in one or a few cases, does not prove a sinful nature; but sin over spreading the earth, does. Nor is your argument drawn from the sin of the angels, (pp. 54, 55,) of any more force than that drawn from the sin of Adam, unless you can prove that as great a majority of angels as of men have rebelled against their Creator. “Again: If our first parents felt fear and shame, and yet their nature was not originally corrupt, then it will not follow that ours is so, notwithstanding our uneasy and unruly pas sions.” Empty sound ! Had any one said to Adam, “Your nature was originally corrupt, for you feel uneasy and unruly passions;” would he not readily have answered, “But these began at such an hour; till then my nature was without either pain or corruption.” Apply this to any child of Adam; and if he can answer in like manner, “Till such an hour no uneasy or unruly passion had any place in my breast; ” we will then grant, these passions no more prove a corrupt nature in the sons than in their first father. But no man can answer thus. You, and I, and every man, must acknowledge, that uneasy and unruly passions are coeval with our understanding and memory at least, if not with our very being.

So far, therefore, is “his argument from the sinfulness and misery of mankind from being altogether insufficient in every part,” that it is strong and conclusive, anything you have advanced to the contrary notwithstanding. You add: “Suffering may happen where there is no sin; as in the case of brutes and infants; or where there is the most perfect innocence; as in the case of our blessed Lord.” Absolutely true; that is, where there is no personal sin, but only sin imputed. There was no personal sin in our blessed Lord; there can be none either in brutes or infants. He suffered, therefore, for the sins of others, which were thus imputed to him; as is the sin of Adam to infants, who suffer death through him; and, in some sense, to the whole creation; which was “made subject to vanity, not willingly,” but on account of his transgression. But where there is no sin, either personal or imputed, there can be no suffering. “I may add, from the present state of things, a directly opposite argument may be taken: From the enjoyments and comforts, the good things and blessings, which abound in the world, I might ask, Are these creatures, so well provided for, under God’s displeasure? Are they not the care of his good ness? Does he not love them, and delight to do them good?” (Pages 58-61.) I answer, God does still give us many good things, many enjoyments, comforts, and blessings. But all these are given through the “Seed of the woman;” they are all the purchase of his blood. Through Him we are still the care of the divine goodness, and God does delight to do us good: But this does not at all prove, either that we have not a sinful nature, or that we are not, while sinful, under his displeasure. “BY this doctrine some have been led to maintain, 1. That men have not a sufficient power to perform their duty. But if so, it ceases to be their duty.” (Pages 63-69.) I maintain, that men have not this power by nature: But they have or may have it by grace; therefore it does not cease to be their duty. And if they perform it not, they are without excuse. “Hence some maintain, 2.

You add: “The thing cannot exist, unless we choose; because our choosing to do what is right, is the very thing which is to exist.” No; the thing which is to exist is, a right state of mind. And it is certain, God can give this to any creature, at the very first moment of its existence. Nay, it may be questioned, whether God can create an intelligent being in any other state. “But a habit is gained by repeated acts. Therefore, habits of righteousness could not be created in man.” Mere play ing upon words! He could be, he was, created full of love. Now, whether you call this a habit or no, it is the sum of all righteousness. “But this love is either under the government of my will, or it is not.” It is. The love of God which Adam enjoyed was under the government of his will. “But if so, it could be righteous only so far as applied to right action in heart and life.” (Pages 164, 165.) Stop here. The love of God is righteousness, the moment it exists in any soul; and it must exist before it can be applied to action. Accordingly, it was righteousness in Adam the moment he was created. And yet he had a power either to follow the dictates of that love, (in which case his righteousness would have endured for ever,) or to act contrary thereto; but love was righteousness still, though it was not irresistible. “I might add, Adam’s inclination to sin (for he could not sin without a sinful inclination) must be so strong as to over come his (supposed) inbred propensity to holiness; and so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally. Consequently, the supposed original righteousness was con sistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger and more malignant than ever was or can be in any of his posterity; who cannot sin against such resistance, or with such dreadful consequences. Thus, original righteousness in Adam proves far worse than original sin in his posterity.” (Page 166.) I have set down your argnment at large, that it may appear in its full strength. Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous.

7. It has been said, indeed, “If Adam fell into sin though he was innocent, then among a million of creatures every one might sin, though he was as innocent as Adam.” (Pages 194, 195.) I answer, There is a possibility of the event; but the improbability of it is a million to one. I prove it thus: If a million of creatures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall; and if all the numbers, from one to one million $nclusively, were set in a rank, it is plainly a million to one, that just any single proposed number of this multitude should fall. Now, the total sum is one of these numbers, that ts, the last of them. Consequently, it is a million to one against the supposition, that the whole number of men should fall. And this argument will grow still ten thousand times stronger, if we suppose ten thousand millions to have lived since the creation. Your argument stood thus: “If we cannot infer from Adam’s transgression, that his nature was originally corrupt, neither can we infer from the transgressions of all mankind, that their mature is originally corrupt.” It is answered, Ifamillion of crea tures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall, it is a million to one they should not all fall. You reply, “This is no answer to my argument.” (Page 196.) Surely it is; and a direct answer. That one man sinned, does not prove he had a corrupt nature. Why? Because (supposing him free to choose good or evil) it was as probable he should sin, as not, there being no odds on one side or the other; but that all men should sin, does prove they have a corrupt nature; because it is not as pro bable, that all men should sin, as that one man should; the odds against it being as a million, or rather ten thousand millions, to one. Either, therefore, we must allow that mankind are more inclined to evil than to good, or we must maintain a supposition so highly improbable as comes very near a flat impossibility.

Either, therefore, we must allow that mankind are more inclined to evil than to good, or we must maintain a supposition so highly improbable as comes very near a flat impossibility. And thus much you yourself cannot but allow: “The reason ing may hold good, where all circumstances agree to make the probability equal with regard to every individual in this sup posed million.” And how can the probability be other than equal, if every individual be as wise and good as Adam? “But be it equal or no,” you say, “the case is not to be estimated by the laws of equal probability, but of infection. For when sin is once entered into a body of men, it goes on, not accord ing to the laws of chance,” (is this precisely the same with equal probability?) “but the laws, as I may say, of infection.” But how came sin to enter into a body of men? That is the very question. Supposing, first a body of sinners, sin “may assume the nature of a contagion.” But the difficulty lies against supposing any body of sinners at all. You say, in deed, “One sinner produces another, as the serpent drew in Eve: The first sin and sinner being like a ‘little leaven which leavens the whole lump.’” All this I can understand, sup posing our nature is inclined to evil. But if not, why does not one good man produce another, as naturally as one sinner produces another? And why does not righteousness spread as fast and as wide among mankind as wickedness? Why does not this “leaven, leaven the whole lump,” as frequently, as readily, and as throughly, as the other? These laws of infection, so called, will therefore stand you in no stead. For, to bring the matter still more to a point, suppose Adam and Eve newly infected by sin; they had then none to infect, having no child. Afterward they repented, and found mercy. Then Cain was born. Now, surely neither Adam nor Eve would infect him, having suffered so severely for their own sin; which, therefore, they must needs guard hin- against ! How, then, came he to be a sinner? “O, by his own choice; as Seth was righteous.” Well; afterwards, both wicked Cain and good Seth begat sons and daughters.

“It is true, all these are trials for man during his state of probation. But a state of probation for innocent man would not have included death; much less a violent and bloody, or a lingering and painful, death.” (Page 26.) “Accordingly, our return to dust is mentioned by Moses as a curse of God for the sin of man. And when once life is forfeited by all mankind, then a painful death may properly become a part of the further trial of such creatures as are to rise again; and any pious sufferers may be rewarded by a happy resurrection. But a painful death could never be made a part of the trial of innocent creatures, who had never forfeited life, nor were ever legally subjected to death.” (Page 27.) “Upon the whole, therefore, such noxious and destructive plants and animals could not be made to vex and disturb, to poison and destroy, a race of innocent, intellectual beings. “3. The manner of our entrance into life is another proof of universal sin.” (Page 29.) “Would the great and good God have appointed intellectual animals, had they been sin less, to be propagated in such in a way as should necessarily give such exquisite pain and anguish to the mothers who bring them forth? And if the contagion had not been univer sal, why should such acute pangs attend almost every female parent? Are not the multiplied sorrows with which the daughters of Eve bring forth, an evident token that they are not in their original state of favour with that God who created them, and pronounced a blessing upon them in their propagation?” “Moses informs us, that God blessed the first pair, and bid them ‘be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and soon after tells us that these ‘multiplied sor rows in child-birth are a curse from an offended God. Surely the curse is not as old as the blessing; but sin and sorrow came in together, and spread a wide curse over the birth of man, which before stood only under a divine benediction. Not that the blessing is now quite taken away, though the pains of child-bearing are added to it: And daily experience proves, this curse is not taken away by the blessing repeated to Noah.” (Page 29.) “4.

But he imagines he has been drop ping tears in every page, and that over every part of mankind.” Undoubtedly he has; and if so, how unjust, how cruel, is that censurel send our thoughts to the sultry regions of Afric, the frost and snows of Norway, the rocks and deserts of Lapland and northern Tartary,--what a frightful thing is human life l How is the rational nature lost in slavery, and brutality, and incessant toils, and hardships | They are treated like brutes by their lords, and they live like dogs and asses, among labours and wants, hunger and weariness, blows and burdens without end. Did God appoint this for innocents?” (Page 31.) “Is the momentary pleasure of eating and drinking a recom pence for incessant labour? Does it bear any proportion to the length of toil, pain, and hazard, wherewith the provisions of life are procured? Moses thought not. When he speaks of man's ‘eating bread in the sweat of his brow, he acknowledges this to be another of the curses of God for the sin of man.” (Page 32.) “It is strange that any man should say, ‘In this sentence of God, no curse is pronounced upon either Adam’s body, soul, or posterity; that the sorrow of child-bearing is not inflicted as a curse; that the labours of life were increased, but not as a curse; that death was not a curse.’ I would fain ask, What is a curse, if some natural evil pronounced and executed upon a person, or thing, be not so, especially when it is pronounced on account of sin, and by God himself, as supreme Governor and Judge? And even the curse on the ground falls properly on the person who tills it. “It is granted, God can turn curses into blessings. Yet these evils were originally pronounced and inflicted as a curse or punishment of sin; as it is written, ‘Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things.’ And that death was designed as a curse on man for sin is evident; for Christ ‘suffered” that “curse for us.” “5. Consider the character of mankind in general, with regard to religion and virtue, and it will be hard to believe they bear the image of their common Father in knowledge and holi ness.

And not only they of riper age, but even those of ten der years, discover the principles of iniquity and seeds of sin. What young ferments of spite and envy, what native wrath and rage, are found in the little hearts of infants, and sufficiently discovered by their hands, and eyes, and countenances, before they can speak, or know good from evil ! What additional crimes of lying and deceit, obstinacy and perverseness proceed to blemish their younger years!” (Pages 39, 41.) “How little knowledge or thought of God, their Creator and Governor, is found in children when they can distinguish good and evil!” (Page 42.) “What an utter disregard of Him that made them, and of the duties they owe to him And when they * These quotations from Juvenal are thus translated by Gifford : “What day so sacred, which no guilt profanes?” ------“Nature still, Incapable of change, and fix’d in ill, Recurs to her old habits:-never yet Could sinner to his sin a period set. When did the flush of modest blood inflame The cheek once harden'd to the sense of shame? Or when the offender, since the birth of time, Retire, contented with a single crime?” “For youth is facile, and its yielding will Receives, with fatal ease, the print of ill.”-EDIT. begin to act according to their childish age, how little sense have they of what is morally right and good How do evil passions or irregular appetites continually prevail in them ! Even from their first capacity of acting as moral creatures, how are they led away to practise falsehood and injury to their play-fellows, perhaps with cruelty or revenge How often are they engaged in bold disobedience to their parents or teachers | And whence does this arise ? What is the root, that brings forth such early bitter fruit?” (Page 43.) “It cannot be imputed to custom, education, or example; for many of these things appear in children before they can take any notice of ill examples, or are capable of imitating them. And even where there are only good examples about them, and where the best and earliest instructions are given them, and inculcated with the utmost care, yet their hearts run astray from God.

And even where there are only good examples about them, and where the best and earliest instructions are given them, and inculcated with the utmost care, yet their hearts run astray from God. The far greatest part of them visibly follow the corrupt influences of sense, appetite, passion, and manifest very early the evil principles of stubbornness, pride, and disobedience.” (Page 44.) “To give a still fuller confirmation of this truth, that man kind have a corrupt nature in them, let it be observed, that where persons have not only had all possible helps of educa tion from their parents, but have themselves taken a religious turn betimes, what perpetual hinderance do they find within themselves!” (Page 45.) “What inward oppositions work in their heart, and, perhaps, interrupt their holy course of life What vanity of mind, what irregular appetites, what forget fulness of God, what evil thoughts and tendencies of heart rise up in contradiction to their best purposes ! Insomuch, that “there is not a just man upon earth, who, through his whole life, ‘doeth good and sinneth not.’” (Page 46.) “To sum up the three last considerations: If the bulk of mankind are grossly sinful, and if every individual, without exception, is actually a sinner against the law of his Creator; if sinful propensities appear even in our most tender years, and every child becomes an actual sinner almost as soon as it becomes a moral agent; then we have just reason to con clude, that there is some original taint spread through the whole race of men from their birth. “7. It has been said, indeed, that, “if the first man fell into sin, though he was innocent and perfect, then among a million of men, every one might sin, though he was as inno cent and perfect as Adam.’” (Page 47.) “I answer, There is a bare possibility of the event; but the improbability of it is in the proportion of a million to one. “And I prove it thus: If a million of creatures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall; and if all the num bers, from one to one million inclusively, were set in a rank, it is a million to one that just any single proposed number of all these should fall by sin.

Nay, many even of the heathen philosophers believed it, from their own experience, and their daily survey of mankind; though they were utterly at a loss how to account for it. And what, if we could not assign a sufficient and satisfactory reason for it, or show how this spreading degeneracy began, or how it came to take place so universally? What, if we were still at a loss to explain how all this guilt and misery came upon us,--must we therefore deny the things which we see, and hear, and feel, daily?” (Page 91.) “Can we account for all the secret things in the creation of God? And must we deny whatever we cannot account for? Does any man refuse to believe that the infinite variety of plants and flowers, in all their beauteous colours and forms, grow out of the same earth, because he does not know all the springs of their vegetation? Do men doubt of a loadstone's drawing iron to itself, because they cannot find out the way of its operation? Are we not sure that food nourishes our bodies, and medicines relieve our pains? Yet we know not all the ferment and motions of those atoms by which we are relieved and nourished. Why then should we deny that degeneracy of our nature which admits of so full and various proof, though we are not able to account for every circumstance relating to it, or to solve every difficulty that may attend it?” (Page 92.) “How came vice and misery to overspread mankind in all nations, and in all ages? “Heathen philosophers could never answer this; but Chris tians may from the oracles of God.” (Page 94.) “These inform us, that the first man was a ‘common head and representative of all mankind;’ and that he, by sinning against his Maker, lost his own holiness and happiness, and exposed himself and his posterity (whom he naturally pro duced, and whom he legally represented) to the displeasure of his Maker, and so spread sin and misery through his whole offspring.” (Page 102.) “So St. Paul: “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; even so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. v. 12.) All are esteemed in some sort guilty before God, though they “did not sin after the similitude of Adam’s transgression.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.’ And David says the same thing: ‘Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.’” (Pages 170, 171.) “This is not an hyperbolical aggravation of David’s early sins, and propensity to evil from his childhood. But the text is strong and plain in asserting sin someway to belong to his very conception, and to be conveyed from his natural parents; which is a different idea from his actual sins, or pro pensity to sin in his infancy. It shows the cause both of this propensity, and of his actual sins, which operated before he was born. So that if original pravity be not so conveyed and derived as is here asserted, the words are not an exaggeration of what is, but a downright fiction of what is not. “8. As Adam produced his offspring, like himself, destitute of the image of God, so he produced them destitute of the favour of God, under the same condemnation with himself. So Job: ‘Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble;’ (xiv. 1;) that is, his short life, and his troubles, proceed from his very birth; his propagation from sinful and mortal parents: Otherwise, God would not have appointed his noblest creature in this world to have been ‘born to trouble:” Yet this is the case; ‘man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward;’ (Job v. 7;) naturally; for it is owing to his birth and his natural derivation from a sinful stock. We are a miserable race, springing from a corrupted and dying root, prone to sin, and liable to sorrows and sufferings.” (Pages 174, 175.) “In proof of this sentence of condemnation and death coming upon all mankind for the sin of Adam, we need only read from the twelfth verse of the fifth chapter of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans; on which I observe,” (page 176,)-- “1. Here Adam and Christ are set up as distinct heads or representatives of their several families. Adam was the head of all mankind, who became sinful and mortal through his sin; Christ was the head of all believers, who obtain pardon and life through his righteousness.

Adam was the head of all mankind, who became sinful and mortal through his sin; Christ was the head of all believers, who obtain pardon and life through his righteousness. To prove this headship of Adam, the Apostle says, “Until the law,’ (that is, from the creation till the law of Moses,) “sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed where there is no law; that is, where there is no law or constitution of duty or penalty at all. Yet, saith he, “Death reigned from Adam to Moses:” Yet sin was imputed, and pun ished by death, even upon all mankind, both small and great, before the law given by Moses. The inference is, therefore, there was some law or constitution during all the time from Adam to Moses, in virtue of which sin was imputed to man kind, and death accordingly executed upon them. Now, what law or constitution could this be, beside that which said to Adam, as a representative of his whole posterity, ‘In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die?’” (Pages 177, 178.) “2. The Apostle carries his argument yet farther: ‘Sin was imputed, and death reigned, or was executed, “even upon those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgres sion;' who had not broken an express command, as Adam had done. This manifestly refers to infants;--death reigned over them; death was executed upon them. And this must be by some constitution which, in some sense, imputed sin to them who had not committed actual sin: For without such a con stitution, sin would never have been imputed, nor death executed on children. “Yet, 3. Death did not come upon them as a mere natural effect of their father Adam’s sin and death, but as a proper and legal punishment of sin; for it is said, his sin brought “con demnation’ upon all men. (Verse 18.) Now, this is a legal term, and shows that death is not only a natural but a penal evil, and comes upon infants as guilty and condemned;--not for their own actual sins, for they had none; but for the sin of Adam, their legal head, their appointed representative.” (Page 179.) “In the eighteenth verse the expression is very strong: “By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to con demnation.

If those children had been guiltless in the eye of God, could this have been their portion? In short, can we suppose the wise, and right eous, and merciful God would have established and continued such a constitution for that propagation of mankind which should naturally place so many millions of them so early in such dismal circumstances if there had not been some dread ful and universal degeneracy spread over them and their fathers, by some original crime, which met and seized them at the very entrance into life?” (Page 420.) “THIs doctrine has been attended with many noisy contro versies in the Christian world. Let us try whether it may not be set in so fair and easy a light as to reconcile the sentiments of the contending parties.” (Page 427.) “When a man has broken the law of his country, and is punished for so doing, it is plain that sin is imputed to him; his wickedness is upon him; he bears his iniquity; that is, he is reputed, or accounted guilty; he is condemned and dealt with as an offender.” (Page 428.) “On the other hand, if an innocent man, who is falsely accused, is acquitted by the court, sin is not imputed to him, but righteousness is imputed to him; or, to use another phrase, his ‘righteousness is upon him.’ “Or if a reward be given a man for any righteous action, this righteous act is imputed to him. “Farther: If a man has committed a crime, but the Prince pardons him, then he is justified from it; and his fault is not imputed to him.” (Page 429.) “But if a man having committed treason, his estate is taken from him and his children, then they “bear the iniquity of their father, and his sin is imputed to them also. “If a man lose his life and estate for murder, and his children thereby become vagabonds, then the blood of the person murdered is said to be upon the murderer, and upon his children also. So the Jews: ‘His blood be on us and on our children;’ let us and our children be punished for it !

“I answer: 2. Sin is taken either for an act of disobedience to a law, or for the legal result of such an act; that is, the guilt, or liableness to punishment. Now, when we say, The sin of a traitor is imputed to his children, we do not mean, that the act of the father is charged upon the child; but that the guilt, or liableness to punishment, is so transferred to him, that he suffers banishment or poverty on account of it.” (Pages 432, 433,434.) “In like manner, righteousness is either particular acts of obedience to a law, or the legal result of those actions; that is, a right to the reward annexed to them. “And so when we say, The righteousness of him that has performed some eminent act of obedience is imputed to his children, we do not mean, that the particular act of the father is charged on the child, as if he had done it; but that the right to reward, which is the result of that act, is transferred to his children. “Now, if we would but thus explain every text of Scripture wherein either imputed sin, or imputed righteousness, is men tioned, (whether in express words, or in the plain meaning of them,) weshould find them all easy and intelligible.” (Page435.) “Thus we may easily understand how the obedience of Christ is imputed to all his seed; and how the disobedience of Adam is imputed to all his children.” (Page 436.) “To confirm this, I would add these three remarks:-- “1. There are several histories in Scripture, where expres sions of the same import occur. “So Gen. xxii. 16: “Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” Here Abraham’s obedience, that is, the result of it, is imputed to his posterity. “So Num. xxv. 13: ‘God gave to Phinehas and his seed after him the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God,” and slew the criminals in Israel. This was so imputed to his children, that they also received the reward of it.” (Page 437.) “Thus the sin of Achan was so imputed to his children, that they were all stoned on account of it. (Joshua vii. 24.) In like manner, the covetousness of Gehazi was imputed to his posterity, (2 Kings v.

So St. Paul desires Philemon to impute any wrong he had received from Onesimus to himself; that is, not the evil action, but the damage he had sustained. “Indeed, when sin or righteousness are said to be imputed to any man, on account of what himself hath done, the words usually denote both the good or evil actions themselves, and the legal result of them. But when the sin or righteousness of one person is said to be imputed to another, then, generally, those words mean only the result thereof; that is, a liableness to punishment on the one hand, and to reward on the other. “But let us say what we will to confine the sense of the imputation of sin and righteousness to the legal result, --the reward or punishment of good or evil actions; let us ever so explicitly deny the imputation of the actions themselves to others; still Dr. Taylor will level almost all his arguments against the imputation of the actions themselves, and then triumph in having demolished what we never built, and refuting what we never asserted.” (Page 444.) “3. The Scripture does not, that I remember, anywhere say, in express words, that the sin of Adam is imputed to his children; or, that the sins of believers are imputed to Christ; or, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers: But the true meaning of all these expressions is sufficiently found in several places of Scripture.” (Page 446.) “Yet since these express words and phrases, of the imputa tion of Adam’s sin to us, of our sins to Christ, and of Christ's righteousness to us, are not plainly written in Scripture, we should not impose it on every Christian, to use these very expressions. Let every one take his liberty, either of con fining himself to strictly scriptural language, or of manifest ing his sense of these plain scriptural doctrines, in words and phrases of his own.” (Page 447.) “But if the words were expressly written in the Bible, they could not reasonably be interpreted in any other sense, than this which I have explained by so many examples, both in Scripture, history, and in common life.

Again: “By the disobedience of one, the same, ‘many are constituted sinners. Therefore, when our Lord says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, he means, not only that we and our parents are ‘mortal, but that all man kind derive spiritual as well as temporal death from their first father.” “1. SIN is “a transgression of the law;’ of that law of God to which a rational creature is subject. “Righteousness’ is a fulfilment of, or conformity to, that law. This is the proper scriptural sense of the words. But as sin involves the creature in guilt, that is, a liableness to punishment, the same words are often used to denote either sin itself, or guilt and punishment. On the other hand, righteousness denotes, not only a fulfilling of the law, but also a freedom from guilt and punishment; yea, and sometimes all the rewards of righteousness.” (Pages 1,2...) “Accordingly, to impute sin, is either to impute sin itself, or guilt on the account of it. To impute sin itself to a person, is to account him a transgressor of the law, to pronounce him such, or to treat him as a transgressor. To impute guilt to a person, is to account him obnoxious to a threatened punish ment, to pronounce him so, or to inflict that punishment. So, to impute righteousness, properly so called, is to account him a fulfiller of the law, to pronounce him so to be, and to treat him as righteous. And to impute righteousness, as opposed to guilt, is to account, to pronounce, and to treat him as guiltless. “Thus much is agreed. But the point in question is, “Does God impute no sin or righteousness but what is per sonal?” Dr. Taylor positively asserts, he does not. I under take to prove that he does; that he imputes Adam’s first sin to all mankind, and our sins to Christ.” (Page 5.) “l. God imputes Adam’s first sin to all mankind. I do not mean that the actual commission of it was imputed to any beside himself; (it was impossible it should;) nor is the guilt of it imputed to any of his descendants, in the full latitude of it, or in regard to its attendant circumstances. It consti tutes none of them equally guilty with him.

His sufferings were the penal effects of our sins. ‘The chastisement of our peace, the punishment necessary to procure it, “was laid “on him, freely submitting thereto: “And by his stripes” (a part of his sufferings again put for the whole) “we are healed;’ pardon, sanctification, and final salvation, are all purchased and bestowed upon us. Every chastisement is for some fault. That laid on Christ was not for his own, but ours; and was needful to reconcile an offended Lawgiver, and offending guilty creatures, to each other. So ‘the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all; that is, the punishment due to our iniquity.” (Pages 16-20.) “It is true, as Dr. Taylor says, “sin and iniquity often sig nify affliction or suffering. But why? Because it is usual for a cause to give denomination to its effect. And so the conse quences of sin are called by the same name. But this rather hurts Dr. Taylor's cause than helps it. For sufferings could with no propriety be called sin, if they were not the proper effects of it. Man, in innocence, was liable to no suffering or sorrow ; he was indeed tried, but not by suffering. All sorrow was introduced by sin; and if man is ‘born to trouble, it is because he is born ‘in sin.” God indeed does afflict his children for their good; and turns even death into a blessing. Yet as it is the effect of sin, so is it in itself an enemy to all mankind; nor would any man have been either tried or cor rected by affliction, had it not been for sin.” (Pages 21, 22.) “The Lord’s laying on Christ ‘the iniquity of us all,’ was eminently typified by the High Priest putting all the iniqui ties of Israel on the scape-goat, who then carried them away. “But the goat, says Dr. Taylor, “was to suffer nothing. This is a gross mistake. It was a ‘sin-offering,’ (verse 5) and, as such, was to ‘bear upon him all the iniquities’ of the people into the wilderness; and there (as the Jewish Doctors una nimously hold) to suffer a violent death, by way of punish ment, instead of the people, for their sins “put upon him.’ Yet Dr. Taylor says, “Here was no imputation of sin. No! What is the difference between imputing sins, and putting them upon him?

Unto whom, with God the Father, and the sanctifying, comforting Spirit, be ascribed all praise for ever !” (Page 83.) “THE phrase, original sin, so far as we can discover, was first used in the fourth century. The first who used it was either St. Chrysostom, or Hilary, some of whose words are these: ‘The Psalmist says, Behold, I was conceived in iniqui ties, and in sins did my mother conceive me. He acknow ledges that he was born under original sin and the law of sin.” Soon after Hilary’s time, St. Augustine, and other Christian writers, brought it into common use.” (Pages 2, 3.) “The scriptural doctrine of original sin may be comprised in the following propositions:-- “I. Man was originally made righteous or holy. “II. That original righteousness was lost by the first sin. “III. Thereby man incurred death of every kind; for," “IV. Adam’s first sin was the sin of a public person, one whom God had appointed to represent all his descendants. “W. Hence all these are from their birth ‘children of wrath,’ void of all righteousness, and propense to sin of all sorts. “I add, WI. This is not only a truth agreeable to Scripture and reason, but a truth of the utmost importance, and one to which the Churches of Christ, from the beginning, have borne a clear testimony.” (Page 8.)- “I. Man was originally made righteous or holy; formed with such a principle of love and obedience to his Maker as disposed and enabled him to perform the whole of his duty with ease and pleasure. This has been proved already; and this wholly over turns Dr. Taylor's fundamental aphorism, ‘Whatever is natural is necessary, and what is necessary is not sinful. For if man was originally righteous or holy, we may argue thus: It was at first natural to man to love and obey his Maker; yet it was not necessary; neither as necessary is opposed to voluntary or free; (for he both loved and obeyed freely and willingly;) nor, as necessary means unavoidable; (this is manifest by the event;) no, nor as necessary is opposed to rewardable; for had he continued to love and obey, he would have been rewarded with everlasting happiness.

For if man was originally righteous or holy, we may argue thus: It was at first natural to man to love and obey his Maker; yet it was not necessary; neither as necessary is opposed to voluntary or free; (for he both loved and obeyed freely and willingly;) nor, as necessary means unavoidable; (this is manifest by the event;) no, nor as necessary is opposed to rewardable; for had he continued to love and obey, he would have been rewarded with everlasting happiness. Therefore that assertion, ‘What ever is natural is necessary, is palpably, glaringly false; consequently, what is natural, as well as what is acquired, may be good or evil, rewardable or punishable.” (Page 10.) “II. Man’s original righteousness was lost by the first sin. Though he was made righteous, he was not made immutable. He was free to stand or fall. And he soon fell, and lost at once both the favour and image of God. This fully appears, 1. From the account which Moses gives of our first parents, where we read, (1.) ‘The eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;’ (Gen. iii.;) that is, they were conscious of guilt, and touched with a pungent sense of their folly and wickedness. They began to find their naked ness irksome to them, and to reflect on it with sinful emotions of soul. (2.) Immediately they were indisposed for com munion with God, and struck with such a dread of him as could not consist with true love. (Verse 8.) (3.) When questioned by God, how do they prevaricate, instead of con fessing their sin, and humbly imploring forgiveness! which proves, not only their having "inned, but their being as yet wholly impenitent. (4.) The judgment passed upon them was a proof of their being guilty in the sight of God. Thus was man’s original righteousness lost; thus did he fall both from the favour and image of God.” (Pages 14, 15.) “This appears, 2. From the guilt which inseparably attends every trangression of the divine law. I say, every transgres sion; because every sin virtually contains all sin; for ‘whoso ever keepeth the whole law, and offendeth in one point, he is guilty of all.” Every single offence is a virtual breach of all the commands of God.

Hereby he incurred death of every kind; not only temporal, but also spiritual and eternal. By losing his original righteousness, he became not only mortal as to his body, but also spiritually dead, dead to God, dead in sin; void of that principle which St. Paul terms, ‘the life of God;’ (Eph. iv. 18;) St. John, “eternal life abiding in us.” (1 John iii. 15.) A creature formed with a capacity of knowing, loving, and serving God, must be either ‘dead in sin,” or ‘alive to God.” Adam, in his primitive state, was ‘alive to God;’ but after he had sinned, dead in sin, as well as dead in law.” (Page 20.) “But Dr. Taylor is sure, only temporal death was to be the consequence of his disobedience. ‘For death is the loss of life, and must be understood according to the nature of the life to which it is opposed. Most true; and the life to which it is here opposed, the life Adam enjoyed, till lost by sin, was not only bodily life, but that principle of holiness which the Scrip ture terms, ‘the life of God. It was also a title to eternal life. All this, therefore, he lost by sin. And that justly; for ‘death is the due “wages of sin;’ death, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal.” (Page 21.) “IV. Adam’s first sin was the sin of a public person,-one whom God had appointed to represent all his descendants. “This also has been proved. In one sense, indeed, Adam’s sin was not ours. It was not our personal fault, our actual transgression. But in another sense it was ours; it was the sin of our common representative: And, as such, St. Paul shows it is imputed to us and all his descendants. Hence,-- “W. All these are from their birth ‘children of wrath;’ void of all righteousness, and propense to sin of all sorts. “In order to clear and confirm this proposition, I intend, “1. To consider a text which proves original sin in the full extent of it. “2. To explain some other texts, which relate either to the guilt or the corruption we derive from our first parents. “3. To add some arguments which Dr. Taylor has taken no notice of, or touched but very slightly. “4. To answer objections. “And, 1.

“And, 1. To consider that text, “And were by nature chil dren of wrath, even as others.” (Eph. ii. 3.) In the beginning of the chapter, St. Paul puts the Ephesians in mind of what God had done for them. This led him to observe what they had been before their conversion to God: They had been ‘dead in trespasses and sins; but were now “quickened, made alive to God. They had “walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh with energy in the children of disobedience.’ ‘Among such,” saith the Apostle, ‘we all had our conversation in times past; the whole time before our conversion; ‘fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others.” On this I observe,-- “(1.) The persons spoken of are both the believing Ephe sians and the Apostle himself. For he says not, “Ye were,’ speaking in the second person, as he had done, verses 1, 2; but, “We were,’--plainly with a design the more expressly to include himself. Indeed, had he still spoken in the second Terson, yet what is here affirmed would have been true of him as well as them. But for the sake of more explicitly including himself, he chose to say, ‘We were; ’--you, Ephesians, who were descended of heathen parents, and I who was born in the visible Church. “(2.) The ‘wrath’ here spoken of, means either God’s displeasure at sinners, or the punishment which he threatens and inflicts for sin.” (Pages 25-28.) “(3.) ‘Children of wrath,” is an Hebraism, and denotes persons worthy of, or liable to, wrath. And this implies the being sinners; seeing sin only exposes us to God's displea sure and the dreadful effects of it. “(4.) This charge the Apostle fixes on himself and them, as they had been before their conversion. He does not say, We are, but “we were, children of wrath.’ (Page 29.) “ (5.) He speaks of himself and the converted Ephesians as having been so equally with others. There is an emphasis on the words, “even as others; even as the stubborn Jews and idolatrous Heathens; even as all who are still “strangers and enemies’ to Christ. These are still ‘children of wrath: ’ But whatever difference there is between us and them, we were once what they are now.

iv.8;) um bvaret ovat Seous, persons or things which are partakers of no divine nature. ‘The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law; ” (Rom. ii. 14;) that is, by their own natural powers, with out a written law. Neither here, nor anywhere else, does the word (bvael signify no more than really or truly.” (Page 32.) “It remains, then, that the word which we render by nature does really so signify. “And yet it is allowed, we are not so guilty by nature, as a course of actual sin afterward makes us. But we are, ante cedent to that course, ‘children of wrath; liable to some degree of wrath and punishment. Here, then, from a plain text, taken in its obvious sense, we have a clear evidence both of what Divines term, original sin imputed, and of original sin inherent. The former is the sin of Adam, so far reckoned ours as to constitute us in some degree guilty; the latter, a want of original righteousness, and a corruption of nature; whence it is, that from our infancy we are averse to what is good, and propense to what is evil.” (Page 33.) “I am, 2. To explain some other texts which relate either to theguilt or the corruption which we derive from our first parents. “Genesis v. 3: Here the image of Adam, in which he begat a son after his fall, stands opposed to the image of God, in which man was at first created. Moses had said, ‘In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him.” (Verse 1.) In this, speaking of Adam as he was after the fall, he does not say, He begat a son in the likeness of God; but, He ‘begat a son in his own likeness, after his image. Now, this must refer to Adam, either as a man, or as a good man, or as a mortal, sinful man. But it could not refer to him merely as a man. The inspired writer could not design to inform us, that Adam begat a man, not a lion, or a horse.

viii. 21.) I will not be provoked to this by the wickedness of mankind; for they are inclined tosin from their childhood. Was I, therefore,to do this as often as they deserve, I must be continually destroying the earth. The word-iss--imagination--(as was observed before) includes the thoughts, affections, inclinations, with everything which the soul, as a thinking being, forges and frames within itself. And the word we render youth, includes childhood and infancy, the earliest age of man; the whole time from his birth, or (as others affirm) from his formation in the womb. “Indeed Dr. Taylor would translate the text, ‘Although the imagination of man’s heart should be evil from his youth. But, (1.) Though the particle -- sometimes signifies although ; yet for is its common meaning. And we are not to recede from the usual signification of a word without any necessity. (2.) If we read although, it will not at all invalidate our proof. For still the plain meaning of the words would be, ‘I will not send another general flood, although every figment or formation of the heart of every man is evil from his earliest infancy.’” (Page 39.) “Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.’ (Job v. 6, 7.) The word which is here rendered affliction, sometimes signifies ‘iniquity. For what reason, but to show that these two, ‘sin’ and ‘affliction, are inseparable? Sin is the cause of affliction; and affliction, of whatever kind, is the genuine effect of sin. Indeed it is incompatible with the justice and mercy of God to appoint afflictions of any kind for the innocent. If Christ suffered, it was because the sins of others were im puted to him. If, then, every one of the posterity of Adam “is born to trouble, it must be because he is born a sinner: For man was not originally made to suffer. Nor while he preserved his innocence was he liable to suffering of any kind. Are the angels, or any pure, sinless creatures, liable to any sorrow or affliction? Surely no. But every child of Adam is. And it is in consequence of his sin, that the present life of man is short and afflictive; of which the very Heathens were deeply sensible.

And it is in consequence of his sin, that the present life of man is short and afflictive; of which the very Heathens were deeply sensible. They also saw, that “great travail is created for every man, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother's womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things.’” (Page 40.) “‘Wain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt;’ (Job xi. 12;) in the original, ‘though man be born’ (will be born in every age) ‘the colt of a wild ass. Dr. Taylor owns, “We are born quite ignorant.” But this is far from reach ing the plain import of the text, in which man, as born into the world, is compared to an animal most remarkably stupid and intractable. And such all the sons of Adam naturally are, particularly with regard to the things of God; from their infancy slow to learn what is good, though impetuously pro pense to learn and practise what is evil.” (Pages 43, 44.) “Job xiv. 4, and xv. 14. I join these, because the latter confirms the former. “Who can bring a clean thing, or person, “out of an unclean? Not one.’ This is express. Job had been reflecting on the sorrowful, uncertain, imperfect state of all Adam’s children in the present world. (xiv. 1-3.) Then he carries his thoughts to the spring of such a state, the original corruption of man. “Who, what creature, can make an innocent, righteous person proceed from a parent defiled by sin? ‘Not one.’ Through the whole Scripture we may observe, ‘sin’ is described as ‘uncleanness,’ and a sinner as an unclean thing. On the contrary, holiness is expressed by ‘cleanness’ of heart and hands; and the right eous man is described as clean. Agreeably to which, the text asserts the natural impossibility of any man’s being born clean, guiltless, and sinless, because he proceeds from them who are unclean, guilty, and defiled with sin. “The Septuagint translate the text, “Who shall be clean from filth?

Let the reader please to read the whole passage very carefully. The Apostle here discourses of Adam and Christ as two representatives or public persons, comparing the ‘sin’ of the one, with the ‘righteousness’ of the other.” (Page 66.) “On this I observe, (1.) The ‘one man, spoken of through out, is Adam, the common head of mankind: And to him (not to the devil or Eve) the Apostle ascribes the introduction of ‘sin’ and ‘death. The devil was the first sinner, and Eve, seduced by him, sinned before her husband. Yet the Apostle saith, “By one man sin entered into the world; through the offence of one many are dead; the judgment was by one to con demnation; death reigned by one. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men; by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” Now, why should the Apostle lay all this on Adam, whose sin was posterior both to the devil’s and Eve's, if Adam was not appointed by God the federal head of mankind? In regard to which the Apostle points at him singly, as the type or ‘figure of Him that was to come.’ According to Dr. Taylor’s doctrine, he should rather have said, ‘By the devil sin entered into the world;’ or, ‘Through the disobedience of Eve, many were made sinners. But, instead of this he fixes on our first father alone, as bringing sin and death on all his posterity.” (Page 67.) “(2.) ‘The sin, transgression, offence, disobedience, here spoken of, was Adam’s eating the forbidden fruit. It is remark able, that as the Apostle throughout his discourse arraigns one man only, so he ascribes all the mischief done to one single offence of that one man. And as he then stood in that special relation of federal as well as natural head to his descendants, soupon his committing that one sin, this special relation ceased. “(3.) The ‘all, (verses 12, 18,) and the ‘many,’ (verses 15, 19,) are all the natural descendants of Adam; equivalent with ‘the world, (verse 12,) which means the inhabitants of it.” (Page 69.) “(4.) The effects of Adam's sin on his descendants, the Apos tlereduces to two heads, sin and death.

“(3.) The ‘all, (verses 12, 18,) and the ‘many,’ (verses 15, 19,) are all the natural descendants of Adam; equivalent with ‘the world, (verse 12,) which means the inhabitants of it.” (Page 69.) “(4.) The effects of Adam's sin on his descendants, the Apos tlereduces to two heads, sin and death. ‘By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed on all men, for that all have sinned.’ “Sin’ sometimes means “punishment; but not here: ‘Sin and ‘death’ are here plainly distinguished. The common translation is therefore right, and gives us the true meaning of the words. “Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; ' namely, in or with their first father. And this agrees with the context; the purport of which is, that all have sinned, and are there fore liable to the death originally threatened; which is evident from this: That ‘ until the law sin was in the world; ’--in the ages that preceded the law of Moses, all men were sinners in the sight of God: “But sin is not imputed where there is no law; ’--none can be sinners in the sight of God if they are not transgressors of some law, for the transgressing of which they are reputed guilty: “Nevertheless death reigned’ all the time ‘from Adam to Moses’ over all mankind. Now, if none is liable to death, but for sin; if “sin is not imputed where there is no law; and if, notwithstanding this, all mankind in all ages have died; infants themselves, who cannot actually sin, not excepted; it is undeniable, that guilt is imputed to all for the sin of Adam. Why else are they liable to that which is inflicted on none but for sin 7 “This is the purport of the Apostle’s arguing, (verses 1214,) which having led him to mention Adam as a figure of Christ, he then draws a parallel between them. The substance of it is this: As through the ‘offence of Adam many are dead,” as ‘by the disobedience of him many are made sinners;” so through the righteousness or “obedience of Christ many are made righteous. But how are many dead, or made sinners, through the disobedience of Adam?

But how are many dead, or made sinners, through the disobedience of Adam? His first sin so far affects all his descendants as to constitute them guilty, or liable to all that death which was contained in the original threatening.” (Page 72.) “But Dr. Taylor avers, ‘To be made sinners, means only to be subjected to temporal death.’ “I answer, (1.) Whatever it means, the disobedience of Adam had a proper, causal influence upon it; just as the obedience of Christ has upon our being made righteous. “(2.) What ‘to be made sinners’ means, must be learned from the opposite to it, in the latter part of the verse. Now, allowing the Apostle to be his own interpreter, “being made righteous’ is the same with “justification.” (Verse 16.) Of this he had treated largely before. And through the whole of his discourse, ‘to be justified is to be acquitted from guilt, and accepted of God’ as righteous. Consequently, ‘to be made sinners’ is to be ‘condemned of God,” or to be ‘children of wrath, and that on account of Adam’s sin.” (Page 73.) “By man came death: In Adam all die.” (1 Cor. xv.21, 22.) Let the reader please to bear in mind the whole of the two verses and the context. By ‘man,’ in the twenty-first verse, is meant Adam. The “all” spoken of are all his natural descendants. These ‘all die;’ that is, as his descendants, are liable to death, yea, to death everlasting. That this is the meaning appears hence: That the ‘being made alive,” to which this dying stands opposed, is not a mere recovery of life, but a blessed resurrection to a glorious immortality. Hence I observe, (1.) Man was originally immortal as well as righteous. In his primitive state he was not liable to death. (2.) Death is constantly ascribed to sin, as the sole and proper cause of it. As it was threatened only for sin, so the sentence was not pronounced till after man had sinned. (3.) All men are mortal from their birth. As soon as they begin to live they are liable to death, the punishment de nounced against sin, and sin only. (4.) This is the genuine effect of the first sin of our first father.

(4.) This is the genuine effect of the first sin of our first father. The Apostle does not attribute it to the devil; neither does he say, ‘In Adam and Eve all die.’ But here also he mentions Adam singly. Him he speaks of as ‘a figure of Christ.” (Verses 45, 47, 48.) And here, as the sole author of death to all his natural de scendants. ‘In Adam, or on account of his fall, “all” of mankind, in every age, ‘die;’ consequently, in him all sinned. With him all fell in his first transgression. That they are all born liable to the legal punishment of sin proves him the federal as well as natural head of mankind; whose sin is so far imputed to all men, that they are born ‘children of wrath, and liable to death.” (Pages 74-77.) “Thus have I considered a large number of texts, which testify of original sin, imputed and inherent. Some are more express than others, of which kind are Job xiv. 4; Psalm li. 5; lviii. 3; Rom. v. 12, &c.; 1 Cor. xv. 22; Eph. ii. 3. That in Ephesians presents us with a direct proof of the entire doc trine. Those in Romans and Corinthians relate directly to original sin imputed, and are but consequential proofs of original corruption. The rest refer particularly to this, and are but consequential proofs of original sin imputed. “And as this doctrine stands impregnable on the basis of Scripture, so it is perfectly agreeable to sound reason; as may appear from a few plain arguments which confirm this scripture doctrine.” (Page 79.) “(1.) If the first man was by God’s appointment, as has been shown, the federal head of all his descendants, it fol lows, that when Adam sinned and fell, they all sinned in him, and fell with him. And if they did, they must come into the world both guilty and unclean. “‘But we had no hand in Adam’s sin, and therefore can not be guilty on account of it.’ “This, ‘We had no hand in it, is ambiguous. It means either, “We did not actually join therein, which no one denies, or, “We were wholly unconcerned in it; the contrary to which has been fully proved. “(2.) Since Adam’s posterity are born liable to death, which is the due “wages of sin, it follows, that they are born sinners.

“(2.) Since Adam’s posterity are born liable to death, which is the due “wages of sin, it follows, that they are born sinners. No art can set aside the consequence. “(3.) Either Christ is the Saviour of infants, or he is not; if he is not, how is he ‘the Saviour of all men?” But, if he is, then infants are sinners; for he suffered death for sinners only. He ‘came to seek and save’ only ‘that which was lost;’ to ‘save his people from their sins. It follows, that infants are sinners; that they are lost, and, without Christ, are undone for ever. “(4) The consequences of the contrary opinion are shock ingly absurd:-- “(i.) If original sin is not, either death is not ‘the wages of sin,” or there is punishment without guilt; God punishes innocent, guiltless creatures. To suppose which is to impute iniquity to the Most Holy.” (Page 84.) “(ii.) If we are not sinners by nature, there are sinful actions without a principle, fruit growing without a root. ‘No; men contract sinful habits by degrees, and then com mence sinners.’ But whence is it that they contract those habits so easily and speedily? Whence is it, that, as soon as ever we discover reason, we discover sinful dispositions? The early discoveries of reason prove a principle of reason planted in our nature. In like manner, the early discoveries of sinful dispositions prove those dispositions planted therein.” (Page 85.) “(iii.) If we were not ruined by the first Adam, neither are we recovered by the Second. If the sin of Adam was not imputed to us, neither is the righteousness of Christ. “(iv.) If we do not derive a corrupt nature from Adam, we do not derive a new nature from Christ. “(v.) A denial of original sin not only renders baptism needless with regard to infants, but represents a great part of mankind as having no need of Christ, or the grace of the new covenant. I now speak of infants in particular, who, if not “guilty before God,’ no more need the merits and grace of the Second Adam than the brutes themselves. “Lastly. A denial of original sin contradicts the main design of the gospel, which is to humble vain man, and to ascribe to God’s free grace, not man’s free will, the whole of his salvation.

We promise ourselves more security in a secret sin than in one that is openly committed. ‘The adulterer saith, No eye shall see me.’ And men will freely do that in secret, which they would be ashamed to do in the presence of a child: As if darkness could hide from an all seeing God. Are we not naturally careless of ‘communion with God?’ nay, and averse to it? Never was there any communion between God and Adam’s children, where God himself had not the first word. If he would let them alone, they would never inquire after him. “(5.) How loath are men to ‘confess sin, to take guilt and shame to themselves! And was it not thus in the case before us? Adam confesses his nakedness, (which indeed he could not deny,) but not one word does he say about his sin. It is as natural for us to hide sin as to commit it. Many instances of this we see daily; but how many will there be in that day when God “will judge the secrets of men?” Many a foul mouth will then be seen, which is now “wiped, and saith, I have done no wickedness.’ “Lastly. Is it not natural for us to extenuate our sin, and transfer the guilt to others? As Adam laid the blame of his sin on the woman: And did not the woman lay the blame on the serpent? Adam’s children need not be taught this; for before they can well speak, if they cannot deny, they lisp out something to lessen their fault, and lay the blame upon another. Nay, so natural is this to men, that, in the greatest of sins, they will charge the fault on God himself: blaspheming his provi dence under the name of ill luck, or misfortune, and so laying the blame of their sin at Heaven’s door. Thus does ‘the fool ishness of man pervert his ways; and his heart fretteth against the Lord. Let us then call Adam, Father: Let us not deny the relation, seeing we bear his image. “I proceed to inquire into the corruption of nature in the several parts of it. But who can take the exact dimensions of it, in its breadth, length, height, and depth?

It cannot do its work, but according to the light it hath to work by. Wherefore, seeing ‘the natural man discerneth not spiritual things,’ his conscience is quite useless in that point. It may indeed check for grosser sins; but spiritual sins it discerns not. Thus it will fly in the face of many for drunkenness; who yet have a profound peace though they live in unbelief, and are utter strangers to spiritual worship and ‘the life of faith.’ And the light of his conscience being faint and languishing even in the things which it does reach, its incite ments to duty, and struggles against sin, are very remiss and easily got over. But there is also a false light in the dark mind, which often ‘ calls evil good, and good evil.” And such a conscience is like a blind and furious horse, which violently runs down all that comes in his way. Indeed, whenever conscience is awakened by the spirit of conviction, it will rage and roar, and put the whole man in a consternation. It makes the stiff heart to tremble, and the knees to bow; sets the eyes a weeping, the tongue a confessing. But still it is an evil conscience, which naturally leads only to despair; and will do it effectually, unless either sin prevails over it to lull it asleep, as in the case of Felix, or the blood of Christ pre vail over it, sprinkling and ‘purging it from dead works.’ “Thus is man by nature wholly corrupted. But whence came this total corruption of our nature? That man’s nature was corrupt, the very Heathens perceived; but how “sin entered’ they could not tell. But the Scripture is very plain in the point: “By one man sin entered into the world.” “By one man’s disobedience many’ (all) “were made sinners.” Adam's sin corrupted man’s nature, and leavened the whole lump of mankind. We putrefied in Adam as our root. The root was poisoned, and so the branches were envenomed. The vine turned ‘the vine of Sodom,’ and so the grapes became ‘grapes of gall. Adam, by his sin, became not only guilty, but corrupt; and so transmits guilt and corruption to his posterity. By his sin he stripped himself of his original righteousness and corrupted himself.

For thou art ‘the servant of sin, and, therefore, free from righteousness; thou dost not, canst not, meddle with it. Thou art ‘under the dominion of sin a dominion where righteousness can have no place. Thou art a child and a servant of the devil as long as thou artin a state of nature. But, to prevent any mistake, consider that Satan hath two kinds of servants. There are some employed, as it were, in coarser work. These bear the devil’s mark in their foreheads; having no form of godliness; not so much as per forming the external duties of religion; but living apparently as sons of earth, only minding earthly things. Whereas, others are employed in more refined work, who carry his mark in their right hand, which they can and do hide, by a form of religion, from the view of the world. These sacrifice to the corrupt mind, as the other to the flesh. Pride, unbelief, self-pleasing, and the like spiritual sins, prey on their cor rupted, wholly corrupted, souls. Both are servants of the same house, equally void of righteousness. “Indeed, how is it possible thou shouldest be able to do any thing good, whose nature is wholly corrupt? ‘Can an evil tree bring forth good fruit? Do men gather grapes of thorns?” If then thy nature be totally evil, all thou doest is certainly so too. “Hear, O sinner, what is thy case! Innumerable sins com pass thee about; floods of impurities overwhelm thee. Sins of all sorts roll up and down in the dead sea of thy soul; where no good can breathe, because of the corruption there. Thy lips are unclean; the opening of thy mouth is as the opening of a grave, full of stench and rottenness. Thy natural actions are sin; for ‘when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (Zech. vii. 6.) Thy civil actions are sin: ‘The ploughing of the wicked is sin.” (Prov. xxi. 4.) Thy religious actions Poe sin: ‘The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomina tion to the Lord. The thoughts and imaginations of thy heart are ‘only evil continually. A deed may be soon done, a word soon spoken, a thought pass; but each of these is an item in thy accounts. O sad reckoning !

O sad reckoning ! As many thoughts, words, actions, so many sins; and the longer thou livest, thy accounts swell the more. Should a tear be dropped for every sin, thine eyes must be ‘fountains of tears. For nothing but sin comes from thee; thy heart frames nothing but evil imaginations; there is nothing in thy life, but what is framed by thy heart; therefore, there is nothing in thy heart or life but evil. “And all thy religion, if thou hast any, is lost labour, if thou art not born again: Truly then thy duties are sins. Would not the best wine be loathsome in a foul vessel ? So is the religion of an unregenerate man. Thy duties cannot make thy corrupt soul holy; but thy corrupt heart makes them unclean. Thou wast wont to divide thy works into two sorts; to count some good, and some evil. But thou must count again, and put all under one head; for God writes on them all, ‘Only evil.” “And thou canst not help thyself. What canst thou do to take away thy sin, who art wholly corrupt? Will mud and filth wash our filthiness? And wilt thou purge out sin by sinning? Job took a potsherd to scrape himself, because his hands were as full of boils as his body. This is the case of thy corrupt soul, so long as thou art in a state of nature. Thou art poor indeed, extremely ‘miserable and poor;” thou hast no shelter, but a refuge of lies; no garment for thy soul, but ‘filthy rags;” nothing to nourish it, but husks that cannot satisfy. More than that, thou hast got such a bruise in the loins of Adam, that thou art “without strength,’ unable to do anything. Nay, more than all this, thou canst not so much as seek aright, but liest helpless, as an infant exposed in the open field. “O that ye would believe this sad truth! How little is it believed in the world ! Few are concerned to have their evil lives reformed; but fewer far, to have their evil nature changed. Most men know not what they are; as the eye, which, seeing many things, never sees itself. But until ye know every one ‘the plague of his own heart, there is no hope of your recovery.

But until ye know every one ‘the plague of his own heart, there is no hope of your recovery. Why will ye not believe the plain testimony of Scripture? Alas! that is the nature of your disease. ‘Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Lord, open their eyes, before they lift them up in hell, and see what they will not see now ! “Meantime, let us have a special eye upon the corruption and sin of our nature. What avails it to take notice of other sins, while this mother sin is unnoticed? This is a weighty point; in speaking to which, I shall, “1. Point at some evidences of men's overlooking the sin of their nature. As (1.) Men's being so confident of themselves, as if they were in no danger of gross sins. Many would take heinously such a caution as Christ gave his Apostles: ‘Take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness.’ They would be ready to cry out, ‘Am I a dog?’ It would raise the pride of their heart, not their fear and trembling. And all this is a proof that they know not the corruption of their own nature. (2.) Untender ness toward them that fall. Many, in this case, cast off all bowels of compassion; a plain proof that they do not know, or ‘consider themselves, lest they also be tempted.” Grace, indeed, does make men zealous against sin, in others as well as in them selves. But eyes turned inward to the corruption of nature, clothe them with pity and compassion, and fill them with thank fulness, that they were not the persons left to be such spectacles of human frailty. (3.) Men’s venturing so boldly on temptation, in confidence of their coming off fairly. Were they sensible of the corruption of their nature, they would beware of entering on the devil’s ground; as one girt about with bags of gunpowder would be loath to walk where sparks of fire were flying. “2. I shall mention a few things in which ye should have a special eye to the sin of your nature. (1) In your application to Christ. When you are with the Physician, O forget not this disease!

When you are with the Physician, O forget not this disease! They never yet knew their errand to Christ, who went not to Him for the sin of their nature; for his blood to take away the guilt and his Spirit to break the power of it. Though ye should lay before him a catalogue of sins, which might reach from earth to heaven, yet if you omit this, you have forgot the best part of the errand a poor sinner has to the Physician of souls. (2.) Have a special eye to it in your repentance. If you would repent indeed, let the streams lead you up to the fountain, and mourn over your corrupt nature, as the cause of all sin, in heart, word, and work. ‘Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (3.) Have a special eye to it in your mortification. “Crucify the flesh with its affections and desires.’ It is the root of bitterness which must be struck at, else we labour in vain. In vain do we go about to purge the streams, if we are at no pains about the muddy fountain. (4.) Ye are to eye this in your daily walk. He that would walk uprightly, must have one eye upward to Jesus Christ, another inward to the cor ruption of his own nature. “3. I shall offer some reasons, why we should especially observe the sin of our nature. (1.) Because, of all sins, it is the most extensive and diffusive. It goes through the whole man, and spoils all. Other sins mar particular parts of the image of God; but this defaces the whole. It is the poison of the old serpent cast into the fountain, and so infects every action, every breathing of the soul. “(2.) It is the cause of all particular sins, both in our hearts and lives. ‘Out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, and all other abominations. It is the bitter foun tain; and particular lusts are but rivulets running from it, which bring forth into the life a part only, not the whole, of what is within. “(3.) It is virtually all sins; for it is the seed of all, which want but the occasion to set up their heads.

“(3.) It is virtually all sins; for it is the seed of all, which want but the occasion to set up their heads. Hence it is called, ‘a body of death,’ as consisting of the several members which constitute that “body of sins,” (Col. ii. 11,) whose life lies in spiritual death. It is the cursed ground, fit to bring forth all manner of noxious weeds. Never did every sin appear in the conversation of the vilest wretch that ever lived. But look into thy nature, and thou mayest see all and every sin in the root thereof. There is a fulness of all unrighteousness there;--Atheism, idolatry, adultery, murder. Perhaps none of these appear to thee in thy heart; but there is more in that unfathomable depth of wickedness than thou knowest. “(4.) The sin of our nature is of all sins the most fixed and abiding. Sinful actions are transient, though the guilt and stain of them may remain. But the corruption of nature passes not away. It remains in its full power, by night and by day, at all times, till nature is changed by converting grace. “You may observe three things in the corrupt heart: (i.) There is the corrupt nature, the evil bent of the heart, whereby men are unapt for all good, and fitted for all evil. (ii) There are particular lusts or dispositions of that corrupt nature, such as pride, passion, covetousness. (iii.) There is one of these stronger than all the rest,-‘the sin which doth so easily beset us.” So that the river divides into many streams, whereof one is greater than the rest. The corruption of nature is the river head, which has many particular lusts wherein it runs; but it mainly disburdensitself into that which we call the predominant sin. But as in some rivers the main stream runs not always in the same channel, so the besetting sin may change; as lust in youth may be succeeded by covetousness in old age. Now, what does it avail, to reform in other things, while the reigning sin retains its full power? What, if a particular sin be gone? If the sin of our nature keep the throne, it will set up another in its stead;--as when a water-course is stopped in one place, it will break forth in another.

38.) A. (2.) She teacheth that attrition, or imperfect contrition, proceeding merely from the fear of hell, is equivalent to contrition, by virtue of confession; and that attrition doth dispose to receive the grace of the sacrament of penance, and leads to justification. (Sess. 14, cap. 4. Bellarm. de Paenit. l. 2, c. 18, sec. Sed sciendum est.)--See Question 77. REPLY. Contrition is but another word for repentance; and repentance is a qualification for pardon and reconciliation: “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm li. 17.) “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts iii. 19.) The same texts which make contrition sufficient, without confession to the Priest, make attrition insufficient without there be contrition. And as the former doctrine of the insufficiency of contrition without confession, makes that necessary which God hath not made necessary; so this latter of the sufficiency of attrition upon confession to the Priest without contrition, makes that unnecessary which God hath made necessary. Q. 15. What is the judgment of the Church of Rome as to good works? A. The Church of Rome doth affirm that the good works of justified persons do truly deserve eternal life; (Concil. Trid. Sess. 6, c. 16;) and if any one say that such works do not truly deserve an increase of grace here, and eternal life hereafter, let him be accursed. (Ibid. Can. 32.) “Our good works do merit eternal life, not only by virtue of God’s covenant and acceptation, but also by reason of the work itself.” (Bellarm. de Justif. l. 5, c. 17.) REPLY. Truly to deserve is to make 'our debtor: “To him that worketh ” (that is, that meriteth) “is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” (Rom. iv. 4.) “But can a man be profitable to God?” (Job xxii. 2.) Our Saviour teaches us otherwise: “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke xvii. 10.) A command to do it, and grace to obey that command, and a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” as a reward, (2 Cor. iv. 17,) will shame the pretence of real merit, and turn the anathema upon themselves.

17,) will shame the pretence of real merit, and turn the anathema upon themselves. And they may as soon reconcile light and darkness, as the grace of God and merit of Christ to this doctrine. Q. 16. But is there no allowance for such as have not good works of their own sufficient to merit for themselves? A. Yes; there are indulgences to be obtained, by which persons may be discharged from the punishment of sin here and in purgatory; and if any affirm these indulgences to be useless, or that the Church hath no power to grant them, he is accursed. (Concil. Trid. Sess. 25, Decret. de Indulg.) The Popes and Prelates of the Church are judges appointed by God to remit faults and punishments in his name by an indulgence, if so be justice be satisfied through the application of the satisfaction of Christ and his saints. (Bellarm. de Indulg. l. 1, c. 5, sec. Jam vero.) REPLY. What God binds, no person can untie; and what he unties, no man can bind. But this course of indulgence, still upheld in the Church of Rome, doth untie what God doth bind; it makes sin easy and cheap, and prostitutes the strict rules of Christianity to the basest purposes. For when a person can have a plenary indulgence for so trivial a satisfaction as the standing before the doors of St. Peter’s Church at Rome, when the Pope blesses the people at Easter, it makes sin as easy to be committed as pardoned. Q. 17. How far do those indulgences extend? A. Sometimes to days, sometimes to years, nay, some of them were plenary indulgences;* some were for a discharge from punishments here, others from the pains of purgatory,t and some granted an eternal reward. Q. 18. Upon what terms were those indulgences to be obtained? A. By money,t pilgrimages, § assisting the Pope, reciting certain prayers." * Bellarm. de Indulgent. l. 1, c. 9, init. “Plenary indulgence doth take away all the punishment due to sin.” Ibid. sec. Indulgentiá Quadragen. * Ibid. c. 7, sec. Et quidem. # This is implied Concil. Trid. Sess. 21, c. 9, though it is called by the soft name of alms. § So many are granted to particular churches in Rome, for the benefit of pilgrims.

68. That one who is a true believer, or, in other words, one who is holy or righteous in the judgment of God himself, may nevertheless finally fall from grace, appears, (1.) From the word of God by Ezekiel: “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity: In his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” (xviii. 24.) Do you object, “This chapter relates wholly and solely to the Jewish Church and nation ?”* I answer, Prove this. Till then, I shall believe that many parts of it concern all mankind. If you say, (2.) “The righteousness spoken of in this chap ter was merely an outward righteousness, without any inward principle of grace or holiness:” I ask, How is this consistent with the thirty-first verse: “Cast away from you all your trans gressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit?” Is this a “merely outward righteous ness, without any inward principle of grace or holiness?” 69. Will you add, “But admitting the person here spoken of to be a truly righteous man, what is here said is only a supposition?” That I flatly deny. Read over the chapter again; and you will see the facts there laid down to be not barely supposed, but expressly asserted. That the death here mentioned is eternal death, appears from the twenty-sixth verse: “When a righteous man turn eth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them,”--here is temporal death; “for his iniquity that he hath done he shall die.” Here is death eternal. If you assert, “Both these expressions signify the same thing, and not two different deaths,” you put a palpable force upon the text, in order to make the Holy Ghost speak nonsense. “‘Dying in his iniquity,’” you say, “is the same thing as “dying for his iniquity.’” Then the text means thus: “When he dieth in them, he shall die in them.” A very deep discovery ! But you say, “It cannot be understood of eternal death; because they might be delivered from it by repentance and reformation.” And why might they not by such repentance as is mentioned in the thirty-first verse be delivered from eternal death?

But you say, “It cannot be understood of eternal death; because they might be delivered from it by repentance and reformation.” And why might they not by such repentance as is mentioned in the thirty-first verse be delivered from eternal death? “But the whole chapter,” you think, “has nothing to do with the spiritual and eternal affairs of men.” I believe every impartial man will think quite the contrary, if he reads calmly either the beginning of it,-‘‘All souls are mine, saith the Lord God; the soul that sinneth, it shall die;” where I can by no means allow that by the death of the soul is meant only a temporal affliction; or the conclusion,-‘‘Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall * See a pamphlet, entitled, “The Doctrine of the Saints' Final Perseverance, Asserted and Vindicated.” not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: For why will ye die, O house of Israel?” It remains then, one who is righteous in the judgment of God himself, may finally fall from grace. 70. Secondly. That one who is endued with the faith which produces a good conscience, may nevertheless finally fall, appears from the words of St. Paul to Timothy: “War a good warfare; holding faith and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made ship wreck.” (1 Tim. i. 18, 19.) Observe, (1.) These men had once the faith that produces “a good conscience;” which they once had, or they could not have “put it away.” Observe, (2.) They made shipwreck of the faith, which necessarily implies the total and final loss of it. You object: “Nay, the putting away a good conscience does not suppose they had it, but rather that they had it not.” This is really surprising. But how do you prove it? “Why, by Acts xiii. 46, where St. Paul says to the Jews, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: But seeing ye put it from you, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Here you see the Jews, who never had the gospel, are said to put it away.” How !

And the quantity of water used was not material; no more than the quantity of bread and wine in the Lord's supper. The jailer “ and all his house were baptized” in the prison; Cornelius with his friends, (and so several households,) at home. Now, is it likely, that all these had ponds or rivers, in or near their houses, sufficient to plunge them all? Every unprejudiced person must allow, the contrary is far more probable. Again : Three thousand at one time, and five thousand at another, were converted and baptized by St. Peter at Jerusalem; where they had none but the gentle waters of Siloam, according to the observation of Mr. Fuller: “There were no water-mills in Jerusalem, because there was no stream large enough to drive them.” The place, therefore, as well as the number, makes it highly probable that all these were baptized by sprinkling or pouring, and not by immer sion. To sum up all, the manner of baptizing (whether by dipping or sprinkling) is not determined in Scripture. There is no command for one rather than the other. There is no example from which we can conclude for dipping rather than sprinkling. There are probable examples of both; and both are equally contained in the natural meaning of the word. II. 1. What are the benefits we receive by baptism, is the next point to be considered. And the first of these is, the washing away the guilt of original sin, by the application of the merits of Christ’s death. That we are all born under the guilt of Adam's sin, and that all sin deserves eternal misery, was the unanimous sense of the ancient Church, as it is expressed in the Ninth Article of our own. And the Scripture plainly asserts, that we were “shapen in iniquity, and in sin did our mother conceive us;” that “we were all by nature children of wrath, and dead in trespasses and sins;” that “in Adam all die;” that “by one man’s disobedience all were made sinners;” that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; which came upon all men, because all had sinned.” This plainly includes infants; for they too die; therefore they have sinned: But not by actual sin; therefore, by original; else what need have they of the death of Christ?

Mark i. 4: “John baptized in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance;” and, verse 5, “They were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Now, either the order of words in Scripture does not always imply the same order of things; or it follows, that John baptized before his hearers either confessed or repented. But, (2.) The words are manifestly mistranslated. For if we read, “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them,--teaching them to observe all things,” it makes plain tautology, vain and senseless repetition. It ought to be translated, (which is the literal meaning of the words,) “Go and make disciples of all nations, by baptizing them.” That infants are capable of being made proselytes or disciples has been already proved; therefore this text, rightly trans lated, is no valid objection against infant baptism. 2. Their next objection is: “The Scripture says, “Repent and be baptized; believe and be baptized. Therefore, repent ance and faith ought to go before baptism. But infants are incapable of these; therefore they are incapable of baptism.” I answer: Repentance and faith were to go before circum cision, as well as before baptism. Therefore, if this argument held, it would prove just as well, that infants were incapable of circumcision. But we know God himself determined the contrary, commanding them to be circumcised at eight days old. Now, if infants were capable of being circumcised, not withstanding that repentance and faith were to go before circumcision in grown persons, they are just as capable of being baptized; notwithstanding that repentance and faith are, in grown persons, to go before baptism. This objection, therefore, is of no force; for it is as strong against circum cision of infants as infant baptism. 3. It is objected, Thirdly, “There is no command for it in Scripture. Now, God was angry with his own people, because they did that which, he said, ‘I commanded them not.’ (Jer. vii. 31.) One plain text would end all the dispute.” I answer, (1.) We have reason to fear it would not: It is as positively commanded in a very plain text of Scripture, that we should “teach and admonish one another with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with grace in our hearts,” (Eph. v. 19,) as it is to honour our father and mother: But does this put an end to all dispute?

It is not neces sary that a man do any works, that he may be justified and saved. God doth not require thee to do anything, that thou mayest be saved or justified. The law sets thee to work; but the gospel binds thee to do nothing at all. Nay, the works are not only not required, but forbidden. God forbids us to work for justification. And when the Apostle Paul presses men to believe, it is as much as if he had bid them not to work.” Friend.--Let Paul be permitted to answer for himself. In the twenty-sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, he relates how our Lord sent him “to open the eyes of the Gentiles,-- that they might receive remission of sins.” (Verses 17, 18.) “Whereupon,” saith he, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but showed--to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Observe: He “obeyed the heavenly vision,” by teaching the Gentiles, before they were justified, before they had “received forgiveness of sins,” to “repent and do works meet for repent ance.”. So far was he from “bidding them not to work,” while he was “pressing them to believe.” Ant.--You are got to your “carnal reasoning” again. Friend.--Carnal reasoning, I perceive, is a cant term, which you use when you know not what else to say. But I have not done with this instance yet. Did St. Paul, indeed, preach to those Heathens according to the instructions given him from heaven, or did he not? Ant.--Without doubt, he did; otherwise he would have been “disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” Friend.--How then say you that a Minister of Christ ought to preach nothing but “Believe, believe?” and, that to tell men of doing anything, is “preaching the law?” Do you not herein condemn, not only the great Apostle, but also Him that sent and commanded him “thus to preach?” Ant.--Why, surely, you would not have us to be “under the law !” Friend.--I fear you know not what that expression means. St. Paul uses it thrice in his Epistle to the Romans, five times in that to the Galatians, and in one passage of his former Epistle to the Corinthians; where he declares in what sense he was himself “under the law,” and in what sense he was not.

Yet you do not make God the author of sin! Pred.--No certainly: “God cannot be termed the author of sin, though he is the cause of those actions which are sins.” (Petri Martyris Vermillii Com. in Roman., p. 413) Friend.--How is he the cause of them then ? Pred.--Two ways: First, by his eternal, unchangeable decree; Secondly, by his present irresistible power. Friend.--Did God then fore-ordain the sins of any man? Pred.--“Both the reprobates and the elect were fore ordained to sin, as sin, that the glory of God might be leclared thereby.” (Zanchius de Nat. Dei, p. 555.) “The reprobates,” more especially, “who were predestinated to damnation, and the causes of damnation, and created to that end, that they may live wickedly, and be vessels full of the dregs of sin.” (Piscator contra Tauffium, p. 47.) Friend.--But surely the sins of the elect were not fore ordained? Pred.--Yes, but they were: “For we neither can do more good than we do, nor less evil than we do; because God from eternity has precisely decreed that both the good and the evil should be so done.” (Piscatoris Responsio ad Amicam Dupli cationem Conradi Vorstii, p. 176.) Friend.--I understand you, as to God’s decreeing sin. But how is his irresistible power now concerned in the sins of men? Pred.--“God is the author of that action which is sinful by his irresistible will.” (Dr. Twisse, par. 3, p. 21.) Friend.--How do you mean? Pred.-- “God procures adultery, cursings, lyings.” (Piscat. Responsio ad Apologiam Bertii.) “He supplies wicked men with opportunities of sinning, and inclines their hearts thereto. He blinds, deceives, and seduces them. He, by his working on their hearts, bends and stirs them up to do evil.” (Pet. Martyr. Ver. Comment. in Rom., pp. 36, 413.) And thus “thieves, murderers, and other malefactors are God’s instru ments, which he uses to execute what he hath decreed in himself.” (Calv. Inst., b. 1, c. 17, s. 5.) Friend.--Do you not then charge God himself with sin? Pred.--No : “God necessitates them only to the act of sin, not to the deformity of sin.” (Twissi Vindicia, par. 3, p. 22.) Besides, “when God makes angels or men sin, he does not sin himself, because he does not break any law. For God is under no law, and therefore cannot sin.” (Zuinglius in Serm. de Provid., c.

They are no part of the meritorious cause; but they are the conditions of it. This and no other is “the doctrine of Scripture, and of the Church of England l’” Both the Scripture and “our Church allow, yea, insist on these qualifications or condi tions.” (Page 21.) “But if repentance and faith would not be valid and acceptable without the righteousness of Christ, then they cannot be necessary qualifications for our justification.” (Page 22.) I cannot allow the consequence. They are not acceptable without the righteousness or merits of Christ; and yet he himself has made them necessary qualifications for our justification through his merits. But the grand objection of this gentleman lies against the Doctor’s next paragraph; the sum of which is: “The merits of Christ were never intended to supersede the necessity of repentance and obedience,” (I would say, repentance and faith,) “but to make them acceptable in the sight of God, and to purchase for them” (I would add, that obey him) “a reward of immortal happiness.” I am not afraid to undertake the defence of this paragraph, with this small variation, against Mr. Chapman, Mr. Nyberg, Count Zinzendorf, or any other person whatever; provided only that he will set his name to his work; for I do not love fighting in the dark. And I, as well as Dr. T., affirm, that “to say more than this concerning Christ’s imputed merits,” to say more than, that “they have purchased for us grace to repent and believe, acceptance upon our believing, power to obey, and eternal salvation to them that do obey him;”--to say more than this “is blasphemous Antinomianism,” such as Mr. Calvin would have abhorred; and does “open a door to all manner of sin and wickedness.” “I must likewise affirm, that to talk of imputed righteous ness in the manner many do at this day, is making the imaginary transfer of Christ's righteousness serve as a cover for the unrighteousness of mankind.” (Page 26.) Does not Mr. Ch-p-n do this at Bristol? Does not Mr. M-rd--n, at London? Let them shudder then, let their blood run cold, who do it; not theirs who tell them that they do so.

“Do not they say, ‘We groan, being burdened with the workings of inbred corruption?’” You know, this is not the meaning of the text. The whole context shows, the Cause of that groaning was their longing “to be with Christ.” “The cure” of sin “will be perfected in heaven.” (Page 47.) Nay, surely in paradise, if no sooner. “This is a noble prerogative of the beatific vision.” No; it will then come too late. If sin remains in us till the day of judgment, it will remain for ever. “Our present blessedness does not consist in being free from sin.” I really think it does. But whether it does or no, if we are not free from sin, we are not Christian believers. For to all these the Apostle declares, “Being made free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness.” (Rom. vi. 18.) “If we were perfect in piety,” (St. John’s word is, “perfect in love,”) “Christ's priestly office would be superseded.” No.; we should still need his Spirit, and consequently his inter cession, for the continuance of that love from moment to moment. Beside, we should still be encompassed with infirmi ties, and liable to mistakes, from which words or actions might follow, even though the heart was all love, which were not exactly right. Therefore, in all these respects, we should still have need of Christ's priestly office; and therefore, as long as he remains in the body, the greatest saint may say, “Every moment, Lord, I need The merit of thy death.” The text cited from Exodus asserts nothing less than, that iniquity “cleaves to all our holy things till death.” “Sin remains, that the righteousness of faith may have its due honour.” (Page 48.) And will the righteousness of faith have its due honour no longer than sin remains in us? Then it must remain not only on earth and in paradise, but in heaven also. “And the sanctification of the Spirit its proper esteem.” Would it not have more esteem, if it were a perfect work? “It’’ (sin) “will make as lowly in our own eyes.” (Ibid.) What! will pride make us lowly? Surely the utter destruc tion of pride would do this more effectually. “It will make us compassionate.” Would not an entire renewal in the image of God make us much more so?

He was educated at Geneva; but in the year 1591 began to doubt of the principles which he had till then received. And being more and more convinced that they were wrong, when he was vested with the Professorship, he publicly taught what he believed the truth, till, in the year 1609, he died in peace. But a few years after his death, some zealous men. with the Prince of Orange at their head, furiously assaulted all that held what were called his opinions; and having pro cured them to be solemnly condemned, in the famous Synod of Dort, (not so numerous or learned, but full as impartial, as the Council or Synod of Trent,) some were put to death, some banished, some imprisoned for life, all turned out of their employments, and made incapable of holding any office, either in Church or State. 6. The errors charged upon these (usually termed Armi nians) by their opponents, are five: (1) That they deny original sin; (2.) That they deny justification by faith; (3.) That they deny absolute predestination; (4.) That they deny the grace of God to be irresistible; and, (5) That they affirm, a believer may fall from grace. With regard to the two first of these charges, they plead, Not Guilty. They are entirely false. No man that ever lived, not John Calvin himself, ever asserted either original sin, or justification by faith, in more strong, more clear and express terms, than Arminius has done. These two points, therefore, are to be set out of the question: In these both parties agree. In this respect, there is not a hair's breadth difference between Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield. 7. But there is an undeniable difference between the Calvinists and Arminians, with regard to the three other questions. Here they divide; the former believe absolute, the latter only conditional, predestination. The Calvinists hold, (1.) God has absolutely decreed, from all eternity, to save such and such persons, and no others; and that Christ died for these, and none else. The Arminians hold, God has decreed, from all eternity, touching all that have the written word, “He that believeth shall be saved: He that believeth not, shall be condemned:” And in order to this, “Christ died for all, all that were dead in trespasses and sins;” that is, for every child of Adam, since “in Adam all died.” 8.

Toplady says, “God has a positive will to destroy the reprobate for their sins.” (Chap. 1.) For their sins ! How can that be? I positively assert, that (on this scheme) they have no sins at all. They never had; they can have none. For it cannot be a sin in a spark to rise, or in a stone to fall. And the spark or the stone is not more necessarily determined either to rise or to fall, than the man is to sin, to commit that rape, or adultery, or murder. For “God did, before all time, determine and direct to some particular end, every person or thing, to which he has given, or is yet to give, being.” God himself did “predestinate them to fill up the measure of their iniquities;” such was his sovereign, irresist ible decree, before the foundation of the world. To fill up the measure of their iniquities; that is, to commit every act which they committed. So “God decreed the Jews to be the crucifiers of Christ, and Judas to betray him.” (Chap. 4.) Whose fault was it then? You plainly say, It was not his fault, but God's. For what was Judas, or ten thousand repro bates besides? Could they resist his decree? No more than they could pull the sun out of the firmament of heaven. And would God punish them with everlasting destruction, for not pulling the sun out of the firmament? He might as well do it for this, as for their not doing what (on this supposition) was equally impossible. “But they are punished for their impenitency, sin, and unbelief.” Say unbelief and impeni tency, but not sin. For “God had predestinated them to continue in impenitency and unbelief God had positively ordained them to continue in their blindness and hardness of heart.” Therefore their not repenting and believing was no more a sin, than their not pulling the sun from heaven. 7. Indeed Mr. T. himself owns, “The sins of the repro bate were not the cause of their being passed by ; but merely and entirely the sovereign will and determinating pleasure of God.” “O, but their sin was the cause of their damnation though not of their preterition;” that is, God determined they should live and die in their sins, that he might after wards damn them ! Was ever anything like this?

395.) It is now plain he could ! Nay, instead of owning his unfairness, he endeavours to turn the blame upon me ! “You are as inconsistent in your censures as in your doctrines: You blame me for quoting the last edition of your Sermon ; whereas you call me to account for quoting the first edition of your Notes, concerning Enoch and Elijah; each of whom you have proved, by a peculiar rule of Foundery-logic, to be both in heaven and out of heaven.” So, without any remorse, nay, being so totally unconcerned as even to break jests on the occasion, you again “avail yourself of a mistake which you knew was removed before you wrote.” 45. But Mr. Wesley “hath both struck out some words, and put in others, into the sermon.” This is a common complaint with Mr. Hill, on which therefore it is needful to explain. I generally abridge what I answer; which cannot be done without striking out all unessential words. And I generally put into quotations from my own writings, such words as I judge will prevent mistakes. Now to the contradictions: “‘If we say we have no sin’ now remaining,” (I mean, after we are justified,) “‘we deceive ourselves.’” I believe this; and yet I believe, “Sin shall not always in our flesh remain.” Again: “Many infirmities do remain.” This I believe; and I believe also, “‘He that is born of God,” (and “keepeth himself,' 1 John v. 18,) * sinneth not by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought.” I believe likewise, that in those perfected in love, “No wrinkle of infirmity, No spot of sin remains.” My brother, at the bottom of the page, expressly says, “No sinful infirmity.” So whether this be scriptural or not, here is no contradiction. I have spoken so largely already concerning sins of surprise and infirmity, that it is quite needless to add any more. I need only refer to the “Remarks,” at the 399th and following pages. 46. But to go on: “I wrestle not now.” This is an expression of my brother's, which I do not subscribe to. “We wrestle not with flesh and blood.” “This he allows to be his own.” (Page 31.) Indeed I do not; although, it is true, “the perpetual war which I speak of in the note on Eph. vi.

“Some do love God with “They (weak believers) do all their heart and strength.” not love God with all their heart and strength.” 85. “From that hour, indwelling sin, Thou hast no place in me.”Believers are not delivered from the being of sin till that hour. 86. “A sinless life we live.” “Christian Library :” NO thing. 87. “While one evil thought can rise, My brother said so once: I am not born again.” I never did. In the note annexed there are many mistakes: (1) “The author of this hymn did not allow any one to be a believer, even in the lowest sense, while he found the least stirring of sin.” He did; but he took the word “born again” in too high a sense. (2.) Yet “he supposes the most advanced believers are deeply sensible of their impurity.” He does not; neither he nor I suppose any such thing. (3.) “He tells us in his note on Eph. vi. 13, ‘The war is perpetual.’” True: The war with “principalities and powers;” but not that “with flesh and blood.” (4.) So you cannot reply: “Mr. W. speaks of believers of different stature.” Indeed I can; and the forgetting this is the main cause of Mr. H.’s stumbling at every step. (5) “The position, that any believers are totally free from sin, is diametrically opposite to Calvinism.” This is no mistake. Therefore most Calvinists hate it with a perfect hatred. (6.) “Many of the grossest of these contradictions were published nearly at the same time; and probably Mr. W. was the same day correcting the press, both for and against sinless perfection.” An ingenious thought ! but as to the truth or even probability of it, I cannot say much. (7.) “These Hymns contain the joint sentiments of Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley.” Not always; so that if some of them contradict others, it does not prove that I contradict myself. 88. “Christ in a pure and sinless “There are still two con heart.” trary principles in believers, nature and grace.” True, till they are perfect in love. 89. “Quite expel the carnal mind.” “That there is no sin in a (weak) believer, no carnal mind, is contrary to the word of God.” 90.

“Quite expel the carnal mind.” “That there is no sin in a (weak) believer, no carnal mind, is contrary to the word of God.” 90. “From every evil motion freed.” “How naturally do men think, Sin has no motion; therefore it has no being !” But how does this prove that I contradict myself? 91. “All the struggle then is o'er.” These are two of my 92. “I wrestle not now.” brother’s expressions, which I do not subscribe to. 93. “God is thine: Disdain to fear The enemy within.” “Let us watch and pray against the enemy within.” Are these lines cited as implying the enemy was not within 2 Most unhappily. They mean, the enemy which is within. For the very next words, which Mr. H. himself cited but the page before, are, God shall in thy flesh appear, And make an end of sin. 94. “We wrestle not with “We wrestle both with flesh and blood when * we flesh and blood, and with are grown up in Christ. principalities,” while we are babes in Christ. No contradiction yet. 95. “Sin shall not in our flesh remain.” “Still he (the babe in Christ) feels the remains of the old man.” 96. “I cannot rest if sin in me “Sin remains in them remains.” still;”--in all weak believers. 97, 98, 99. My brother's. 100. “Do not the best of “We groan, being burdened men say, ‘We groan, being with numberless infirmities, burdened with the workings of temptations, and sins.”--This inbred corruption?’” This is wrong. It is not the mean is not the meaning of the ing of the text. I will put it text: The whole context out, if I live to print another shows the cause of that edition. So just one shot in groaning was, their longing a hundred has hit the mark. to be with Christ. . 101. “Nor does he that is “Many infirmities remain, born of God sin by infirmi whereby we are daily subject ties; for his infirmities have to what are called “sins of no concurrence of his will; infirmity.’ And they are in and without this, they are not some sense sins; as being properly sins.”--That is, they (involuntary) transgressions are not voluntary transgres of the perfect law.” sions of a known law. I see no contradiction here; but if there was, it ought not to have been mentioned.

I see no contradiction here; but if there was, it ought not to have been mentioned. It could not by any generous writer; since Mr. Hill himself testifies, it was expunged before he mentioned it! But suppose it stood as at first, I flatly deny that it is any contradiction at all. These infirmities may be in some sense sins; and yet not properly so; that is, sins in an improper, but not in the proper, sense of the word. 13. But “Mr. W. has not yet determined, whether sins of surprise bring the soul under condemnation or not. However, it were to be wished, that sins of surprise and sins of infirmity too were to be declared mortal at the next Conference; since several persons who pretend to reverence Mr. W., not only fall into outrageous passions, but cozen and overreach their neighbours; and call these things little, innocent infirmities. Reader, weigh well those words of Mr. W., “We cannot say, either that men are or are not condemned for sins of surprise.” And yet immediately before, he calls them transgressions, as here he calls them sins. Strange divinity this, for one who, for near forty years past, has professed to believe and teach that “sin is the transgression of the law,’ and that ‘the. wages of sin is death.’” He then brings three instances of sins of surprise, (over and above cozening and overreaching,) drunkenness, fornication, and flying into a passion and knocking a man down; and concludes, “Mr. W. had better sleep quietly, than rise from his own pillow in order to lull his hearers asleep upon the pillow of false security, by speak ing in so slight a manner of sin, and making the breach of God’s holy law a mere nothing.” (Page 111.) 14. This is a charge indeed! And it is perfectly new : I believe it was never advanced before. It will not, therefore, be improper to give it a thorough examination. It is founded on some passages in the sermon on Romans viii. 1 : “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” In order to give a clear view of the doctrine therein delivered, I must extract the sum of the Sermon.

It follows, “They are not condemned for sins of infirmity, as they are usually called. Perhaps it were advisable rather to call them infirmities, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or to extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But, if we must use such an ambiguous and dangerous expression, by sins of infirmity I would mean, such involuntary failings as the saying a thing we believe true, though in fact it prove to be false; or the hurting our neighbour without knowing or designing it, perhaps when we designed to do him good.” (Ibid., p. 92.) What pretence has Mr. H. from these words to flourish away upon my “strange divinity;” and to represent me as giving men a handle to term gross sins innocent infirmities? But now comes the main point: “It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually styled sins of surprise: As when one who commonly in his patience possesses his soul, on a sudden or violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law of love.” (For instance: You have the gout. A careless man treads on your foot. You violently push him away, and, it may be, cry out, “Get away! Get you out of my sight!”) “Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule concerning transgressions of this nature. We can not say either that men are, or that they are not, condemned for sins of surprise in general.” (Pages 152, 153.) “Reader,” says Mr. H., “let me beg thee to weigh well the foregoing words.” I say so too. I go on : “But it seems, whenever a believer is overtaken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concur rence of his will. Therefore, some sins of surprise bring much guilt and condemnation. For in some instances our being surprised may be owing to some culpable neglect, or to a sleepiness of soul, which might have been prevented or shaken off before the temptation came. The falling even by surprise, in such an instance, exposes the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.

The falling even by surprise, in such an instance, exposes the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience. “On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, which he hardly could foresee, by which he may be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of the will. Now, in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly show him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, and consequently grieved with a godly sorrow, and lovingly ashamed before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. In the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, ‘The Lord is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation.’” (Page 154.) Now, what can any impartial person think of Mr. H.’s eloquence on this head? What a representation has he given of my doctrine, with regard to infirmities and sins of surprise? Was ever anything more unjust? Was ever anything more cruel? Do I here “lull my readers asleep on the pillow of false security?” Do I “speak in a light manner of sin?” or “make the breach of God's holy law a mere nothing?” What excuse can be made for pouring out all this flood of calumny? Can anything be termed “bearing false witness against our neighbour,” if this is not? Am I indeed a loose casuist? Do any of my writings give countenance to sin? Not so: God knows, Mr. Hill knows, Mr. Romaine, who corrected this tract, knows it well. So does Mr. Madan; yea, so do all who read what I write, unless they wilfully shut their eyes. 15. “Thus have I at length,” says Mr. H., “brought this extraordinary farrago to a conclusion. Not because I could not have found many more inconsistencics.” (Page 142.) Yes, another hundred, such as these. But see a group of them at once: “His extract from Bishop Beveridge is flatly contradicted in his edition of ‘John Goodwin. Again: Goodwin is flatly contradicted by his sermon on ‘The Lord our Righteousness.’ This sermon is contradicted in his ‘Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion. This Preservative is itself contradicted by his ‘Abstract from Dr. Preston.

as irresistibly determined to act thus or thus? What should he be commended or rewarded for, who never did any good but when he could not help it, being impelled thereto by a force which he could not withstand? What should he be blamed or punished for, who never did any evil, to which he was not determined by a power he could no more resist, than he could shake the pillars of heaven? This objection the author of the Essay gives in its full strength: “The advocates for liberty reason thus: If actions be necessary, and not in our own power, what ground is there for blame, self-condemnation, or remorse? If a clock were sensible of its own motions, and knew that they proceeded according to necessary laws, could it find fault with itself for striking wrong? Would it not blame the artist, who had so ill adjusted the wheels? So that, upon this scheme, all the moral constitution of our nature is overturned; there is an end to all the operations of conscience, about right and wrong; man is no longer a moral agent, nor the subject of praise or blame for what he does.” He strangely answers: “Certainly the pain, the remorse, which is felt by any man who had been guilty of a bad action, springs from the notion, that he has a power over his own actions, that he might have forborne to do it. It is on this account, that he is angry at himself, and confesses himself to be blamable. That uneasiness proceeds on the supposition, that he is free, and might have acted a better part. And one under the dominion of bad passions is condemned upon this ground, that it was in his power to be free from them. Were not this the case, brutes might be the objects of moral blame as well as man. But we do not blame them, because they have not freedom, a power of directing their own actions. We : therefore admit, that the idea of freedom is essential to the moral feeling. On the system of universal necessity, there could be no place for blame or remorse. And we struggle in vain to reconcile to this system the testimony which conscience clearly gives to freedom.” Is this an answer to the objection ? Is it not fairly giving up the whole cause ?

It would be easy to enlarge upon this melancholy truth; it cannot be denied that, The rich, the poor, the high, the low, Have wander'd from his mild command: The floods of wickedness o'erflow, And deluge all the guilty land: People and Priest lie drown'd in sin, And Tophet yawns to take them in. But yet, (2.) I totally deny that either England or Ireland have yet “filled up the measure of their iniquities.” “Why, what have they not done? What abomination can be named or conceived which they have not committed?” I will tell you: They have not done what was done of old, before God delivered up the Jews to destruction. They have not “shed the blood of the just in the midst of Jerusalem.” Neither in London, Dublin, nor any other of our cities, has there been any instance of the kind. To which of our Governors in either England or Ireland can those words of our Lord be applied ? “Behold, I send unto you Prophets; and some of them ye will kill; and some of them ye will scourge, and persecute from city to city. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee!” (Matt. xxiii. 34, &c.) Now, neither England nor Ireland has done this, at least during the present century. Therefore, it cannot be affirmed that they have “filled up the measure of their iniquities.” Conse quently we have no reason to believe that our Lord will yet say, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate 1” 12. I have another reason to believe that God will yet have compassion upon a sinful land: What was it which he said of old time to Abraham interceding for guilty Sodom? “I will not destroy the city, if there be fifty, twenty, yea, ten righteous men found in it.” And are there not ten, twenty, fifty righteous men to be found in our Sodom? Dare you affirm, or have you reason to believe, that there are only twenty hundred? And will God “destroy the righteous with the wicked! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Besides, will not all these righteous men wrestle with God for their people and nation? And does he not hear the prayer? Let Moses in the spirit groan, And God cries out, Let me alone !

4 But O! suffice the season past; My idols now away I cast, Pleasure, and wealth, and fame, The world, and all its goods, I leave, To thee alone resolved to give Whate'er I have or am. 5 Lo! in a thankful, loving heart, I render thee whate'er thou art, I give myself to thee; And thee my whole delight I own, My joy, my glory, and my crown, To all eternity. 1 O THou who seest what is in man, And show'st myself to me, Suffer a sinner to complain, And groan his griefs to thee. 2 A sinner, that has cloak'd his shame With self-deceiving art; Thy worshipper reform'd in name, But unrenew'd in heart. 3 The servants most unlike their Lord, How oft did I condemn ! The persecuting Church abhorr'd, Nor saw myself in them : 4 The spirit of my foes I caught, The angry, bitter zeal; And fierce for my own party fought, And breathed the fire of hell. 5 Threat'ning I did and slaughter breathe, (The flail of heresy,) And doom the sects to bonds, or death, That did not think with me. G To propagate the truth, I fought With fury and despite; And, in my zeal for Israel, sought To slay the Gibeonite. 7 “The temple of the Lord are we ?” And all who dared deny, I would not have their conscience free, But force them to comply. 8 With wholesome discipline severe To conquer them I strove, And drive into the pale through fear, Who would not come through love. 9 How vainly then the zealots blind Of Rome did I disclaim : Still to the church of Satan join'd, And differing but in name. A WoRD TO A PROTESTANT. 10 How could I, Lord, myself deceive, While unreform'd within P Protest against their creed, and cleave The closer to their sin P ll Their foulest sin my own I made, (And humbly now confess,) While by my anger I essay'd To work thy righteousness. 12 A murderer convict, I come My vileness to bewail : By nature born a son of Rome, A child of wrath and hell. 13 Lord, I at last recant, reject, Through thy great strength alone, The madness of the Romish sect, The madness of my own. 14 Lord, I abhor, renounce, abjure, The fiery spirit unclean, The persecuting zeal impure, The sin-opposing sin.

How far are you from this? How low are you fallen | You yourself are ashamed of what you do. Are you not? Conscience, speak in the sight of God! Does not your own heart condemn you at this very hour? Do not you shudder at the condition you are in? Dare, for once, to lay your hand upon your breast, and ask, “What am I doing? And what must the end of these things be?” Destruction both of body and soul. 6. Destruction of body as well as of soul / Can it be otherwise? Are you not plunging into misery in this world, as well as in the world to come? What have you brought upon yourself already? what infamy? what contempt? How could you now appear among those relations and friends that were once so loved, and so loving to you? What pangs have you given them? How do some of them still weep for you in secret places? And will you not weep for yourself, when you see nothing before you but want, pain, diseases, death? O spare yourself! Have pity upon your body, if not your soul! Stop! before you rot above ground and perish ! 7. Do you ask, What shall I do? First, sin no more. First of all, secure this point. Now, this instant, now, escape for your life; stay not; look not behind you. Whatever you do, sin no more; starve, die, rather than sin. Be more careful for your soul than your body. Take care of that too; but of your poor soul first. 8. “But you have no friend; none at least that is able to help you.” Indeed you have: One that is a present help in time of trouble. You have a friend that has all power in heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ the righteous. He loved sinners of old; and he does so still. He then suffered the publicans and harlots to come unto him. And one of them washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. I would to God you were in her place I Say, Amen Lift up your heart, and it shall be done. How soon will he say, “Woman, be of good cheer; thy sins, which are many, are forgiven thee. Go in peace. Sin no more.

For in many things we offend all.” We / Who? Not the Apostles nor true believers, but they who were to “receive the greater condemnation, because of those many offences. Nay, Thirdly, the verse itself proves, that “we offend all, cannot be spoken either of all men or all Christians. For in it immediately follows the mention of a man who ‘offends not,’ as the we first mentioned did; from whom therefore he is professedly contradistinguished, and pronounced a ‘perfect man.’ “But St. John himself says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; and, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” “I answer, (1.) The tenth verse fixes the sense of the eighth : “If we say we have no sin, in the former, being explained by, “If we say we have not sinned, in the latter, verse. (2.) The point under consideration is not, whether we have or have not sinned heretofore; and neither of these verses asserts that we do sin, or commit sin now. (3.) The ninth verse explains both the eighth and tenth : “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. As if he had said, ‘I have before affirmed, The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.” And no man can say, ‘I need it not; I have no sin to be cleansed from.” “If we say, we have no sin, that “we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves, and make God a liar: But “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, not only ‘to forgive us our sins, but also ‘to cleanse us from all unrighte ousness,’ that we may “go and sin no more.’ In conformity, therefore, both to the doctrine of St. John, and the whole tenor of the New Testament, we fix this conclusion: A Christian is so far perfect, as not to commit sin. “This is the glorious privilege of every Christian, yea, though he be but a babe in Christ. But it is only of grown Christians it can be affirmed, they are in such a sense perfect, as, Secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers. First, from evil or sinful thoughts. Indeed, whence should they spring ?

Neither let any say that this relates to justification only, or the cleansing us from the guilt of sin: First, because this is confounding together what the Apostle clearly distinguishes, who mentions, first, ‘to forgive us our sins, and then ‘to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ Secondly, because this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest sense possible; it is making all inward, as well as all outward, holiness, necessarily previous to justification. For if the cleansing here spoken of is no other than the cleansing us from the guilt of sin, then we are not cleansed from guilt, that is, not justified, unless on condition of walking “in the light, as he is in the light.’ It remains, then, that Christians are saved in this world from all sin, from all unrighteousness; that they are now in such a sense perfect, as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.” It could not be, but that a discourse of this kind, which directly contradicted the favourite opinion of many, who were esteemed by others, and possibly esteemed themselves, some of the best of Christians, (whereas, if these things were so, they were not Christians at all,) should give no small offence. Many answers or animadversions, therefore, were expected; but I was agreeably disappointed. I do not know that any appeared; so I went quietly on my way. 13. Not long after, I think in the spring, 1741, we published a second volume of Hymns. As the doctrine was still much misunderstood, and consequently misrepresented, I judged it needful to explain yet farther upon the head; which was done in the preface to it as follows:- “This great gift of God, the salvation of our souls, is no other than the image of God fresh stamped on our hearts. It is a ‘renewal of believers in the spirit of their minds, after the like mess of Him that created them.” God hath now laid “the axe unto the root of the tree, purifying their hearts by faith, and ‘cleansing all the thoughts of their hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit.

It is not; for one may start, tremble, change colour, or be otherwise disordered in body, while the soul is calmly stayed on God, and remains in perfect peace. Nay, the mind itself may be deeply distressed, may be exceeding sorrowful, may be perplexed and pressed down by heaviness and anguish, even to agony, while the heart cleaves to God by perfect love, and the will is wholly resigned to him. Was it not so with the Son of God himself? Does any child of man endure the distress, the anguish, the agony, which he sustained? And yet he knew no sin. “Q. But can any one who has a pure heart prefer pleasing to unpleasing food; or use any pleasure of sense which is not strictly necessary? If so, how do they differ from others? “A. The difference between these and others in taking pleasant food is, (1.) They need none of these things to make them happy; for they have a spring of happiness within. They see and love God. Hence they rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. (2.) They may use them, but they do not seek them. (3.) They use them sparingly, and not for the sake of the thing itself. This being premised, we answer directly,--Such a one may use pleasing food, without the danger which attends those who are not saved from sin. He may prefer it to unpleasing, though equally wholesome, food, as a means of increasing thankfulness, with a single eye to God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy: On the same principle, he may smell to a flower, or eat a bunch of grapes, or take any other pleasure which does not lessen but increase his delight in God. Therefore, neither can we say that one perfected in love would be incapable of marriage, and of worldly business? If he were called thereto, he would be more capable than ever; as being able to do all things without hurry or carefulness, without any distraction of spirit. “Q. But if two perfect Christians had children, how could they be born in sin, since there was none in the parents? “A. It is a possible, but not a probable, case; I doubt whether it ever was or ever will be. But waving this, I answer, Sin is entailed upon me, not by immediate genera tion, but by my first parent.

“Q. But whence is it, that some imagine they are thus sanctified, when in reality they are not? “A. It is hence; they do not judge by all the preceding marks, but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous. But I know no instance of a person attending to them all, and yet deceived in this matter. I believe, there can be none in the world. If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after justification, of inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; if to this change, immensely greater than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, direct witness of the renewal; I judge it as impossible this man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie. And if one whom I know to be a man of veracity testify these things to me, I ought not, without some sufficient reason, to reject his testimony. “Q. Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual or instantaneous P “A. A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant he lives the full life of love. And as the change undergone, when the body dies, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such as till then it is impossible to conceive; so the change wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can conceive till he experiences it. Yet he stills grows in grace, in the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God; and will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity. “Q. How are we to wait for this change? “A.

5. We agree, that true “Christianity implies a destruction of the kingdom of sin, and a renewal of the soul in righteous mess; which even babes in Christ do in a measure experience, though not in so large a measure as young men and fathers.” But here we divide. I believe even babes in Christ, “while they keep themselves, do not commit sin.” By sin, I mean, outward sin; and the word commit, I take in its plain, literal meaning. And this I think is fully proved by all the texts cited Sermon III., from the sixth chapter to the Romans. Nor do I conceive there is any material difference between committing sin, and continuing therein. I tell my neighbour here, “William, you are a child of the devil, for you commit sin; you was drunk yesterday.” “No, Sir,” says the man, “I do not live or continue in sin” (which Mr. Dodd says is the true meaning of the text); “I am not drunk continually, but only now and then, once in a fortnight, or once in a month.” Now, Sir, how shall I deal with this man? Shall I tell him he is in the way to heaven or hell? I think he is in the high road to destruction; and that if I tell him other wise his blood will be upon my head. And all that you say of living, continuing in, serving sin, as different from com mitting it, and of its not reigning, not having dominion, over him who still frequently commits it, is making so many loop holes whereby any impenitent sinner may escape from all the terrors of the Lord. I dare not therefore give up the plain, literal meaning either of St. Paul’s or St. Peter's words. 6. As to those of St. John, cited Sermon V., I do not think you have proved they are not to be taken literally. In every single act of obedience, as well as in a continued course of it, rous Buxaloavyw: And in either an act or a course of sin Troisi aplapriav. Therefore, that I may give no countenance to any kind or degree of sin, I still interpret these words by those in the fifth chapter, and believe, “he that is born of God” (while he keepeth himself) “sinneth not;” doth not commit outward sin. 7.

7. But “it is absolutely necessary,” as you observe, “to add sometimes explanatory words to those of the sacred penmen.” It is so; to add words explanatory of their sense, but not subversive of it. The words added to this text, “Ye know all things,” are such; and you yourself allow them so to be. But I do not allow the words wilfully and habitually to be such. These do not explain, but overthrow, the text. That the first Fathers thus explained it, I deny; as also that I ever spoke lightly of them. 8. You proceed: “You allow in another sermon, in evident contradiction to yourself, that the true children of God could, and did, commit sin.” This is no contradiction to anything I ever advanced. I everywhere allow that a child of God can and will commit sin, if he does not keep himself. “But this,” you say, “is nothing to the present argument.” Yes, it is the whole thing. If they keep themselves, they do not; otherwise, they can and do commit sin. I say nothing contrary to this in either sermon. But “hence,” you say, “we conclude that he who is born of God, may possibly commit sin:” An idle conclusion as ever was formed; for who ever denied it? I flatly affirm it in both the sermons, and in the very paragraph now before us. The only conclusion which I deny is, that “all Christians do and will commit sin, as long as they live.” Now this you yourself (though you seem to start at it) maintain from the beginning of your Letter to the end; namely, that all Chris tians do sin, and cannot but sin, more or less, to their lives’ end. Therefore I do not “artfully put this conclusion;” but it is your own conclusion, from your own premises. Indeed were I artfully to put in anything in expounding the word of God, I must be an arrant knave. But I do not; my conscience bears me witness, that I speak the very truth, so far as I know it, in simplicity and godly sincerity. 9. I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance natu rally tends thereto.

I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance natu rally tends thereto. This is my grand objection to that doc trine of the necessity of sinning: Not only that it is false, but that it is directly subversive of all holiness. The doctrine of the Gnostics was, not that a child of God does not commit sin, that is, act the things which are forbidden in Scripture, but that they are not sin in him, that he is a child of God still; so they contend, not for sinless, but sinful, perfec tion; just as different from what I contend for, as heaven is from hell. What the Donatists were, I do not know ; but I suspect they were the real Christians of that age; and were therefore served by St. Augustine and his warm adherents, as the Methodists are now by their zealous adversaries. It is extremely easy to blacken; and could I give myself leave, I could paint the consequences of your doctrine, in at least as dark and odious colours as you could paint mine. 10. The passage of St. Peter, mentioned Sermon XII., I still think proves all which I brought it to prove. “But you allow, (Sermon XIV.,) that Paul and Barnabas did commit sin. And these were, without all controversy, fathers in Christ.” That is not without controversy,-that either Barnabas when he left Paul, or Peter when he dissem bled at Antioch, was at that time a father in Christ in St. John’s sense; though by office undoubtedly they were. Their example, therefore, only proves what no one denies, namely, that if a believer keeps not himself, he may commit sin. Would the conclusions here drawn “be made only by a very weak opponent?” Then you are a weak opponent; for you make them all, either from these or other premises: For you believe and maintain, (1.) That all the other Apostles committed sin sometimes. (2.) That all the other Christians of the apostolic age sometimes committed sin. (3.) That all other Christians, in all ages, do and will commit sin as long as they live. And, (4.) That every man must commit sin, cannot help it, as long as he is in the body. You cannot deny one of these propositions, if you understand your own premises. I am, Rev.

But if the decree admit of any condition, it is mot an unconditional decree. Either, therefore, you must renounce your unconditional decrees, or deny that faith is the condition of salvation; or (which is just the same thing) affirm, that a man may be saved without either faith or works. 11. And I am consistent with myself, as well as with the Bible, when I affirm, that none shall be finally saved by any “faith” but that “which worketh by love,” both inward and outward holiness. I fear, many of them that hold uncon ditional decrees are not sensible of this. For they seriously believe themselves to be in the high road to salvation, though they are far from inward (if not outward) holiness. They have not “put on humbleness of mind, bowels of mercy, brotherly-kindness.” They have no gentleness, no meekness, no longsuffering; so far are they from the “love that endureth all things.” They are under the power of sin; of evil-surmising; of anger; yea, of outward sin. For they scruple mot to say to their brother, “Thou fool!” They not only, on a slight provocation, make no scruple of rendering evil for evil, of returning railing for railing; but they bring railing accusations unprovoked; they pour out floods of the lowest, basest invectives. And yet they are within the decree I instance in the two late publications of Mr. Rowland Hill. “O,” says Mr. Hill, “but Mr. Wesley is a wicked man.” What then? Is he more wicked than him that disputed with Michael about the body of Moses? How, then, durst he bring a railing accusation against a man, when an archangel durst not bring one against the devil? O fight, fight for an unconditional decree For if there be any condition, how can you be saved ?

Murder Prevented by a Threefold Dream Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- MoNDAY, April 2, 1781, I was informed by a person in an eminent station, of a very uncommon incident: He had occasion to correct, with a few stripes, a lad that lived with him at Rochester, which he resented so as to keave his place. But sometime after, he seemed to repent, humbled himself, and was received again. He now behaved in a most becoming manner, and was doubly diligent in his service. But his mistress dreamed one night, that this lad was going to cut her throat: And she had a twin-sister, between whom and her there is so strange a sympathy, that if either of them is ill, or particularly affected at any time, the other is so likewise. This sister wrote to her from another part of the kingdom, that she had dreamed the very same thing. She carried this letter to her father, a gentleman that lives not far off, and was surprised to hear that he likewise, on the same night, had had a dream to the same effect. The lad had been observed to come up, about noon, into his lady's apartment, with a case-knife in his hand; and being asked why he did so, he said, he was going into the adjoining room, to scrape the dirt off from his master's embroidered clothes.- His master now took the lad aside, and examined him strictly. After denying it for a considerable time, it was at length extorted from him, that he had always remembered, with indignation, his master’s severity to him, and that he was fully resolved to be revenged, but in what particular manner he would not confess. On this he was totally dismissed without delay.

Why do not you deny yourself as to anger and fretfulness, as to peevish mess and discontent?” She replied, “That I want; so I deny myself in little things first, till I am able to do it in greater.” Neither you nor I can mend her reply. Go thou and do likewise. 31. I have done what I proposed; and indeed in many more words than I at first intended. I have told you the occasions of every step I have taken, and the motives induc ing me thereto; and have considered what either you or others have urged on the contrary side of the question. And now, the advice I would give upon the whole is this: First, Pray earnestly to God for clear light; for a full, piercing, and steady conviction, that this is the more excel lent way. Pray for a spirit of universal self-denial, of cheerful temperance, of wise frugality; for bowels of mercies; for a kind, compassionate spirit, tenderly sensible of the various wants of your brethren; and for firmness of mind; for a mild, even courage, without fear, anger, or shame. Then you will once more, with all readiness of heart, make this little (or great) sacrifice to God; and withal present your soul and body a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ.

Hymn IV Source: Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742) Author: Charles Wesley --- 'Twas thus the subtle foe Beguil'd my foolish heart, While weak in faith I did not know His false ensnaring art: I listen'd to a lie Which nature lik'd so well, Believ'd the soothing fiend that I Could never fall--and fell. The tempter now withdrew, And left me free from care, His own advantage well he knew; My soul was in his snare: Secure, and lull'd in ease, Sin vex'd me now no more, My sorrows end, my troubles cease, And all my pangs are o'er. Freed from the inward cross, Of all corruption full, A prophet of smooth things I was To my own wretched soul; Unchang'd and unrenew'd, Yet still I could not fall: Daub'd with untemper'd mortar stood The tottering, whited wall. My wound I slightly heal'd, And quieted my grief, With all the false assurance fill'd Of damning unbelief; One of the happy sect, Who scoff at mourners poor, That will not dream themselves elect, Till they have made it sure. How happier far was I, From grief and scruple free, Who could from all conviction fly To God's suppos'd decree! O what a settled peace, What comfort did I prove, And hug me in my sins, and bless His sweet electing love! What if I sinn'd sometimes In this imperfect state, It was not like the damning crimes Of a lost reprobate; Sin was not sin in me, God doth not blame his own, Doth not behold iniquity In any chosen one. What if I foully fell, I finally could not; His grace is irresistible, And back I must be brought: What if in sin I liv'd, The firm decree is past, I must be at my death receiv'd, I must be sav'd at last. How could my folly dare Satan and sin to slight? The judgments of my God were far Above out of my sight: His wrath was not for me, And therefore I defied Mine enemies, from danger free, In self-electing pride. Not all his threaten'd woes My stubborn heart could move; His threatnings only were for those Who never knew his love: He cannot take away His covenanted grace, Tho' I rebel, and disobey, And mock him to his face. He cannot me pass by, Or utterly reject, Or judge his people, or deny To save his own elect; He swore to bring me in To heaven; 'twere perjury For God to punish me for sin, For God to pass by me. 'Twas thus my wretched heart Abus'd his patient grace, Provok'd his mercy to depart, His justice to take place: Unconscious of its state, In death my soul abode, Nor groan'd beneath its guilty weight, Nor knew its fall from God. I could not be restor'd, By pard'ning grace renew'd, While trampling on his written word Self-confident I stood: He only saves the lost, Which I could never be, I never could be damn'd, but must Be sav'd by his decree.

Hymn IV Source: Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742) Author: Charles Wesley --- 'Twas thus the subtle foe Beguil'd my foolish heart, While weak in faith I did not know His false ensnaring art: I listen'd to a lie Which nature lik'd so well, Believ'd the soothing fiend that I Could never fall--and fell. The tempter now withdrew, And left me free from care, His own advantage well he knew; My soul was in his snare: Secure, and lull'd in ease, Sin vex'd me now no more, My sorrows end, my troubles cease, And all my pangs are o'er. Freed from the inward cross, Of all corruption full, A prophet of smooth things I was To my own wretched soul; Unchang'd and unrenew'd, Yet still I could not fall: Daub'd with untemper'd mortar stood The tottering, whited wall. My wound I slightly heal'd, And quieted my grief, With all the false assurance fill'd Of damning unbelief; One of the happy sect, Who scoff at mourners poor, That will not dream themselves elect, Till they have made it sure. How happier far was I, From grief and scruple free, Who could from all conviction fly To God's suppos'd decree! O what a settled peace, What comfort did I prove, And hug me in my sins, and bless His sweet electing love! What if I sinn'd sometimes In this imperfect state, It was not like the damning crimes Of a lost reprobate; Sin was not sin in me, God doth not blame his own, Doth not behold iniquity In any chosen one. What if I foully fell, I finally could not; His grace is irresistible, And back I must be brought: What if in sin I liv'd, The firm decree is past, I must be at my death receiv'd, I must be sav'd at last. How could my folly dare Satan and sin to slight? The judgments of my God were far Above out of my sight: His wrath was not for me, And therefore I defied Mine enemies, from danger free, In self-electing pride. Not all his threaten'd woes My stubborn heart could move; His threatnings only were for those Who never knew his love: He cannot take away His covenanted grace, Tho' I rebel, and disobey, And mock him to his face. He cannot me pass by, Or utterly reject, Or judge his people, or deny To save his own elect; He swore to bring me in To heaven; 'twere perjury For God to punish me for sin, For God to pass by me. 'Twas thus my wretched heart Abus'd his patient grace, Provok'd his mercy to depart, His justice to take place: Unconscious of its state, In death my soul abode, Nor groan'd beneath its guilty weight, Nor knew its fall from God. I could not be restor'd, By pard'ning grace renew'd, While trampling on his written word Self-confident I stood: He only saves the lost, Which I could never be, I never could be damn'd, but must Be sav'd by his decree.

About a year and an half ago I stole out of company at eight in the evening with a young gentleman with whom I was intimate. As we took a turn in an aisle of St. Mary's Church in expectation of a young lady's funeral, [ We are not able to trace the young lady friend whose funeral Wesley attended about Midsummer, 1725 at St. Mary’s Oxford. The registers give no age or place of residence, butit is a choice between the following: -- 1725: March 30, Mary Gunn; June 30, Eliza Carter; August 10, Martha Brown; August 28 Mary Downs; Octoboer 28 Ann Williams. The vicar was Thomas Weeksy. We owe these details to the courtesy of the verger, Mr. Chaundy. Probably it was Eliza Carter.] with whom we were both acquainted, I asked him if he really thought himself my friend; and if he did, why he would not do me all the good he could. He began to protest; in which I cut him short by desiring him to oblige me in an instance which he could not deny to be in his own power -- to let me have the pleasure of making him an whole Christian, to which I knew he was at least half persuaded already; that he could not do me a greater kindness, as both of us would be fully convinced when we came to follow that young woman. He turned exceedingly serious, and kept something of that disposition ever since. Yesterday was a fortnight, he died of a consumption. I saw him three days before he died; and, on the Sunday following, did him the last good office I could here, by preaching his funeral sermon; which was his desire when living. [See the following letter. Robin Griffiths, son of the Vicar of Broadway, died Jan. 10, 1727. The sermon, on 2 Sam. xii. 23, is given in the Arminian Mag. 2797, PP. 422-6; see Journal. i. 62.] To his Mother [1] LINCOLN COLLEGE, March 19, 1727.

‘It is allowed, that repentance, and “fruits meet for repentance,” gobefore faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meetfor it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean, conviction ofsin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment;and by “fruits meet for repentance,” forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot, as yet, term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.’ 2. ‘Faith, in general, is a divine, supernatural e (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifyingfaith implies, not only a divine e that God “was in Christ,reconciling the world unto himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself forme. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardonsand absolves him’ [A Farther Appealto Men of Reason and Religion, Part I. See Works, viii. 46, 47]. Now, it being allowed, that both inward and outward holiness arethe stated conditions of final justification, what more can youdesire, who have hitherto opposed justification by faith alonemerely upon a principle of conscience, because you was zealous forholiness and good works Do I not effectually secure these fromcontempt, at the same time that I defend the doctrines of the Church I not only allow, but vehemently contend, that none shall everenter into glory, who is not holy on earth, as well in heart as ‘in all manner of conversation.’ I cry aloud, ‘Let all that have believed, be careful to maintain good works;’ and, ‘Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from all iniquity.’ I exhort even those who are conscious they do not believe, ‘Cease to do evil,learn to do well. The kingdom of heaven is at hand;’ therefore, ‘repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.’ Are not thesedirections the very same, in substance, which you yourself wouldgive to persons so circumstanced

3. ‘Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works asyou, think I have allowed you too much. Nay, my brethren, buthow can we help allowing it, if we allow the Scriptures to be fromGod For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord” And how then,without fighting about words, can we deny, that holiness is acondition of final acceptance And as to the first acceptance orpardon, does not all experience as well as Scripture prove, that noman ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent Repentance therefore we cannot deny to be necessarily previous tofaith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into willful,known sin (suppose it were drunkenness or uncleanness) stifles thatrepentance or conviction And can that repentance come to anygood issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother orwho obstinately refrains from what God convinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word Would you scrupleyourself to tell one of these, “Unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,” that is, uses it not, “shall be taken eventhat which he hath” Would you scruple to say this But in sayingthis, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous tojustifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunitypermit, “fruits meet for repentance.” ‘And yet I allow you this, that although both repentance and thefruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, yetneither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of theword,) he is justified, his sins are blotted out, “his faith is countedto him for righteousness.” But it is not so, at whatever moment herepents, or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Faithalone therefore justifies; which repentance alone does not; muchless any outward work. And consequently, none of these arenecessary to justification, in the same degree with faith.

‘No in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate arelation to justification as faith. This is proximately necessarythereto; repentance remotely, as it is necessary (to faith. And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary [These words (omitted through a printer’s error) are restored by Wesley in his second letter to Mr. Church. See page 255.]) to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense, these are only necessary on supposition -- if there be time and opportunity for them; for in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance: So that the general proposition is not overthrown, but clearly established, by these concessions; and we conclude still, that faith alone is the proximate condition of justification.’ 4. This is what I hold concerning justification. I am next briefly toobserve what you object. ‘If faith,’ say you, ‘is the sole condition of justification, then it is our sole duty.’ (Remarks, p. 25.) I deny theconsequence. Faith may be, in the sense above described, the sole condition of justification; and yet not only repentance be our dutybefore, but all obedience after, we believe. You go on: ‘If good works are not conditions of ourjustification, they are not conditions of our (final) salvation’ (ibid.). I deny the consequence again. Good works, properly so called, cannot be the conditions of justification; because it is impossible to do any good work before we are justified. And yet, notwithstanding, good works may be, and are, conditions of finalsalvation. For who will say it is impossible to do any good workbefore we are finally saved You proceed: ‘Can we be saved in the contemptuous neglect of repentance, prayer,’ &c. (Page 26.) No, nor justified neither; but while they are previous to faith, these are not allowed to be goodworks. You afterwards argue from my own concessions, thus: ‘Yournotion of true stillness is, “a patient waiting upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law, and the works of his commandments.” But how is it possible toreconcile to this, the position, that these duties are not conditions ofour justification If we are justified without them, we may be savedwithout them. This consequence cannot be too often repeated.’ (Ibid.)

‘In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him,” you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure.” Sinners, if they believe this, may be quite secure, and imagine they have nothing to fear, though they continue in their iniquities. For God's sake, Sir, speak out. If they that have an evil heart have not, who has reason to fear’ (Pages 30-1.) All who have not dominion over sin; all who continue in their iniquities. You, for one, if any sin has dominion over you. If so, I testify against you this day, (and you will not be quite secure, if you believe me,) ‘The wrath of God abideth on you!’ ‘What do you mean by, “sin remains in one that is justified” that he is guilty of any known, willful, habitual sin’ (pages 31-2). Judge by what is gone before: -- I mean the same as our Church means by, ‘sin remains in the regenerate.’ 6. You proceed to another passage, which in the Journal stands thus: ‘After we had wandered many years in the new path of salvation by faith and works, about two years ago it pleased God to show us the old way of salvation by faith only. And many soon tasted of this salvation, being justified freely, having peace with God, “rejoicing in hope of the glory of God,” and having 'his love shed abroad in their hearts.”’ (ii. 354.) Thus I define what I mean by this salvation, viz., ‘righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ But you object, ‘Here you deny the necessity of good works in order to salvation.’ (Remarks, p. 33.) I deny the necessity, nay, possibility, of good works, as previous to this salvation; as previous to faith or those fruits of faith, ‘righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ This is my real sentiment, not a slip of my pen, neither any proof of my want of accuracy. 7. ‘I shall now,’ you say, ‘consider the account you give, in this Journal, of the doctrine of justification.’ (pages 36-7). I will recite the whole, just as it stands, together with the occasion of it: --

‘That justification, whereof our Articles and Homilies speak, means present pardon and acceptance with God; who therein “declares His righteousness,” or mercy, “by” or “for the remission of sins that are past.”’ I say, past; for I cannot find anything in the Bible of the remission of sins past, present, and to come. ‘I believe the condition of this is faith; I mean, not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified.’ You take the word ‘condition’ in the former sense only, as that without which we cannot be justified. In this sense of the word, I think we may allow that there are several conditions of justification. ‘Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works springing from holiness of heart.’ Yet such a course is without doubt absolutely necessary to our continuance in a state of justification. ‘It is allowed that repentance and "fruits meet for repentance" go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance,” forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and in general obeying Him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.’ Although the same works are then good, when they are performed by ‘those who have believed.’ ‘Faith in general is a divine, supernatural ’e (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine ’e that God “was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that He loved me and gave Himself for me. And, the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.’ I say a penitent sinner, because justifying faith cannot exist without previous repentance.

‘Yet, although both repentance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense or in the same degree with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes (in the Christian sense of the word) he is justified. But it is not so at whatever moment he repents or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Consequently none of these are necessary to justification in the same degree with faith. ‘Nor in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proximately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is necessary to faith.’ (So the error of the press is to be corrected.) ‘And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense they are only necessary on supposition--if there be time and opportunity for them: for in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance.’ 2. Thus far I believe we are nearly agreed. But on those words, -- ‘Far other qualifications are required in order to our standing before God in glory than were required in order to His giving us faith and pardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required but repentance or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it is indispensably required that we be fully cleansed from all sin,’ - you remark, ‘Here, I apprehend, are two great mistakes: (1) you make too little necessary before pardon; (2) too much afterward. You confine repentance within too narrow limits, and extend holiness beyond its just bounds. ‘(1) By repentance you mean only conviction of sin. But this is a very partial account of it. Every child that has learned his Catechism can tell, that forsaking of sin is included in it; living in obedience to God’s will, when there is opportunity; and, even when there is not, a sincere desire and purpose to do so, and a faith in God’s mercies through Christ Jesus.’ (Second Letter, p. 92.)

I had said, ‘In order to God's giving us faith and pardon, nothing is indispensably required but repentance’--that is, ‘conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment.’ But you ‘apprehend that I am here in a great mistake’; that I give ‘a very partial account of repentance’; that I ought to 'include therein a sincere desire and purpose' to obey God. I do: I have said so expressly. And ‘living in obedience to God's will, when there is opportunity.’ Very well; but I here speak of what is indispensably required--that is, whether there is opportunity of actual obedience or no. ‘And a faith in God's mercies through Christ Jesus.’ A very great mistake indeed! -- my not including faith in that repentance which I say is indispensably required in order to faith! ‘(2) You make sinless perfection necessary after justification, in order to make us meet for glory.’ And who does not Indeed, men do not agree in the time. Some believe it is attained before death; some in the article of death; some in an after-state, in the Mystic or the Popish purgatory. But all writers whom I have ever seen till now (the Romish themselves not excepted) agree that we must be 'fully cleansed from all sin' before we can enter into glory. 3. After what has already been allowed, I cannot think it needful to dispute farther on the head of Justification. Rather suffer me to close this part of our debate by transcribing what I assent to from that clear recapitulation of your sentiments which you have given in pages 45 and 46: -- ‘(1) Justification is the act of God, pardoning our sins and receiving us again to His favor. This was free in Him, because undeserved by us; undeserved, because we had transgressed His law, and could not, nor even can now, perfectly fulfill it. ‘(2) We cannot, therefore, be justified by our works; because this would be to be justified by some merit of our own. Much less can we be justified by an external show of religion or by any superstitious observances.

I have again and again, with all the plainness I could, declared what our constant doctrines are, whereby we are distinguished only from heathens or nominal Christians, not from any that worship God in spirit and in truth. Our main doctrines, which include all the rest, are three -- that of Repentance, of Faith, and of Holiness. The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself. That repentance or conviction of sin, which is always previous to faith (either in an higher or lower degree, as it pleases God), we describe in words to this effect: ‘When men feel in themselves the heavy burthen of sin, see damnation to be the reward of it, behold with the eye of their mind the horror of hell, they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto Him for mercy. This being done seriously, their mind is so occupied, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart, and loathing of all worldly things and pleasure cometh in place. So that nothing then liketh them more than to weep, to lament, to mourn; and both with words and behavior of body to show themselves weary of life.’

Now, permit me to ask: What if, before you had observed that these were the very words of our own Church, one of your acquaintance or parishioners had come and told you that, ever since he heard a sermon at the Foundry, he ‘saw damnation’ before him, ‘and beheld with the eye of his mind the horror of hell’ What if he had ‘trembled and quaked,’ and been so taken up ‘partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from the danger of hell and damnation,’ as to ‘weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behavior to show himself weary of life’ Would you have scrupled to say -- ‘Here is another “deplorable instance” of the “Methodists driving men to distraction”! See “into what excessive terrors, frights, doubts, and perplexities they throw weak and well-meaning men! quite oversetting their understandings and judgments, and making them liable to all these miseries!”’ I dare not refrain from adding one plain question, which I beseech you to answer, not to me, but to God: Have you ever experienced this repentance yourself Did you ever ‘feel in yourself that heavy burthen of sin’--of sin in general, more especially inward sin; of pride, anger, lust, vanity of (what is all sin in one) that carnal mind which is enmity, essential enmity, against God Do you know by experience what it is to ‘behold with the eye of the mind the horror of hell’ Was ‘your mind’ ever so ‘taken up, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that even all desire of meat and drink’ was taken away, and you ‘loathed all worldly things and pleasure’ Surely, if you had known what it is to have the ‘arrows of the Almighty’ thus ‘sticking fast in you,’ you could not so lightly have condemned those who now cry out, ‘The pains of hell come about me, the sorrows of death compass me, and the overflowings of ungodliness make me afraid.’

9. But will this, or a thousand such instances as this, ‘stop the mouths of all adversaries at once’ O sir, would one expect such a thought as this in one that had read the Bible What if you could convert as many sinners as St. Paul himself Would that ‘stop the mouths of all your adversaries’ Yea, if you could convert three thousand at one sermon, still you would be so far from ‘stopping all their mouths at once,’ that the greater part of them would gnash upon you with their teeth, and cry, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth!’ I never, therefore, expect ‘to persuade the world,’ the majority of mankind, that I ‘have been’ for some years ‘advancing nothing’ but what has a clear, immediate connection with ‘the true knowledge and love of God’; that God hath been pleased to use me, a weak, vile worm, in reforming many of my fellow sinners, and making them at this day living witnesses of ‘inward and pure religion’; and that many of these, ‘from living in all sin, are quite changed, are become’ so far ‘holy that,’ though they are not 'free from all sin,' yet no sin hath dominion over them. And yet I do firmly believe ‘it is nothing but downright prejudice to deny or oppose any of these particulars.’ (Preface, p. 5.)

9. But you say, ‘If variable facts be produced, to-day asserted, to-morrow denied.’ Nay, the facts, whether asserted or denied, are still invariable. ‘But if they be ever doubted or denied, they never were plainly perceptible.’ I cannot discern any force in that consequence: however, if they are afterward ‘denied, they are not from Him “in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”’ Neither is this consequence good. Though God is ever the same, man may either assert or deny His works. ‘The spirit of man and his fancies or opinions may vary; but God and His facts cannot.’ Thus far they can and do: God does not now bear witness as He did before. And this variation of the fact makes way for a variation in the judgment of him who had that witness, but now hath it not. ‘You may be fully of opinion to-day that the Scriptures are of God, and doubt of this to-morrow. But what is this to the purpose’ Very much. I am as fully convinced to-day that the Scriptures are of God as that the sun shines. And this conviction (as every good gift) cometh from the Father of lights. Yet I may doubt of it to-morrow. - I may throw away the good gift of God. ‘But we were speaking not of man’s opinions, but of God's facts.’ We were speaking of both -- of man's opinions, or judgment, concerning God's facts. ‘But could he to whom Christ said, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” ever doubt or deny that Christ said so’ I question not but in process of time he might, particularly if he drew back unto perdition. But, however that be, it is no ‘blasphemous supposition,’ but a plain, undeniable truth, that the god of this world can obliterate what the God of heaven has strongly imprinted upon the soul -- yea, and that he surely will, unless we stir up the gift of God which is in us by earnestly and continually watching unto prayer.

30. Is it 'not of any importance' to do this I think it is of vast importance. However, 'it is a very small circumstance in self-denial.' It is well if you find it so. I am sure I did not. And I believe the case is the same with many others at this day. But you say, 'I have so many other assaults of self-indulgence, that this is nothing.' 'It is nothing,' said one to a young woman, 'to fast once or twice a week, to deny yourself a little food. Why do not you deny yourself as to anger and fretfulness, as to peevishness and discontent' She replied, 'That I want; so I deny myself in little things first, till I am able to do it in greater.' Neither you nor I can mend her reply. Go thou and do likewise. 31. I have done what I proposed; and, indeed, in many more words than I at first intended. I have told you the occasions of every step I have taken, and the motives inducing me thereto; and have considered what either you or others have urged on the contrary side of the question. And now, the advice I would give upon the whole is this: First, pray earnestly to God for clear light; for a full, piercing, and steady conviction that this is the more excellent way. Pray for a spirit of universal self-denial, of cheerful temperance, of wise frugality; for bowels of mercies; for a kind, compassionate spirit, tenderly sensible of the various wants of your brethren; and for firmness of mind, for a mild, even courage, without fear, anger, or shame. Then you will once more, with all readiness of heart, make this little (or great) sacrifice to God; and withal present your soul and body a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ. To Mrs. Jones, of Fonmon Castle [24] LONDON, December 22, 1748.

5. Therefore the apostolic writers have not left us in the dark with regard to our present argument, and consequently your triumph comes too soon: 'Here, then, we have an interval of half a century in which we have the strongest reason to presume that the extraordinary gifts of the apostolic age were withdrawn' (page 9). No: not if all the apostolic Fathers speak of spiritual gifts as abounding among the Christians of that age; not if 'extraordinary illuminations, visions, and divine impressions still subsisted among them.' For, as to your now putting in, 'as exerted openly in the Church for the conviction of unbelievers,' I must desire you to put it out again; it comes a great deal too late. The question between you and me was stated without it above an hundred pages back. Although, if it be admitted, it will do you no service; seeing your proposition is overthrown if there were 'miraculous gifts after the days of the Apostles,' whether they were 'openly exerted for the conviction of unbelievers' or not. 6. I was a little surprised that you should take your leave of the apostolic Fathers so soon. But, upon looking forward, my surprise was at an end: I found you was not guilty of any design to spare them; but only delayed your remarks till the reader should be prepared for what might have shocked him had it stood in its proper place. I do not find, indeed, that you make any objection to any part of the Epistles of Ignatius; no, nor of the Catholic Epistle, as it is called, which is inscribed with the name of Barnabas. This clearly convinces me you have not read it--I am apt to think not one page of it; seeing, if you had, you would never have let slip such an opportunity of exposing one that was called an apostolic Father.

‘That accordingly on May 29 Butler came with a greater mob than before: that he went to the Mayor and begged him to come, which he for some time refused to do, but after much importunity rose up and walked with him down the street: that when they were in the midst of the mob, the Mayor said aloud, “It is your own fault for entertaining these preachers. If you will turn them out of your house, I will engage there shall be no more harm done; but if you will not turn them out, you must take what you will get”: that upon this the mob set up an huzza and threw stones faster than before: that he said, “This is fine usage under a Protestant Government! If I had a priest saying mass in every room of it, my house would not be touched”: that the Mayor replied, “The priests are tolerated, but you are not; you talk too much; go in, and shut up your doors”: that, seeing no remedy, he did so; and the mob continued breaking the windows and throwing stones in till near twelve at night. ‘That on May 31 the said Sullivan and two more went and informed the Mayor of what the mob was then doing: that it was not without great importunity they brought him as far as the Exchange: that he would go no farther, nor send any help, though some that were much bruised and wounded came by: that some hours after, when the mob had finished their work, he sent a party of soldiers to guard the walls. 5. ‘JOHN STOCKDALE deposes farther, ‘That on May 31 he with others was quietly hearing the word of God, when Butler and his mob came down to the house: that, as they came out, the mob threw showers of dirt and stones: that many were hurt, many beat, bruised, and cut; among whom was this deponent, who was so bruised and cut that the effusion of blood from his head could not be stopped for a considerable time.’ 6. ‘JOAN M'NERNEY, of Cork, deposes,

‘That on February 28, as she was going out of her lodgings, she was met by Butler and his mob: that Butler, without any manner of provocation, immediately fell upon her, striking her with both his fists on the side of the head, which knocked her head against the wall: that she endeavored to escape from him; but he pursued her and struck her several times in the face: that she ran into the schoolyard for shelter; but he followed, and caught hold of her, saying, “You whore, you stand on consecrated ground,’ and threw her with such force across the lane that she was driven against the opposite wall: that, when she had recovered herself a little, she made the best of her way to her lodging; but Butler still pursued, and overtook her as she was going up the stairs: that he struck her with his fist on the stomach, which stroke knocked her down backwards: that, falling with the small of her back against the edge of one of the stairs, she was not able to rise again: that her pains immediately came upon her, and about two in the morning she miscarried.’ 16. These, with several more depositions to the same effect, were in April laid before the Grand Jury. Yet they did not find any of these bills. But they found one against Daniel Sullivan the younger (no preacher, but an hearer of the people called Methodists), who, when Butler and his mob were discharging a shower of stones upon him, fired a pistol without any ball over their heads. If any man has wrote this story to England in a quite different manner, and fixed it on a young Methodist preacher, let him be ashamed in the presence of God and man, unless shame and he have shook hands and parted. 17. Several of the persons presented as vagabonds in autumn appeared at the Lent Assizes. But, none appearing against them, they were discharged, with honor to themselves and shame to their prosecutors; who, by bringing the matter to a judicial determination, plainly showed there is a law even for Methodists; and gave His Majesty's Judge a full occasion to declare the utter illegality of all riots, and the inexcusableness of tolerating (much more causing) them on any pretence whatsoever.

Because you have wrought folly in Israel, grieved the Holy Spirit of God, betrayed your own soul into temptation and sin, and the souls of many others, whom you ought, even at the peril of your own life, to have guarded against all sin; because you have given occasion to the enemies of God, whenever they shall know these things, to blaspheme the ways and truth of God: We can in no wise receive you as a fellow laborer till we see clear proofs of your real and deep repentance. Of this you have given us no proof yet. You have not so much as named one single person in all England or Ireland with whom you have behaved ill, except those we knew before. The last and lowest proof of such repentance which we can receive is that: that, till our next Conference (which we hope will be in October), you abstain both from preaching and from practicing physic. If you do not, we are clear; we cannot answer for the consequences. [Wheatley’s immorality ‘put my brother and me,’ says Charles Wesley, ‘upon a resolution of strictly examining into the life and moral behavior of every preacher in connection with us; and the office fell upon me.’ He set out for this purpose on June 29. His brother wrote frequently to him during these anxious weeks. Dr. Whitehead has preserved some fragments of Wesley's letters which show how jealously the brothers watched over their band of helpers. See Whitehead's Wesley, ii. 266--70. July 17. -- I fear for C.S. [Charles Skelton. He left Wesley in April 1754, intending to settle at Bury, but became an Independent minister in Southwark. See Journal, iii. 403, 470; iv. 93, 295.] and J.C. [Joseph Cownley, one of Wesley's best preachers. He died on Oct. 8, 1792. See Wesley’s Veterans iv. 122-69; and letter of Sept. 20, 1746.] more and more. I have heard they frequently and bitterly rail against the Church. [On this Charles puts the following query:] What assurance can we have that they will not forsake it, at least when we are dead Ought we to admit any man for a preacher till we can trust his invariable attachment to the Church

5. We agree that true ‘Christianity implies a destruction of the kingdom of sin and a renewal of the soul in righteousness; which even babes in Christ do in a measure experience, though not in so large a measure as young men and fathers.’ But here we divide. I believe even babes in Christ (while they keep themselves) do not commit sin. By sin I mean outward sin; and the word ‘commit’ I take in its plain, literal meaning. And this I think is fully proved by all the texts cited (sect. 3) from the 6th chapter to the Romans. Nor do I conceive there is any material difference between committing sin and continuing therein. I tell my neighbor here, ‘William, you are a child of the devil; for you commit sin: you was drunk yesterday.’ ‘No, sir,’ says the man, ‘I do not live or continue in sin’ (which Mr. Dodd says is the true meaning of the text), ‘I am not drunk continually, but only now and then, once in a fortnight or a month.’ Now, sir how shall I deal with this man Shah I tell him he is in the way to heaven or to hell I think he is in the high road to destruction, and that if I tell~ him otherwise him blood will be upon my head; and all that you say of living, continuing in, serving sin, as different from committing it and of its not reigning, not having domain over him who still frequently commits it, is making so many loop-holes whereby any impenitent sinner may escape from all the terrors of the Lord. I dare not, therefore, give up the plain, literal meaning either of St. Paul’s or St. Peter’s words. 6. As to those of St. John’ (cited sect. 5), I do not think you have proved they are not to be taken literally. In every single act of obedience, as well as in a continued coupe of it, p das; and in eiher an act or a course of sin p ata. Therefore, that I may give no countenance to any kind or degree of sin, I still interpret these words by those in the 5th chapel and believe he that is born of God (while he keepeth himself) sinneth not, doth not commit outward sin.

7. But ‘it is absolutely necessary, as you observe, to add sometimes explanatory words to those of the sacred penmen.’ It is so: to add words explanatory of their sense, but not subversive of it. The words added to that text, ‘Ye know all things,’ are such. And you yourself allow them so to be. But I do not allow the words willfully and habitually to be such. These do not explain but overthrow the text. That the first Fathers thus explained it I deny; as also that I ever spoke lightly of them. 8. You proceed, ‘You allow in another sermon, in evident contradiction to yourself, that the true children of God could and did commit sin.’ This is no contradiction to anything I ever advanced. I everywhere allow that a child of God can and will commit sin, if he does not keep himself. But this, you say, is nothing to the present argument. Yes: it is the whole thing. If they keep themselves they do not, otherwise they can and do commit sin. I say nothing contrary to this in either sermon. But, ‘hence, you say, we conclude, that he who is born of God may possibly commit sin.’ An idle conclusion as ever was formed. For who ever denied it I flatly affirm it in both the sermons and in the very paragraph now before us. The only conclusion which I deny is that all Christians do and must commit sin as long as they live. Now, this you yourself (though you now seem to start at it) maintain from the beginning of your letter to the end viz. that all Christians do, and cannot but sin, more or less to their lives’ end. Therefore I do not ‘artfully put this conclusion’; but it is your own conclusion from your own premises. Indeed, were I artfully to put in anything in expounding the Word of God, I must be an errant knave. But I do not: my conscience bears me witness that I speak the very truth, so far as I know it, in simplicity and godly sincerity.

I am therefore so far from self-inconsistency in tolerating the former and not the latter, that I readily should be self-inconsistent were I to act otherwise: were I to break, or allow others to break, an ordinance of man, where there is no necessity, I should contradict my own principle as much as if I did not allow it to be broken where there is. As to the latter change, that ‘I deny my brethren the liberty of acting according to their own conscious, and therefore show a spirit of persecution,’ I again allow for the fact, but deny the consequence. I mean, I allow the fact thus far: some of our preachers who are not ordained think it quite right to administer the Lord’s supper, and believe it would do much good. I think it quite wrong, and belive it would do much hurt. Hereupon I say; ‘I have no right over your conscience , nor over mine; therefore both you and I must follow our own conscience. You believe it is a duty to administer; do so, and therein follow your own conscience. I verily believe it is a sin, which consequentially I dare not tolerate; and herein I follow mine.’ Yet this is no persecution, were I to separate from our Society (which I have not done yet) those who practice what I believe is contrary to the Word and destructive of the work of God. Last week I had a long letter from William Darney, [See letter of Feb. 9, 1750.] who likewise wonders we should be of so persecuting a spirit as to deny him the liberty of thinking and speaking in our Societies according to his own conscience. How will you answer him, and excuse Ted and Charles Perronet from the charge of persecuting their brother They then said (as did all), ‘Let him preach Calvinism elsewhere (we have no fight to hinder him); but not among us, because we are persuaded it would do much hurt.’ Take the answer back: if it was good in one case, so was it in the other likewise.

The Twelfth likewise is unexceptionable, and contains such an illustration of the wisdom of God in the structure of the human body as I believe cannot be paralleled in either ancient or modem writers. The former part of the Thirteenth Dialogue is admirable: to the latter I have some objection. ‘Elijah failed in his resignation, and even Moses spake un-advisedly with his lips’ (vol. ii. p. 44). It is true; but if you could likewise fix some blot upon venerable Samuel and beloved Daniel, it would prove nothing. For no scripture teaches that the holiness of Christians is to be measured by that of any Jew. ‘Do not the best of men frequently feel disorder in their affections Do not they often complain, “When I would do good, evil is present with me”’ (Page 46.) I believe not. You and I are only able to answer for ourselves. ‘Do not they say, “We groan, being burthened with the workings of inbred corruption”’ You know this is not the meaning of the text. The whole context shows the cause of that groaning was their longing’ to be with Christ.’ ‘The cure’ of sin ‘will be perfected in heaven’ (page 47). Nay; surely in paradise, if no sooner. ‘This is a noble prerogative of the beatific vision.’ No; it will then come too late. If sin remains in us till the day of judgment, it will remain for ever. ‘Our present blessedness does not consist in being free from sin.’ I really think it does: but whether it does or no, if we are not free from sin, we are not Christian believers; for to all these the Apostle declares, ‘Being made free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness’ (Rom. vi. 18). ‘If we were perfect in piety’ (St. John’s word is ‘perfect in love’), ‘Christ’s priestly office would be superseded.’ No; we should still need His Spirit, and consequently His intercession, for the continuance of that love from moment to moment. Beside, we should still be encompassed with infirmities and liable to mistakes, from which words or actions might follow, even though the heart was all love, which were not exactly right. Therefore in all these respects we should still have need of Christ’s priestly office; and therefore, as long as he remains in the body, the greatest saint may say, ‘Every moment, Lord, I need

I judge your late distress to be partly the effect of disease, but chiefly preternatural. In the Third Journal there is a case nearly parallel; only the symptoms were more severe. For in a moment Lucretia Smith [Journal, ii. 410; and letter of April 26, 1739.] felt such a cloud spread over her that she could not believe there was a God or an after-state. You did right to pray, as you could pray; and this is the best method which can be taken in heaviness or darkness of any kind. Then, if sin be the cause, it will be discovered. But take care that you do not refuse any help; even rough speakers may be of service. Only spread what they say before the Lord, and He will turn it to good. -- I am Your affectionate broker. To John Glass () [7] BRISTOL, November 1, 1757. SIR, -- It is not very material who you are. If Mr. Glass is still alive, I suppose you are he. If not, you are at least one of his humble admirers, and probably not very old; so your youth may in some measure plead your excuse for such a peculiar pertness, insolence, and self-sufficiency, with such an utter contempt of all mankind, as no other writer of the present age has shown. As you use no ceremony toward any man, so neither shall I use any toward you, but bluntly propose a few objections to your late performance, which stare a man in the face as soon as he looks in it. I object, first, that you are a gross, willful slanderer. For (1) you say of Mr. Hervey: ‘He shuts up our access to the divine righteousness by holding forth a preliminary human one as necessary to our enjoying the benefit of it’ (page 4). Again: ‘You set men to work to do something, in order to make their peace with God’ (page 9). This is an absolute slander founded on that poor pretense that he supposes those who repent and believe, and none but those, to ‘enjoy the benefit of Christ’s righteousness.’ And has he not the warrant of Christ Himself for so doing, -- ‘Repent ye, and believe the gospel’ If this is ‘teaching man to acquire a righteousness of his own,’ the charge falls on our Lord Himself.

MY DEAR SISTER, -- Your letter came in a seasonable time, as rain in a time of drought. How fain would we excuse those we love! I would gladly acquit those who severely condemn each other. The wrong to myself is not worth a thought; it gives me not a moment’s uneasiness. But I am pained for others, who, if they do not sin against God, yet give great occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. You may learn an excellent lesson herefrom. Suppose you are saved from sin, it is certain that you are not saved from a possibility of mistake. On this side, therefore, Satan may assault you; you may be deceived either as to persons or things. You may think better or (which is far more strange) you may think worse of them than they deserve. And hence words or actions may spring which, if not sinful in you, are certainly wrong in themselves, and which will and must appear sinful to those who cannot read your heart. What grievous inconvenience would ensue! How would the good that is in you be evil-spoken of! How would the great gift of God be doubted of, if not disbelieved and denied for your cause! Therefore in the name of God I exhort you, keep close every moment to the unction of the Holy One! I Attend to the still, small voice! Beware of hearkening to the voice of a stranger! My eyes ache, my head aches, my heart aches. And yet I know not when to have done. [He had spent this Wednesday and the previous Monday in hearing an ‘intricate cause’ where ‘one side flatly affirmed, the other flatly denied.’ See Journal iv. 245.] O speak nothing, act nothing, think nothing but as you are taught of God! Still may He with your weakness stay, Nor for a moment’s space depart; Evil and danger turn away, And keep your hand, your tongue, your heart. So shall you always comfort, not grieve, Your affectionate brother. To Walter Sellon [9] LONDON, December 1, 1757.

‘But if repentance and faith would not be valid and acceptable without the righteousness of Christ, then they cannot be necessary qualifications for our justification’ (page 22). I cannot allow the consequence. They are not acceptable without the righteousness or merits of Christ; and yet He Himself has made them necessary qualifications for our justification through His merits. But the grand objection of this gentleman lies against the doctor's next paragraph, the sum of which is: ‘The merits of Christ were never intended to supersede the necessity of repentance and obedience’ (I would say, repentance and faith), ‘but to make them acceptable in the sight of God, and to purchase for them’ (I would add, that obey Him) ‘a reward of immortal happiness.’ I am not afraid to undertake the defense of this paragraph, with this small variation, against Mr. Chapman, Mr. Nyberg, [Laurentius Nyberg, of Haverfordwest, a Moravian minister, and correspondent of James Hutton.] Count Zinzendorf, or any other person whatever; provided only that he will set his name to his work, for I do not love fighting in the dark. And I, as well as Dr. T., affirm that ‘to say more than this concerning Christ’s imputed merits,’ to say more than that ‘they have purchased for us grace to repent and believe, acceptance upon our believing, power to obey, and eternal salvation to them that do obey Him,’--to say more than this ‘is blasphemous Antinomianism,’ such as Mr. Calvin would have abhorred; and does ‘open a door to all manner of sin and wickedness.’ ‘I must likewise affirm that to talk of imputed righteousness in the manner many do at this day is making the imaginary transfer of Christ's righteousness serve as a cover for the unrighteousness of mankind’ (page 26). Does not Mr. Chapman do this at Bristol Does not Mr. Madan at London Let them shudder then, let their blood run cold, who do it; not theirs who tell them that they do so. It is not the latter but the former who 'trample Christ's righteousness underfoot as a mean and vile thing.’

I. 1. 'Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day (Matt. xii. 37). But this is altogether out of the present question; that justification whereof our Articles and Homilies speak meaning present forgiveness, pardon of sins, and consequently acceptance with God, who therein "declares His righteousness," or mercy, by or "for the remission of the sins that are past," saying, "I will be merciful to thy unrighteousness, and shine iniquities I will remember no more" (Rom. iii. 25; Heb. viii. 12). 'I believe the condition of this is faith (Rom. iv. 5, &c.): I mean, not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. 'Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it (Luke vi. 43); much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works springing from holiness of heart. But it is allowed that entire sanctification goes before our justification at the last day (Heb. xii. 14). 'It is allowed also that repentance and "fruits meet for repentance" go before faith (Mark i. 15; Matt. iii. 8). Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by "fruits meet for repentance," forgiving our brother (Matt. vi. 14-15), ceasing from evil, doing good (Luke iii. 8-9, &c.), using the ordinances of God, and in general obeying Him according to the measure of grace which we have received (Matt. vii. 7, xxv. 29). But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.'[A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Part I. See Works, viii. 46-7.] 2. 'Faith alone is the proximate condition of present justification.' II. 1. I have shown here at large what is the doctrine I teach with regard to justification, and have taught ever since I was convinced of it myself by carefully reading the New Testament and the Homilies. In many points I apprehend it agrees with yours: in some it does not; these I come now to consider. May God enable me to do it in love and meekness of wisdom!

'The Scriptures insist upon the necessity of repentance in particular for that purpose. But repentance comprehends compunction, humiliation, hatred of sin, confession of it, prayer for mercy, ceasing from evil, a firm purpose to do well, restitution of ill-got goods, forgiveness of all who have done us wrong, and works of beneficence.' (Pages 11-12.) I believe it does comprehend all these, either as parts or as fruits of it and it comprehends 'the fear' but not 'the love of God' that flows from an higher principle. And he who loves God is not barely in the right way to justification: he is actually justified. The rest of the paragraph asserts just the same thing which was asserted in those words: 'Previous to justifying faith must be repentance, and, if opportunity permits, "fruits meet for repentance."' But still I must observe that 'neither the one nor the other is necessary either in the same sense or in the same degree with faith.' No scripture testimony can be produced which any way contradicts this. 2. 'That works are a necessary condition of our justification may be proved, secondly, from scripture examples; particularly those recited in the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. These all 'through faith wrought righteousness: without working righteousness, they had never obtained the promises.' (Page 13.) I say the same thing: none are finally saved but those whose faith 'worketh by love.' 'Even in the thief upon the cross faith was attended by repentance, piety, and charity.' It was: repentance went before his faith; piety and charity accompanied it. 'Therefore he was not justified by faith alone.' Our Church, adopting the words of St. Chrysostom, expressly affirms in the passage above cited he was justified by faith alone. And her authority ought to weigh more than even that of Bishop Bull, or of any single man whatever. Authority, be pleased to observe, I plead against authority, reason against reason. It is no objection that the faith whereby he was justified immediately produced good works.

The sum is this: (1) The meeting in Beech Lane, [The meeting was apparently in Joseph Guilford's house (see Journal, v. 7). On visiting the classes in November, Wesley found 'some were vehement for, some against, the meetings for prayer which were in several parts of the town. I said little, being afraid of taking any step which I might afterwards repent of' (ibid. iv. 538). Thomas Maxfield was making much trouble.] before I came to town, was like a bear-garden; full of noise, brawling, cursing, swearing, blasphemy, and confusion. (2) Those who prayed were partly the occasion of this, by their horrid screaming, and unscriptural, enthusiastic expressions. (3) Being determined either 'to mend them or end them,' I removed the meeting to the Foundery. (4) Immediately the noise, brawling, cursing, swearing, blasphemy, and confusion ceased. (5) There was less and less screaming and less of unscriptural and enthusiastic language. (6) Examining the Society, I found about threescore persons who had been convinced of sin and near fourscore who were justified at these meetings. So that on the whole they have done some hurt and much good. I trust they will now do more good, and no hurt at all. Seven persons had left the Society on this account; but four of them are come back already. I bought the ground before Kingswood School of Margaret Ward, and paid for it with my own money. [This plot was divided into pastures and gardens, in the latter of which the boys worked. See Kingswood School, p. 19.] Certainly, therefore, I have a right to employ it as I please. What can any reasonable man say to the contrary I have answered the Bishop, and had advice upon my answer. If the devil owes him a shame, he will reply. He is a man of sense; but I verily think he does not understand Greek! [See heading to letter on p. 338.] I should be glad to see Mr. Nitchman. [David Nitschmann, who had sailed with the Wesleys to Georgia as bishop in charge of the Moravian emigrants. See Journal, i.111, ii.37.] What is all beside loving faith! We join in love to Sally and you. Adieu! To Jonah Freeman [11] CITY ROAD, December 20, 1762.

The truth is, we are continually forming general rules from our own particular experience. Thus Sarah Ryan, [See letter of April 23.] having gone about and about herself, which took up a considerable time, might very naturally suppose all who are sanctified must stay for it near as long a time as she did. Again: if God has so rooted and grounded her in love (which I neither affirm nor deny) that she cannot now fall from Him, she very naturally thinks this is the case with all that are sanctified. Formerly Sarah Crosby [See letter of Oct. 5, 1765.] drew the same inference from her own experience, and was as positive that she could not fall from that state or sin as Sarah Ryan can be now. But 'none can be sanctified without a deep knowledge of themselves and of the devices of Satan.' They may without the latter, which God will give them in due time. And the former He can give in a moment, and frequently does, of which we have fresh instances almost every day. In the Thoughts on Perfection it is observed that, before any can be assured they are saved from sin, they must not only feel no sin but 'have a direct witness' of that salvation. And this several have had as clear as Sarah Ryan has, who afterwards fell from that salvation: although Sarah Ryan, to be consistent with her scheme, must deny they ever had it; yea, and must affirm that witness was either from nature or from the devil. If it was really from God, is He well pleased with this I know not how to reconcile speaking sharply or roughly, or even a seeming want of meekness, with perfection. And yet I am fearful of condemning whom God has not condemned. What I cannot understand I leave to Him. How is it that you make me write longer letters to you than I do almost to any one else I know not how, I find a greater concern for your welfare. I want you to be exactly right. This occasions my not thinking much of any pains that may give you help or satisfaction. The Lord touch your heart now, that all your tempers, thoughts, words, and works may be holiness unto our God.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Miss March NORWICH, October 13, 1764.

You begin with a home-stroke: 'In the Montanist you may behold the bold lineaments and bloated countenance of the Methodist' (page 17). I wish you do not squint at the honest countenance of Mr. Venn, who is indeed as far from fear as he is from guile. But if it is somewhat 'bloated,' that is not his fault; sickness may have the same effect on yours or mine. But to come closer to the point: 'They have darkened religion with many ridiculous fancies, tending to confound the head and to corrupt the heart' (page 13). 'A thorough knowledge of them would work in every rightly-disposed mind an abhorrence of those doctrines which directly tend to distract the head and to debauch the heart by turning faith into frenzy and the grace of God into wantonness' (pages 101-2). 'These doctrines are unreasonable and ridiculous, clashing with our natural ideas of the divine perfections, with the end of religion, with the honour of God, and man's both present and future happiness. Therefore we pronounce them " filthy dreamers," turning faith into fancy, the gospel into farce; thus adding blasphemy to enthusiasm.' (Pages 66-8.)

MY DEAR BROTHER,--Tell John Hilton 'wherever Mr. Wesley is he labours to strengthen the hands of the Assistant and does nothing without advising with him.' So I do nothing here without advising with John Pawson. [Pawson was the Assistant in London and Hilton at Bristol.] I believe his doing otherwise was chiefly through inadvertence. Therefore come to an explanation as soon as possible. Brother Hitchens [William Hitchens, a native of Bisveal near Redruth, was for some time an itinerant preacher; but he married and settled as a hatter in Bristol. He laboured as a local preacher for many years. See Atmore's Memorial, pp. 190-1.] complains you broke through the plan of preaching which I fixed and did not allow him his turn. But, however this was, Wick must not lose its turn. I solemnly promised Mr. Haynes it should not, and allowed the preacher the use of my mare once a fortnight. Neglect another place rather than that. Give my kind love to Brother and Sister Thomas. [Barnabas Thomas, the second preacher at Bristol, a Cornishman, had become a preacher in 1764. see letter of March 25, 1785.] I thank him for his letter. You should give Mr. Shirley [The Hon. Walter Shirley, Rector of Loughrea, and cousin to Lady Huntingdon, had evidently been teaching Calvinism in Wesley's preaching house. See letter of Nov. 27.] an hint not to contradict me when he preaches in my house. I hope you spend a little time (you and Brother Thomas) with our children at Kingswood. Who are your new class-leaders? --I am, with love to Sister Whitehead, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Whitehead, At the New Room, In Bristol. To Dr. Wrangel [7] [LONDON, January 30, 1770.] The last time, the last words however important, are commonly remembered. Notwithstanding your intentions of revisiting this country, I consider it as very unlikely. The distracted state of your own, the various events which may take place, the thousand circumstances which may happen, lead me to regard this opportunity as the last I may ever have of addressing you--at least of seeing you; and I wish it to be worthy of recollection.

DEAR TOMMY,--I am afraid our correspondence for the time to come will be more uncertain than ever, since the sword is drawn; and it is well if they have not on both sides thrown away the scabbard. What will the end of these things be either in Europe or America It seems, huge confusion and distress, such as neither we nor our fathers had known 1 But it is enough if all issues in glory to God and peace and goodwill among men. I am sorry for poor T--- R---. I well hoped God had thoroughly healed his backsliding, and so lifted up his head that he would have fallen no more. But the case is not desperate yet; you must in no wise give him up. I have scarcely ever known an habitual drunkard finally reclaimed before he had relapsed more than once or twice. Your point is, first save him from the occasions of sin, then incite him not to east away hope. Nothing but this, despair of conquering, can totally destroy him. As long as he keeps up the faintest hope he will strive against sin. My brother wrote me word that he had received a copy of the tract that you have written. Something of the kind may be very seasonable. Never had America such a call to repentance. For unless general reformation prevent general destruction, what a scene will soon be opened I Ruin and desolation must soon overspread the land and fair houses be turned into ruinous heaps. But what are those strange phenomena which you speak of Send me an account of just so much as you can depend upon. Should not you appoint in America (as we do in England and Ireland) one or more general days of fasting and prayer--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Earl of Dartmouth, Secretary of State for the Colonies [10] IN THE WAY TO DUBLIN, June 14, 1775. MY LORD,--I would not speak, as it may seem to be concerning myself with things that lie out of my province. But I dare not refrain from it any longer; I think silence in the present case would be a sin against God, against my country, and against my own soul.

If you judge Brother Woodcock is not guilty, pray write to any preacher in Yorkshire in my name to change places with him. And whatever you do, do quickly!--I am, dear Robert, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Alexander Knox CONGLETON, April 1, 1776. MY DEAR ALLECK,--I am fully persuaded all your disorders depend upon a deep scurvy. What influence the bark may have upon this I cannot tell; however, I have no objection to a decoction or infusion of it. I object only to your taking it in specie; because I can never reconcile to common sense the introducing ounce after ounce of powdered post into an human stomach. But I really think you rather want anti-scorbutic medicines, such as watercress’s or decoction of nettles or burdock. This accounts for your almost continual depression of spirits, which is a bodily as well as spiritual malady. And it is permitted to repress the fire of youth and to wean you from the desire of earthly things, to teach you that happy lesson-- Wealth, honor, pleasure, and what else This short-enduring world can give; Tempt as ye will, my heart repels-- To Christ alone resolved to live. --My dear Alleck, Yours very affectionately. To Robert Costerdine MANCHESTER, April 7, 1776. DEAR ROBERT,--You have done exceeding well in the case of poor Sam. Woodcock. I do not see what you could do more. But the great question is now what he can do; for I doubt he cannot be employed as a preacher--at least, until he has given sufficient proof of a real and deep repentance. I have sent T. Newall into Epworth Circuit. This day fortnight I expect to be at Leeds; and am, dear Robert, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mary Bishop ROCHDALE, April 17, 1776. MY DEAR SISTER,--Mr. Jones's book on the Trinity is both more clear and more strong than any I ever saw on that subject. If anything is wanting, it is the application, lest it should appear to be a merely speculative doctrine, which has no influence on our hearts or lives; but this is abundantly supplied by my brother's Hymns.

And does nobody care for this William Shent fell into sin and was publicly expelled the Society; but must he be also starved Must he with his grey hairs and all his children be without a place to lay his head Can you suffer this O tell it not in Gath! Where is gratitude Where is compassion Where is Christianity Where is humanity Where is concern for the cause of God Who is a wise man among you Who is concerned for the gospel Who has put on bowels of mercy Let him arise and exert himself in this matter. You here all arise as one man and roll away the reproach. Let us set him on his feet once more. It may save both him and his family. But what we do, let it be done quickly. - I am, dear brethren, Your affectionate brother. To Kitty Warren LONDON, January 14, 1779. MY DEAR SISTER, - Let poor Charles Maund's follies die and be forgotten! It is well you have no more to do with him. It seems to me the great sin you (the Society) are now guilty of is poverty. And though you do repent of it, you do not forsake it. The question is, By what means can you either lessen your expense or increase your income We are here at our wits' end how to pay for the new chapel, as many of our workmen are unpaid still. For riches the Calvinists beat us altogether. However, by-and-by we must help you as we can. Trust in God, and all will be well! Grace and peace be with you! - I am, my dear Kitty, Yours in tender affection. To Jasper Winscom LONDON, January 14, 1779. MY DEAR BROTHER, - Ours are traveling preachers; therefore I can never consent that any of them should remain for a month together in the island. [The Isle of Wight.] If you can contrive that the additional preacher have full employment, then we can inquire where one can be found. It seems to me that you take the matter exactly right with regard to the Portsmouth preaching-house, and that the only thing to be done is to get the mortgage out of Mr. Pike's hands. - I am Your affectionate brother. To Elizabeth Morgan [3] LONDON, January 17, 1779.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- That should be always upon your mind, to carry the gospel into new places. There is room still for enlarging our borders, particularly in Holderness. I am in doubt whether anything will much avail Sister Harrison till she takes the quicksilver and aqua sulphurata. But John Floyd [Floyd, then preacher at Birstall. See letter of March 15, 1777.] tells me elixir of vitriol does just as well as the aqua sulphurata. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To his Niece Sarah Wesley MANCHESTER, March 31, 1781. MY DEAR SALLY, -- The expression of ‘eating and drinking unworthily’ has one, and only one, meaning affixed to it by St. Paul, who is the only inspired writer that uses that expression. He means by it that particular sin of which the Corinthians were then guilty -- the snatching one before another his own supper, so that one was hungry and another was drunken. Now, it is certain you are in no danger of this any more than of committing murder. Deadness, coldness, wandering thoughts of various kinds are totally distinct from it. And now, when the worst of these occur, you may answer with pious Kempis, ‘Go, go, thou unclean spirit. These are not my thoughts but thine, and thou shalt answer for them to God.’ [Imitation, 111. vi.] God is now aiming, in all His dealings with you, to bring you to a knowledge of yourself as one in whom by nature dwells no good thing. And this He is particularly pursuing when you approach His Table. Were He to give you at that time remarkable joy or sweetness, it would not answer His design; neither were He to give you much contrition and brokenness of heart. Therefore He leaves you in great measure to your own dull, unfeeling heart, that you may know yourself in order to know Him. But nevertheless this is the way; walk thou in it, and in due time you shall reap if you faint not.

DEAR CHARLES, -- I am glad to hear so good an account of the work of God in Glasgow. But you must not stay there too long at a time. That is not the Methodist plan. I expect, therefore, Brother Johnson and you constantly to change once a quarter. It does not appear that we have as yet any place in Greenock. But I am glad you have paid a visit to Air. Many things have hindered Brother Barber. [Thomas Barber was at Castlebar, Tiverton.] But I hope you will see him soon. It seems Brother Surer is in his place--I am, dear Charles, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Rev. Mr. Charles Armore, In Glasgow. To Mrs. Foley [LONDON, November 3, 1781 ().] Your occasions of fight [will lead you to] conquer. The danger is, lest that inflammation should turn to a cancer. Probably this may be prevented by an easy remedy. Make a strong decoction of Briar-leaves, and gargle your mouth with it eight or ten times a day. See neither of you grow weary in your mind! -- I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Mrs. Foley, At Quinton, Near Birmingham. To Mrs. Barton LONDON, November 6, 1781.

It gives me pleasure to hear that the school succeeds well. It is an excellent institution. I am very glad that Richard Condy's brother has come over to assist him. [See letter of March 3 to Keene.] I hope Brother Condy continues to go out on Sunday noon to the little towns round Dublin. We try all the little towns round London, and have Societies in most of them. What a shame it is that we should so long have neglected the little towns round Dublin, and that we have not a Society within ten miles of it During the present state of Mr. Pawson's health he would be of little service at Dublin. You want lively, zealous, active preachers. And, to tell you a melancholy truth, few of our elder preachers are of this character. You must look for zeal and activity among the young preachers. I am greatly scandalized at this, that a preacher fifty years old is commonly but half a preacher. I wonder that every preacher does not use Bishop Stratford's prayer, [Nicholas Stratford (1633-1707), Bishop of Chester 1689.] 'Lord, let me not live to be useless.' A gradual work of grace constantly precedes the instantaneous work both of justification and sanctification. But the work itself (of sanctification as well as justification) is undoubtedly instantaneous. As after a gradual conviction of the guilt and power of sin you was justified in a moment, so after a gradually increasing conviction of inbred sin you will be sanctified in a moment. And who knows how soon Why not now May the whole blessing of the gospel be on you and Sister Keene! - I am, dear Arthur, Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Arthur Keene, in Dublin. To John Valton YORK, June 25, 1784. MY DEAR BROTHER,"I just snatch time to write a line. I hope to be at Dawgreen on July 17 at half hour after six, at Birstall on Sunday and on Monday the I9th in the morning. [He preached in Bingley on July 18 in the morning and afternoon; at Dawgreen, where a new chapel was to be built, on the 24th; at Bitstall 'to several thousands' on Sunday 25th.]

8. When the Rev. Mr. Edward Smyth came to live in Dublin, he earnestly advised me to leave the Church; meaning thereby (as all sensible men do) to renounce all connection with it, to attend the service of it no more, and to advise all our Societies to take the same steps. I judged this to be a matter of great importance, and would therefore do nothing hastily, but referred it to the body of preachers, then met in Conference. We had several meetings, in which he proposed all his reasons for it at large. They were severally considered and answered, and we all determined not to leave the Church. 9. A year ago Dr. Coke began officiating at our chapel in Dublin.- This was no more than had been done in London for between forty and fifty years. Some persons immediately began to cry out, 'This is leaving the Church, which Mr. Wesley has continually declared he would never do.' And I declare so still. But I appeal to all the world, I appeal to common sense, I appeal to the Observer himself, could I mean hereby ' I will not have service in church hours 'when I was doing it all the time I Could I even then deny that I had service in church hours No; but I denied, and do deny still, that this is leaving the Church, either in the sense of Bishop Gibson, or of Mr. Smyth at the Dublin Conference ! Yet by this outcry many well-meaning people were frighted wellnigh out of their senses. 10. But see the consequences of having Sunday service here. See the confusion this occasioned I Some time since, while a popular preacher was preaching at Leeds, one cried out, 'Fire! fire!' The people took fright; some leaped over the gallery, and several legs and arms were broken. But upon whom were these consequences to be charged Not on the preacher, but on him that made the outcry. Apply this to the present case. I have kindled no more fire in Dublin than I did in London. It is the Observer and a few other mischiefmakers who fright the people out of their senses; and they must answer to God for the consequence.

n. 38.) A. (2.) She teacheth that attrition, or imperfect contrition, proceeding merely from the fear of hell, is equivalent to contrition, by virtue of confession; and that attrition doth dispose to receive the grace of the sacrament of penance, and leads to justification. (Sess. 14, cap. 4. Bellarm. de Paenit. l. 2, c. 18, sec. Sed sciendum est.)--See Question 77. REPLY. Contrition is but another word for repentance; and repentance is a qualification for pardon and reconciliation: “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm li. 17.) “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts iii. 19.) The same texts which make contrition sufficient, without confession to the Priest, make attrition insufficient without there be contrition. And as the former doctrine of the insufficiency of contrition without confession, makes that necessary which God hath not made necessary; so this latter of the sufficiency of attrition upon confession to the Priest without contrition, makes that unnecessary which God hath made necessary. Q. 15. What is the judgment of the Church of Rome as to good works? A. The Church of Rome doth affirm that the good works of justified persons do truly deserve eternal life; (Concil. Trid. Sess. 6, c. 16;) and if any one say that such works do not truly deserve an increase of grace here, and eternal life hereafter, let him be accursed. (Ibid. Can. 32.) “Our good works do merit eternal life, not only by virtue of God’s covenant and acceptation, but also by reason of the work itself.” (Bellarm. de Justif. l. 5, c. 17.) REPLY. Truly to deserve is to make 'our debtor: “To him that worketh ” (that is, that meriteth) “is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” (Rom. iv. 4.) “But can a man be profitable to God?” (Job xxii. 2.) Our Saviour teaches us otherwise: “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke xvii. 10.) A command to do it, and grace to obey that command, and a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” as a reward, (2 Cor. iv. 17,) will shame the pretence of real merit, and turn the anathema upon themselves.

17,) will shame the pretence of real merit, and turn the anathema upon themselves. And they may as soon reconcile light and darkness, as the grace of God and merit of Christ to this doctrine. 96 RoMAN CATECHISM, AND REPLY. Q. 16. But is there no allowance for such as have not good works of their own sufficient to merit for themselves? A. Yes; there are indulgences to be obtained, by which persons may be discharged from the punishment of sin here and in purgatory; and if any affirm these indulgences to be useless, or that the Church hath no power to grant them, he is accursed. (Concil. Trid. Sess. 25, Decret. de Indulg.) The Popes and Prelates of the Church are judges appointed by God to remit faults and punishments in his name by an indulgence, if so be justice be satisfied through the application of the satisfaction of Christ and his saints. (Bellarm. de Indulg. l. 1, c. 5, sec. Jam vero.) REPLY. What God binds, no person can untie; and what he unties, no man can bind. But this course of indulgence, still upheld in the Church of Rome, doth untie what God doth bind; it makes sin easy and cheap, and prostitutes the strict rules of Christianity to the basest purposes. For when a person can have a plenary indulgence for so trivial a satisfaction as the standing before the doors of St. Peter’s Church at Rome, when the Pope blesses the people at Easter, it makes sin as easy to be committed as pardoned. Q. 17. How far do those indulgences extend? A. Sometimes to days, sometimes to years, nay, some of them were plenary indulgences;* some were for a discharge from punishments here, others from the pains of purgatory,t and some granted an eternal reward. Q. 18. Upon what terms were those indulgences to be obtained? A. By money,t pilgrimages, § assisting the Pope, reciting certain prayers." * Bellarm. de Indulgent. l. 1, c. 9, init. “Plenary indulgence doth take away all the punishment due to sin.” Ibid. sec. Indulgentiá Quadragen. * Ibid. c. 7, sec. Et quidem. # This is implied Concil. Trid. Sess. 21, c. 9, though it is called by the soft name of alms. § So many are granted to particular churches in Rome, for the benefit of pilgrims.

Again : Three thousand at one time, and five thousand at another, were converted and baptized by St. Peter at Jerusalem; where they had none but the gentle waters of Siloam, according to the observation of Mr. Fuller: “There were no water-mills in Jerusalem, because there was no stream large enough to drive them.” The place, therefore, as well as the number, makes it highly probable that all these were baptized by sprinkling or pouring, and not by immer sion. To sum up all, the manner of baptizing (whether by dipping or sprinkling) is not determined in Scripture. There is no command for one rather than the other. There is no example from which we can conclude for dipping rather than sprinkling. There are probable examples of both; and both are equally contained in the natural meaning of the word. II. 1. What are the benefits we receive by baptism, is the next point to be considered. And the first of these is, the washing away the guilt of original sin, by the application of the merits of Christ’s death. That we are all born under the guilt of Adam's sin, and that all sin deserves eternal misery, was the unanimous sense of the ancient Church, as it is expressed in the Ninth Article of our own. And the Scripture plainly asserts, that we were “shapen in iniquity, and in sin did our mother conceive us;” that “we were all by nature children of wrath, and dead in trespasses and sins;” that “in Adam all die;” that “by one man’s disobedience all were made sinners;” that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; which came upon all men, because all had sinned.” This plainly includes infants; for they too die; therefore they have sinned: But not by actual sin; therefore, by original; else what need have they of the death of Christ? Yea, “death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned” actually “according to the simili tude of Adam’s transgression.” This, which can relate to infants only, is a clear proof that the whole race of mankind are obnoxious both to the guilt and punishment of Adam’s transgression.

Mark i. 4: “John baptized in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance;” and, verse 5, “They were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Now, either the order of words in Scripture does not always imply the same order of things; or it follows, that John baptized before his hearers either confessed or repented. But, (2.) The words are manifestly mistranslated. For if we read, “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them,--teaching them to observe all things,” it makes plain tautology, vain and senseless repetition. It ought to be translated, (which is the literal meaning of the words,) “Go and make disciples of all nations, by baptizing them.” That infants are capable of being made proselytes or disciples has been already proved; therefore this text, rightly trans lated, is no valid objection against infant baptism. 2. Their next objection is: “The Scripture says, “Repent and be baptized; believe and be baptized. Therefore, repent ance and faith ought to go before baptism. But infants are incapable of these; therefore they are incapable of baptism.” I answer: Repentance and faith were to go before circum cision, as well as before baptism. Therefore, if this argument held, it would prove just as well, that infants were incapable of circumcision. But we know God himself determined the contrary, commanding them to be circumcised at eight days old. Now, if infants were capable of being circumcised, not withstanding that repentance and faith were to go before circumcision in grown persons, they are just as capable of being baptized; notwithstanding that repentance and faith are, in grown persons, to go before baptism. This objection, therefore, is of no force; for it is as strong against circum cision of infants as infant baptism. 3. It is objected, Thirdly, “There is no command for it in Scripture. Now, God was angry with his own people, because they did that which, he said, ‘I commanded them not.’ (Jer. vii. 31.) One plain text would end all the dispute.” I answer, (1.) We have reason to fear it would not: It is as positively commanded in a very plain text of Scripture, that we should “teach and admonish one another with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with grace in our hearts,” (Eph. v. 19,) as it is to honour our father and mother: But does this put an end to all dispute?

68. That one who is a true believer, or, in other words, one who is holy or righteous in the judgment of God himself, may nevertheless finally fall from grace, appears, (1.) From the word of God by Ezekiel: “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity: In his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” (xviii. 24.) Do you object, “This chapter relates wholly and solely to the Jewish Church and nation ?”* I answer, Prove this. Till then, I shall believe that many parts of it concern all mankind. If you say, (2.) “The righteousness spoken of in this chap ter was merely an outward righteousness, without any inward principle of grace or holiness:” I ask, How is this consistent with the thirty-first verse: “Cast away from you all your trans gressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit?” Is this a “merely outward righteous ness, without any inward principle of grace or holiness?” 69. Will you add, “But admitting the person here spoken of to be a truly righteous man, what is here said is only a supposition?” That I flatly deny. Read over the chapter again; and you will see the facts there laid down to be not barely supposed, but expressly asserted. That the death here mentioned is eternal death, appears from the twenty-sixth verse: “When a righteous man turn eth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them,”--here is temporal death; “for his iniquity that he hath done he shall die.” Here is death eternal. If you assert, “Both these expressions signify the same thing, and not two different deaths,” you put a palpable force upon the text, in order to make the Holy Ghost speak nonsense. “‘Dying in his iniquity,’” you say, “is the same thing as “dying for his iniquity.’” Then the text means thus: “When he dieth in them, he shall die in them.” A very deep discovery ! But you say, “It cannot be understood of eternal death; because they might be delivered from it by repentance and reformation.” And why might they not by such repentance as is mentioned in the thirty-first verse be delivered from eternal death?

But you say, “It cannot be understood of eternal death; because they might be delivered from it by repentance and reformation.” And why might they not by such repentance as is mentioned in the thirty-first verse be delivered from eternal death? “But the whole chapter,” you think, “has nothing to do with the spiritual and eternal affairs of men.” I believe every impartial man will think quite the contrary, if he reads calmly either the beginning of it,-‘‘All souls are mine, saith the Lord God; the soul that sinneth, it shall die;” where I can by no means allow that by the death of the soul is meant only a temporal affliction; or the conclusion,-‘‘Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall * See a pamphlet, entitled, “The Doctrine of the Saints' Final Perseverance, Asserted and Vindicated.” 244 PREDESTINATION CALMLY CoNSIDERED. not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: For why will ye die, O house of Israel?” It remains then, one who is righteous in the judgment of God himself, may finally fall from grace. 70. Secondly. That one who is endued with the faith which produces a good conscience, may nevertheless finally fall, appears from the words of St. Paul to Timothy: “War a good warfare; holding faith and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made ship wreck.” (1 Tim. i. 18, 19.) Observe, (1.) These men had once the faith that produces “a good conscience;” which they once had, or they could not have “put it away.” Observe, (2.) They made shipwreck of the faith, which necessarily implies the total and final loss of it. You object: “Nay, the putting away a good conscience does not suppose they had it, but rather that they had it not.” This is really surprising. But how do you prove it? “Why, by Acts xiii. 46, where St. Paul says to the Jews, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: But seeing ye put it from you, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Here you see the Jews, who never had the gospel, are said to put it away.” How !

Pred.--Undoubtedly : For “the almighty power of God extends itself to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men.” (Assembly’s Catechism, c. 5.) Friend.--I grant, God foresaw the first man would fall. Pred.--Nay, “God not only foresaw that Adam would fall, but also ordained that he should.” (Calvin’s Inst., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 7.) Friend.--I know God permitted Adam’s fall. Pred.--I tell you, “he fell not only by the permission, but also by the appointment, of God.” (Calvini Responsio ad Calumnias Nebulonis cujusdam ad Articulum primum.) “He sinned because God so ordained, because the Lord saw good.” (Calvin's Inst., b. 3, c. 24, sec. 8.) Friend.--But do not those who differ from you raise many objections against you as to this point? Pred.--Yes: “Those poisonous dogs vomit out many things against God.” (Ibid., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 2.) “They deny that the Scripture says God decreed Adam’s fall. They say he might have chose either to fall or not; and that God fore ordained only to treat him according to his desert: As if God had created the noblest of all his creatures, without fore ordaining what should become of him !” (Ibid., sec. 7.) Friend.--Did God then make Adam on purpose that he might fall? Pred.--Undoubtedly. “God made Adam and Eve to this very purpose, that they might be tempted and led into sin. And by force of his decree, it could not otherwise be but they must sin.” (Piscatoris Disput. Praedest, Praef, p. 6) Friend.--But do not you ground God's decree on God’s foreknowledge rather than his will? Pred.--No : “God foresees nothing but what he has decreed, and his decree precedes his knowledge.” (Piscat. Disput. Praedest.) Friend.--Well, this may truly be termed a horrible decree. Pred.--“I confess it is a horrible decree; yet no one can deny but God foreknew Adam's fall, and therefore foreknew it, because he had ordained it so by his own decree.” (Calv. Inst., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 7.) Friend.--Do you believe, then, that God has by his own positive decree, not only elected some men to life, but also reprobated all the rest? Pred.--Most surely, if I believe one, I believe the other. “Many indeed (thinking to excuse God) own election, and yet deny reprobation; but this is quite silly and childish.

If God only foreknew all things that relate to all men, and did not decree and ordain them also, then it might be inquired whether or no his foreknowledge necessitates the thing foreknown. But seeing he therefore foreknows all things that will come to pass, because he has decreed they shall come to pass, it is vain to contend about foreknowledge, since it is plain all things come to pass by God’s positive decree.” (Ibid., c. 23, s. 6.) Friend.--But if God has positively decreed to damn the greater part of mankind, why does he call upon them to repent and be saved? Pred.--“As God has his effectual call, whereby he gives the elect the salvation to which he ordained them, so he has his judgments towards the reprobates, whereby he executes his decree concerning them. As many, therefore, as he created to live miserably, and then perish everlastingly; these, that they may be brought to the end for which they were created, he sometimes deprives of the possibility of hearing the word, and at other times, by the preaching thereof, blinds and stupifies them the more.” (Ibid., c. 24, s. 12.) Friend.--How is this? I say, if God has created them for never-ending death, why does he call to them to turn and live? Pred.--“He calls to them, that they may be more deaf; he kindles a light, that they may be the more blind; he brings his doctrine to them, that they may be more ignorant; and applies the remedy to them, that they may not be healed.” (Ibid., b. 3, c. 24, s. 13.) Friend.--Enough, enough. Yet you do not make God the author of sin! Pred.--No certainly: “God cannot be termed the author of sin, though he is the cause of those actions which are sins.” (Petri Martyris Vermillii Com. in Roman., p. 413) Friend.--How is he the cause of them then ? Pred.--Two ways: First, by his eternal, unchangeable decree; Secondly, by his present irresistible power. Friend.--Did God then fore-ordain the sins of any man? Pred.--“Both the reprobates and the elect were fore ordained to sin, as sin, that the glory of God might be leclared thereby.” (Zanchius de Nat. Dei, p.

Dei, p. 555.) “The reprobates,” more especially, “who were predestinated to damnation, and the causes of damnation, and created to that end, that they may live wickedly, and be vessels full of the dregs of sin.” (Piscator contra Tauffium, p. 47.) Friend.--But surely the sins of the elect were not fore ordained? Pred.--Yes, but they were: “For we neither can do more good than we do, nor less evil than we do; because God from eternity has precisely decreed that both the good and the evil should be so done.” (Piscatoris Responsio ad Amicam Dupli cationem Conradi Vorstii, p. 176.) Friend.--I understand you, as to God’s decreeing sin. But how is his irresistible power now concerned in the sins of men? Pred.--“God is the author of that action which is sinful by his irresistible will.” (Dr. Twisse, par. 3, p. 21.) Friend.--How do you mean? Pred.-- “God procures adultery, cursings, lyings.” (Piscat. Responsio ad Apologiam Bertii.) “He supplies wicked men with opportunities of sinning, and inclines their hearts thereto. He blinds, deceives, and seduces them. He, by his working on their hearts, bends and stirs them up to do evil.” (Pet. Martyr. Ver. Comment. in Rom., pp. 36, 413.) And thus “thieves, murderers, and other malefactors are God’s instru ments, which he uses to execute what he hath decreed in himself.” (Calv. Inst., b. 1, c. 17, s. 5.) Friend.--Do you not then charge God himself with sin? Pred.--No : “God necessitates them only to the act of sin, not to the deformity of sin.” (Twissi Vindicia, par. 3, p. 22.) Besides, “when God makes angels or men sin, he does not sin himself, because he does not break any law. For God is under no law, and therefore cannot sin.” (Zuinglius in Serm. de Provid., c. 5, 6.) Friend.--But how does God make angels or men to sin? Pred.--“The devil and wicked men are so held in on every side with the hand of God, that they cannot conceive, or contrive, or execute any mischief, any farther than God himself doth not permit only, but command. Nor are they only held in fetters, but compelled also, as with a bridle, to perform obedience to those commands.” (Calv. Inst., b. 1, c. 17, s.

Ant.--The thing itself speaks: “Thou hast forgotten the Lord, and hast trusted in falsehood. Therefore, saith the Lord, I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.” (Ibid., page 1.) Friend.--Peremptory enough ! But you will “not return railing for railing!” so, out of mere tenderness and respect, you pronounce me a “natural man,” and one who “ hath forgotten the Lord,” and hath “trusted in falsehood l’” Ant.--And so you are, if you do not believe in Christ. Pray let me ask you one question: Do you believe that “Christ hath appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself?” Friend.--I do. Ant.--But in what sense? Friend.--I believe he made, by that one oblation of him self, once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. And yet he hath not “dome all which was necessary for the” absolute, infallible, inevitable “ salvation of the whole world.” If he had, the whole world would be saved; whereas, “he that believeth not shall be damned.” Ant.--But is it not said, “‘He was wounded for our trans gressions, and with his stripes we are healed?’ And is he not ‘the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world?’” (Page 4.) Friend.--Yes. But this does not prove that he “put an end to our sins before they had a beginning !” (Ibid.) Ant.--O ignorance ! Did not our sins begin in Adam? Friend.--Original sin did. But Christ will not put an end to this before the end of the world. And, as to actual, if I now feel anger at you in my heart, and it breaks out in reproachful words; to say Christ put an end to this sin before it began, is a glaring absurdity. Ant.--But I say, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. He hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” And St. Peter says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree.” Friend.--To what purpose do you heap these texts together? to prove that Christ “put an end to our sins” before they had a beginning? If not, spare your labour; for they are quite foreign to the present question.

They are no part of the meritorious cause; but they are the conditions of it. This and no other is “the doctrine of Scripture, and of the Church of England l’” Both the Scripture and “our Church allow, yea, insist on these qualifications or condi tions.” (Page 21.) “But if repentance and faith would not be valid and acceptable without the righteousness of Christ, then they cannot be necessary qualifications for our justification.” (Page 22.) I cannot allow the consequence. They are not acceptable without the righteousness or merits of Christ; and yet he himself has made them necessary qualifications for our justification through his merits. But the grand objection of this gentleman lies against the Doctor’s next paragraph; the sum of which is: “The merits of Christ were never intended to supersede the necessity of repentance and obedience,” (I would say, repentance and faith,) “but to make them acceptable in the sight of God, and to purchase for them” (I would add, that obey him) “a reward of immortal happiness.” I am not afraid to undertake the defence of this paragraph, with this small variation, against Mr. Chapman, Mr. Nyberg, Count Zinzendorf, or any other person whatever; provided only that he will set his name to his work; for I do not love fighting in the dark. And I, as well as Dr. T., affirm, that “to say more than this concerning Christ’s imputed merits,” to say more than, that “they have purchased for us grace to repent and believe, acceptance upon our believing, power to obey, and eternal salvation to them that do obey him;”--to say more than this “is blasphemous Antinomianism,” such as Mr. Calvin would have abhorred; and does “open a door to all manner of sin and wickedness.” “I must likewise affirm, that to talk of imputed righteous ness in the manner many do at this day, is making the imaginary transfer of Christ's righteousness serve as a cover for the unrighteousness of mankind.” (Page 26.) Does not Mr. Ch-p-n do this at Bristol? Does not Mr. M-rd--n, at London? Let them shudder then, let their blood run cold, who do it; not theirs who tell them that they do so.

The Twelfth, likewise, is unexceptionable; and contains such an illustration of the wisdom of God in the structure of the human body, as I believe cannot be paralleled in either ancient or modern writers. The former part of the Thirteenth Dialogue is admirable: To the latter I have some objection. “Elijah failed in his resignation, and even Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips.” (Vol. II., page 44.) It is true; but if you could likewise fix some blot upon venerable Samuel and beloved Daniel, it would prove nothing. For no scripture teaches, that the holiness of Christians is to be measured by that of any Jew. “Do not the best of men frequently feel disorder in their affections? Do not they often complain, ‘When I would do good, evil is present with me?’” (Page 46.) I believe not. You and I are only able to answer for ourselves. “Do not they say, ‘We groan, being burdened with the workings of inbred corruption?’” You know, this is not the meaning of the text. The whole context shows, the Cause of that groaning was their longing “to be with Christ.” “The cure” of sin “will be perfected in heaven.” (Page 47.) Nay, surely in paradise, if no sooner. “This is a noble prerogative of the beatific vision.” No; it will then come too late. If sin remains in us till the day of judgment, it will remain for ever. “Our present blessedness does not consist in being free from sin.” I really think it does. But whether it does or no, if we are not free from sin, we are not Christian believers. For to all these the Apostle declares, “Being made free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness.” (Rom. vi. 18.) “If we were perfect in piety,” (St. John’s word is, “perfect in love,”) “Christ's priestly office would be superseded.” No.; we should still need his Spirit, and consequently his inter cession, for the continuance of that love from moment to moment. Beside, we should still be encompassed with infirmi ties, and liable to mistakes, from which words or actions might follow, even though the heart was all love, which were not exactly right.

He was educated at Geneva; but in the year 1591 began to doubt of the principles which he had till then received. And being more and more convinced that they were wrong, when he was vested with the Professorship, he publicly taught what he believed the truth, till, in the year 1609, he died in peace. But a few years after his death, some zealous men. with the Prince of Orange at their head, furiously assaulted all that held what were called his opinions; and having pro cured them to be solemnly condemned, in the famous Synod of Dort, (not so numerous or learned, but full as impartial, as the Council or Synod of Trent,) some were put to death, some banished, some imprisoned for life, all turned out of their employments, and made incapable of holding any office, either in Church or State. 6. The errors charged upon these (usually termed Armi nians) by their opponents, are five: (1) That they deny original sin; (2.) That they deny justification by faith; (3.) That they deny absolute predestination; (4.) That they deny the grace of God to be irresistible; and, (5) That they affirm, a believer may fall from grace. With regard to the two first of these charges, they plead, Not Guilty. They are entirely false. No man that ever lived, not John Calvin himself, ever asserted either original sin, or justification by faith, in more strong, more clear and express terms, than Arminius has done. These two points, therefore, are to be set out of the question: In these both parties agree. In this respect, there is not a hair's breadth difference between Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield. 7. But there is an undeniable difference between the Calvinists and Arminians, with regard to the three other questions. Here they divide; the former believe absolute, the latter only conditional, predestination. The Calvinists hold, (1.) God has absolutely decreed, from all eternity, to save such and such persons, and no others; and that Christ died for these, and none else. The Arminians hold, God has decreed, from all eternity, touching all that have the written word, “He that believeth shall be saved: He that believeth not, shall be condemned:” And in order to this, “Christ died for all, all that were dead in trespasses and sins;” that is, for every child of Adam, since “in Adam all died.” 8.

You plainly say, It was not his fault, but God's. For what was Judas, or ten thousand repro bates besides? Could they resist his decree? No more than they could pull the sun out of the firmament of heaven. And would God punish them with everlasting destruction, for not pulling the sun out of the firmament? He might as well do it for this, as for their not doing what (on this supposition) was equally impossible. “But they are punished for their impenitency, sin, and unbelief.” Say unbelief and impeni tency, but not sin. For “God had predestinated them to continue in impenitency and unbelief God had positively ordained them to continue in their blindness and hardness of heart.” Therefore their not repenting and believing was no more a sin, than their not pulling the sun from heaven. 7. Indeed Mr. T. himself owns, “The sins of the repro bate were not the cause of their being passed by ; but merely and entirely the sovereign will and determinating pleasure of God.” “O, but their sin was the cause of their damnation though not of their preterition;” that is, God determined they should live and die in their sins, that he might after wards damn them ! Was ever anything like this? Yes, I have read something like it: When Tiberius had determined to destroy Sejanus and all his family, as it was unlawful to put a virgin to death, what could be done with his daughter, a child of nine years old? Why, the hangman was ordered first to deflour, and then to strangle, her ! Yet even good Tiberius did not order her to be strangled “because she had been defloured!” If so, it had been a parallel case; it had been just what is here affirmed of the Most High. 8. One word more: “I will obviate,” says Mr. T., “a fallacious objection, How is reprobation reconcilable with the doctrine of a future judgment? There needs no pains to reconcile these two.” No pains ! Indeed there does; more pains than all the men upon earth, or all the devils in hell, will ever be able to take.

“Some do love God with “They (weak believers) do all their heart and strength.” not love God with all their heart and strength.” 85. “From that hour, indwelling sin, Thou hast no place in me.”Believers are not delivered from the being of sin till that hour. MR. HILL's REVIEw. 397 86. “A sinless life we live.” “Christian Library :” NO thing. 87. “While one evil thought can rise, My brother said so once: I am not born again.” I never did. In the note annexed there are many mistakes: (1) “The author of this hymn did not allow any one to be a believer, even in the lowest sense, while he found the least stirring of sin.” He did; but he took the word “born again” in too high a sense. (2.) Yet “he supposes the most advanced believers are deeply sensible of their impurity.” He does not; neither he nor I suppose any such thing. (3.) “He tells us in his note on Eph. vi. 13, ‘The war is perpetual.’” True: The war with “principalities and powers;” but not that “with flesh and blood.” (4.) So you cannot reply: “Mr. W. speaks of believers of different stature.” Indeed I can; and the forgetting this is the main cause of Mr. H.’s stumbling at every step. (5) “The position, that any believers are totally free from sin, is diametrically opposite to Calvinism.” This is no mistake. Therefore most Calvinists hate it with a perfect hatred. (6.) “Many of the grossest of these contradictions were published nearly at the same time; and probably Mr. W. was the same day correcting the press, both for and against sinless perfection.” An ingenious thought ! but as to the truth or even probability of it, I cannot say much. (7.) “These Hymns contain the joint sentiments of Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley.” Not always; so that if some of them contradict others, it does not prove that I contradict myself. 88. “Christ in a pure and sinless “There are still two con heart.” trary principles in believers, nature and grace.” True, till they are perfect in love. 89. “Quite expel the carnal mind.” “That there is no sin in a (weak) believer, no carnal mind, is contrary to the word of God.” 90.

“Quite expel the carnal mind.” “That there is no sin in a (weak) believer, no carnal mind, is contrary to the word of God.” 90. “From every evil motion freed.” “How naturally do men think, Sin has no motion; therefore it has no being !” But how does this prove that I contradict myself? 91. “All the struggle then is o'er.” These are two of my 92. “I wrestle not now.” brother’s expressions, which I do not subscribe to. 93. “God is thine: Disdain to fear The enemy within.” “Let us watch and pray against the enemy within.” Are these lines cited as implying the enemy was not within 2 Most unhappily. They mean, the enemy which is within. For the very next words, which Mr. H. himself cited but the page before, are, God shall in thy flesh appear, And make an end of sin. 94. “We wrestle not with “We wrestle both with flesh and blood when * we flesh and blood, and with are grown up in Christ. principalities,” while we are babes in Christ. No contradiction yet. 95. “Sin shall not in our flesh remain.” “Still he (the babe in Christ) feels the remains of the old man.” 96. “I cannot rest if sin in me “Sin remains in them remains.” still;”--in all weak believers. 97, 98, 99. My brother's. 100. “Do not the best of “We groan, being burdened men say, ‘We groan, being with numberless infirmities, burdened with the workings of temptations, and sins.”--This inbred corruption?’” This is wrong. It is not the mean is not the meaning of the ing of the text. I will put it text: The whole context out, if I live to print another shows the cause of that edition. So just one shot in groaning was, their longing a hundred has hit the mark. to be with Christ. . 101. “Nor does he that is “Many infirmities remain, born of God sin by infirmi whereby we are daily subject ties; for his infirmities have to what are called “sins of no concurrence of his will; infirmity.’ And they are in and without this, they are not some sense sins; as being properly sins.”--That is, they (involuntary) transgressions are not voluntary transgres of the perfect law.” sions of a known law. I see no contradiction here; but if there was, it ought not to have been mentioned.

I see no contradiction here; but if there was, it ought not to have been mentioned. It could not by any generous writer; since Mr. Hill himself testifies, it was expunged before he mentioned it! But suppose it stood as at first, I flatly deny that it is any contradiction at all. These infirmities may be in some sense sins; and yet not properly so; that is, sins in an improper, but not in the proper, sense of the word. MR. HILL's REVIEw. 399 13. But “Mr. W. has not yet determined, whether sins of surprise bring the soul under condemnation or not. However, it were to be wished, that sins of surprise and sins of infirmity too were to be declared mortal at the next Conference; since several persons who pretend to reverence Mr. W., not only fall into outrageous passions, but cozen and overreach their neighbours; and call these things little, innocent infirmities. Reader, weigh well those words of Mr. W., “We cannot say, either that men are or are not condemned for sins of surprise.” And yet immediately before, he calls them transgressions, as here he calls them sins. Strange divinity this, for one who, for near forty years past, has professed to believe and teach that “sin is the transgression of the law,’ and that ‘the. wages of sin is death.’” He then brings three instances of sins of surprise, (over and above cozening and overreaching,) drunkenness, fornication, and flying into a passion and knocking a man down; and concludes, “Mr. W. had better sleep quietly, than rise from his own pillow in order to lull his hearers asleep upon the pillow of false security, by speak ing in so slight a manner of sin, and making the breach of God’s holy law a mere nothing.” (Page 111.) 14. This is a charge indeed! And it is perfectly new : I believe it was never advanced before. It will not, therefore, be improper to give it a thorough examination. It is founded on some passages in the sermon on Romans viii. 1 : “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” In order to give a clear view of the doctrine therein delivered, I must extract the sum of the Sermon.

It follows, “They are not condemned for sins of infirmity, as they are usually called. Perhaps it were advisable rather to call them infirmities, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or to extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But, if we must use such an ambiguous and dangerous expression, by sins of infirmity I would mean, such involuntary failings as the saying a thing we believe true, though in fact it prove to be false; or the hurting our neighbour without knowing or designing it, perhaps when we designed to do him good.” (Ibid., p. 92.) What pretence has Mr. H. from these words to flourish away upon my “strange divinity;” and to represent me as giving men a handle to term gross sins innocent infirmities? But now comes the main point: “It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually styled sins of surprise: As when one who commonly in his patience possesses his soul, on a sudden or violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law of love.” (For instance: You have the gout. A careless man treads on your foot. You violently push him away, and, it may be, cry out, “Get away! Get you out of my sight!”) “Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule concerning transgressions of this nature. We can MR. HILL's REVIEW. 401 not say either that men are, or that they are not, condemned for sins of surprise in general.” (Pages 152, 153.) “Reader,” says Mr. H., “let me beg thee to weigh well the foregoing words.” I say so too. I go on : “But it seems, whenever a believer is overtaken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concur rence of his will. Therefore, some sins of surprise bring much guilt and condemnation. For in some instances our being surprised may be owing to some culpable neglect, or to a sleepiness of soul, which might have been prevented or shaken off before the temptation came. The falling even by surprise, in such an instance, exposes the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.

The falling even by surprise, in such an instance, exposes the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience. “On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, which he hardly could foresee, by which he may be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of the will. Now, in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly show him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, and consequently grieved with a godly sorrow, and lovingly ashamed before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. In the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, ‘The Lord is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation.’” (Page 154.) Now, what can any impartial person think of Mr. H.’s eloquence on this head? What a representation has he given of my doctrine, with regard to infirmities and sins of surprise? Was ever anything more unjust? Was ever anything more cruel? Do I here “lull my readers asleep on the pillow of false security?” Do I “speak in a light manner of sin?” or “make the breach of God's holy law a mere nothing?” What excuse can be made for pouring out all this flood of calumny? Can anything be termed “bearing false witness against our neighbour,” if this is not? Am I indeed a loose casuist? Do any of my writings give countenance to sin? Not so: God knows, Mr. Hill knows, Mr. Romaine, who corrected this tract, knows it well. So does Mr. Madan; yea, so do all who read what I write, unless they wilfully shut their eyes. 15. “Thus have I at length,” says Mr. H., “brought this extraordinary farrago to a conclusion. Not because I could not have found many more inconsistencics.” (Page 142.) Yes, another hundred, such as these. But see a group of them at once: “His extract from Bishop Beveridge is flatly contradicted in his edition of ‘John Goodwin. Again: Goodwin is flatly contradicted by his sermon on ‘The Lord our Righteousness.’ This sermon is contradicted in his ‘Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion. This Preservative is itself contradicted by his ‘Abstract from Dr. Preston.

“You are as inconsistent in your censures as in your doctrines: You blame me for quoting the last edition of your Sermon ; whereas you call me to account for quoting the first edition of your Notes, concerning Enoch and Elijah; each of whom you have proved, by a peculiar rule of Foundery-logic, to be both in heaven and out of heaven.” So, without any remorse, nay, being so totally unconcerned as even to break jests on the occasion, you again “avail yourself of a mistake which you knew was removed before you wrote.” 45. But Mr. Wesley “hath both struck out some words, and put in others, into the sermon.” This is a common complaint with Mr. Hill, on which therefore it is needful to explain. I generally abridge what I answer; which cannot be done without striking out all unessential words. And I generally put into quotations from my own writings, such words as I judge will prevent mistakes. Now to the contradictions: “‘If we say we have no sin’ now remaining,” (I mean, after we are justified,) “‘we deceive ourselves.’” I believe this; and yet I believe, “Sin shall not always in our flesh remain.” Again: “Many infirmities do remain.” This I believe; and I believe also, “‘He that is born of God,” (and “keepeth himself,' 1 John v. 18,) * sinneth not by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought.” I believe likewise, that in those perfected in love, “No wrinkle of infirmity, No spot of sin remains.” My brother, at the bottom of the page, expressly says, “No sinful infirmity.” So whether this be scriptural or not, here is no contradiction. I have spoken so largely already concerning sins of surprise and infirmity, that it is quite needless to add any more. I need only refer to the “Remarks,” at the 399th and following pages. 46. But to go on: “I wrestle not now.” This is an expression of my brother's, which I do not subscribe to. “We wrestle not with flesh and blood.” “This he allows to be his own.” (Page 31.) Indeed I do not; although, it is true, “the perpetual war which I speak of in the note on Eph. vi. 13, is a war with principalities and powers, but not with flesh and blood.” “But either way, Mr. John is stuck fast in the mire.

John is stuck fast in the mire. For in his “Remarks,’ he contradicts his brother; in his Annotations, he contradicts himself; and in his Hymn, he contradicts both bis brother and himself.” Mr. John is not quite stuck fast yet; for this is a mistake from beginning to end. (1) I do not contradict my brother in my “Remarks.” In saying, “I do not subscribe to that expression,” I mean, I do not make it my own; I do not undertake to defend it. Yet neither do I enter the lists against it; it is capable of a sound meaning. (2.) I do not contradict myself in the note; let him prove it that can. (3.) I contradict nobody in the hymn; for it is not mine. Again: “I never said, While one evil thought can rise, I am not born again.” My brother said so once; but he took the words in too high a sense.” I add, and in a sense not warranted by the Bible. And yet I believe, that “real Christians, I mean those perfected in love, are freed from evil or sinful thoughts.” “But is not a babe in Christ born again? Is he not a real 442 REMARKs on MR. HILL’s Christian?” He is doubtless born again; and in some sense he is a real Christian; but not in the sense above defined. 47. We come now to the additional contradictions whiêh Mr. Hill undertakes to find in my writings. They are already dwindled into one; and I hope to show quickly, this one is none at all. It stands thus:-- “Most express are the words of St. John : “We know, that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.’” “Indeed, it is said, This means only, he doth not commit sin wilfully or habitually.” (Observe. I do not deny the text to mean this; but I deny that it means this only.) As a contradiction to this, Mr. Hill places these words in the opposite column:-- “The Apostle John declares, ‘Whosoever is born of God sinneth not,’ (1.) By any habitual sin; nor, (2.) By any wilful sin.” True; but do I say, the Apostle means this only? Otherwise, here is no contradiction. So, although you have got the gallows ready, you have not turned off old Mordecai yet.

Who will be so hardy as to affirm it? Did the people of England, or but fifty thousand of them, choose Queen Mary, or Queen Elizabeth? To come nearer to our own times, did they choose King James the First? Perhaps you will say, “But if the people did not give King Charles the supreme power, at least they took it away from him. Surely, you will not deny this.” Indeed I will; I deny it utterly. The people of England no more took away his power, than they cut off his head. “Yes, the Parliament did, and they are the people.” No; the Parliament did not. The lower House, the House of Com mons, is not the Parliament, any more than it is the nation. Neither were those who then sat the House of Commons; no; nor one quarter of them. But suppose they had been the whole House of Commons, yea, or the whole Parliament; by what rule of logic will you prove that seven or eight hundred persons are the people of England? “Why, they are the delegates of the people; they are chosen by them.” No; not by one half, not by a quarter, not by a tenth part, of them. So that the people, in the only proper sense of the word, were innocent of the whole affair. 18. “But you will allow, the people gave the supreme power to King Charles the Second at the Restoration.” I will allow no such thing; unless by the people you mean General Monk and fifteen thousand soldiers. “However, you will not deny that the people gave the power to King William at the Revolution.” Nay, truly, I must deny this too. I cannot possibly allow it. Although I will not say that William the Third obtained the royal power as William the First did; although he did not claim it by right of conquest, which would have been an odious title; yet certain it is, that he 52 THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE Olt IGIN OF POWER. did not receive it by any act or deed of the people. Their consent was neither obtained nor asked; they were never consulted in the matter. It was not therefore the people that gave him the power; no, nor even the Parliament. It was the Convention, and none else.

It is no objection that they pay out of them a tax, to which they did not previously consent. I am free; I use my money as I please, although I pay taxes out of it, which were fixed by law before I was born, and, consequently, without my consent; and indeed those taxes are so moderate, that neither they nor I have reason to complain. “But if the Parliament tax you moderately now, it is Possible they may, hereafter, tax you immoderately.” It is possible, but not probable; they never have done it yet: When they do, then complain. We are not talking of what may be, but what is; and it cannot be denied, they are free (which is the present question) in all the three particulars which Judge Blackstone includes in civil liberty. 11. But liberty will not content either them or you. You now openly plead for independency, and aver that the colonies ought to be independent on England, to assert their own supremacy, (1.) Because they are half as many as the Fnglish. (2.) Because in a century they will be twice as many. The argument runs thus: If the Americans are half as many as the English, then they have a right to be independ ent. But they are half as many; therefore, they have a right to be independent. I deny the consequence in the first proposition: Number does not prove a right to independency. I deny the second proposition too: They are not half as many; even though you swell the number of the Americans as much as you diminish the number of the English. I have been surprised lately, to observe many taking so much pains to extenuate the numbers of the inhabitants of England. For what end is this done? Is it to make us more respectable to our neighbours? or merely to weaken the hands of the King and ministry? I say the King and the ministry; for I lay no stress on their pompous professions of love and loyalty to the King: Just such professions did their predecessors make to King Charles, till they brought him to the block. 12. “But are they not half as many? Do not the confederated provinces contain three millions of souls?” I believe not. I believe they contain about two millions.

19. And by what right, (setting the Scriptures aside, on which you do not choose to rest the point,) by what right do you exclude women, any more than men, from choosing their own Governors? Are they not free agents, as well as men? I ask a serious question, and demand a serious answer. Have they not “a will of their own?” Are they not “members of the state?” Are they not part of “the individuals that compose it?” With what consistency, them, can any who assert the people, in the above sense, to be the origin of power, deny them the right of choosing their Governors, and “giving their suffrages by their representatives?” “But do you desire or advise that they should do this?” Nay, I am out of the question. I do not ascribe these rights to the people; therefore, the difficulty affects not me; but, do you get over it how you can, without giving up your principle. 20. I ask a second question: By what right do you exclude men who have not lived one-and-twenty years from that “unalienable privilege of human nature,” choosing their own Governors? Is not a man a free agent, though he has lived only twenty years, and ten or eleven months? Can you deny, that men from eighteen to twenty-one are “members of the state?” Can any one doubt, whether they are a part of “the individuals that compose it?” Why then are not these permitted to “choose their Governors, and to give their suffrages by their representatives?” Let any who say these rights are inseparable from the people, get over this difficulty, if they can; not by breaking an insipid jest on the occasion, but by giving a plain, sober, rational answer. If it be said, “O, women and striplings have not wisdom enough to choose their own Governors;” I answer, Whether they have or no, both the one and the other have all the rights which are “inseparable from human nature.” Either, therefore, this right is not inseparable from human nature, or both women and striplings are partakers of it. 21. I ask a third question: By what authority do you exclude a vast majority of adults from choosing their own Governors, and giving their votes by their representatives, merely because they have not such an income; because they have not forty shillings a year?

“But is there not another ground of fear? Is there not ‘a God that judgeth the earth?’ And have not England and Ireland (to speak in the language of Scripture) “filled up the measure of their iniquity?’” I answer, (1.) I allow that wickedness of various kinds has overspread the land like a flood. It would be easy to enlarge upon this melancholy truth; it cannot be denied that, Th E 1NHABITANTS OF IRELAND. 153 The rich, the poor, the high, the low, Have wander'd from his mild command: The floods of wickedness o'erflow, And deluge all the guilty land: People and Priest lie drown'd in sin, And Tophet yawns to take them in. But yet, (2.) I totally deny that either England or Ireland have yet “filled up the measure of their iniquities.” “Why, what have they not done? What abomination can be named or conceived which they have not committed?” I will tell you: They have not done what was done of old, before God delivered up the Jews to destruction. They have not “shed the blood of the just in the midst of Jerusalem.” Neither in London, Dublin, nor any other of our cities, has there been any instance of the kind. To which of our Governors in either England or Ireland can those words of our Lord be applied ? “Behold, I send unto you Prophets; and some of them ye will kill; and some of them ye will scourge, and persecute from city to city. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee!” (Matt. xxiii. 34, &c.) Now, neither England nor Ireland has done this, at least during the present century. Therefore, it cannot be affirmed that they have “filled up the measure of their iniquities.” Conse quently we have no reason to believe that our Lord will yet say, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate 1” 12. I have another reason to believe that God will yet have compassion upon a sinful land: What was it which he said of old time to Abraham interceding for guilty Sodom? “I will not destroy the city, if there be fifty, twenty, yea, ten righteous men found in it.” And are there not ten, twenty, fifty righteous men to be found in our Sodom?

You have not loved him at all. You have not thought about him. You hardly knew or cared whether there was any God in the world. You have not done to others as you would they should do to you; far, very far from it. Have you done all the good you could to all men? If so, you had never come to this place. You have done evil exceedingly; your sins. against God and man are more than the hairs of your head. Insomuch that even the world cannot bear you; the world itself spews you out. Even the men that know not God declare you are not fit to live upon the earth. 3. O repent, repent ! Know yourself; see and feel what a sinner you are. Think of the innumerable sins you have committed, even from your youth up. How many wicked words have you spoken? How many wicked actions have you done? Think of your inward sins; your pride, malice, hatred, anger, revenge, lust ! Think of your sinful nature, totally alienated from the life of God. How is your whole soul prone to evil, void of good, corrupt, full of all abomina tions! Feel that your carnal mind is enmity against God. Well may the wrath of God abide upon you. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity: He hath said, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” It shall die eternally, shall be “punished with everlasting destruction, from th: presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.” 4. How then can you escape the damnation of hell,--the lake of fire burning with brimstone; “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched?” You can never redeem your own soul. You cannot atone for the sins that are past. If you could leave off sin now, and live unblamable for the time to come, that would be no atonement for what is past. Nay, if you could live like an angel for a thousand years, that would not atone for one sin. But neither can you de this; you cannot leave off sin; it has the dominion over you. If all your past sins were now to be forgiven, you would immediately sin again; that is, unless your heart were cleansed; unless it were created anew. And who can do this?

I and another indeed did with great difficulty and hazard swim to the island; but when we came thither, the rock was so steep and smooth, that we could not possibly climb up. After swim ming round several times, and making many ineffectual efforts, we thought we must perish there; but at length one of us found a place, where he made a shift to crawl up. He then helped his companion after him. The others swam about half-way. A boat then took them up, when they were just sinking. Another boat, which we had ordered to follow us, afterwards came and took us home.” 7. A still more remarkable deliverance it is of which he gave an account in the year 1760: “Some years since, I lived at a place very near the river Rhine. In that part, it is broader than the Thames at London Bridge, and extremely rapid. But, having been long practised in swimming, I made no scruple of going into it at any time; only I was always careful to keep near the shore, that the stream might not carry me away. Once, however, being less careful than usual, I was unawares drawn into the mid channel. The water there was extremely rough, and poured along like a galloping horse. I endeavoured to swim against it, but in vain, till I was hurried far from home. When I was almost spent, I rested upon my back, and then looked about for a landing place, finding I must either land or sink. With much difficulty I got near the shore; but the rocks were so ragged and sharp, that I saw, if I attempted to land there, I should be torn in pieces; so I was constrained to turn again to the mid stream. At last, despairing of life, I was cheered by the sight of a fine smooth creek, into which I was swiftly carried by a violent stream. A building stood directly across it, which I did not then know to be a powder-mill. The last thing I can remem ber was, the striking of my breast against one of the piles whereon it stood. I then lost my senses, and knew nothing more, till I rose on the other side of the mill.

She lies on the same bed where my father and mother died, and where she and I were born. How near is life to death ! But, blessed be God, Christ the resurrection is nearer to the weak, dying believer. Death works through the body, and the resurrection through the soul. And our soul is our real self.” 18. I believe it was about the same time that a remarkable passage occurred, which was related to me some years ago. I may possibly have forgot some circumstances; but the sub stance of it was this: Mr. Fletcher having heard of a Minister in the country, as an eminently pious man, had a great desire to see him; and for that purpose one morning set out very early. When he had walked several miles, he saw a great crowd gathered together at the door of a house. He asked what was the matter; and was answered, “A poor woman and her child lie a dying.” He went in, and found a woman, who had not long been delivered, in appearance very near death. Little better was the case of the infant, which was convulsed from head to foot. The room was filled with people. He took occasion to show them, from that melancholy spectacle, the dreadful effects of sin; and afterwards spoke largely of the miserable state we are all in, through the sin of our first parent. He then expatiated on the Second Adam, and the blessings we may receive through him; adding, “He is able to raise the dead. He is able to save you all from sin, as well as save these two poor objects from death. Come, let us ask Him to save both us and them.” He found remarkable liberty in prayer. Presently the child’s convulsions ceased; and the mother was easy, lively, and strong. The people were utterly amazed, and stood speechless and almost senseless. While they were in this state, he silently withdrew. When they came to themselves, he was gone. Many of them asked who it could be; and some said, “Certainly it was an angel.” 19. When he had a little recovered his strength, he made a tour through Italy, and paid a visit to Rome. While he was here, as Mr.

For in many things we offend all.” We / Who? Not the Apostles nor true believers, but they who were to “receive the greater condemnation, because of those many offences. Nay, Thirdly, the verse itself proves, that “we offend all, cannot be spoken either of all men or all Christians. For in it immediately follows the mention of a man who ‘offends not,’ as the we first mentioned did; from whom therefore he is professedly contradistinguished, and pronounced a ‘perfect man.’ “But St. John himself says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; and, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” “I answer, (1.) The tenth verse fixes the sense of the eighth : “If we say we have no sin, in the former, being explained by, “If we say we have not sinned, in the latter, verse. (2.) The point under consideration is not, whether we have or have not sinned heretofore; and neither of these verses asserts that we do sin, or commit sin now. (3.) The ninth verse explains both the eighth and tenth : “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. As if he had said, ‘I have before affirmed, The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.” And no man can say, ‘I need it not; I have no sin to be cleansed from.” “If we say, we have no sin, that “we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves, and make God a liar: But “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, not only ‘to forgive us our sins, but also ‘to cleanse us from all unrighte ousness,’ that we may “go and sin no more.’ In conformity, therefore, both to the doctrine of St. John, and the whole tenor of the New Testament, we fix this conclusion: A Christian is so far perfect, as not to commit sin. “This is the glorious privilege of every Christian, yea, though he be but a babe in Christ. But it is only of grown Christians it can be affirmed, they are in such a sense perfect, as, Secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers. First, from evil or sinful thoughts. Indeed, whence should CritisTIAN PERFECTION. 377 they spring ?

Neither let any say that this relates to justification only, or the cleansing us from the guilt of sin: First, because this is confounding together what the Apostle clearly distinguishes, who mentions, first, ‘to forgive us our sins, and then ‘to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ Secondly, because this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest sense possible; it is making all inward, as well as all outward, holiness, necessarily previous to justification. For if the cleansing here spoken of is no other than the cleansing us from the guilt of sin, then we are not cleansed from guilt, that is, not justified, unless on condition of walking “in the light, as he is in the light.’ It remains, then, that Christians are saved in this world from all sin, from all unrighteousness; that they are now in such a sense perfect, as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.” It could not be, but that a discourse of this kind, which directly contradicted the favourite opinion of many, who were esteemed by others, and possibly esteemed themselves, some of the best of Christians, (whereas, if these things were so, they were not Christians at all,) should give no small offence. Many answers or animadversions, therefore, were expected; but I was agreeably disappointed. I do not know that any appeared; so I went quietly on my way. 13. Not long after, I think in the spring, 1741, we published a second volume of Hymns. As the doctrine was still much misunderstood, and consequently misrepresented, I judged it needful to explain yet farther upon the head; which was done in the preface to it as follows:- “This great gift of God, the salvation of our souls, is no other than the image of God fresh stamped on our hearts. It is a ‘renewal of believers in the spirit of their minds, after the like mess of Him that created them.” God hath now laid “the axe unto the root of the tree, purifying their hearts by faith, and ‘cleansing all the thoughts of their hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit.

It is not; for one may start, tremble, change colour, or be otherwise disordered in body, while the soul is calmly stayed on God, and remains in perfect peace. Nay, the mind itself may be deeply distressed, may be exceeding sorrowful, may be perplexed and pressed down by heaviness and anguish, even to agony, while the heart cleaves to God by perfect love, and the will is wholly resigned to him. Was it not so with the Son of God himself? Does any child of man endure the distress, the anguish, the agony, which he sustained? And yet he knew no sin. “Q. But can any one who has a pure heart prefer pleasing to unpleasing food; or use any pleasure of sense which is not strictly necessary? If so, how do they differ from others? “A. The difference between these and others in taking pleasant food is, (1.) They need none of these things to make them happy; for they have a spring of happiness within. They see and love God. Hence they rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. (2.) They may use them, but they do not seek them. (3.) They use them sparingly, and not for the sake of the thing itself. This being premised, we answer directly,--Such a one may use pleasing food, without the danger which attends those who are not saved from sin. He may prefer it to unpleasing, though equally wholesome, food, as a means of increasing thankfulness, with a single eye to God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy: On the same principle, he may smell to a flower, or eat a bunch of grapes, or take any other pleasure which does not lessen but increase his delight in God. Therefore, neither can we say that one perfected in love would be incapable of marriage, and of worldly business? If he were called thereto, he would be more capable than ever; as being able to do all things without hurry or carefulness, without any distraction of spirit. “Q. But if two perfect Christians had children, how could they be born in sin, since there was none in the parents? “A. It is a possible, but not a probable, case; I doubt whether it ever was or ever will be. But waving this, I answer, Sin is entailed upon me, not by immediate genera tion, but by my first parent.

“Q. But whence is it, that some imagine they are thus sanctified, when in reality they are not? “A. It is hence; they do not judge by all the preceding marks, but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous. But I know no instance of a person attending to them all, and yet deceived in this matter. I believe, there can be none in the world. If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after justification, of inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; if to this change, immensely greater than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, direct witness of the renewal; I judge it as impossible this man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie. And if one whom I know to be a man of veracity testify these things to me, I ought not, without some sufficient reason, to reject his testimony. “Q. Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual or instantaneous P “A. A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant he lives the full life of love. And as the change undergone, when the body dies, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such as till then it is impossible to conceive; so the change wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can conceive till he experiences it. Yet he stills grows in grace, in the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God; and will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity. “Q. How are we to wait for this change? “A.

5. We agree, that true “Christianity implies a destruction of the kingdom of sin, and a renewal of the soul in righteous mess; which even babes in Christ do in a measure experience, though not in so large a measure as young men and fathers.” But here we divide. I believe even babes in Christ, “while they keep themselves, do not commit sin.” By sin, I mean, outward sin; and the word commit, I take in its plain, literal meaning. And this I think is fully proved by all the texts cited Sermon III., from the sixth chapter to the Romans. Nor do I conceive there is any material difference between committing sin, and continuing therein. I tell my neighbour here, “William, you are a child of the devil, for you commit sin; you was drunk yesterday.” “No, Sir,” says the man, “I do not live or continue in sin” (which Mr. Dodd says is the true meaning of the text); “I am not drunk continually, but only now and then, once in a fortnight, or once in a month.” Now, Sir, how shall I deal with this man? Shall I tell him he is in the way to heaven or hell? I think he is in the high road to destruction; and that if I tell him other wise his blood will be upon my head. And all that you say of living, continuing in, serving sin, as different from com mitting it, and of its not reigning, not having dominion, over him who still frequently commits it, is making so many loop holes whereby any impenitent sinner may escape from all the terrors of the Lord. I dare not therefore give up the plain, literal meaning either of St. Paul’s or St. Peter's words. 6. As to those of St. John, cited Sermon V., I do not think you have proved they are not to be taken literally. In every single act of obedience, as well as in a continued course of it, rous Buxaloavyw: And in either an act or a course of sin Troisi aplapriav. Therefore, that I may give no countenance to any kind or degree of sin, I still interpret these words by those in the fifth chapter, and believe, “he that is born of God” (while he keepeth himself) “sinneth not;” doth not commit outward sin. 7.

7. But “it is absolutely necessary,” as you observe, “to add sometimes explanatory words to those of the sacred penmen.” It is so; to add words explanatory of their sense, but not subversive of it. The words added to this text, “Ye know all things,” are such; and you yourself allow them so to be. But I do not allow the words wilfully and habitually to be such. These do not explain, but overthrow, the text. That the first Fathers thus explained it, I deny; as also that I ever spoke lightly of them. 8. You proceed: “You allow in another sermon, in evident contradiction to yourself, that the true children of God could, and did, commit sin.” This is no contradiction to anything I ever advanced. I everywhere allow that a child of God can and will commit sin, if he does not keep himself. “But this,” you say, “is nothing to the present argument.” Yes, it is the whole thing. If they keep themselves, they do not; otherwise, they can and do commit sin. I say nothing contrary to this in either sermon. But “hence,” you say, “we conclude that he who is born of God, may possibly commit sin:” An idle conclusion as ever was formed; for who ever denied it? I flatly affirm it in both the sermons, and in the very paragraph now before us. The only conclusion which I deny is, that “all Christians do and will commit sin, as long as they live.” Now this you yourself (though you seem to start at it) maintain from the beginning of your Letter to the end; namely, that all Chris tians do sin, and cannot but sin, more or less, to their lives’ end. Therefore I do not “artfully put this conclusion;” but it is your own conclusion, from your own premises. Indeed were I artfully to put in anything in expounding the word of God, I must be an arrant knave. But I do not; my conscience bears me witness, that I speak the very truth, so far as I know it, in simplicity and godly sincerity. 9. I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance natu rally tends thereto.

I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance natu rally tends thereto. This is my grand objection to that doc trine of the necessity of sinning: Not only that it is false, but that it is directly subversive of all holiness. The doctrine of the Gnostics was, not that a child of God does not commit sin, that is, act the things which are forbidden in Scripture, but that they are not sin in him, that he is a child of God still; so they contend, not for sinless, but sinful, perfec tion; just as different from what I contend for, as heaven is from hell. What the Donatists were, I do not know ; but I suspect they were the real Christians of that age; and were therefore served by St. Augustine and his warm adherents, as the Methodists are now by their zealous adversaries. It is extremely easy to blacken; and could I give myself leave, I could paint the consequences of your doctrine, in at least as dark and odious colours as you could paint mine. 10. The passage of St. Peter, mentioned Sermon XII., I still think proves all which I brought it to prove. “But you allow, (Sermon XIV.,) that Paul and Barnabas did commit sin. And these were, without all controversy, fathers in Christ.” That is not without controversy,-that either Barnabas when he left Paul, or Peter when he dissem bled at Antioch, was at that time a father in Christ in St. John’s sense; though by office undoubtedly they were. Their example, therefore, only proves what no one denies, namely, that if a believer keeps not himself, he may commit sin. Would the conclusions here drawn “be made only by a very weak opponent?” Then you are a weak opponent; for you make them all, either from these or other premises: For you believe and maintain, (1.) That all the other Apostles committed sin sometimes. (2.) That all the other Christians of the apostolic age sometimes committed sin. (3.) That all other Christians, in all ages, do and will commit sin as long as they live. And, (4.) That every man must commit sin, cannot help it, as long as he is in the body. You cannot deny one of these propositions, if you understand your own premises. I am, Rev.

and which of them heard Mr. Whitefield say, “When I went abroad (in 1741,) I delivered thirty thousand people into the hands of you and your brother?” Thirty thousand people ! Whence did they come? Did they spring out of the earth? Why, there were not, at that time, five thousand Methodists in England, or in the world. The societies in London, Bristol, and Kingswood, (the only ones. I had,) contained fourteen or fifteen hundred members. I believe not so many were in his societies. But were they fewer, or more, they were nothing to me. He never entrusted me with them. He never delivered into mine, or my brother's hands, either his society at the Tabernacle in London, or that in Bristol, or in Kingswood, or any other place what ever. He never delivered (that I remember) one single society into my hands. I bless God, I needed it not. I did not need to build upon another man’s foundation. A dispensation of the Gospel was given me also; and my labour was not in vain. I was constrained to cry out (and you yourself used the same words to God in my behalf),-- *O the fathomless love Which has deign'd to approve And prosper the work of my hands ! With my pastoral crook I went over the brook, And, behold ! I am spread into bands !” With what view then can you charge me with that perfidy, which I am no more guilty of than of high treason? For what end can you affirm, “When he went abroad, he delivered many thousands into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with ?” Delivered ! when? where? how? What can you mean? I flatly deny that ever he delivered one thousand, or one hundred, souls into my hands. Do you mean, “He spoke honourably of you to them at Kennington-common and Rose-green?” True: But not so honourably as I spoke of you, even at London; yea, as late as the year 1763! Yet was this the same thing with “delivering the people” at London “into your hands?” Nay, but “Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given them back at his return.” Them! whom? His society at London, or Bristol 2 I had them not to give. He never entrusted me with them.

9. Let none, therefore, who hold universal redemption be surprised at being charged with this. Let us deny it no more; let us frankly and fairly meet those who advance it upon their own ground. If they charge you with holding salvation by works, answer plainly, “In your sense, I do; for I deny that our final salvation depends upon any absolute, unconditional decree. If, therefore, there be no medium, I do hold salvation by works. But observe: In allowing this, I allow no more than that I am no Calvinist. So that, by my making you this concession, you gain--just nothing.” 10. I am therefore still consistent with myself, as well as consistent with the Bible. I still hold, (as I have done above these forty years,) that “by grace we are saved through faith;” yet so as not to contradict that other expression of the same Apostle, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Meantime, those who maintain absolute predestina tion, who hold decrees that have no condition at all, cannot be consistent with themselves, unless they deny salvation by faith, as well as salvation by works. For, if only “he that believeth shall be saved,” then is faith a condition of salva tion; and God hath decreed, from all eternity, that it should be such. But if the decree admit of any condition, it is mot an unconditional decree. Either, therefore, you must renounce your unconditional decrees, or deny that faith is the condition of salvation; or (which is just the same thing) affirm, that a man may be saved without either faith or works. 11. And I am consistent with myself, as well as with the Bible, when I affirm, that none shall be finally saved by any “faith” but that “which worketh by love,” both inward and outward holiness. I fear, many of them that hold uncon ditional decrees are not sensible of this. For they seriously believe themselves to be in the high road to salvation, though they are far from inward (if not outward) holiness. They have not “put on humbleness of mind, bowels of mercy, brotherly-kindness.” They have no gentleness, no meekness, no longsuffering; so far are they from the “love that endureth all things.” They are under the power of sin; of evil-surmising; of anger; yea, of outward sin.

“Much foolish discourse.” Take the preceding advice, and it will be just the reverse. “Nothing helpful toward the renewal of my soul in the image of Jesus Christ.” What a deep mistake is this ! Is it not helpful to speak closely of the nature of his inward kingdom ? to encourage one another in casting off every weight, in removing every hinderance of it? to inure ourselves to the bearing his cross? to bring Christianity into common life, and accustom ourselves to conduct even our minutest actions by the great rules of reason and religion? 30. Is it “not of any importance” to do this? I think, it is of vast importance. However, “it is a very small circumstance in self-denial.” It is well if you find it so. I am sure I did not. And I believe the case is the same with many others at this day. But you say, “I have so many other assaults of self-indulgence, that this is nothing.” “It is nothing,” said one to a young woman, “to fast once or twice a week; to deny yourself a little food. Why do not you deny yourself as to anger and fretfulness, as to peevish mess and discontent?” She replied, “That I want; so I ThouGHTS ON NERVOUS DISORDERS. 515 deny myself in little things first, till I am able to do it in greater.” Neither you nor I can mend her reply. Go thou and do likewise. 31. I have done what I proposed; and indeed in many more words than I at first intended. I have told you the occasions of every step I have taken, and the motives induc ing me thereto; and have considered what either you or others have urged on the contrary side of the question. And now, the advice I would give upon the whole is this: First, Pray earnestly to God for clear light; for a full, piercing, and steady conviction, that this is the more excel lent way. Pray for a spirit of universal self-denial, of cheerful temperance, of wise frugality; for bowels of mercies; for a kind, compassionate spirit, tenderly sensible of the various wants of your brethren; and for firmness of mind; for a mild, even courage, without fear, anger, or shame.

Perhaps the first thing that now occurs to your mind relates to the doctrine which we teach. You have heard that we say, “Men may live without sin.” And have you not heard that the Scripture says the same;--we mean, without committing sin? Does not St. Paul say plainly, that those who believe “do not continue insin,” that they cannot “live any longertherein?” (Rom. vi. 1, 2.) Does not St. Peter say, “He that hath suf fered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live to the desires of men, but to the will of God?” (1 Peter iv. 1, 2.) Aad does not St. John say expressly, “He that com mitteth sin is of the devil? For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John iii. 8, &c.) And again: “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” (v. 18.) 54. You see then it is not we that say this, but the Lord. These are not our words, but his. And who is he that replieth against God? Who is able to make God a liar? Surely he will be justified in his saying, and clear when he is judged ! Can you deny it? Have you not often felt a secret check when you was contradicting this great truth? And how often have you wished for what you was taught to deny P Nay, can you help wishing for it this moment? Do you not now earnestly desire to cease from sin? to commit it no more? Does not your soul pant after this glorious liberty of the sons of God? And what strong reason have you to expect it! Have you not had a foretaste of it already? Do you not remember the time when God first lifted up the light of his countenance upon you? Can it ever be forgotten? the day when the candle of the Lord first shone upon your head? Butter and honey did you eat; And, lifted up on high, You saw the clouds beneath your feet, And rode upon the sky.

There is therefore no hinderance on God’s part; since “as his majesty is, so is his mercy.” And what ever hinderance there is on the part of man, when God speaketh, it is not. Only ask then, O sinner, “and it shall be given thee,” even the faith that brings salvation: And that without any merit or good work of thine; for “it is not of works, lest any man should boast.” No; it is of grace, of grace alone. For “unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifi eth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” 64. “But by talking thus you encourage sinners.” I do encourage them--to repent; and do not you? Do not you know how many heap sin upon sin, purely for want of such encouragement; because they think they can never be forgiven, there is no place for repentance left? Does not your heart also bleed for them? What would you think too dear to part with? What would you not do, what would you not suffer, to bring one such sinner to repentance? Could not your love “endure all things” for them? Yes,--if you believed it would do them good; if you had any hope that they would be better. Why do you not believe it would do them good? Why have you not a hope that they will be better? Plainly, because you do not love them enough; because you have not that charity which not only endureth, but at the same time believeth and hopeth, all things. 65. But that you may see the wholestrength of this objection, I will show you, without any disguise or reserve, how I encourage the chief of sinners. My usual language to them runs thus:-- O ye that deny the Lord that bought you, yet hear the word of the Lord! You seek rest, but find none. your heart is in heaviness. Even in laughter How long spend ye your labour for that which is not bread, and your strength for that which satis fieth not? You know your soul is not satisfied. It is still an aching void. Sometimes you find, in spite of your principles, a sense of guilt, an awakened conscience. That grisly phan tom, religion, (so you describe her,) will now and then haunt you still.

“St. Peter also,” you say, “affirms that ‘baptism doth save us, or justify us.” Again you beg the question; you take for granted what I utterly deny, viz., that save and justify are here synonymous terms. Till this is proved, you can draw no inference at all; for you have no foundation whereon to build. I conceive these and all the scriptures which can be quoted to prove sanctification antecedent to justification, (if they do not relate to our final justification,) prove only, (what I have never denied,) that repentance, or conviction of sin, and fruits meet for repentance, precede that faith whereby we are justified: But by no means, that the love of God, or any branch of true holiness, must or can precede faith. 3. It is objected, Secondly, that justification by faith alone is not the doctrine of the Church of England. “You believe,” says the writer above-mentioned, “that no good work can be previous to justification, nor, consequently, a condition of it. But, God be praised, our Church has nowhere delivered such abominable doctrine.” (Page 14.) “The Clergy contend for inward holiness, as previous to the first justification;--this is the doctrine they universally inculcate, and which you cannot oppose without contradict ing the doctrine of our Church.” (Page 26.) “All your strongest persuasives to the love of God will not blanch over the deformity of that doctrine, that men may be justified by faith alone;--unless you publicly recant this horrid doctrine, your faith is vain.” (Page 27.) “If you will vouchsafe to purge out this venomous part of your principles, in which the wide, essential, fundamental, irreconcilable difference, as you very justly term it, mainly consists, then there will be found, so far, no disagreement be tween you and the Clergy of the Church of England.” (Ibid.) 4.

In order to be clearly and fully satisfied what the doctrine of the Church of England is, (as it stands opposite to the doc trine of the Antinomians, on the one hand, and to that of justi fication by works, on the other,) Iwill simply set down what oc curs on this head, either in her Liturgy, Articles, or Homilies:-- “Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults: Restore thou them that are penitent, according to thy pro mises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord.” “He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” “Almighty God, who dost forgive the sins of them that are Penitent, create and makein us new and contrite hearts; that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretched ness, may obtain of thee perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Collect for Ash-Wednesday.) “Almighty God--hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unta him.” (Communion Office.) “Our Lord Jesus Christ hath left power to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him.” (Visitation of the Sick.) “Give him unfeigned repentance and steadfast faith, that his sins may be blotted out.” (Ibid.) “He is a merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners, and is ready to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance.” (Commination Office.) Infants, indeed, our Church supposes to be justified in baptism, although they cannot then either believe or repent. But she expressly requires both repentance and faith in those who come to be baptized when they are of riper years.

For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord?” And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny that holiness is a con dition of final acceptance? And as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience, as well as Scripture, prove that no man ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent? that none was ever yet truly “convinced of righteous ness,” who was not first “convinced of sin?” Repentance, there fore, in this sense, we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into known, wilful sin, (suppose it were drunkennessor uncleanness,) stifles that repentance or conviction? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother; or who obstinately refrains from what God con vinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple yourself to tell one of these, “Why, if you will thus drink away all conviction, how should you ever truly know your want of Christ; or, consequently, believe in him ? If you will not forgive your brother his trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. If you will not ask, how can you expect to receive? If you will not hear, how can “faith come by hearing?’ It is plain you ‘grieve the Spirit of God;’ you will not have him to reign over you. Take care that he does not utterly depart from you. For ‘unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,’ that is, uses it not, “shall be taken away, even that which he hath.’” Would you scruple, on a proper occasion, to say this? You could not scruple it if you believe the Bible. But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous to justifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunity permit, “fruits meet for repentance.” 11. And yet I allow you this, that although both repent ance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary be fore justification, yet neither the one nor the other is neces sary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith.

“And the one hundred and ninth Canon binds you to pre sent all manner of vice, profaneness, and debauchery, requiring you faithfully to present all and every the offenders in adul tery, whoredom, drunkenness, profane swearing, or any other uncleanness and wickedness of life. It is therefore a part of that office to which you are solemnly sworn, to present, not only all drunkenness and tippling, but profane swearing, lewdness, and whatsoever else is contrary to Christian piety. So that if you know any of your parishioners, be his quality or cir cumstances what they will, that is guilty of any of these, you are obliged to present him at the next visitation, or you are yourselves guilty of perjury. And the twenty-sixth Canon expresses such an abhorrence of a Churchwarden's neglect in this matter, that it forbids the Minister, in any wise, to admit you to the holy communion, ‘who, as the words of the Canon are, ‘having taken your oaths to present all such offences in your several parishes, shall, notwithstanding your said oaths, either in neglecting or refusing to present, wittingly and will ingly, desperately and irreligiously, incur the horrid guilt of perjury.’” And who is clear? I appeal to every Minister of a parish, from one end of England to the other, how many Church wardens have you known, in twenty, thirty, forty years, who did not thus “desperately and irreligiously incur the horrid guilt of perjury?” 10. I proceed to perjuries of another kind. The oath taken by all Captains of ships, every time they return from a trading voyage, runs in these terms: “I do swear, that the entry above written, now tendered and subscribed by me, is a just report of the name of my ship, its burden, bulk, property, number and country of mariners, the present Master and voyage; and that it doth farther contain a true account of my lading, with the particular marks, num bers, quantity, quality, and consignment of all the goods and merchandises in my said ship, to the best of my knowledge; and that I have not broke bulk, or delivered any goods out of my said ship, since her loading in. So help me God.” These words are so clear, express, and unambiguous, that they require no explanation. But who takes this plain oath, without being knowingly and deliberately forsworn ? Does one Captain in fifty?

Were Edward III. or IIenry V. to come among us now, what would they think of the change in their people? Would they applaud the elegant variety at the old Baron’s table? or the costly delicacy of his furniture and apparel ? Would they listen to these instruments of music, or find pleasure in those diversions? Would they rejoice to see the Nobles and Gentry of the land lying “at ease, stretch ing themselves on beds” of down? too delicate to use their own limbs, even in the streets of the city; to bear the touch of the people, the blowing of the wind, or the shining of the sun O how would their hearts burn within them | What indigna tion, sorrow, shame must they feel, to see the ancient hardiness lost, the British temperance, patience, and scorn of superflu ities, the rough, indefatigable industry, exchanged for softness, “idleness, and fulness of bread!” Well for them, that they were gathered unto their fathers before this exchange was made! 19. To prove at large, that the luxury and sensuality, the sloth and indolence, the softness and idleness, the effeminacy and false delicacy of our nation are without a parallel, would be but lost labour. I fear, we may say, the lewdness too; for if the Jews, as the Prophet speaks, “assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses,” so do the English, and much more abundantly. Indeed, where is male chastity to be found? among the Nobility, among the Gentry, among the tradesmen, or among the common people of England? How few lay any claim to it at all ! How few desire so much as the reputation of it ! Would you yourself account it an honour or a reproach, to be ranked among those of whom it is said, “These are they which are not defiled with women: For they are virgins?” And how numerous are they now, even among such as are accounted men of honour and probity, “who are as fed horses, everyone neighing after his neighbour's wife!” But as if this were not enough, is not the sin of Sodom, too, more common among us than ever it was in Jerusalem?

For, however men of no thought may not see or regard it, or hectoring cowards may brave it out, it is evident to every man of calm reflection, that our nation stands on the very brink of destruction. And why are we thus, but because “the cry of our wickedness is goneup to heaven?” because we have so exceedingly, abundantly, beyond measure, “corrupted our ways before the Lord?” and because to all our other abominations we have added the open fighting against God; the not only rejecting, but even denying, yea, blaspheming his last offers of mercy; the hindering others who were desirous to close there with; the despitefully using his messengers, and the variously troubling and oppressing those who did accept of his grace, break off their sins, and turn to him with their whole heart. 16. I cannot but believe, it is chiefly on this account that God hath now “a controversy with our land.” And must not any considerate man be inclined to form the same judgment, if he reviews the state of public affairs for only a few years last past? I will not enter into particulars; but, in general, can you possibly help observing, that, whenever there has been any thing like a public attempt to suppress this new sect, (for so it was artfully represented,) another and another public trouble arose? This has been repeated so often, that it is surprising any man of sense can avoid taking notice of it. May we “turn” at length “to Him that smiteth us, hearing the rod and Him that appointeth it !” May we “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God,” before the great deep swallow us up! 17. Just now, viz., on the 4th of this instant December, the Reverend Mr. Henry Wickham, one of His Majesty's Justices of Peace for the West-riding of Yorkshire, writes an order * To the Constable of Keighley, commanding him, “to convey the body of Jonathan Reeves” (whose real crime is, the calling sinners to repentance) “to His Majesty’s gaol and castle of York; suspected,” said the precept, “ of being a spy among us, and a dangerous man to the person and government of His Majesty King George.” God avert the omen I I fear this is no presage either of the repentance or deliverance of our poor nation 18.

(4.) But we cannot with a good conscience neglect the pre sent opportunity of saving souls while we live, for fear of conse quences which may possibly or probably happen after we are dead. BRIsrol, THURSDAY, August 1st, 1745 THE following persons being met together at the New-Room, in Bristol; John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Thomas Richards, Samuel Larwood, Thomas Meyrick, Richard Moss, John Slocombe, Herbert Jenkins, and Marmaduke Gwynne; it was proposed to review the Minutes of the last Conference with regard to justification. And it was asked: Q. 1. How comes what is written on this subject to be so intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself; or, from the fault or weakness of those who have generally treated of it? A. We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the mature of the subject; but, perhaps, partly from hence, that the devil peculiarly labours to perplex a subject of the greatest importance; and partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it? Q. 2. We affirm, faith in Christ is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? yea, and, supposing there be opportunity for them, fruits or works meet for repentance? A. Without doubt they do. Q. 3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justi fication? Is not this a mere strife of words? But is it worth while to continue a dispute on the term condition? A. It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so the abuse cease, let the use remain. Q. 4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter’s “Aphorisms concerning Justification?” A. By all means. Which were accordingly read. And it was desired, that each person present would in the afternoon consult the scriptures cited therein, and bring what objections might occur the next morning. FRIDAY, August 2d, THE QUESTION was PROPosED:-- Q. 1. Is a sense of God’s pardoning love absolutely necessary to our being in his favour? Or may there be some exempt cases? A. We dare not say there are not. Q. 2. Is it necessary to inward and outward holiness? A. We incline to think it is. Q. 3. Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? sup pose in a Papist; or a Quaker; or, in general, among those who never heard it preached? A.

(3) Choose some of the weightiest points, and try if they understand them. As, “Do you believe you have sin in you? What does sin deserve? What remedy has God provided for guilty, helpless sinners?” (4.) Often with the question suggest the answer. As, “What is repentance? Sorrow for sin, or a conviction that we are guilty, helpless sinners.” “What is faith? A divine convic tion of things not seen.” (5.) Where you perceive they do not understand the stress of your question, lead them into it by other questions. For instance, you ask, “How do you think your sins will be par doned?” They answer, “By repenting and amending my life.” You ask farther, “But will your amendment make satisfac tion for your past sins?” They will answer, “I hope so, or I know not what will.” One would think, these had no know ledge of Christ at all. And some have not. But others have ; and give such answers, only because they do not understand the scope of the question. Ask them farther, “Can you be saved without the death of Christ?” They immediately say, “No.” And if you ask, “What has he suffered for you?” they will say, “He shed his blood for us.” But many cannot express even what they have some conception of; no, not even when expressions are put into their mouths. With these you are to deal exceeding tenderly, lest they be discouraged. (6.) If you perceive them troubled, that they cannot answer, step in yourself, and take the burden off them; answering the question yourself. And do it thoroughly and plainly, making a full explication of the whole business to them. (7.) When you have tried their knowledge, proceed to in struct them, according to their several capacities. If a man understand the fundamentals, speak what you perceive he most needs, either explaining farther some doctrines, or some duty, or showing him the necessity of something which he neglects. If he still understands not, go over it again till he does. (8.) Next inquire into his state, whether convinced or uncon vinced, converted or unconverted. Tell him, if need be, what conversion is; and then renew and enforce the inquiry. (9.) If unconverted, labour with all your power to bring his heart to a sense of his condition. Set this home with a more earnest voice than you spoke before.

Therefore, instead of, “He may not know that he has peace with God till long after,” it should be, (to agree with Michael Linner’s words,) “He may not have, till long after, the full assurance of faith, which excludes all doubt and fear.” “I believe a man is justified at the same time that he is born of God. “And he that is born of God sinneth not. “Which deliverance from sin he cannot have, without knowing that he has it.” “Yet I believe he may not know it till long after.” This also I utterly deny. “I believe, that Christ ‘formed in us” ought to be insisted on, as necessary to our justification.” I no more believe this than Christian David does, whose words concerning it are these:-- “It pleased God to show me, that Christ in us, and Christ for us, ought to be both insisted on. “But I clearly saw we ought not to insist on any thing we feel, any more than any thing we do, as if it were necessary previous to our justification. “And before a man can cKpect to be justified, he should be humble and penitent, and have a broken and contrite heart, that is, should have Christ formed in him.” No; that is quite another thing. I believe every man is penitent before he is justified; he repents before he believes the gospel. But it is never before he is justified, that Christ is formed in him. “And that this penitence and contrition is the work of the Holy Ghost. “Yet I believe that all this is nothing towards, and has no influence on, our justification.” Christian David’s words are, “Observe, this is not the foun dation. It is not this by which (for the sake of which) you are justified. This is not the righteousness, this is no part of the righteousness, by which you are reconciled to God. You grieve for your sins; you are deeply humbled; your heart is broken. Well; but all this is nothing to your justifieation.” The words immediately following fix the sense of this otherwise exceptionable sentence. “The remission of your sins is not owing to this cause, either in whole or in part. Your humilia tion has no influence on that.” Not as a cause; so the very last words explain it.

We shall not put off these, but with our bodies. But if you mean, it does not promise entire freedom from sin, in its pro per sense, or from committing sin; this is by no means true, unless the Scriptures be false. For thus it is written, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, unless he lose the Spirit of adoption, if not finally, yet for a while, as did this child of God: For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. He cannot sin, so long as he keepeth himself; for then the wicked one toucheth him not.’” The question is not, whether this be right or wrong; but whether it contradict any thing I have said elsewhere. Thrice I have spoken expressly on this subject, --in a sermon, and in two prefaces. If in any of these I have contradicted what I said before, I will own the former assertion as a mistake. To “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.” (1 Kings xx. 11.) 1. MY first desire and prayer to God is, that I may live peaceably with all men: My next, that if I must dispute at all, it may be with a man of understanding. Thus far, therefore, I rejoice on the present occasion. I rejoice also in that I have confidence of your sincerity, of your real desire to promote the glory of God, by peace and good-will among men. I am like wise thankful to God for your calm manner of writing; (a few paragraphs excepted;) and yet more for this, -that such an opponent should, by writing in such a manner, give me an opportunity of explaining myself on those very heads whereon I wanted an occasion so to do. 2. I do not want, indeed, (though perhaps you think I do) to widen the breach between us, or to represent the difference of the doctrines we severally teach as greater than it really is. So far from it, that I earnestly wish there were none at all; or, if there must be some, that it may be as small as possible; being fully persuaded, that, could we once agree in doctrines, other differences would soon fall to the ground. 3.

Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repent ance I mean, conviction of sin, producing real desires and sin cere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repent ance, forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. But these I cannot, as yet, term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” (Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, pp. 46, 47.) 2. “Faith, in general, is a divine, supernatural exeyxos (evi dence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justi fying faith implies, not only a divine exeryxos that God “was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,” but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.” (Ibid. p. 48.) Now, it being allowed, that both inward and outward holi ness are the stated conditions of final justification, what more can you desire, who have hitherto opposed justification by faith alone merely upon a principle of conscience, because you was zealous for holiness and good works? Do I not effectually secure these from contempt, at the same time that I defend the doctrines of the Church? I not only allow, but vehemently contend, that none shall ever enter into glory, who is not holy on earth, as well in heart as “in all manner of conversation.” I cry aloud, “Let all that have believed, be careful to main tain good works;” and, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from all iniquity.” I exhort even those who are conscious they do not believe, “Cease to do evil, learn to do well. The kingdom of heaven is at hand; ” therefore, “repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” Are not these directions the very same, in substance, which you your self would give to persons so circumstanced? 3. “Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works as you, think I have allowed you too much.

“Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works as you, think I have allowed you too much. Nay, my brethren, but how can we help allowing it, if we allow the Scriptures to be from God? For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, ‘Without holiness no man shall see the Lord?’ And how then, without fighting about words, can we deny, that holi ness is a condition of final acceptance? And as to the first acceptance or pardon, does not all experience as well as Scrip ture prove, that no man ever yet truly believed the gospel who did not first repent? Repentance therefore we cannot deny to be necessarily previous to faith. Is it not equally undeniable, that the running back into wilful, known sin (suppose it were drunkenness or uncleanness) stifles that repentance or convic tion? And can that repentance come to any good issue in his soul, who resolves not to forgive his brother? or who obsti nately refrains from what God convinces him is right, whether it be prayer or hearing his word? Would you scruple your self to tell one of these, “Unto him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not,’ that is, uses it not, “shall be taken even that which he hath?’ Would you scruple to say this? But in saying this, you allow all which I have said, viz., that previous to justifying faith, there must be repentance, and, if opportunity permit, “fruits meet for repentance.” “And yet I allow you this, that although both repentance and the fruits thereof are in some sense necessary before justification, yet neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of the word,) he is justified, his sins are blotted out, “his faith is counted to him for righteousness. But it is not so, at whatever moment he repents, or brings forth any or all the fruits of repentance. Faith alone therefore justifies; which repentance alone does not; much less any outward work. And consequently, none of these are necessary to jus tification, in the same degree with faith. “No in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith.

For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proxi mately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is neces sary to the increase or continuance of repentance.* And even in this sense, these are only necessary on supposition,--if there be time and opportunity for them; for in many instances there is not ; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance: So that the general proposition is not overthrown, but clearly established, by these concessions; and we conclude still, that faith alone is the proximate condition of justification.” 4. This is what I hold concerning justification. I am next briefly to observe what you object. “If faith,” say you, “is the sole condition of justification, then it is our sole duty.” (Remarks, p. 25.) I deny the consequence. Faith may be, in the sense above described, the sole condition of justification; and yet not only repentance be our duty before, but all obedi ence after, we believe. . You go on : “If good works are not conditions of our justi fication,they are not conditions of our (final) salvation.” (Page 25.) I deny the consequence again. Good works, properly so called, cannot be the conditions of justification; because it * See this glaring misprint of one of the earliest editions corrected by Mr. Wes ley himself in a subsequent part of this volume, page 428.--EDIT. is impossible to do any good work before we are justified. And yet, notwithstanding, good works may be, and are, conditions of final salvation. For who will say it is impossible to do any good work before we are finally saved? You proceed: “Can we be saved in the contemptuous neg lect of repentance, prayer,” &c.? (Page 26.) No, nor justified neither; but while they are previous to faith, these are not allowed to be good works. You afterwards argue from my own concessions, thus: “Your notion of true stillness is, ‘a patient waiting upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law, and the works of his commandments. But how is it possible to reconcile to this, the position, that these duties are not conditions of our justification? If we are justified without them, we may be saved without them.

If we are justified without them, we may be saved without them. This conse quence cannot be too often repeated.” (Page 26.) Let it be repeated ever so often, it is good for nothing. For, far other qualifications are required in order to our standing before God in glory, than were required in order to his giving us faith and pardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required, but repentance, or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it is indispensably required, that we be fully “cleansed from all sin;” that the “very God of peace sanctify us wholly,” eventoto ÖAok\mpov judov, “our entire body, soul, and spirit.” It is not necessary, therefore, (norindeed possible,) that we should, before justification, “patiently wait upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law.” And yet it is necessary, in the highest degree, that we should thus wait upon him after justification: Otherwise, how shall we be “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light?” 5. Soon after, you add: “In the passages last cited, you plead for the necessity of a good life: But in others, the force of your principles shows itself. An answer approved by you, is, ‘My heart is desperately wicked; but I have no doubt or fear; I know my Saviour loves me, and I love him. Both these particulars are impossible, if the Scripture be true.” (Page 29.) You amaze me ! Is it possible you should be ignorant that your own heart is desperately wicked? Yet I dare not say, either that God does not love you, or that you do not love him. “Again: You say, you described the state of those who have forgiveness of sins, but not a clean heart;” (page 30;) not in the full, proper sense. Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, “still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.” “In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him, you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure.

Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, “still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.” “In another place, after having observed that “sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him, you go on: “But fear not, though you have an evil heart; yet a little while, and you shall be endued with power from on high, whereby ye may purify yourselves, even as he is pure. Sinners, if they believe this, may be quite secure, and imagine they have nothing to fear, though they continue in their iniquities. For God’s sake, Sir, speak out. If they that have an evil heart have not, who has reason to fear?” (Page 31.) All who have not dominion over sin; all who continue in their iniquities. You, for one, if any sin has dominion over you. If so, I testify against you this day, (and you will not be quite secure, if you believeme) “The wrath of God abideth on you!” “What do you mean by, “sin remains in one that is justi fied?” that he is guilty of any known, wilful, habitual sin?” (Page 32.) Judge by what is gone before:--I mean the same as our Church means by, “sin remains in the regenerate.” 6. You proceed to another passage, which in the Journal stands thus: “After we had wandered many years in the new path of salvation by faith and works, about two years ago it pleased God to show us the old way of salvation by faith only. And many soon tasted of this salvation, being justified freely, having peace with God, ‘rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and having “his love shed abroad in their hearts.” (Vol. I. p. 275.) Thus I define what I mean by this salvation, viz., “righteous ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” But you object, “Here you deny the necessity of good works in order to salvation.” (Remarks, p. 33.) I deny the necessity, may, possibility, of good works, as previous to this salvation; as previous to faith or those fruits of faith, “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” This is my real sentiment, not a slip of my pen, neither any proof of my want of accuracy. 7.

I desire leave to cite part of that passage again, that we may come as near each other as possible. I would just subjoin a few words on each head, which I hope may remove more difficulties out of the way:-- “That justification, whereof our Articles and Homilie speak, means present pardon, and acceptance with God; who therein ‘declares his righteousness, or mercy, “by” or ‘for the remission of sins that are past.’” I say, past : For I cannot find anything in the Bible of the remission of sins, past, present, and to come. “I believe the condition of this is faith; I mean, not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also, that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified.” You take the word condition in the former sense only, as that without which we cannot be justified. In this sense of the word, I think we may allow, that there are several conditions of justification. “Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification; which implies a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart.” Yet such a course is, without doubt, absolutely necessary to our continuance in a state of justification. “It is allowed, that repentance and “fruits meet for repent ance’ go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance,’ forgiving our brother, ceasing from evil, doing good, using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measureof grace which we have received. But these I cannot as yet term good works, because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” Although the same works are then good, when they are performed by “those who have believed.” “Faith, in general, is a divine supernatural exeyxos (evidence or conviction) of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies not only a divine exeyxos, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me.

Justifying faith implies not only a divine exeyxos, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me. And the moment a penitent sinner thus believes, God pardons and absolves him.” I say, a penitent sinner; because justifying faith cannot exist without previous repentance. “Yet, although both repentance, and the fruits thereof, are in some sense necessary before justification, neither the one nor the other is necessary in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith. Not in the same degree. For in whatever moment a man believes, (in the Christian sense of the word,) he is justified. But it is not so at whatever moment he repents, or brings forth any, or all, the fruits of repentance. Consequently, none of these are necessary to justification, in the same degree with faith. “Nor in the same sense. For none of these has so direct, immediate a relation to justification as faith. This is proxi mately necessary thereto; repentance remotely, as it is neces sary to faith.” (So the error of the press is to be corrected.) “And the fruits of repentance still more remotely, as they are necessary to the increase or continuance of repentance. And even in this sense, they are only necessary on supposition,-- if there be time and opportunity for them. For in many instances there is not; but God cuts short his work, and faith prevents the fruits of repentance.” 2. Thus far I believe we are nearly agreed. But on those words, “Far other qualifications are required, in order to our standing before God in glory, than were required in order to his giving us faith and pardon; in order to this, nothing is indis pensably required, but repentance, or conviction of sin; but in order to the other, it is indispensably required, that we be fully cleansed from all sin;” you remark, “Here, I apprehend, are two great mistakes: (1) You make too little necessary before pardon. (2.) Too much afterward. You confine repentance within too narrow limits, and extend holiness beyond its just bounds. “First. By repentance you mean only conviction of sin. But this is a very partial account of it.

The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself. That repentance or conviction of sin, which is always pre vious to faith, (either in a higher or lower degree, as it pleases God,) we describe in words to this effect:-- “When men feel in themselves the heavy burden of sin, see damnation to be the reward of it, behold with the eye of their mind the horror of hell; they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto him for mercy. This being done seriously, their mind is so occupied, partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart, and loathing of all worldly things and pleasure comethin place. So that nothing them liketh them more, than to weep, to lament, to mourn; and both with words and behaviour of body to show themselves weary of life.” Now, permit me to ask, What, if, before you had observed that these were the very words of our own Church, one of your acquaintance or parishioners had come and told you, that ever since he heard a sermon at the Foundery, he “saw damnation” before him, “and beheld with the eye of his mind the horror of hell?” What, if he had “trembled and quaked,” and been so taken up “partly with sorrow and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from the danger of hell and damnation,” as to “weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behaviour to show himself weary of life?” Would you have scrupled to say, “Here is another ‘deplorable in stance’ of the ‘Methodists driving men to distraction l’ See, “into what excessive terrors, frights, doubts, and perplexities, they throw weak and well-meaning men quite oversetting their understandings and judgments, and making them liable to all these miseries.’” I dare not refrain from adding one plain question, which I beseech you to answer, not to me, but to God: Have you ever experienced this repentance yourself? Did you ever “feel in yourself that heavy burden of sin?” of sin in general, more especially, inward sin; of pride, anger, lust, vanity?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, AN ANswer. To DR TAYLOR’s suPPLEMENT. SECTION I. Of Imputed Guilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314. II. Of the Nature and Design of our Afflic tions and Mortality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317 State University of Iowa Ll BRARIES vi CONTENTS Page. SECTION III. The Argument taken from the Cala- £ mities and Sinfulness of Mankind, considered . . . . 320 IV. Some Consequences of the Doctrine of Original Sin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 - V. A General Argument taken from what God has declared concerning Mankind, at the Restoration of the World after the Deluge . . . . . . . 328 VI. The notion of Adam's being a Federal Head, or Representative of Mankind, considered .. 332 -- VII. Of the Formation of our Nature in the Womb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334. VIII. Of Original Righteousness. . . . . . . . 339 HIs APOSTASY FROM GoD 2- ESSAY SECOND. THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397 WINDICATED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 MR. BosTON’s FOURFold stATE or MAN. . . . . . . . . . 43.4 A Letter to the Rev. John Taylor, D.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 An Extract of a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Law. . . . . . . . . ... 466 Thoughts upon Jacob Behmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

But what is it you are endeavouring to prove? Quorsum haec tam putida tendant * * The paragraph seems to point at me. But the plain, natural tendency of it is, to invalidate that great argument for Christi anity which is drawn from the constancy of the martyrs. Have you not here also spoken a little too plain? Had you not better have kept the mask on a little longer? Indeed, you lamely add, “The solid and just comforts which a true martyr receives from above are groundlessly applied to the counterfeit.” But this is not enough even to save appear ancéS. 18. You subjoin a truly surprising thought: “It may more over be observed, that both ancient and modern enthusiasts always take care to secure some advantage by their sufferings.” (Page 40.) O rare enthusiasts ! So they are not such fools neither as they are vulgarly supposed to be. This is just of a piece with the “cunning epileptic demoniacs,” in your other performance. And do not you think, (if you would but speak all that is in your heart, and let us into the whole secret,) that there was a compact, likewise, between Bishop Hooper and his executioner, as well as between the ventriloquist and the exorcist? But what “advantage do they take care to secure?” a good salary? a handsome fortune? No; quite another matter; “free communications with God, and fuller manifestations of his goodness.” (Ibid.) I dare say, you do not envy them, no * Thus translated from the Latin of Horace by Francis : “Whither tends This putid stuff?”--EDIT. more than you do those “self-interested enthusiasts” of old who “were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” 19. You proceed to prove my enthusiasm from my notions of conversion. And here great allowances are to be made, because you are talking of things quite out of your sphere; you are got into an unknown world! Yet you still talk as magisterially as if you was only running down the Fathers of the primitive Church. And, First, you say, I “represent conversion as sudden and instantaneous.” (Ibid.) Soft and fair! Do you know what conversion is? (A term, indeed, which I very rarely use, because it rarely occurs in the New Testament.) “Yes; it is to “start up perfect men at once.’” (Page 41.) Indeed, Sir, it is not.

You add, “He owns his frequent relapses into sin, for near twice ten years. Such is the case of a person who tells us that he carefully considered every step he took; one of inti mate communication with the Deity l’” Sir, I did not tell you that; though, according to custom, you mark the words as mine. It is well for you, that forging quotations is not felony. My words are, “O what an hypocrite have I been (if this be so) for near twice ten years! But I know it is not so. I know every one under the law is even as I was;” namely, from the time I was twelve years old, till considerably above thirty. “And is it strange,” you say, “that such a one should be destitute of means to resolve his scruples? should be ever at variance with himself, and find no place to fix his foot?” Good Sir, not too fast. You quite outrun the truth again. Blessed be God, this is not my case. I am not destitute of means to resolve my scruples. I have some friends, and a little reason left. I am not ever at variance with myself; and have found a place to fix my foot -- Now I have found the ground wherein Firm my soul's anchor may remain; The wounds of Jesus, for my sin Before the world's foundation slain. And yet one of your assertions I cannot deny; namely, that you “could run the parallel between me and numbers of fanatical Papists: ” And that not only with regard to my temper, but my stature, complexion, yea, (if need were,) the very colour of my hair. 15. In your next section, you are to give an account of the “spiritual succours and advantages received either during these trials or very soon after.” (Section x. p. 92, &c.) It is no wonder you make as lame work with these, as with the conflicts which preceded them. “As the heart knoweth its own bitterness, so a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.” But it is no business of mine, as you have not done me the honour to cite any of my words in this section. 16. “The unsteadiness of the Methodists, both in senti ments and practice,” (section xi. p. 95, &c.,) is what you next undertake to prove.

Had you only taken the trouble of reading one tract, the “Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,” you would have seen that a great part of what you affirm is what I never denied. To put this beyond dispute, I beg leave to transcribe some passages from that treatise; which will show not only what I teach now, but what I have taught for many years. I will afterward simply and plainly declare wherein I as yet differ from you: And the rather, that if I err therein, you may, by God’s assistance, convince me of it. I. 1. “Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. (Matt. xii. 37.) But this is altogether out of the present question; that justification whereof our Articles and Homilies speak, meaning present forgiveness, pardon of sins, and, consequently, acceptance with God; who therein ‘declares his righteousness’ (or mercy, by or) “for the remission of the sins that are past; saying, ‘I will be merciful to thy unrighteousness, and thine iniquities I will remember no more.” (Rom. iii. 25; Heb. viii. 12.) “I believe the condition of this is faith. (Rom. iv. 5, &c.) I mean, not only, that without faith we cannot be justified; but also, that as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. “Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it: (Luke vi. 43:) Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart. But it is allowed, that entire sanctification goes before our justification at the last day. (Heb. xii. 14.) “It is allowed, also, that repentance, and ‘fruits meet for repentance, go before faith. (Mark i. 15; Matt. iii. 8.) Repent ance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, pro ducing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by “fruits meet for repentance, forgiving our brother; (Matt. vi. 14, 15;) ceasing from evil, doing good; (Luke iii. 8, 9, &c.;) using the ordinances of God, and, in general, obeying him according to the measure of grace which we have received. (Matthew vii. 7; xxv. 29.) But these I cannot as yet term good works; because they do not spring from faith and the love of God.” (Farther Appeal. Vol. VIII. pp. 46, 47.) 2.

John : “He that doeth righteousness is righteous.’” I do not see that this proves anything. “And again: “If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, then have we communion with him, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’” (1 John i. 7.) This would prove something, if it could be proved, that “cleansing us from all sin” meant only justification. “The Scriptures insist upon the necessity of repentance, in particular, for that purpose. But repentance comprehends compunction, humiliation, hatred of sin, confession of it, prayer for mercy, ceasing from evil, a firm purpose to do well, restitution of ill-got goods, forgiveness of all who have done us wrong, and works of beneficence.” (Pages 11, 12.) I believe it does.comprehend all these, either as parts or as fruits of it: And it comprehends “the fear” but not “the love of God,” that flows from a higher principle. And he who loves God is not barely in the right way to justification: He is actually justified. The rest of the paragraph asserts just the same thing which was asserted in those words: “Previous to justifying faith must be repentance, and, if opportunity permits, “fruits meet for repent ance.’” But still I must observe, that “neither the one nor the other is necessary, either in the same sense, or in the same degree, with faith.” No scripture testimony can be produced, which any way contradicts this. 2. “That works are a necessary condition of our justification, may be proved, Secondly, from scripture examples; particu larly those recited in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. These all “through faith wrought righteousness; without working righteousness, they had never obtained the promises.” (Page 13.) I say the same thing: None are finally saved, but those whose faith “worketh by love.” “Even in the thief upon the cross, faith was attended by repentance, piety, and charity.” It was; repentance went be fore his faith; piety and charity accompanied it. “Therefore, he was not justified by faith alone.” Our Church, adopting the words of St. Chrysostom, expressly affirms, in the passage above cited, he was justified by faith alone. And her authority ought to weigh more than even that of Bishop Bull, or of any single man whatever. Authority, be pleased to observe, I plead against authority; reason against reason.

The language of these, the carriage of those, is so provoking; otherwise you should be happy enough. True; if both you and they were wise and virtuous. Mean while, neither the vices of your family, nor your own, will suffer you to rest. Look out of your own doors: “Is there any evil in the city, and” sin “hath not done it?” Is there any misfortune or misery to be named, whereof it is not either the direct or remote occasion? Why is it that the friend or relation for whom you are so tenderly concerned is involved in so many troubles? Have not you done your part toward making them happy? Yes, but they will not do their own: One has no management, no frugality, or no industry; another is too fond of pleasure. If he is not what is called scandalously vicious, he loves wine, women, or gaming. And to what does all this amount? He might be happy; but sin will not suffer it. Perhaps you will say, “Nay, he is not in fault; he is both frugal and diligent; but he has fallen into the hands of those who have imposed upon his good-nature.” Very well; but still sin is the cause of his misfortunes; only it is another's, not his own. If you inquire into the troubles under which your neigh bour, your acquaintance, or one you casually talk with, labours, still you will find the far greater part of them arise from some fault, either of the sufferer or of others; so that still sin is at the root of trouble, and it is unholiness which causes unhappiness. And this holds as well with regard to families, as with re gard to individuals. Many families are miserable through want. They have not the conveniences, if the necessaries, of life. Why have they not? Because they will not work: Were they diligent, they would want nothing. Or, if not idle, they are wasteful; they squander away, in a short time, what might have served for many years. Others, indeed, are diligent and frugal too; but a treacherous friend, or a malicious enemy, has ruined them; or they groan under the hand of the oppressor; or the extortioner has entered into their labours. You see, then, in all these cases, want (though in various ways) is the effect of sin.

The second scripture you cite is Gen. iii., from verse 7 to 24. (Pages 9, 10.) On this you observe: Here “we have some consequences of our first parents’ sin before God judged them; some appointed by his judicial sentence; and some which happened after that sentence was pronounced.” (Page 11.) “Immediately upon their transgression, they were seized with shame and fear. Guilt will always be attended with shame. And a state of guilt is often in Scripture expressed by being naked. Moses ‘saw that the people were naked; for Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies.” (Exod. xxxii. 25.)” Certainly, naked does not mean guilty here; but either stripped of their ornaments, (xxxiii. 5, 6) or of their swords, or their upper garment. “Thy nakedness shall be uncovered; yea, thy shame shall be seen.” (Isaiah xlvii. 3.) (Page 12.) Here also nakedness does not mean guilt; but is to be taken literally, as mani festly appears from the words immediately preceding: “Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.” (Verse 2.) And, “Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his gar ments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev. xvi. 15.) The plain meaning is, lest he lose the graces he has received, and so be ashamed before men and angels. “Their fear is described: “Adam and his wife hid them selves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Gen. iii. 8.) They had no such fear while they were innocent; but now they were afraid to stand before their Judge.” (Page 13.) This is all you can discern in the Mosaic account as the consequence of our first parents’ sin, before God judged them. Mr. Hervey discerns something more. I make no apology for transcribing some of his words: “Adam violated the precept, and, as the nervous original expresses it, “died the death.’ He before possessed a life incomparably more excellent than that which the beasts en joy. He possessed a divine life, consisting, according to the Apostle, “in knowledge, in righteousness, and true holi ness.’ This, which was the distinguishing glory of his na ture, in the day that he ate the forbidden fruit was extinct. “His understanding, originally enlightened with wisdom, was clouded with ignorance. His heart, once warmed with heavenly love, became alienated from God his Maker.

Call it by what name you please. But “punishment always connotes guilt.” (Page 21.) It always connotes sin and suffering; and here are both. Adam sinned; his posterity suffer; and that, in consequence of his sin. But “sufferings are benefits to us.” Doubtless; but this does not hinder their being punishments. The pain I suffer as a punishment for my own sins may be a benefit to me, but it is a punishment nevertheless. But “as they two only were guilty of the first sin, so no other but they two only could be conscious of it as their sin.” (Page 14.) No other could be conscious of it as their sin, in the same sense as Adam and Eve were; and yet others may “charge it upon themselves * in a different sense, so as to judge themselves “children of wrath” on that account. To sum up this point in Dr. Jennings's words: “If there be anything in this argument, that Adam’s posterity could not be justly punishable for his transgression, because it was his personal act and not theirs, it must prove universally, that it is unjust to punish the posterity of any man for his personal crimes. And yet most certain it is, that God has in other cases actually punished men’s sins on their posterity. Thus the posterity of Canaan, the son of Ham, is punished with slavery for his sin. (Gen. ix. 25, 27.) Noah pronounced the curse under a divine afflatus, and God confirmed it by his providence. So we do in fact suffer for Adam's sin, and that too by the sentence inflicted on our first parents. We suffer death in consequence of their transgression. Therefore we are, in some sense, guilty of their sin. I would ask, What is guilt, but an obligation to suffer punishment for sin? Now since we suffer the same penal evil which God threatened to, and inflicted on, Adam for his sin; and since it is allowed, we suffer this for Adam’s sin, and that by the sentence of God, appointing all men to die, because Adam sinned; is not the consequence evident? Therefore we are all some way guilty of Adam’s sin.” (Jennings’s Vindication.) 6. “The consequences appointed by the judicial sentence of God are found in that pronounced on the serpent, or the woman, or the man.” (Page 15.) “The serpent is cursed, Gen. iii.

You have not yet proved that “death throughout this passage means only the death of the body.” This flaw is not amended by your observing that St. Paul was a Jew, and wrote to Jews as well as Gentiles; that he often uses Hebrew idioms; and that “the Hebrew word which signi fies to be a sinner, in Hiphil signifies to condemn, or make (that is, declare) a man a sinner by a judicial sentence;” that you can, by the help of your Concordance, “produce fifteen Hebrew texts, in which the word is so taken :” (Pages 31, 32:) For if it would follow from hence, that, “By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation,” is just equivalent with, “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners;” still this does not prove that the death in question is no other than temporal death. But indeed it does not follow, that two expressions are just equivalent, because one Hebrew word may contain them both; nor can it, therefore, be inferred from hence, that, “Many were made sinners,” is just equivalent with, “Judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” Rather, the former expres sion answers to “All have sinned;” the latter, to “Death passed upon all men.” Sin is the cause of their condemnation, and not the same thing with it. You go on : “Besides all this, it is here expressly affirmed, that the many are ‘made sinners’ by the disobedience of another man.” (Page 33.) It is expressly affirmed; and by an inspired Apostle; therefore I firmly believe it. “But they can be made sinners by the disobedience of another in no other sense than as they are sufferers.” (Page 34.) How is this proved ? We grant the Hebrew words for sin and iniquity are often used to signify suffering. But this does not prove that the phrase, “Were made sinners,” signifies only, they were made sufferers. “So ‘Christ was made sin for us.” (Page 35.) No.; not so, but as he was “made an offering for sin.” “He suffered on account of the sins of men, and so he ‘was made sin.” Yes, “a sin-offering.” But it is never said, he was made a sinner; therefore the expressions are not parallel. But he need not have been made sin at all, if we had not been made sinners by Adam.

But he need not have been made sin at all, if we had not been made sinners by Adam. “And men suffer on account of Adam’s sin, and so they are made sinners.” Are they made sinners so only * That remains to be proved. “It seems then confirmed, beyond all doubt, that ‘by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, meaneth only, By Adam’s sin, the many, that is, all mankind, ‘were made subject to death.” He that will believe it (taking death in the common sense) may; but you have not confirmed it by one sound argument. 250 Tille DoCTRINE OF 11. You affirm, (4.) “The Apostle draws a comparison between Adam and Christ; between what Adam did, with the consequences of it, and what Christ did, with the consequences of that. And this comparison is the main thing he has in view.” (Page 36.) This is true. “The comparison begins at the twelfth verse: ‘Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,”--there he stops awhile, and brings an argument to prove, that death came on mankind through Adam’s trans gression.” (Pages 37, 38.) He does so; but not before he had finished his sentence, which literally runs thus: “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, even so death passed upon all men, in that all had sinned.” The comparison, therefore, between Adam and Christ begins not at the twelfth but the fourteenth verse. Of this you seem sensible yourself, when you say, “Adam is the ‘pattern of Him that was to come.’ Here a new thought starts into the Apostle's mind.” (Page 39.) For it was not a new thought starting into his mind here, if it was the same which he began to express at the twelfth verse. You proceed: “The extent of the free gift in Christ answers to the extent of the consequences of Adam’s sin; nay, abounds far beyond them. This he incidentally handles, verses 15-17, and then resumes his main design, verses 18, 19, half of which he had executed in the twelfth verse.” Not one jot of it. That verse is a complete sentence, not half of one only.

5. Their Fourth proposition is, “The sinfulness of that state into which man fell consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin; the want of that righteousness wherein he was created; and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indis posed, disabled, and made opposite to all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to evil, and that continually; which is commonly called original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.” On the first article of this you say, “Adam’s first sin was attended with consequences which affect all his posterity. But we could not, on account of his sin, become obnoxious to punishment.” (Page 99.) By punishment I mean evil, suffered on account of sin. And are we not obnoxious to any evil on account of Adam’s sin? To prove the rest of the proposition, they cite first, Rom. iii. 10-20. On which you remark, “The Apostle is here speaking of Jews and Gentiles, not in a personal, but in a national, capacity. “The mouth, says he, of all sorts of peo ple is ‘stopped, and both Jews and Gentiles are brought in guilty; for I have proved that there are transgressors among the Jews, as well as among the Gentiles.” (Page 102.) Not at all. If he proved no more than this, not one person would “become guilty before God.” Not one “mouth” of Jew or Gentile would “be stopped,” by showing, “there were Jewish as well as Heathen transgressors.” I proceed to your observations:-- (1) “In this whole section there is not one word of Adam.” There is enough in the next chapter but one. The Apostle first describes the effect, and afterwards point out the cause. (2.) “He is here speaking, not of all men, but of the Jews; of those alone who were “under the law,’ (verse 19,) and proving from their own writings that there were great cor ruptions among them as well as other people.” (Page 103.) He is speaking of them chiefly; but not of them only, as appears from the ninth verse: “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: As it is written, There is none righteous,” (neither among the Jews nor Gen tiles,) “no, not one.” Does this respect them in their na tional only, not personal, capacity?

10. The preceding texts were brought to prove (and they do abundantly prove it) that our nature is deeply corrupted, inclined to evil, and disinclined to all that is spiritually good; so that, without supernatural grace, we can neither will nor do what is pleasing to God. And this easily accounts for the wickedness and misery of mankind in all ages and nations; whereby experience and reason do so strongly confirm this scriptural doctrine of original sin. Yet it will not “follow, that men are no moral agents.” (Page 125.) If you ask, “Why, how are they capable of per forming duty?” I answer, By grace; though not by nature. And a measure of this is given to all men. Nor does it follow, “that we can by no means help or hinder that sin which is natural to us.” Yes, we can. Anger, for instance, is natural to me; yea, irregular, unreasonable anger. I am naturally inclined to this, as I experience every day. Yet I can help it, by the grace of God; and do so, as long as I watch and pray. Dr. Jennings answers this assertion more at large: “‘If sin be natural, then it is necessary.” If by sin is meant the corrupt bias of our wills, that indeed is natural to us, as our nature is corrupted by the fall; but not as it came originally out of the hand of God. Therefore it is improperly com pared to the appetites of hunger and thirst, which might be in our original nature. Now, this bias of the will is certainly evil and sinful, and hateful to God; whether we have con tracted it ourselves, or whether we derive it from Adam, makes no difference. A proud or passionate temper is evil, whether a man has contracted it himself, or derived it from his parents. Therefore the inference, “if natural and’ (in some sense) ‘necessary, then no sin, does by no means hold. “But if by sin be meant sinful actions, to which this cor rupt bias of the will inclines us; it remains to be proved, that a corrupt bias of the will makes the actions necessary, and, consequently, not sinful.

“But if by sin be meant sinful actions, to which this cor rupt bias of the will inclines us; it remains to be proved, that a corrupt bias of the will makes the actions necessary, and, consequently, not sinful. And, indeed, if a corrupt bias makes sin to be necessary, and, consequently, to be no sin, then the more any man is inclined to sin, the less sin he can commit; and as that corrupt bias grows stronger, his actual sinning becomes more necessary: And so the man, instead of growing more wicked, grows more innocent.” (Jennings's Windication, p. 68, &c.) 11. That this doctrine has been long “held in the Church of Rome,” (Taylor’s Doctrine, &c., p. 126,) is true. But so it has in the Greek Church also; and, so far as we can learn, in every Church under heaven; at least from the time that God spake by Moses. From this infection of our nature (call it original sin, or what you please) spring many, if not all, actual sins. And this St. James (i. 14) plainly intimates, even according to your para phrase on his words: “‘Every man is tempted, is overcome by temptation, “when he is drawn away by his own lust,”--his own irregular desire; where the Apostle charges the wickedness of men on its proper cause,--their ‘own lust.” Very true. And irregular desire is (not so much a fruit as a) part of original sin. For to say, “Eve had irregular desires before she sinned,” (p. 127) is a contradiction; since all irregular desire is sin. 12. Another proof that actual sins spring from original, is, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Matt. xv. 19.) “But what has this text to do with Adam’s sin?” It has much to do with the point it is brought to prove; namely, that actual sin proceeds from original; evil works, from an evil heart. Do not, therefore, triumph over these venerable men, (as you have done again and again,) because a text cited in proof of one clause of a proposition does not prove the whole. But “neither of those texts proves that all our wickedness proceeds from our being corrupted by Adam’s sin.” (Page 128.) But they both prove what they were brought to prove,-- that all outward wickedness proceeds from inward wickedness.

But “neither of those texts proves that all our wickedness proceeds from our being corrupted by Adam’s sin.” (Page 128.) But they both prove what they were brought to prove,-- that all outward wickedness proceeds from inward wickedness. Those pious men, therefore, did not mix “the forgery of their own imagination with the truth of God.” But “if all actual transgressions proceed from Adam’s sin, then he is the only guilty person that ever lived. For if his sin is the cause of all ours, he alone is chargeable with them.” True; if all our transgressions so proceed from his sin, that we cannot possibly avoid them. But this is not the case; by the grace of God we may cast away all our trans gressions: Therefore, if we do not, they are chargeable on ourselves. We may live; but we will die. Well, but “on these principles all actual sins proceed from Adam’s sin; either by necessary consequence, or through our own choice; or partly by one, and partly by the other.” (Page 129.) Yes; partly by one, and partly by the other. We are inclined to evil, antecedently to our own choice. By grace we may conquer this inclination; or we may choose to follow it, and so commit actual sin. 13. Their Fifth proposition is, “Original sin is conveyed from our first parents to their posterity by natural genera tion, so as all that proceed from them in that way are con ceived and born in sin.” (Page 130.) In proof of this they urge: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sindid my mother conceive me. (Psalmli.5.)” (Page 131.) On this you observe: “The word which we translate “shapen, signifies to bring forth, or bear. So here it means, ‘Behold, I was brought forth, or born, in iniquity.’” Suppose it does, (which is not plain; for you cannot infer from its meaning so sometimes, that it means so here,) what have you gained? If David was born in iniquity, it is little different from being “shapen” therein. That the Hebrew word does not always mean “to be born,” but rather to be “shapen, formed, or made,” evidently appears 276 ThE DoCTRINE OF from Psalm x.c. 2; where it is applied to the formation of the earth: And in this very text, the Seventy render it by eTAaorém. -a word of the very same import.

Nay, but he means as he speaks. They “are alienated from the life of God,” from the time of their coming into the world. From the time of their birth, they “knew not the way of truth; ” neither can, unless they are “born of God.” You cite as a parallel text, “‘Thou wast called a transgressor from the womb; that is, set to iniquity by prevailing habits and customs.” Nay, the plain meaning is, The Israelites in general had never kept God’s law since they came into the world. Perhaps the phrase, “from the womb,” is once used figura tively, namely, Job xxxi. 18. But it is manifest, that it is to be literally taken, Isaiah xlix. 1 : “The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” For, (1.) This whole passage relates to Christ; these expressions in particular. (2.) This was lite rally fulfilled, when the angel was sent while he was yet in the womb, to order that his “name * should be “called Jesus.” This is not therefore barely “an hyperbolical form of aggravating sin; ” but a humble confession of a deep and weighty truth, whereof we cannot be too sensible. “But you have no manner of ground to conclude, that it relates to Adam’s sin.” (Page 136.) Whether it relates to Adam’s personal sin or no, it relates to a corrupt nature. This is the present question; and your pulling in Adam’s sin only tends to puzzle the reader. But how do you prove (since you will drag this in) that it does not relate to Adam’s sin? Thus: “(1.) In the whole Psalm there is not one word about Adam, or the effects of his sin upon us.” Here, as usual, you blend the two questions together; the ready way to confound an unwary reader. But first, to the first: “In the whole Psalm there is not one word about Adam; therefore it relateth not to him.” Just as well you may argue, “In the whole Psalm there is not oneword about Uriah; there fore it relatethnot to him.” The second assertion, “There is not one word of the effects of his sin,” is a fair begging the question. “(2.) The Psalmist is here charging himself with his own sin.” He is; and tracing it up to the fountain.

“(2.) The Psalmist is here charging himself with his own sin.” He is; and tracing it up to the fountain. “(3.) But according to our version, he does not charge himself with his sin, but some other person. He throws the whole load of his sin from off himself, on God who shaped him, and his mother who conceived him.” What you say might have had weight, if he had offered this in excuse of his sin, or even in extenuation of it. But doe he do this? Does he, in fact, “throw the whole blame, or an part of it, from off himself?” Just the reverse. He acknow ledges and bewails his own total iniquity; not to excus but to abase himself the more before God, for his inward a well as outward wickedness. And yet he might, in perfect consistency with this, whe God had caused “the bones which had been broken to re joice,” cry out, “I will praise thee, O God; for I am fearfull. and wonderfully made; ” yea, and repeat all that follows i the same Psalm; which proves so much, and no more, tha every foetus in the womb is formed by the power and wisdon of God. Yet does it not follow, that the sin transmitte from the parent “must be attributed to God.” (Page 137.) “But how could he with pleasure reflect upon his forma tion, or praise God for it?” As I can at this day; thoug I know I was “conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity. But, “where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. I lose less by Adam, than I gain by Christ. This also perfectly consists with the following verse: “Behold thou desirest truth,” or, It is thy will that we should have truth “in the inward parts;” (page 138;) thou art willing to remov all that “iniquity” wherein “I was shapen;” to “give me clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me;” and in th hidden part thou hast made me to know wisdom; thou has “shown me what was good.” So that I am everyway with out excuse; I knew thy will, and did it not. “But if, after all, you will adhere to the literal sense of thi text, why do you not adhere to the literal sense of that text ‘This is my body, and believe transubstantiation ?” (Ibid.

“But if, after all, you will adhere to the literal sense of thi text, why do you not adhere to the literal sense of that text ‘This is my body, and believe transubstantiation ?” (Ibid. For those very reasons which you suggest: (1.) Because it i grossly absurd, to suppose that Christ speaks of what he the held in his hands, as his real, natural body. But it is nowa, absurd, to suppose the Psalmist was “conceived in sin.” (2. The sense of, “This is my body,” may be clearly explained b. other scriptures, where the like forms of speech are used; bu there are no other scriptures where the like forms with thi of David are used in any other sense. (3.) Transubstantia tion is attended with consequences hurtful to piety; but th doctrine of original sin, and faith grounded thereon, is th only foundation of true piety. 14. The next proof is, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” (Job xiv. 4.) On this you observe: “Job is here speaking of the weak ness of our nature; not with regard to sin, but to the short ness and afflictions of life.” (Page 139.) Certainly, with regard both to the one and the other. For though, in the first and second verses, he mentions the shortness and troubles of life, yet even these are mentioned with a manifest regard to sin. This appears from the very next verse: (Page 140:) “And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one;” to punish one already so wretched? “And bringest me into judgment with thee;” by chastising me still more? It then immediately follows, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” It does therefore by no means appear, that “Job is here speaking only with regard to the shortness and troubles of life.” Part of the following verses too run thus: “Now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?

Taylor understands nothing else but the mere parts and powers of a man; and by “being born of the flesh, the being ‘born of a woman,’ with the constitution and natural powers of a man.” (Jennings's Vindication, p. 78, &c.) Now, let us suppose that human nature is not at all corrupted; and let us try what sense we can make of other scriptures where the word flesh is used in opposition to Spirit, as it is here: “There is no condemnation to them who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;” (Rom. viii. 1;) that is, not after the pure, uncorrupted constitution and powers of man. Again : “They that are in the flesh cannot please God,” (verse&;) that is, they that have the parts and powers of a man. Again: “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;” that is, if ye live suitably to the constitution and powers of your nature. Once more: How shall we understand, “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;” (Gal. v.17;) if flesh means nothing but the pure and uncorrupted powers of human nature? “But this text (John iii. 3) is,” according to Dr. Taylor, “so far from implying any corruption of our nature, that, ‘on the contrary, it supposes we have a nature susceptible of the best habits, and capable of being born of the Spirit.’” (Page 145.) And who ever denied it? Who ever supposed that such a corruption of nature, as for the present disables us for spiritual good, renders us incapable of being “born of the Spirit?” “But if natural generation is the means of conveying a sinful nature from our first parents to their posterity, then must itself be a sinful and unlawful thing.” I deny the consequence. You may transmit to your children a nature tainted with sin, and yet commit no sin in so doing. “Again: We produce one another only as the oak pro duces the acorn. The proper production of a child is from God. But if God produces a foetus which has sinful dispo sitions, he produces those dispositions.” (Page 146.) Your argument proves too much. It would prove God to be the author of all actual as well as original sin.

But this does not amount to a natural propensity to sin.” (Page 186.) But is not pride sin Is not idolatry sin? And is it not idolatry, to “love the creature more than the Creator?” Is not revenge sin? Is it not sin to “look upon a woman,” so as “to lust after her?” And have not all men a natural pro pensity to these things? They have all, then, a natural propensity to sin. Nevertheless, this propensity is not necessary, if by necessary you mean irresistible. We can resist and conquer it too, by the grace which is ever at hand. This propensity to pride, to revenge, to idolatry, (call it taint, or anything,) cannot be pleasing to God, who yet in fact does permit that it should descend from Adam to his latest posterity. And “we can neither help nor hinder” its descending to us. Indeed we can heap up plausible argu ments to prove the impossibility of it: But I feel it, and the argument drops. Bring ever so many proofs that there can be no such thing as motion: I move, and they vanish away. “But nature cannot be morally corrupted, but by the choice of a moral agent.” (Page 187.) You may play upon words as long as you please; but still I hold this fast: I (and you too, whether you will own it or no) am inclined, and was ever since I can remember, antecedently to any choice of my own, to pride, revenge, idolatry. If you will not call these moral corruptions, call them just what you will; but the fact I am as well assured of, as that I have any memory or under standing. “But some have attempted to explain this intricate affair.” (Page 188.) I do not commend their wisdom. I do not attempt to explain even how I, at this moment, stretch out my hand, or move my finger. One more of your assertions I must not pass over “It is absurd to say, infection is derived from Adam, independent of the will of God; and to say, it is by his will, is to make him the author of the pollution.” (Page 189.) We answer: It is not derived from Adam, independent of the will of God; that is, his permissive will. But our allow ing this, does not make him the author of the pollution.

Yet this no way contradicts, what is matter of daily experience, that we have a natural propensity to evil. Nay, the latter of these texts strongly confirms it; for if there be no such propensity, how comes “foolishness” (that is, wickedness, in the language of Solomon) to be “bound in the heart of a child?” of every child, of children in general, as the phrase manifestly imports? It is not from education here: It is sup posed to be antecedent to education, whether good or bad. “O, foolishness means only strong appetite.” (Page 193.) Yes, 296 ThE DOCTRINE OF strong appetite to evil; otherwise it would not call for “the rod of correction,” or need to be “driven far from him.” “Objection 6. Might not Adam's posterity be said to sin in him, as Levi is said to ‘pay tithes in Abraham?’ (Heb. vii. 9.)” If the querist means, not to prove a doctrine already proved, but only to illustrate one expression by another, your answer, that “it is a bold figure,” (page 195) does not at all affect him. It is so; but still it may be pertinently cited to illustrate a similar expression. “Objection 7. “But there is a law in our members which wars against the law of our minds, and brings us into captivity to the law of sin and death.’ (Rom. vii. 23.) And does not this prove, that we come into the world with sinful propensities?” (Page 199.) You answer, (1) “If we come into the world with them, they are natural; but if natural, necessary; and if necessary, then no sin.” (Page 200.) If the consequence were good, with regard to what is so natural and necessary as to be irresistible, yet certainly it is not good with regard to those propensities which we may both resist and conquer. You answer, (2.) “The Apostle does not in this chapter speak of any man as he comes into the world, but as he is afterward depraved and corrupted by his own wicked choice.” Where is the proof? How does it appear that he does not speak of men corrupted both by choice and by nature?

Many passages in your paraphrase on the former part of this chapter are liable to much exception; but as they do not imme diately touch the point in question, Ipass on tothe latter part: “Verse 14: I am ‘ carnal, sold under sin.” He means a willing slavery.” (Page 216.) Quite the contrary; as appears from the very next words: “For that which I do, I allow not: For what I would, I do not; but what I hate, that I do.” “What I hate;” not barely, “what my reason disapproves;” but what I really detest and abhor, yet cannot help. “Verse 17: ‘Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.’ It is my sinful propensities, my in dulged appetites and passions.” (Page 217.) True; but those propensities were antecedent to that indulgence. “But the Apostle cannot mean, that there is something in man which makes him sin whether he will or no; for then it would not be sin at all.” Experience explains his meaning. I have felt in me, a thousand times, something which made me transgress God’s law, whether I would or no. Yet I dare not say, that “transgression of the law” was “no sin at all.” Verse 18: “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,” (not my “fleshly appetites” only, but my whole nature while unrenewed,) “dwelleth no good thing. For to will” indeed “is present with me;” not barely “that natural faculty, the will,” but an actual will to do good; as evidently appears from the following words: “But how to perform that which is good I find not :” I have the desire, but not the power. Verse 19: “For the good that I would,”--that I desire and choose, -“I do not; but the evil which I would not,”--which I hate,--“that I do.” Verse 20: “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I, but sin that dwelleth in me,” but “the prevalency of sensual affections,” (page 218,) yea, sinful tempers of every kind, “settled and ruling in my heart,” both by nature and habit. Verse 21: “I find then that when I would do good,” when I choose and earnestly desire it, I cannot; “evil is present with me;” as it were, gets in between.

Is not the doctrine of original sin necessary to account for the being of so much wickedness in the world?” You answer, “Adam’s nature, it is allowed, was not sinful; and yet he sinned. Therefore this doctrine is no more neces sary to account for the wickedness of the world than to ac count for Adam’s sin.” (Page 231.) Yes, it is. I can account for one man’s sinning, or a hundred, or even half mankind, suppose they were evenly poised between vice and virtue, from their own choice, which might turn one way or the other: But I cannot possibly, on this supposition, account for the general wickedness of mankind in all ages and nations. Again: “If men were never drawn into sin any other way than as Adam was, namely, by temptations offered from with out, there might be something in this answer; but there are numberless instances of men sinning, though no temptation is offered from without. It is necessary, therefore, some other account should be given of their sinning, than of Adam’s. And how to account for the universal spread of sin over the whole world without one exception, if there were no corruption in their common head, would be an insur mountable difficulty.” (Jennings's Vindication, p. 110.) “2. How, then, are we born into the world?” You answer, “As void of actual knowledge as the brutes.” (Taylor's Doctrine, &c., p. 232.) And can you really imagine that text, “Wain man would be wise,” (evidently spoken of man in general,) “though a man be born like a wild ass’s colt,” (Job xi. 12,) implies no more than, “Men are born void of actual knowledge?” Do we need inspiration to make this discovery, that a new-born child has po actual knowledge? Is man compared to a “wild ass,” of all animals the most stupid, to teach us no more than this? “yea, a wild ass’s colt?” Does not this intimate anything of untractableness, sullenness, stubbornness, perverseness? “How keenly is the comparison pointed ! Like the “ass;” an animal stupid even to a proverb: Like the ‘ass’s colt; ” which must be still more egregiously stupid than its dam: Like the ‘wild ass’s colt;’ which is not only blockish, but stubborn and refractory; neither has valuable qualities by nature, nor will easily receive them by discipline. The image in the original is yet more strongly touched.

It makes no difference as to the ground of our faith, whether a doctrine was delivered by Christ himself, or by his Apostles; and whether it be written in any of the four Gospels, or of the divine Epistles. There is only this difference: The Epistles were wrote after the resurrection and ascension of Christ; therefore, after the full commencement of the gospel dispensation; whereas the discourses of Christ recorded in the Gospels were delivered before the gospel dispensation was properly begun; therefore we are to look for the peculiar doctrines of Christ rather in the Epistles than in the Gospels. However, Christ did speak of this, and referred to it more than once, during his personal ministry, particularly in his discourse with Nicodemus, and Matt. xxiii. But it is not surprising that he did not speak so largely of redeeming us from sin, original or actual, by the price of his blood, before that price was actually paid, as the Apostles did afterward. He considered the littleness of their knowledge, with the violence of their prejudices; therefore we have no cause to be surprised that no more is said on this head in those discourses which Christ delivered before his death. But to us he has told it plainly, and we do find the doctrines of original sin, and redemption from it by Jesus Christ, distinguished emphatically in almost every page of the inspired Epistles.” (Jennings’s Vindication, page 116, &c.) To sum up this: 1. Christ speaks very sparingly of many things, whereof his Apostles have spoken largely. 2. Yet he does speak of the corruption of our nature, (which St. Paul expressly tells us is derived from Adam,) particularly in the 23d of St. Matthew, and the 3d of St. John. 3. Wherever he speaks of “saving that which was lost,” he in effect speaks of this; espe cially Matt. xviii. 11, where he mentions “little children” as lost; which could not be by actual sin. 4. There was the less need of our Lord’s speaking much on this head, because it was so fully declared in the Old Testament, and was not questioned by any of those false teachers against whom he was chiefly concerned to warn his disciples.

That it was not needful for them to prove what none of their hearers denied: No, not even the Heathens; even these allowed the corruption of human nature. Even these received it as an undeniable fact, Vitiis nemo sine nascitur: “No man is born without vices.” These acknowledged, (as Seneca expresses,) Omnia in omni bus vitia sunt : “All vices are in all men.” These saw there were hardly any good men to be found upon the face of the earth; and openly testified it. Rari quippe boni; numero vir sunt totidem quot Thebarum porte, vel divitis ostia Nili : “The good lie scatter'd in this barren soil, Few as the gates of Thebes, or mouths of Nile.” They had also among them some faint account of the cause of that overflowing corruption. So Horace, immediately after he had asserted the fact,-- Audar omnia perpeti Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas,-- “Lawless and unrestrain'd, the human race Rushes through all the paths of daring wickedness,” glances at the cause of it, in their fabulous manner: Audar Japeti genus Ignem fraude mal4 gentibus intulit; Post ignem athered domo Subductum, macies, et nova febrium Terris incubuit cohors: Semotique prius tarda necessitas Lethi corripwit gradum. “Prometheus first provok'd the heavenly Sire, Purloining Jupiter's authentic fire : Evil, from hence derived, and brooding pain, And strange disease, with all the ghastly train, Pour'd in upon the wretched sons of men: While hasty Fate quicken'd the lingering pace Of distant death, unveil'd the monster's face, And gave into his hands our whole devoted race.” I observe, 3. It was neither needful nor proper for an Apostle, in his first sermon to a congregation wholly unawak ened, to descant upon original sin. No man of common sense would do it now. Were I to preach to a certain congrega tion at Norwich, I should not say one word of Adam, but endeavour to show them that their lives, and therefore their hearts, were corrupt and abominable before God. You conclude this head: “Guilt imputed is imaginary guilt, and so no object of redemption.” I dare not say so as to my own particular.

I must either believe there was an evil God, or that there was no God at all. “But to disparage our nature is to disparage the work and gifts of God.” (Page 257.) True; but to describe the cor ruption of our nature as it is, is not disparaging the work of God. For that corruption is not his work. On the other hand, to say it is; to say God created us as corrupt as we are now, with as weak an understanding and as perverse a will; this is dis paraging the work of God, and God himself, to some purpose! “But doth not this doctrine teach you to transfer your wickedness and sin to a wrong cause? Whereas you ought to blame yourself alone, you lay the whole blame upon Adam.” (Page 258.) I do not : I know God is willing to save me from all sin, both original and actual. Therefore, if I am not saved, I must lay the whole blame upon myself. “But what good end does this doctrine promote?” The doctrine, that we are by nature “dead in sin,” and therefore “children of wrath,” promotes repentance, a true knowledge of ourselves; and thereby leads to faith in Christ, to a true knowledge of Christ crucified. And faith worketh love; and, by love, all holiness both of heart and life. Consequently, this doctrine promotes (nay, and is absolutely, indispensably necessary to promote) the whole of that religion which the Son of God lived and died to establish. “We are told, indeed, that it promotes humility; but nei ther our Lord nor his Apostles, when inculcating humility, say a word about natural corruption.” Supposing (not grant ing) that they did not, yet it cannot be, in the very nature of the thing, that any whose nature is corrupt should be hum ble, should know himself, without knowing that corruption. “But what can be more destructive to virtue, than to repre sent sin as altogether unavoidable?” (Page 259.) This does not follow from the doctrine. Corrupt as we are, through almighty grace we may avoid all sin. But it is destructive of virtue. For ‘if we believe we are by nature worse than the brutes, what wonder if we act worse than brutes?” Yea, if we are so, what wonder if we act so?

I have now weighed, as my leisure would permit, all the arguments advanced in your Three Parts. And this I have done with continual prayer, that I might know “the truth as it is in Jesus.” But still I see no ground to alter my senti ments touching the general corruption of human nature. Nor can I find any better or any other way of accounting for that general wickedness which has prevailed in all nations, and through all ages, nearly from the beginning of the world to this day. January 25, 1757. AN ANswer. To DR. TAYLOR's suPPLEMENT. YoU subjoin to your book a very large Supplement, in answer to Dr. Jennings and Dr. Watts. All that they have advanced, I am not engaged to defend; but such parts only as affect the merits of the cause. You divide this part of your work into eight sections. The first treats And here you roundly affirm, “No action is said in Scrip ture to be imputed to any person for righteousness or con demnation, but the proper act and deed of that person.” (Supplement, page 7.) Were, then, the iniquities and sins which were put upon the scape-goat, his own “proper act and deed?” You answer, “Here was no imputation of sin to the goat. It was only a figurative way of signifying the removal of guilt from the penitent Israelites, by the goat’s going into the wilderness.” But how could it be a figure of any such thing, if no guilt was imputed to him? “Aaron is commanded to put the iniquities of Israel upon the scape-goat; (Lev. xvi. 21;) and this goat is said to bear the iniquities of the people. (Verse 22.) This was plainly an impu tation. Yet it could not possibly be an imputation of anything done by the animal itself. The effects also which took place upon the execution of the ordinance indicate a translation of guilt; for the congregation was cleansed, but the goat was pol luted: The congregation so cleansed, that their iniquities were borne away, and to be found no more; the goat so polluted that it communicated defilement to the person who conducted it into a land not inhabited.” (Theron and Aspasio.) In truth, the scape-goat was a figure of Him “on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all.” (Isai.

The effects also which took place upon the execution of the ordinance indicate a translation of guilt; for the congregation was cleansed, but the goat was pol luted: The congregation so cleansed, that their iniquities were borne away, and to be found no more; the goat so polluted that it communicated defilement to the person who conducted it into a land not inhabited.” (Theron and Aspasio.) In truth, the scape-goat was a figure of Him “on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all.” (Isai. liii.6.) “He bore our iniquity.” (Verse 11.) “He bare the sin of many.” (Verse 12.) The Prophet uses three different words in the original; of which the first does properly signify the meeting together ; the last, the lifting up a weight or burden. This burden it was which made him “sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.” “But iniquity and sin sometimes signify suffer $ngs.” (Supplement, pp. 8, 9.) Yes, suffering for sin; the effect being put for the cause. Accordingly, what we mean by, “Our sins “were imputed to him, is, He was punished for them: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities.’ He, ‘who knew no sin,” but what was thus imputed, ‘was made sin,” a sin-offering, ‘for us.’” “It pleased the Lord” (your own words) “to bruise him, in order to the expiation of our sins.” (Pages 10, 11.) “But with regard to parents and their posterity, God assures us, children ‘shall not die for the iniquity of their fathers.’” No, not eternally. I believe none ever did, or ever will, die eternally, merely for the sin of our first father. “But the Scripture never speaks of imputing any sin to any person, but what is the act of that person.” (Pages 13, 14.) It was but now you yourself observed, that, by, “Our sins were imputed to Christ,” we mean, “He suffered for them.” Our sins, then, were imputed to Christ; and yet these sins were not the act of the person that suffered. He did not commit the sin which was thus imputed to him.

He did not commit the sin which was thus imputed to him. But “no just constitution can punish the innocent.” (Page 16.) This is undoubtedly true; therefore God does not look upon infants as innocent, but as involved in the guilt of Adam’s sin; otherwise death, the punishment denounced against that sin, could not be inflicted upon them. “It is allowed, the posterity of Ham and Gehazi, and the children of Dathan and Abiram, suffered for the sins of their parents.” It is enough. You need allow no more. All the world will see, if they suffered for them, then they were punished for them. Yet we do not “confound punishment with suffer ing, as if to suffer, and to be punished, were the same thing.” Punishment is not barely suffering, but suffering for sin: To suffer, and to be punished, are not the same thing; but to suffer for sin, and to be punished, are precisely the same. If therefore, the children of Dathan and Abiram suffered for the sins of their parents, which no man can deny, then they were punished for them. Consequently, it is not true that, “in the instances alleged, the parents only were punished by the sufferings of the children.” (Pages 17, 18.) If the children suffered for those sins, then they were punished for them. Indeed, sometimes the parents too were punished, by the sufferings of their children; which is all that your heap of quotations proves; and sometimes they were not. But, however this were, if the children suffered for their sins, they were punished for them. It is not therefore “evident, that, in all these cases, children are considered, not as criminals involved in guilt, but as the enjoyments of their parents, who alone are punished by their sufferings.” (Page 18.) On the contrary, it is very evident that the children of Canaan were punished for the sin of Ham; and that the children of Dathan and Abiram were punished with death, as “involved in the guilt of their parents.” “On the other hand, the virtues of an ancestor may convey great advantages to his posterity. But no man’s posterity can be rewarded for their ancestor's virtue.” (Page 21.) The point here in dispute between Dr. Watts and you is, whether the thing, concerning which you are agreed, should be expressed by one term or another.

Watts and you is, whether the thing, concerning which you are agreed, should be expressed by one term or another. You both agree, (and no man in his senses can deny,) that, in all ages, God has, on account of pious ancestors, given many blessings to “heir offspring. But he thinks these blessings should be termed rewards; (and so do all the world;) you say they should not. The fact is plain either way: God does continually, and did in all ages, give number less blessings to the children, on account of the piety of their fathers; and, it is certain, blessings given on account of virtue have been hitherto termed rewards, both by God and man. You conclude this section: “Thus, it appears, the distinc tion between personal sin and imputed guilt is without any ground in Scripture.” (Page 22.) Just the contrary appears, namely, that guilt was imputed to the scape-goat, to the child ren of wicked parents, and to our blessed Lord himself, with out any personal sin. The distinction, therefore, is sound and scriptural. THAT God designs to bring good out of these is certain. But does this prove, they have not the nature of punishments? Did Adam himself suffer any affliction, any toil or pain? Doubt less he did, long before he returned to dust. And can we doubt but he received spiritual good from that pain? Yet it was a punishment still; as really such, as if it had consigned him over to everlasting punishment. This argument, therefore, is of no weight: “God draws good out of punishments; there fore they are no punishments at all.” However, then, the sufferings wherein Adam’s sin has involved his own posterity may “try and purify us, in order to future and everlasting happiness,” (page 23,) this circumstance does not alter their nature; they are punishments still. Let “afflictions, calamities, and death itself, be means of improving in virtue,” (page 24,) of healing or preventing sin, this is no manner of proof that they are not punishments. Was not God able to heal or prevent sin, without either pain or death? Could not the Almighty have done this as easily, as speedily, and as effectually, without these, as with them? Why, then, did he not? Why did Adam's sin bring these on his whole posterity? Why should one man suffer for another man's fault?

Why should one man suffer for another man's fault? If you say, “To cure his own;” I ask, 1. What necessity was there of any suffering at all for this? If God intended only to cure his sin, he could have done that with out any suffering. I ask, 2. Why do infants suffer? What sin have they to be cured thereby? If you say, “It is to heal the sin of their parents, who sympathize and suffer with them; ” in a thousand instances this has no place; the parents are not the better, nor anyway likely to be the better, for all the sufferings of their children. Their sufferings, therefore, yea, and those of all mankind, which are entailed upon them by the sin of Adam, are not the result of mere mercy, but of justice also. In other words, they have in them the nature of punishments, even on us and on our child ren. Therefore, children themselves are not innocent before God. They suffer; therefore, they deserve to suffer. And here another question arises, What benefit accrues to the brute creation from the sufferings wherein their whole race is involved through the sin of the first man? The fact cannot be denied; daily experience attests what we read in the oracles of God, that “the whole creation groaneth together, and tra vaileth in pain to this day;” a considerable past of it groans to God, under the wantonness or cruelty of man. Their sufferings are caused, or at least greatly increased, by our luxury or inhu manity; nay, and by our diversions ! We draw entertainment from the pain, the death, of other creatures;--not to mention several entire species, which at present have such natural quali ties, that we are obliged to inflict pain, nay, perhaps death, upon them, purely in our own defence. And even those species which are out of the reach of men, are not out of the reach of suffer ing. “The lions do lack and suffer hunger,” though they are, as it were, sovereigns of the plain. Do they not acknowledge this when, “roaring for their prey,” they “seek their meat from God?” And what shall we say of their helpless prey? Is not their lot more miserable still? Now, what benefits, I say, have these from their sufferings?

If it does, then Adam brought a sinful nature with him into the world. But if we cannot infer from Adam’s sin, that his nature was originally corrupt, neither can we infer from the wickedness of all mankind, be it ever so great, that they have a sinful nature.” (Pages 52, 53.) The consequence is not good: “If one man’s committing a sin does not prove that he was naturally inclined to evil, then the wickedness of all mankind for six thousand years will not prove that they are naturally inclined to evil.” For we may easily account for one man’s committing sin, though he was not naturally inclined to evil; but not so easily, for “all flesh corrupting themselves,” for the wickedness of all mankind in all ages. It is not possible rationally to account for this, for the general wickedness of mankind; for such a majority of men, through all generations, being so corrupt; but on the supposition of their having a corrupt nature. Sin in one or a few cases, does not prove a sinful nature; but sin over spreading the earth, does. Nor is your argument drawn from the sin of the angels, (pp. 54, 55,) of any more force than that drawn from the sin of Adam, unless you can prove that as great a majority of angels as of men have rebelled against their Creator. “Again: If our first parents felt fear and shame, and yet their nature was not originally corrupt, then it will not follow that ours is so, notwithstanding our uneasy and unruly pas sions.” Empty sound ! Had any one said to Adam, “Your nature was originally corrupt, for you feel uneasy and unruly passions;” would he not readily have answered, “But these began at such an hour; till then my nature was without either pain or corruption.” Apply this to any child of Adam; and if he can answer in like manner, “Till such an hour no uneasy or unruly passion had any place in my breast; ” we will then grant, these passions no more prove a corrupt nature in the sons than in their first father. But no man can answer thus. You, and I, and every man, must acknowledge, that uneasy and unruly passions are coeval with our understanding and memory at least, if not with our very being.

So far, therefore, is “his argument from the sinfulness and misery of mankind from being altogether insufficient in every part,” that it is strong and conclusive, anything you have advanced to the contrary notwithstanding. 326 ThE DOCTR iNE OF You add: “Suffering may happen where there is no sin; as in the case of brutes and infants; or where there is the most perfect innocence; as in the case of our blessed Lord.” Absolutely true; that is, where there is no personal sin, but only sin imputed. There was no personal sin in our blessed Lord; there can be none either in brutes or infants. He suffered, therefore, for the sins of others, which were thus imputed to him; as is the sin of Adam to infants, who suffer death through him; and, in some sense, to the whole creation; which was “made subject to vanity, not willingly,” but on account of his transgression. But where there is no sin, either personal or imputed, there can be no suffering. “I may add, from the present state of things, a directly opposite argument may be taken: From the enjoyments and comforts, the good things and blessings, which abound in the world, I might ask, Are these creatures, so well provided for, under God’s displeasure? Are they not the care of his good ness? Does he not love them, and delight to do them good?” (Pages 58-61.) I answer, God does still give us many good things, many enjoyments, comforts, and blessings. But all these are given through the “Seed of the woman;” they are all the purchase of his blood. Through Him we are still the care of the divine goodness, and God does delight to do us good: But this does not at all prove, either that we have not a sinful nature, or that we are not, while sinful, under his displeasure. “BY this doctrine some have been led to maintain, 1. That men have not a sufficient power to perform their duty. But if so, it ceases to be their duty.” (Pages 63-69.) I maintain, that men have not this power by nature: But they have or may have it by grace; therefore it does not cease to be their duty. And if they perform it not, they are without excuse. “Hence some maintain, 2.

12. You add: “The thing cannot exist, unless we choose; because our choosing to do what is right, is the very thing which is to exist.” No; the thing which is to exist is, a right state of mind. And it is certain, God can give this to any creature, at the very first moment of its existence. Nay, it may be questioned, whether God can create an intelligent being in any other state. “But a habit is gained by repeated acts. Therefore, habits of righteousness could not be created in man.” Mere play ing upon words! He could be, he was, created full of love. Now, whether you call this a habit or no, it is the sum of all righteousness. “But this love is either under the government of my will, or it is not.” It is. The love of God which Adam enjoyed was under the government of his will. “But if so, it could be righteous only so far as applied to right action in heart and life.” (Pages 164, 165.) Stop here. The love of God is righteousness, the moment it exists in any soul; and it must exist before it can be applied to action. Accordingly, it was righteousness in Adam the moment he was created. And yet he had a power either to follow the dictates of that love, (in which case his righteousness would have endured for ever,) or to act contrary thereto; but love was righteousness still, though it was not irresistible. “I might add, Adam’s inclination to sin (for he could not sin without a sinful inclination) must be so strong as to over come his (supposed) inbred propensity to holiness; and so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally. Consequently, the supposed original righteousness was con sistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger and more malignant than ever was or can be in any of his posterity; who cannot sin against such resistance, or with such dreadful consequences. Thus, original righteousness in Adam proves far worse than original sin in his posterity.” (Page 166.) I have set down your argnment at large, that it may appear in its full strength. Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous.

7. It has been said, indeed, “If Adam fell into sin though he was innocent, then among a million of creatures every one might sin, though he was as innocent as Adam.” (Pages 194, 195.) I answer, There is a possibility of the event; but the improbability of it is a million to one. I prove it thus: If a million of creatures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall; and if all the numbers, from one to one million $nclusively, were set in a rank, it is plainly a million to one, that just any single proposed number of this multitude should fall. Now, the total sum is one of these numbers, that ts, the last of them. Consequently, it is a million to one against the supposition, that the whole number of men should fall. And this argument will grow still ten thousand times stronger, if we suppose ten thousand millions to have lived since the creation. Your argument stood thus: “If we cannot infer from Adam’s transgression, that his nature was originally corrupt, neither can we infer from the transgressions of all mankind, that their mature is originally corrupt.” It is answered, Ifamillion of crea tures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall, it is a million to one they should not all fall. You reply, “This is no answer to my argument.” (Page 196.) Surely it is; and a direct answer. That one man sinned, does not prove he had a corrupt nature. Why? Because (supposing him free to choose good or evil) it was as probable he should sin, as not, there being no odds on one side or the other; but that all men should sin, does prove they have a corrupt nature; because it is not as pro bable, that all men should sin, as that one man should; the odds against it being as a million, or rather ten thousand millions, to one. Either, therefore, we must allow that mankind are more inclined to evil than to good, or we must maintain a supposition so highly improbable as comes very near a flat impossibility.

Either, therefore, we must allow that mankind are more inclined to evil than to good, or we must maintain a supposition so highly improbable as comes very near a flat impossibility. And thus much you yourself cannot but allow: “The reason ing may hold good, where all circumstances agree to make the probability equal with regard to every individual in this sup posed million.” And how can the probability be other than equal, if every individual be as wise and good as Adam? “But be it equal or no,” you say, “the case is not to be estimated by the laws of equal probability, but of infection. For when sin is once entered into a body of men, it goes on, not accord ing to the laws of chance,” (is this precisely the same with equal probability?) “but the laws, as I may say, of infection.” But how came sin to enter into a body of men? That is the very question. Supposing, first a body of sinners, sin “may assume the nature of a contagion.” But the difficulty lies against supposing any body of sinners at all. You say, in deed, “One sinner produces another, as the serpent drew in Eve: The first sin and sinner being like a ‘little leaven which leavens the whole lump.’” All this I can understand, sup posing our nature is inclined to evil. But if not, why does not one good man produce another, as naturally as one sinner produces another? And why does not righteousness spread as fast and as wide among mankind as wickedness? Why does not this “leaven, leaven the whole lump,” as frequently, as readily, and as throughly, as the other? These laws of infection, so called, will therefore stand you in no stead. For, to bring the matter still more to a point, suppose Adam and Eve newly infected by sin; they had then none to infect, having no child. Afterward they repented, and found mercy. Then Cain was born. Now, surely neither Adam nor Eve would infect him, having suffered so severely for their own sin; which, therefore, they must needs guard hin- against ! How, then, came he to be a sinner? “O, by his own choice; as Seth was righteous.” Well; afterwards, both wicked Cain and good Seth begat sons and daughters.

“It is true, all these are trials for man during his state of probation. But a state of probation for innocent man would not have included death; much less a violent and bloody, or a lingering and painful, death.” (Page 26.) “Accordingly, our return to dust is mentioned by Moses as a curse of God for the sin of man. And when once life is forfeited by all mankind, then a painful death may properly become a part of the further trial of such creatures as are to rise again; and any pious sufferers may be rewarded by a happy resurrection. But a painful death could never be made a part of the trial of innocent creatures, who had never forfeited life, nor were ever legally subjected to death.” (Page 27.) “Upon the whole, therefore, such noxious and destructive plants and animals could not be made to vex and disturb, to poison and destroy, a race of innocent, intellectual beings. “3. The manner of our entrance into life is another proof of universal sin.” (Page 29.) “Would the great and good God have appointed intellectual animals, had they been sin less, to be propagated in such in a way as should necessarily give such exquisite pain and anguish to the mothers who bring them forth? And if the contagion had not been univer sal, why should such acute pangs attend almost every female parent? Are not the multiplied sorrows with which the daughters of Eve bring forth, an evident token that they are not in their original state of favour with that God who created them, and pronounced a blessing upon them in their propagation?” “Moses informs us, that God blessed the first pair, and bid them ‘be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and soon after tells us that these ‘multiplied sor rows in child-birth are a curse from an offended God. Surely the curse is not as old as the blessing; but sin and sorrow came in together, and spread a wide curse over the birth of man, which before stood only under a divine benediction. Not that the blessing is now quite taken away, though the pains of child-bearing are added to it: And daily experience proves, this curse is not taken away by the blessing repeated to Noah.” (Page 29.) “4.

But he imagines he has been drop ping tears in every page, and that over every part of mankind.” Undoubtedly he has; and if so, how unjust, how cruel, is that censurel send our thoughts to the sultry regions of Afric, the frost and snows of Norway, the rocks and deserts of Lapland and northern Tartary,--what a frightful thing is human life l How is the rational nature lost in slavery, and brutality, and incessant toils, and hardships | They are treated like brutes by their lords, and they live like dogs and asses, among labours and wants, hunger and weariness, blows and burdens without end. Did God appoint this for innocents?” (Page 31.) “Is the momentary pleasure of eating and drinking a recom pence for incessant labour? Does it bear any proportion to the length of toil, pain, and hazard, wherewith the provisions of life are procured? Moses thought not. When he speaks of man's ‘eating bread in the sweat of his brow, he acknowledges this to be another of the curses of God for the sin of man.” (Page 32.) “It is strange that any man should say, ‘In this sentence of God, no curse is pronounced upon either Adam’s body, soul, or posterity; that the sorrow of child-bearing is not inflicted as a curse; that the labours of life were increased, but not as a curse; that death was not a curse.’ I would fain ask, What is a curse, if some natural evil pronounced and executed upon a person, or thing, be not so, especially when it is pronounced on account of sin, and by God himself, as supreme Governor and Judge? And even the curse on the ground falls properly on the person who tills it. “It is granted, God can turn curses into blessings. Yet these evils were originally pronounced and inflicted as a curse or punishment of sin; as it is written, ‘Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things.’ And that death was designed as a curse on man for sin is evident; for Christ ‘suffered” that “curse for us.” “5. Consider the character of mankind in general, with regard to religion and virtue, and it will be hard to believe they bear the image of their common Father in knowledge and holi ness.

And not only they of riper age, but even those of ten der years, discover the principles of iniquity and seeds of sin. What young ferments of spite and envy, what native wrath and rage, are found in the little hearts of infants, and sufficiently discovered by their hands, and eyes, and countenances, before they can speak, or know good from evil ! What additional crimes of lying and deceit, obstinacy and perverseness proceed to blemish their younger years!” (Pages 39, 41.) “How little knowledge or thought of God, their Creator and Governor, is found in children when they can distinguish good and evil!” (Page 42.) “What an utter disregard of Him that made them, and of the duties they owe to him And when they * These quotations from Juvenal are thus translated by Gifford : “What day so sacred, which no guilt profanes?” ------“Nature still, Incapable of change, and fix’d in ill, Recurs to her old habits:-never yet Could sinner to his sin a period set. When did the flush of modest blood inflame The cheek once harden'd to the sense of shame? Or when the offender, since the birth of time, Retire, contented with a single crime?” “For youth is facile, and its yielding will Receives, with fatal ease, the print of ill.”-EDIT. begin to act according to their childish age, how little sense have they of what is morally right and good How do evil passions or irregular appetites continually prevail in them ! Even from their first capacity of acting as moral creatures, how are they led away to practise falsehood and injury to their play-fellows, perhaps with cruelty or revenge How often are they engaged in bold disobedience to their parents or teachers | And whence does this arise ? What is the root, that brings forth such early bitter fruit?” (Page 43.) “It cannot be imputed to custom, education, or example; for many of these things appear in children before they can take any notice of ill examples, or are capable of imitating them. And even where there are only good examples about them, and where the best and earliest instructions are given them, and inculcated with the utmost care, yet their hearts run astray from God.

And even where there are only good examples about them, and where the best and earliest instructions are given them, and inculcated with the utmost care, yet their hearts run astray from God. The far greatest part of them visibly follow the corrupt influences of sense, appetite, passion, and manifest very early the evil principles of stubbornness, pride, and disobedience.” (Page 44.) “To give a still fuller confirmation of this truth, that man kind have a corrupt nature in them, let it be observed, that where persons have not only had all possible helps of educa tion from their parents, but have themselves taken a religious turn betimes, what perpetual hinderance do they find within themselves!” (Page 45.) “What inward oppositions work in their heart, and, perhaps, interrupt their holy course of life What vanity of mind, what irregular appetites, what forget fulness of God, what evil thoughts and tendencies of heart rise up in contradiction to their best purposes ! Insomuch, that “there is not a just man upon earth, who, through his whole life, ‘doeth good and sinneth not.’” (Page 46.) “To sum up the three last considerations: If the bulk of mankind are grossly sinful, and if every individual, without exception, is actually a sinner against the law of his Creator; if sinful propensities appear even in our most tender years, and every child becomes an actual sinner almost as soon as it becomes a moral agent; then we have just reason to con clude, that there is some original taint spread through the whole race of men from their birth. “7. It has been said, indeed, that, “if the first man fell into sin, though he was innocent and perfect, then among a million of men, every one might sin, though he was as inno cent and perfect as Adam.’” (Page 47.) “I answer, There is a bare possibility of the event; but the improbability of it is in the proportion of a million to one. “And I prove it thus: If a million of creatures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall; and if all the num bers, from one to one million inclusively, were set in a rank, it is a million to one that just any single proposed number of all these should fall by sin.

Nay, many even of the heathen philosophers believed it, from their own experience, and their daily survey of mankind; though they were utterly at a loss how to account for it. And what, if we could not assign a sufficient and satisfactory reason for it, or show how this spreading degeneracy began, or how it came to take place so universally? What, if we were still at a loss to explain how all this guilt and misery came upon us,--must we therefore deny the things which we see, and hear, and feel, daily?” (Page 91.) “Can we account for all the secret things in the creation of God? And must we deny whatever we cannot account for? Does any man refuse to believe that the infinite variety of plants and flowers, in all their beauteous colours and forms, grow out of the same earth, because he does not know all the springs of their vegetation? Do men doubt of a loadstone's drawing iron to itself, because they cannot find out the way of its operation? Are we not sure that food nourishes our bodies, and medicines relieve our pains? Yet we know not all the ferment and motions of those atoms by which we are relieved and nourished. Why then should we deny that degeneracy of our nature which admits of so full and various proof, though we are not able to account for every circumstance relating to it, or to solve every difficulty that may attend it?” (Page 92.) “How came vice and misery to overspread mankind in all nations, and in all ages? “Heathen philosophers could never answer this; but Chris tians may from the oracles of God.” (Page 94.) “These inform us, that the first man was a ‘common head and representative of all mankind;’ and that he, by sinning against his Maker, lost his own holiness and happiness, and exposed himself and his posterity (whom he naturally pro duced, and whom he legally represented) to the displeasure of his Maker, and so spread sin and misery through his whole offspring.” (Page 102.) “So St. Paul: “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; even so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. v. 12.) All are esteemed in some sort guilty before God, though they “did not sin after the similitude of Adam’s transgression.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.’ And David says the same thing: ‘Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.’” (Pages 170, 171.) “This is not an hyperbolical aggravation of David’s early sins, and propensity to evil from his childhood. But the text is strong and plain in asserting sin someway to belong to his very conception, and to be conveyed from his natural parents; which is a different idea from his actual sins, or pro pensity to sin in his infancy. It shows the cause both of this propensity, and of his actual sins, which operated before he was born. So that if original pravity be not so conveyed and derived as is here asserted, the words are not an exaggeration of what is, but a downright fiction of what is not. “8. As Adam produced his offspring, like himself, destitute of the image of God, so he produced them destitute of the favour of God, under the same condemnation with himself. So Job: ‘Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble;’ (xiv. 1;) that is, his short life, and his troubles, proceed from his very birth; his propagation from sinful and mortal parents: Otherwise, God would not have appointed his noblest creature in this world to have been ‘born to trouble:” Yet this is the case; ‘man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward;’ (Job v. 7;) naturally; for it is owing to his birth and his natural derivation from a sinful stock. We are a miserable race, springing from a corrupted and dying root, prone to sin, and liable to sorrows and sufferings.” (Pages 174, 175.) “In proof of this sentence of condemnation and death coming upon all mankind for the sin of Adam, we need only read from the twelfth verse of the fifth chapter of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans; on which I observe,” (page 176,)-- “1. Here Adam and Christ are set up as distinct heads or representatives of their several families. Adam was the head of all mankind, who became sinful and mortal through his sin; Christ was the head of all believers, who obtain pardon and life through his righteousness.

Adam was the head of all mankind, who became sinful and mortal through his sin; Christ was the head of all believers, who obtain pardon and life through his righteousness. To prove this headship of Adam, the Apostle says, “Until the law,’ (that is, from the creation till the law of Moses,) “sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed where there is no law; that is, where there is no law or constitution of duty or penalty at all. Yet, saith he, “Death reigned from Adam to Moses:” Yet sin was imputed, and pun ished by death, even upon all mankind, both small and great, before the law given by Moses. The inference is, therefore, there was some law or constitution during all the time from Adam to Moses, in virtue of which sin was imputed to man kind, and death accordingly executed upon them. Now, what law or constitution could this be, beside that which said to Adam, as a representative of his whole posterity, ‘In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die?’” (Pages 177, 178.) “2. The Apostle carries his argument yet farther: ‘Sin was imputed, and death reigned, or was executed, “even upon those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgres sion;' who had not broken an express command, as Adam had done. This manifestly refers to infants;--death reigned over them; death was executed upon them. And this must be by some constitution which, in some sense, imputed sin to them who had not committed actual sin: For without such a con stitution, sin would never have been imputed, nor death executed on children. “Yet, 3. Death did not come upon them as a mere natural effect of their father Adam’s sin and death, but as a proper and legal punishment of sin; for it is said, his sin brought “con demnation’ upon all men. (Verse 18.) Now, this is a legal term, and shows that death is not only a natural but a penal evil, and comes upon infants as guilty and condemned;--not for their own actual sins, for they had none; but for the sin of Adam, their legal head, their appointed representative.” (Page 179.) “In the eighteenth verse the expression is very strong: “By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to con demnation.

If those children had been guiltless in the eye of God, could this have been their portion? In short, can we suppose the wise, and right eous, and merciful God would have established and continued such a constitution for that propagation of mankind which should naturally place so many millions of them so early in such dismal circumstances if there had not been some dread ful and universal degeneracy spread over them and their fathers, by some original crime, which met and seized them at the very entrance into life?” (Page 420.) “THIs doctrine has been attended with many noisy contro versies in the Christian world. Let us try whether it may not be set in so fair and easy a light as to reconcile the sentiments of the contending parties.” (Page 427.) “When a man has broken the law of his country, and is punished for so doing, it is plain that sin is imputed to him; his wickedness is upon him; he bears his iniquity; that is, he is reputed, or accounted guilty; he is condemned and dealt with as an offender.” (Page 428.) “On the other hand, if an innocent man, who is falsely accused, is acquitted by the court, sin is not imputed to him, but righteousness is imputed to him; or, to use another phrase, his ‘righteousness is upon him.’ “Or if a reward be given a man for any righteous action, this righteous act is imputed to him. “Farther: If a man has committed a crime, but the Prince pardons him, then he is justified from it; and his fault is not imputed to him.” (Page 429.) “But if a man having committed treason, his estate is taken from him and his children, then they “bear the iniquity of their father, and his sin is imputed to them also. “If a man lose his life and estate for murder, and his children thereby become vagabonds, then the blood of the person murdered is said to be upon the murderer, and upon his children also. So the Jews: ‘His blood be on us and on our children;’ let us and our children be punished for it !

“I answer: 2. Sin is taken either for an act of disobedience to a law, or for the legal result of such an act; that is, the guilt, or liableness to punishment. Now, when we say, The sin of a traitor is imputed to his children, we do not mean, that the act of the father is charged upon the child; but that the guilt, or liableness to punishment, is so transferred to him, that he suffers banishment or poverty on account of it.” (Pages 432, 433,434.) “In like manner, righteousness is either particular acts of obedience to a law, or the legal result of those actions; that is, a right to the reward annexed to them. “And so when we say, The righteousness of him that has performed some eminent act of obedience is imputed to his children, we do not mean, that the particular act of the father is charged on the child, as if he had done it; but that the right to reward, which is the result of that act, is transferred to his children. “Now, if we would but thus explain every text of Scripture wherein either imputed sin, or imputed righteousness, is men tioned, (whether in express words, or in the plain meaning of them,) weshould find them all easy and intelligible.” (Page435.) “Thus we may easily understand how the obedience of Christ is imputed to all his seed; and how the disobedience of Adam is imputed to all his children.” (Page 436.) “To confirm this, I would add these three remarks:-- “1. There are several histories in Scripture, where expres sions of the same import occur. “So Gen. xxii. 16: “Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” Here Abraham’s obedience, that is, the result of it, is imputed to his posterity. “So Num. xxv. 13: ‘God gave to Phinehas and his seed after him the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God,” and slew the criminals in Israel. This was so imputed to his children, that they also received the reward of it.” (Page 437.) “Thus the sin of Achan was so imputed to his children, that they were all stoned on account of it. (Joshua vii. 24.) In like manner, the covetousness of Gehazi was imputed to his posterity, (2 Kings v.

So St. Paul desires Philemon to impute any wrong he had received from Onesimus to himself; that is, not the evil action, but the damage he had sustained. “Indeed, when sin or righteousness are said to be imputed to any man, on account of what himself hath done, the words usually denote both the good or evil actions themselves, and the legal result of them. But when the sin or righteousness of one person is said to be imputed to another, then, generally, those words mean only the result thereof; that is, a liableness to punishment on the one hand, and to reward on the other. “But let us say what we will to confine the sense of the imputation of sin and righteousness to the legal result, --the reward or punishment of good or evil actions; let us ever so explicitly deny the imputation of the actions themselves to others; still Dr. Taylor will level almost all his arguments against the imputation of the actions themselves, and then triumph in having demolished what we never built, and refuting what we never asserted.” (Page 444.) “3. The Scripture does not, that I remember, anywhere say, in express words, that the sin of Adam is imputed to his children; or, that the sins of believers are imputed to Christ; or, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers: But the true meaning of all these expressions is sufficiently found in several places of Scripture.” (Page 446.) “Yet since these express words and phrases, of the imputa tion of Adam’s sin to us, of our sins to Christ, and of Christ's righteousness to us, are not plainly written in Scripture, we should not impose it on every Christian, to use these very expressions. Let every one take his liberty, either of con fining himself to strictly scriptural language, or of manifest ing his sense of these plain scriptural doctrines, in words and phrases of his own.” (Page 447.) “But if the words were expressly written in the Bible, they could not reasonably be interpreted in any other sense, than this which I have explained by so many examples, both in Scripture, history, and in common life.

Again: “By the disobedience of one, the same, ‘many are constituted sinners. Therefore, when our Lord says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, he means, not only that we and our parents are ‘mortal, but that all man kind derive spiritual as well as temporal death from their first father.” “1. SIN is “a transgression of the law;’ of that law of God to which a rational creature is subject. “Righteousness’ is a fulfilment of, or conformity to, that law. This is the proper scriptural sense of the words. But as sin involves the creature in guilt, that is, a liableness to punishment, the same words are often used to denote either sin itself, or guilt and punishment. On the other hand, righteousness denotes, not only a fulfilling of the law, but also a freedom from guilt and punishment; yea, and sometimes all the rewards of righteousness.” (Pages 1,2...) “Accordingly, to impute sin, is either to impute sin itself, or guilt on the account of it. To impute sin itself to a person, is to account him a transgressor of the law, to pronounce him such, or to treat him as a transgressor. To impute guilt to a person, is to account him obnoxious to a threatened punish ment, to pronounce him so, or to inflict that punishment. So, to impute righteousness, properly so called, is to account him a fulfiller of the law, to pronounce him so to be, and to treat him as righteous. And to impute righteousness, as opposed to guilt, is to account, to pronounce, and to treat him as guiltless. “Thus much is agreed. But the point in question is, “Does God impute no sin or righteousness but what is per sonal?” Dr. Taylor positively asserts, he does not. I under take to prove that he does; that he imputes Adam’s first sin to all mankind, and our sins to Christ.” (Page 5.) “l. God imputes Adam’s first sin to all mankind. I do not mean that the actual commission of it was imputed to any beside himself; (it was impossible it should;) nor is the guilt of it imputed to any of his descendants, in the full latitude of it, or in regard to its attendant circumstances. It consti tutes none of them equally guilty with him.

His sufferings were the penal effects of our sins. ‘The chastisement of our peace, the punishment necessary to procure it, “was laid “on him, freely submitting thereto: “And by his stripes” (a part of his sufferings again put for the whole) “we are healed;’ pardon, sanctification, and final salvation, are all purchased and bestowed upon us. Every chastisement is for some fault. That laid on Christ was not for his own, but ours; and was needful to reconcile an offended Lawgiver, and offending guilty creatures, to each other. So ‘the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all; that is, the punishment due to our iniquity.” (Pages 16-20.) “It is true, as Dr. Taylor says, “sin and iniquity often sig nify affliction or suffering. But why? Because it is usual for a cause to give denomination to its effect. And so the conse quences of sin are called by the same name. But this rather hurts Dr. Taylor's cause than helps it. For sufferings could with no propriety be called sin, if they were not the proper effects of it. Man, in innocence, was liable to no suffering or sorrow ; he was indeed tried, but not by suffering. All sorrow was introduced by sin; and if man is ‘born to trouble, it is because he is born ‘in sin.” God indeed does afflict his children for their good; and turns even death into a blessing. Yet as it is the effect of sin, so is it in itself an enemy to all mankind; nor would any man have been either tried or cor rected by affliction, had it not been for sin.” (Pages 21, 22.) “The Lord’s laying on Christ ‘the iniquity of us all,’ was eminently typified by the High Priest putting all the iniqui ties of Israel on the scape-goat, who then carried them away. “But the goat, says Dr. Taylor, “was to suffer nothing. This is a gross mistake. It was a ‘sin-offering,’ (verse 5) and, as such, was to ‘bear upon him all the iniquities’ of the people into the wilderness; and there (as the Jewish Doctors una nimously hold) to suffer a violent death, by way of punish ment, instead of the people, for their sins “put upon him.’ Yet Dr. Taylor says, “Here was no imputation of sin. No! What is the difference between imputing sins, and putting them upon him?

Unto whom, with God the Father, and the sanctifying, comforting Spirit, be ascribed all praise for ever !” (Page 83.) “THE phrase, original sin, so far as we can discover, was first used in the fourth century. The first who used it was either St. Chrysostom, or Hilary, some of whose words are these: ‘The Psalmist says, Behold, I was conceived in iniqui ties, and in sins did my mother conceive me. He acknow ledges that he was born under original sin and the law of sin.” Soon after Hilary’s time, St. Augustine, and other Christian writers, brought it into common use.” (Pages 2, 3.) “The scriptural doctrine of original sin may be comprised in the following propositions:-- “I. Man was originally made righteous or holy. “II. That original righteousness was lost by the first sin. “III. Thereby man incurred death of every kind; for," “IV. Adam’s first sin was the sin of a public person, one whom God had appointed to represent all his descendants. “W. Hence all these are from their birth ‘children of wrath,’ void of all righteousness, and propense to sin of all sorts. “I add, WI. This is not only a truth agreeable to Scripture and reason, but a truth of the utmost importance, and one to which the Churches of Christ, from the beginning, have borne a clear testimony.” (Page 8.)- “I. Man was originally made righteous or holy; formed with such a principle of love and obedience to his Maker as disposed and enabled him to perform the whole of his duty with ease and pleasure. This has been proved already; and this wholly over turns Dr. Taylor's fundamental aphorism, ‘Whatever is natural is necessary, and what is necessary is not sinful. For if man was originally righteous or holy, we may argue thus: It was at 416 ThE DOCTRINE OF first natural to man to love and obey his Maker; yet it was not necessary; neither as necessary is opposed to voluntary or free; (for he both loved and obeyed freely and willingly;) nor, as necessary means unavoidable; (this is manifest by the event;) no, nor as necessary is opposed to rewardable; for had he continued to love and obey, he would have been rewarded with everlasting happiness.

For if man was originally righteous or holy, we may argue thus: It was at 416 ThE DOCTRINE OF first natural to man to love and obey his Maker; yet it was not necessary; neither as necessary is opposed to voluntary or free; (for he both loved and obeyed freely and willingly;) nor, as necessary means unavoidable; (this is manifest by the event;) no, nor as necessary is opposed to rewardable; for had he continued to love and obey, he would have been rewarded with everlasting happiness. Therefore that assertion, ‘What ever is natural is necessary, is palpably, glaringly false; consequently, what is natural, as well as what is acquired, may be good or evil, rewardable or punishable.” (Page 10.) “II. Man’s original righteousness was lost by the first sin. Though he was made righteous, he was not made immutable. He was free to stand or fall. And he soon fell, and lost at once both the favour and image of God. This fully appears, 1. From the account which Moses gives of our first parents, where we read, (1.) ‘The eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;’ (Gen. iii.;) that is, they were conscious of guilt, and touched with a pungent sense of their folly and wickedness. They began to find their naked ness irksome to them, and to reflect on it with sinful emotions of soul. (2.) Immediately they were indisposed for com munion with God, and struck with such a dread of him as could not consist with true love. (Verse 8.) (3.) When questioned by God, how do they prevaricate, instead of con fessing their sin, and humbly imploring forgiveness! which proves, not only their having "inned, but their being as yet wholly impenitent. (4.) The judgment passed upon them was a proof of their being guilty in the sight of God. Thus was man’s original righteousness lost; thus did he fall both from the favour and image of God.” (Pages 14, 15.) “This appears, 2. From the guilt which inseparably attends every trangression of the divine law. I say, every transgres sion; because every sin virtually contains all sin; for ‘whoso ever keepeth the whole law, and offendeth in one point, he is guilty of all.” Every single offence is a virtual breach of all the commands of God.

Hereby he incurred death of every kind; not only temporal, but also spiritual and eternal. By losing his original righteousness, he became not only mortal as to his body, but also spiritually dead, dead to God, dead in sin; void of that principle which St. Paul terms, ‘the life of God;’ (Eph. iv. 18;) St. John, “eternal life abiding in us.” (1 John iii. 15.) A creature formed with a capacity of knowing, loving, and serving God, must be either ‘dead in sin,” or ‘alive to God.” Adam, in his primitive state, was ‘alive to God;’ but after he had sinned, dead in sin, as well as dead in law.” (Page 20.) “But Dr. Taylor is sure, only temporal death was to be the consequence of his disobedience. ‘For death is the loss of life, and must be understood according to the nature of the life to which it is opposed. Most true; and the life to which it is here opposed, the life Adam enjoyed, till lost by sin, was not only bodily life, but that principle of holiness which the Scrip ture terms, ‘the life of God. It was also a title to eternal life. All this, therefore, he lost by sin. And that justly; for ‘death is the due “wages of sin;’ death, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal.” (Page 21.) “IV. Adam’s first sin was the sin of a public person,-one whom God had appointed to represent all his descendants. “This also has been proved. In one sense, indeed, Adam’s sin was not ours. It was not our personal fault, our actual transgression. But in another sense it was ours; it was the sin of our common representative: And, as such, St. Paul shows it is imputed to us and all his descendants. Hence,-- “W. All these are from their birth ‘children of wrath;’ void of all righteousness, and propense to sin of all sorts. “In order to clear and confirm this proposition, I intend, “1. To consider a text which proves original sin in the full extent of it. “2. To explain some other texts, which relate either to the guilt or the corruption we derive from our first parents. “3. To add some arguments which Dr. Taylor has taken no notice of, or touched but very slightly. “4. To answer objections. “And, 1.

“And, 1. To consider that text, “And were by nature chil dren of wrath, even as others.” (Eph. ii. 3.) In the beginning of the chapter, St. Paul puts the Ephesians in mind of what God had done for them. This led him to observe what they had been before their conversion to God: They had been ‘dead in trespasses and sins; but were now “quickened, made alive to God. They had “walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh with energy in the children of disobedience.’ ‘Among such,” saith the Apostle, ‘we all had our conversation in times past; the whole time before our conversion; ‘fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others.” On this I observe,-- “(1.) The persons spoken of are both the believing Ephe sians and the Apostle himself. For he says not, “Ye were,’ speaking in the second person, as he had done, verses 1, 2; but, “We were,’--plainly with a design the more expressly to include himself. Indeed, had he still spoken in the second Terson, yet what is here affirmed would have been true of him as well as them. But for the sake of more explicitly including himself, he chose to say, ‘We were; ’--you, Ephesians, who were descended of heathen parents, and I who was born in the visible Church. “(2.) The ‘wrath’ here spoken of, means either God’s displeasure at sinners, or the punishment which he threatens and inflicts for sin.” (Pages 25-28.) “(3.) ‘Children of wrath,” is an Hebraism, and denotes persons worthy of, or liable to, wrath. And this implies the being sinners; seeing sin only exposes us to God's displea sure and the dreadful effects of it. “(4.) This charge the Apostle fixes on himself and them, as they had been before their conversion. He does not say, We are, but “we were, children of wrath.’ (Page 29.) “ (5.) He speaks of himself and the converted Ephesians as having been so equally with others. There is an emphasis on the words, “even as others; even as the stubborn Jews and idolatrous Heathens; even as all who are still “strangers and enemies’ to Christ. These are still ‘children of wrath: ’ But whatever difference there is between us and them, we were once what they are now.

iv.8;) um bvaret ovat Seous, persons or things which are partakers of no divine nature. ‘The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law; ” (Rom. ii. 14;) that is, by their own natural powers, with out a written law. Neither here, nor anywhere else, does the word (bvael signify no more than really or truly.” (Page 32.) “It remains, then, that the word which we render by nature does really so signify. “And yet it is allowed, we are not so guilty by nature, as a course of actual sin afterward makes us. But we are, ante cedent to that course, ‘children of wrath; liable to some degree of wrath and punishment. Here, then, from a plain text, taken in its obvious sense, we have a clear evidence both of what Divines term, original sin imputed, and of original sin inherent. The former is the sin of Adam, so far reckoned ours as to constitute us in some degree guilty; the latter, a want of original righteousness, and a corruption of nature; whence it is, that from our infancy we are averse to what is good, and propense to what is evil.” (Page 33.) “I am, 2. To explain some other texts which relate either to theguilt or the corruption which we derive from our first parents. “Genesis v. 3: Here the image of Adam, in which he begat a son after his fall, stands opposed to the image of God, in which man was at first created. Moses had said, ‘In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him.” (Verse 1.) In this, speaking of Adam as he was after the fall, he does not say, He begat a son in the likeness of God; but, He ‘begat a son in his own likeness, after his image. Now, this must refer to Adam, either as a man, or as a good man, or as a mortal, sinful man. But it could not refer to him merely as a man. The inspired writer could not design to inform us, that Adam begat a man, not a lion, or a horse.

viii. 21.) I will not be provoked to this by the wickedness of mankind; for they are inclined tosin from their childhood. Was I, therefore,to do this as often as they deserve, I must be continually destroying the earth. The word-iss--imagination--(as was observed before) 422 THE DOCTRINE or includes the thoughts, affections, inclinations, with everything which the soul, as a thinking being, forges and frames within itself. And the word we render youth, includes childhood and infancy, the earliest age of man; the whole time from his birth, or (as others affirm) from his formation in the womb. “Indeed Dr. Taylor would translate the text, ‘Although the imagination of man’s heart should be evil from his youth. But, (1.) Though the particle -- sometimes signifies although ; yet for is its common meaning. And we are not to recede from the usual signification of a word without any necessity. (2.) If we read although, it will not at all invalidate our proof. For still the plain meaning of the words would be, ‘I will not send another general flood, although every figment or formation of the heart of every man is evil from his earliest infancy.’” (Page 39.) “Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.’ (Job v. 6, 7.) The word which is here rendered affliction, sometimes signifies ‘iniquity. For what reason, but to show that these two, ‘sin’ and ‘affliction, are inseparable? Sin is the cause of affliction; and affliction, of whatever kind, is the genuine effect of sin. Indeed it is incompatible with the justice and mercy of God to appoint afflictions of any kind for the innocent. If Christ suffered, it was because the sins of others were im puted to him. If, then, every one of the posterity of Adam “is born to trouble, it must be because he is born a sinner: For man was not originally made to suffer. Nor while he preserved his innocence was he liable to suffering of any kind. Are the angels, or any pure, sinless creatures, liable to any sorrow or affliction? Surely no. But every child of Adam is. And it is in consequence of his sin, that the present life of man is short and afflictive; of which the very Heathens were deeply sensible.

And it is in consequence of his sin, that the present life of man is short and afflictive; of which the very Heathens were deeply sensible. They also saw, that “great travail is created for every man, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother's womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things.’” (Page 40.) “‘Wain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt;’ (Job xi. 12;) in the original, ‘though man be born’ (will be born in every age) ‘the colt of a wild ass. Dr. Taylor owns, “We are born quite ignorant.” But this is far from reach ing the plain import of the text, in which man, as born into the world, is compared to an animal most remarkably stupid and intractable. And such all the sons of Adam naturally are, particularly with regard to the things of God; from their infancy slow to learn what is good, though impetuously pro pense to learn and practise what is evil.” (Pages 43, 44.) “Job xiv. 4, and xv. 14. I join these, because the latter confirms the former. “Who can bring a clean thing, or person, “out of an unclean? Not one.’ This is express. Job had been reflecting on the sorrowful, uncertain, imperfect state of all Adam’s children in the present world. (xiv. 1-3.) Then he carries his thoughts to the spring of such a state, the original corruption of man. “Who, what creature, can make an innocent, righteous person proceed from a parent defiled by sin? ‘Not one.’ Through the whole Scripture we may observe, ‘sin’ is described as ‘uncleanness,’ and a sinner as an unclean thing. On the contrary, holiness is expressed by ‘cleanness’ of heart and hands; and the right eous man is described as clean. Agreeably to which, the text asserts the natural impossibility of any man’s being born clean, guiltless, and sinless, because he proceeds from them who are unclean, guilty, and defiled with sin. “The Septuagint translate the text, “Who shall be clean from filth?

Let the reader please to read the whole passage very carefully. The Apostle here discourses of Adam and Christ as two representatives or public persons, comparing the ‘sin’ of the one, with the ‘righteousness’ of the other.” (Page 66.) “On this I observe, (1.) The ‘one man, spoken of through out, is Adam, the common head of mankind: And to him (not to the devil or Eve) the Apostle ascribes the introduction of ‘sin’ and ‘death. The devil was the first sinner, and Eve, seduced by him, sinned before her husband. Yet the Apostle saith, “By one man sin entered into the world; through the offence of one many are dead; the judgment was by one to con demnation; death reigned by one. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men; by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” Now, why should the Apostle lay all this on Adam, whose sin was posterior both to the devil’s and Eve's, if Adam was not appointed by God the federal head of mankind? In regard to which the Apostle points at him singly, as the type or ‘figure of Him that was to come.’ According to Dr. Taylor’s doctrine, he should rather have said, ‘By the devil sin entered into the world;’ or, ‘Through the disobedience of Eve, many were made sinners. But, instead of this he fixes on our first father alone, as bringing sin and death on all his posterity.” (Page 67.) “(2.) ‘The sin, transgression, offence, disobedience, here spoken of, was Adam’s eating the forbidden fruit. It is remark able, that as the Apostle throughout his discourse arraigns one man only, so he ascribes all the mischief done to one single offence of that one man. And as he then stood in that special relation of federal as well as natural head to his descendants, soupon his committing that one sin, this special relation ceased. “(3.) The ‘all, (verses 12, 18,) and the ‘many,’ (verses 15, 19,) are all the natural descendants of Adam; equivalent with ‘the world, (verse 12,) which means the inhabitants of it.” (Page 69.) “(4.) The effects of Adam's sin on his descendants, the Apos tlereduces to two heads, sin and death.

“(3.) The ‘all, (verses 12, 18,) and the ‘many,’ (verses 15, 19,) are all the natural descendants of Adam; equivalent with ‘the world, (verse 12,) which means the inhabitants of it.” (Page 69.) “(4.) The effects of Adam's sin on his descendants, the Apos tlereduces to two heads, sin and death. ‘By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed on all men, for that all have sinned.’ “Sin’ sometimes means “punishment; but not here: ‘Sin and ‘death’ are here plainly distinguished. The common translation is therefore right, and gives us the true meaning of the words. “Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; ' namely, in or with their first father. And this agrees with the context; the purport of which is, that all have sinned, and are there fore liable to the death originally threatened; which is evident from this: That ‘ until the law sin was in the world; ’--in the ages that preceded the law of Moses, all men were sinners in the sight of God: “But sin is not imputed where there is no law; ’--none can be sinners in the sight of God if they are not transgressors of some law, for the transgressing of which they are reputed guilty: “Nevertheless death reigned’ all the time ‘from Adam to Moses’ over all mankind. Now, if none is liable to death, but for sin; if “sin is not imputed where there is no law; and if, notwithstanding this, all mankind in all ages have died; infants themselves, who cannot actually sin, not excepted; it is undeniable, that guilt is imputed to all for the sin of Adam. Why else are they liable to that which is inflicted on none but for sin 7 “This is the purport of the Apostle’s arguing, (verses 1214,) which having led him to mention Adam as a figure of Christ, he then draws a parallel between them. The substance of it is this: As through the ‘offence of Adam many are dead,” as ‘by the disobedience of him many are made sinners;” so through the righteousness or “obedience of Christ many are made righteous. But how are many dead, or made sinners, through the disobedience of Adam?

But how are many dead, or made sinners, through the disobedience of Adam? His first sin so far affects all his descendants as to constitute them guilty, or liable to all that death which was contained in the original threatening.” (Page 72.) “But Dr. Taylor avers, ‘To be made sinners, means only to be subjected to temporal death.’ “I answer, (1.) Whatever it means, the disobedience of Adam had a proper, causal influence upon it; just as the obedience of Christ has upon our being made righteous. “(2.) What ‘to be made sinners’ means, must be learned from the opposite to it, in the latter part of the verse. Now, allowing the Apostle to be his own interpreter, “being made righteous’ is the same with “justification.” (Verse 16.) Of this he had treated largely before. And through the whole of his discourse, ‘to be justified is to be acquitted from guilt, and accepted of God’ as righteous. Consequently, ‘to be made sinners’ is to be ‘condemned of God,” or to be ‘children of wrath, and that on account of Adam’s sin.” (Page 73.) “By man came death: In Adam all die.” (1 Cor. xv.21, 22.) Let the reader please to bear in mind the whole of the two verses and the context. By ‘man,’ in the twenty-first verse, is meant Adam. The “all” spoken of are all his natural descendants. These ‘all die;’ that is, as his descendants, are liable to death, yea, to death everlasting. That this is the meaning appears hence: That the ‘being made alive,” to which this dying stands opposed, is not a mere recovery of life, but a blessed resurrection to a glorious immortality. Hence I observe, (1.) Man was originally immortal as well as righteous. In his primitive state he was not liable to death. (2.) Death is constantly ascribed to sin, as the sole and proper cause of it. As it was threatened only for sin, so the sentence was not pronounced till after man had sinned. (3.) All men are mortal from their birth. As soon as they begin to live they are liable to death, the punishment de nounced against sin, and sin only. (4.) This is the genuine effect of the first sin of our first father.

(4.) This is the genuine effect of the first sin of our first father. The Apostle does not attribute it to the devil; neither does he say, ‘In Adam and Eve all die.’ But here also he mentions Adam singly. Him he speaks of as ‘a figure of Christ.” (Verses 45, 47, 48.) And here, as the sole author of death to all his natural de scendants. ‘In Adam, or on account of his fall, “all” of mankind, in every age, ‘die;’ consequently, in him all sinned. With him all fell in his first transgression. That they are all born liable to the legal punishment of sin proves him the federal as well as natural head of mankind; whose sin is so far imputed to all men, that they are born ‘children of wrath, and liable to death.” (Pages 74-77.) “Thus have I considered a large number of texts, which testify of original sin, imputed and inherent. Some are more express than others, of which kind are Job xiv. 4; Psalm li. 5; lviii. 3; Rom. v. 12, &c.; 1 Cor. xv. 22; Eph. ii. 3. That in Ephesians presents us with a direct proof of the entire doc trine. Those in Romans and Corinthians relate directly to original sin imputed, and are but consequential proofs of original corruption. The rest refer particularly to this, and are but consequential proofs of original sin imputed. “And as this doctrine stands impregnable on the basis of Scripture, so it is perfectly agreeable to sound reason; as may appear from a few plain arguments which confirm this scripture doctrine.” (Page 79.) “(1.) If the first man was by God’s appointment, as has been shown, the federal head of all his descendants, it fol lows, that when Adam sinned and fell, they all sinned in him, and fell with him. And if they did, they must come into the world both guilty and unclean. “‘But we had no hand in Adam’s sin, and therefore can not be guilty on account of it.’ “This, ‘We had no hand in it, is ambiguous. It means either, “We did not actually join therein, which no one denies, or, “We were wholly unconcerned in it; the contrary to which has been fully proved. “(2.) Since Adam’s posterity are born liable to death, which is the due “wages of sin, it follows, that they are born sinners.

“(2.) Since Adam’s posterity are born liable to death, which is the due “wages of sin, it follows, that they are born sinners. No art can set aside the consequence. “(3.) Either Christ is the Saviour of infants, or he is not; if he is not, how is he ‘the Saviour of all men?” But, if he is, then infants are sinners; for he suffered death for sinners only. He ‘came to seek and save’ only ‘that which was lost;’ to ‘save his people from their sins. It follows, that infants are sinners; that they are lost, and, without Christ, are undone for ever. “(4) The consequences of the contrary opinion are shock ingly absurd:-- “(i.) If original sin is not, either death is not ‘the wages of sin,” or there is punishment without guilt; God punishes innocent, guiltless creatures. To suppose which is to impute iniquity to the Most Holy.” (Page 84.) “(ii.) If we are not sinners by nature, there are sinful actions without a principle, fruit growing without a root. ‘No; men contract sinful habits by degrees, and then com mence sinners.’ But whence is it that they contract those habits so easily and speedily? Whence is it, that, as soon as ever we discover reason, we discover sinful dispositions? The early discoveries of reason prove a principle of reason planted in our nature. In like manner, the early discoveries of sinful dispositions prove those dispositions planted therein.” (Page 85.) “(iii.) If we were not ruined by the first Adam, neither are we recovered by the Second. If the sin of Adam was not imputed to us, neither is the righteousness of Christ. “(iv.) If we do not derive a corrupt nature from Adam, we do not derive a new nature from Christ. “(v.) A denial of original sin not only renders baptism needless with regard to infants, but represents a great part of mankind as having no need of Christ, or the grace of the new covenant. I now speak of infants in particular, who, if not “guilty before God,’ no more need the merits and grace of the Second Adam than the brutes themselves. “Lastly. A denial of original sin contradicts the main design of the gospel, which is to humble vain man, and to ascribe to God’s free grace, not man’s free will, the whole of his salvation.

We promise ourselves more security in a secret sin than in one that is openly committed. ‘The adulterer saith, No eye shall see me.’ And men will freely do that in secret, which they would be ashamed to do in the presence of a child: As if darkness could hide from an all seeing God. Are we not naturally careless of ‘communion with God?’ nay, and averse to it? Never was there any communion between God and Adam’s children, where God himself had not the first word. If he would let them alone, they would never inquire after him. “(5.) How loath are men to ‘confess sin, to take guilt and shame to themselves! And was it not thus in the case before us? Adam confesses his nakedness, (which indeed he could not deny,) but not one word does he say about his sin. It is as natural for us to hide sin as to commit it. Many instances of this we see daily; but how many will there be in that day when God “will judge the secrets of men?” Many a foul mouth will then be seen, which is now “wiped, and saith, I have done no wickedness.’ “Lastly. Is it not natural for us to extenuate our sin, and transfer the guilt to others? As Adam laid the blame of his sin on the woman: And did not the woman lay the blame on the serpent? Adam’s children need not be taught this; for before they can well speak, if they cannot deny, they lisp out something to lessen their fault, and lay the blame upon another. Nay, so natural is this to men, that, in the greatest of sins, they will charge the fault on God himself: blaspheming his provi dence under the name of ill luck, or misfortune, and so laying the blame of their sin at Heaven’s door. Thus does ‘the fool ishness of man pervert his ways; and his heart fretteth against the Lord. Let us then call Adam, Father: Let us not deny the relation, seeing we bear his image. “I proceed to inquire into the corruption of nature in the several parts of it. But who can take the exact dimensions of it, in its breadth, length, height, and depth?

It cannot do its work, but according to the light it hath to work by. Wherefore, seeing ‘the natural man discerneth not spiritual things,’ his conscience is quite useless in that point. It may indeed check for grosser sins; but spiritual sins it discerns not. Thus it will fly in the face of many for drunkenness; who yet have a profound peace though they live in unbelief, and are utter strangers to spiritual worship and ‘the life of faith.’ And the light of his conscience being faint and languishing even in the things which it does reach, its incite ments to duty, and struggles against sin, are very remiss and easily got over. But there is also a false light in the dark mind, which often ‘ calls evil good, and good evil.” And such a conscience is like a blind and furious horse, which violently runs down all that comes in his way. Indeed, whenever conscience is awakened by the spirit of conviction, it will rage and roar, and put the whole man in a consternation. It makes the stiff heart to tremble, and the knees to bow; sets the eyes a weeping, the tongue a confessing. But still it is an evil conscience, which naturally leads only to despair; and will do it effectually, unless either sin prevails over it to lull it asleep, as in the case of Felix, or the blood of Christ pre vail over it, sprinkling and ‘purging it from dead works.’ “Thus is man by nature wholly corrupted. But whence came this total corruption of our nature? That man’s nature was corrupt, the very Heathens perceived; but how “sin entered’ they could not tell. But the Scripture is very plain in the point: “By one man sin entered into the world.” “By one man’s disobedience many’ (all) “were made sinners.” Adam's sin corrupted man’s nature, and leavened the whole lump of mankind. We putrefied in Adam as our root. The root was poisoned, and so the branches were envenomed. The vine turned ‘the vine of Sodom,’ and so the grapes became ‘grapes of gall. Adam, by his sin, became not only guilty, but corrupt; and so transmits guilt and corruption to his posterity. By his sin he stripped himself of his original righteousness and corrupted himself.

For thou art ‘the servant of sin, and, therefore, free from righteousness; thou dost not, canst not, meddle with it. Thou art ‘under the dominion of sin a dominion where righteousness can have no place. Thou art a child and a servant of the devil as long as thou artin a state of nature. But, to prevent any mistake, consider that Satan hath two kinds of servants. There are some employed, as it were, in coarser work. These bear the devil’s mark in their foreheads; having no form of godliness; not so much as per forming the external duties of religion; but living apparently as sons of earth, only minding earthly things. Whereas, others are employed in more refined work, who carry his mark in their right hand, which they can and do hide, by a form of religion, from the view of the world. These sacrifice to the corrupt mind, as the other to the flesh. Pride, unbelief, self-pleasing, and the like spiritual sins, prey on their cor rupted, wholly corrupted, souls. Both are servants of the same house, equally void of righteousness. “Indeed, how is it possible thou shouldest be able to do any thing good, whose nature is wholly corrupt? ‘Can an evil tree bring forth good fruit? Do men gather grapes of thorns?” If then thy nature be totally evil, all thou doest is certainly so too. “Hear, O sinner, what is thy case! Innumerable sins com pass thee about; floods of impurities overwhelm thee. Sins of all sorts roll up and down in the dead sea of thy soul; where no good can breathe, because of the corruption there. Thy lips are unclean; the opening of thy mouth is as the opening of a grave, full of stench and rottenness. Thy natural actions are sin; for ‘when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (Zech. vii. 6.) Thy civil actions are sin: ‘The ploughing of the wicked is sin.” (Prov. xxi. 4.) Thy religious actions Poe sin: ‘The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomina tion to the Lord. The thoughts and imaginations of thy heart are ‘only evil continually. A deed may be soon done, a word soon spoken, a thought pass; but each of these is an item in thy accounts. O sad reckoning !

O sad reckoning ! As many thoughts, words, actions, so many sins; and the longer thou livest, thy accounts swell the more. Should a tear be dropped for every sin, thine eyes must be ‘fountains of tears. For nothing but sin comes from thee; thy heart frames nothing but evil imaginations; there is nothing in thy life, but what is framed by thy heart; therefore, there is nothing in thy heart or life but evil. “And all thy religion, if thou hast any, is lost labour, if thou art not born again: Truly then thy duties are sins. Would not the best wine be loathsome in a foul vessel ? So is the religion of an unregenerate man. Thy duties cannot make thy corrupt soul holy; but thy corrupt heart makes them unclean. Thou wast wont to divide thy works into two sorts; to count some good, and some evil. But thou must count again, and put all under one head; for God writes on them all, ‘Only evil.” “And thou canst not help thyself. What canst thou do to take away thy sin, who art wholly corrupt? Will mud and filth wash our filthiness? And wilt thou purge out sin by sinning? Job took a potsherd to scrape himself, because his hands were as full of boils as his body. This is the case of thy corrupt soul, so long as thou art in a state of nature. Thou art poor indeed, extremely ‘miserable and poor;” thou hast no shelter, but a refuge of lies; no garment for thy soul, but ‘filthy rags;” nothing to nourish it, but husks that cannot satisfy. More than that, thou hast got such a bruise in the loins of Adam, that thou art “without strength,’ unable to do anything. Nay, more than all this, thou canst not so much as seek aright, but liest helpless, as an infant exposed in the open field. “O that ye would believe this sad truth! How little is it believed in the world ! Few are concerned to have their evil lives reformed; but fewer far, to have their evil nature changed. Most men know not what they are; as the eye, which, seeing many things, never sees itself. But until ye know every one ‘the plague of his own heart, there is no hope of your recovery.

But until ye know every one ‘the plague of his own heart, there is no hope of your recovery. Why will ye not believe the plain testimony of Scripture? Alas! that is the nature of your disease. ‘Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Lord, open their eyes, before they lift them up in hell, and see what they will not see now ! “Meantime, let us have a special eye upon the corruption and sin of our nature. What avails it to take notice of other sins, while this mother sin is unnoticed? This is a weighty point; in speaking to which, I shall, “1. Point at some evidences of men's overlooking the sin of their nature. As (1.) Men's being so confident of themselves, as if they were in no danger of gross sins. Many would take heinously such a caution as Christ gave his Apostles: ‘Take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness.’ They would be ready to cry out, ‘Am I a dog?’ It would raise the pride of their heart, not their fear and trembling. And all this is a proof that they know not the corruption of their own nature. (2.) Untender ness toward them that fall. Many, in this case, cast off all bowels of compassion; a plain proof that they do not know, or ‘consider themselves, lest they also be tempted.” Grace, indeed, does make men zealous against sin, in others as well as in them selves. But eyes turned inward to the corruption of nature, clothe them with pity and compassion, and fill them with thank fulness, that they were not the persons left to be such spectacles of human frailty. (3.) Men’s venturing so boldly on temptation, in confidence of their coming off fairly. Were they sensible of the corruption of their nature, they would beware of entering on the devil’s ground; as one girt about with bags of gunpowder would be loath to walk where sparks of fire were flying. “2. I shall mention a few things in which ye should have a special eye to the sin of your nature. (1) In your application to Christ. When you are with the Physician, O forget not this disease!

When you are with the Physician, O forget not this disease! They never yet knew their errand to Christ, who went not to Him for the sin of their nature; for his blood to take away the guilt and his Spirit to break the power of it. Though ye should lay before him a catalogue of sins, which might reach from earth to heaven, yet if you omit this, you have forgot the best part of the errand a poor sinner has to the Physician of souls. (2.) Have a special eye to it in your repentance. If you would repent indeed, let the streams lead you up to the fountain, and mourn over your corrupt nature, as the cause of all sin, in heart, word, and work. ‘Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (3.) Have a special eye to it in your mortification. “Crucify the flesh with its affections and desires.’ It is the root of bitterness which must be struck at, else we labour in vain. In vain do we go about to purge the streams, if we are at no pains about the muddy fountain. (4.) Ye are to eye this in your daily walk. He that would walk uprightly, must have one eye upward to Jesus Christ, another inward to the cor ruption of his own nature. “3. I shall offer some reasons, why we should especially observe the sin of our nature. (1.) Because, of all sins, it is the most extensive and diffusive. It goes through the whole man, and spoils all. Other sins mar particular parts of the image of God; but this defaces the whole. It is the poison of the old serpent cast into the fountain, and so infects every action, every breathing of the soul. “(2.) It is the cause of all particular sins, both in our hearts and lives. ‘Out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, and all other abominations. It is the bitter foun tain; and particular lusts are but rivulets running from it, which bring forth into the life a part only, not the whole, of what is within. “(3.) It is virtually all sins; for it is the seed of all, which want but the occasion to set up their heads.

“(3.) It is virtually all sins; for it is the seed of all, which want but the occasion to set up their heads. Hence it is called, ‘a body of death,’ as consisting of the several members which constitute that “body of sins,” (Col. ii. 11,) whose life lies in spiritual death. It is the cursed ground, fit to bring forth all manner of noxious weeds. Never did every sin appear in the conversation of the vilest wretch that ever lived. But look into thy nature, and thou mayest see all and every sin in the root thereof. There is a fulness of all unrighteousness there;--Atheism, idolatry, adultery, murder. Perhaps none of these appear to thee in thy heart; but there is more in that unfathomable depth of wickedness than thou knowest. “(4.) The sin of our nature is of all sins the most fixed and abiding. Sinful actions are transient, though the guilt and stain of them may remain. But the corruption of nature passes not away. It remains in its full power, by night and by day, at all times, till nature is changed by converting grace. “You may observe three things in the corrupt heart: (i.) There is the corrupt nature, the evil bent of the heart, whereby men are unapt for all good, and fitted for all evil. (ii) There are particular lusts or dispositions of that corrupt nature, such as pride, passion, covetousness. (iii.) There is one of these stronger than all the rest,-‘the sin which doth so easily beset us.” So that the river divides into many streams, whereof one is greater than the rest. The corruption of nature is the river head, which has many particular lusts wherein it runs; but it mainly disburdensitself into that which we call the predominant sin. But as in some rivers the main stream runs not always in the same channel, so the besetting sin may change; as lust in youth may be succeeded by covetousness in old age. Now, what does it avail, to reform in other things, while the reigning sin retains its full power? What, if a particular sin be gone? If the sin of our nature keep the throne, it will set up another in its stead;--as when a water-course is stopped in one place, it will break forth in another.

This exclusion seems to be the only punishment to which we can now conceive a pure spirit liable. And according as all intelligent beings are at a less or greater distance from this fountain of all happiness, so they are necessarily more or less miserable or happy. “(3.) That one part of those punishments will be by fire, than which we have not any revelation more express and positive. And as it is an instance of great goodness in God, that the joys of heaven are represented to us under the figurative images of light and glory and a kingdom, and that the substance shall exceed the utmost of our conception; so it is an argument of his strict justice, that future punishments are more literally threatened and foretold. “(4.) The eternity of these punishments is revealed as plainly as words can express it. And the difficulty of that question, ‘What proportion endless torments can bear to momentary sin,” is quite removed by considering, that the punishments denounced are not sanctions entirely arbitrary, but are withal so many previous warnings or declarations of the matural tendency of sin itself. So that an unrepenting sinner must be miserable in another life by a necessity of nature. Therefore he is not capable of mercy; since there never can be an alteration of his condition, without such a change of the whole man as would put the natural and settled order of the creation out of course.” (Page 351.) Doubtless this eminent man (whose books on the Human Understanding, and on Divine Analogy, I would earnestly recommend to all who either in whole or in part deny the Christian Revelation) grounded his judgment both of the nature and duration of future punishments on these and the like passages of Scripture : “If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy: of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God! For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. x.

When he makes the mountains tremble, and the earth shake, shall not our hearts be moved "Fear ye not me saith the Lord; and will ye not tremble at my presence" (Jer. 5:22.) Will ye not fear me, who can open the windows of heaven above, or break up the fountains of the deep below, and pour forth whole floods of vengeance when I please -- who can "rain upon the wicked snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest;" (Ps. 11:6;) or kindle those streams and exhalations in the bowels and caverns of the earth, and make them force their way to the destruction of towns, cities, and countries who can thus suddenly turn a fruitful land into a barren wilderness; an amazing spectacle of desolation and ruin "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it." "The lion hath roared; who will not fear With God is terrible majesty; men do therefore fear him." Some do; and all ought. O that his fear might this moment fall upon all you who hear these words; constraining every one of you to cry out, "My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments!" (Ps. 109:10.) O that all might see, now His hand is lifted up, as in act to strike; is stretched out still; and shakes his rod over a guilty land, a people fitted for destruction! For is not this the nation to be visited And "shall not I wait for these things saith the Lord; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this" (Jer. 5:9.) What but national repentance can prevent national destruction "O consider this, ye that forget God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you!" (Ps. 50:22.) That iniquity may not be your ruin, repent! This is the Second advice I would offer you; or, rather, the First enforced upon you farther, and explained. Fear God, and depart from evil; repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; break off our sins this moment. " Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well," saith the Lord. (Isa. :16, 17.)

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3.) "Therefore now, saith the Lord," who is not willing any should perish, "turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him" (Joel 2:12-14.) "Who knoweth" A question which should make you tremble. God is weighing you in the balance, and, as it were, considering whether to save or to destroy! "Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee; therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee." (Exod. 33:5.) God waits to see what effect his warnings will have upon you. He pauses on the point of executing judgment, and cries, "How shall I give thee up" (Hos. 11:8) Or, "Why should ye be stricken any more" (Isa. 1:5.) He hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. He would not bring to pass his strange act, unless your obstinate impenitence compel him. "Why will you die, O house of Israel" (Ezek. 18:31.) God warns you of the approaching judgment, that ye may take warning, and escape it by timely repentance. He lifts up his hand, and shakes it over you, that ye may see it, and prevent the stroke. He tells you, "Now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees:" (Matt. 3:10:) Therefore repent; bring forth good fruit; and ye shall not be hewn down, and cast into the fire. O do not despise the riches of his mercy, but let it lead you to repentance! "Account that the longsuffering of the Lord is salvation." (2 Pet. 3:15.) Harden not your hearts, but turn to Him that smites you; or, rather, threatens to smite, that ye may turn and be spared! How slow is the Lord to anger! how unwilling to punish! By what leisurely steps does he come to take vengeance! How many lighter afflictions before the final blow!

Yes; thou hast now another call to repentance, another offer of mercy, whosoever thou art that hearest these words. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I warn thee once more, as a watchman over the house of Israel, to flee from the wrath to come! I put thee in remembrance (if thou hast so soon forgotten it) of the late awful judgment, whereby God shook thee over the mouth of hell! Thy body he probably awoke by it; but did he awake thy soul The Lord was in the earthquake, and put a solemn question to thy conscience: "Art thou ready to die" "Is thy peace made with God" Was the earth just now to open its mouth, and swallow thee up, what would become of thee Where wouldest thou be in Abraham's bosom, or lifting up thine eyes in torment Hadst thou perished by the late earthquake, wouldest thou not have died in thy sins, or rather gone down quick into hell Who prevented thy damnation it was the Son of God! O fall down, and worship him! Give Him the glory of thy deliverance; and devote the residue of thy days to his service! This is the Third advice I would give you: Repent and believe the gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and ye shall yet be saved. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish. Repentance alone will profit you nothing; neither do ye repent, unless ye confess with broken hearts the most damnable of all your sins, your unbelief; your having rejected, or not accepted, Jesus Christ as your only Saviour. Neither can ye repent unless he himself gives the power; unless his Spirit convince you of sin, because ye believe not in Him. Till ye repent of your unbelief, all your good desires and promises are vain, and will pass away as a morning cloud. The vows which ye make in a time of trouble, ye will forget and break as soon as the trouble is over and the danger past. But shall ye escape for your wickedness, suppose the earthquake should not return God will never want ways and means to punish impenitent sinners. He hath a thousand other judgments in reserve; and if the earth should not open its mouth, yet ye shall surely at last be swallowed up in the bottomless pit of hell!